Shield 9mm in, Shield 40 Gone

[xcutter]

After reading about the few Shield 40 Kabooms and no longer feeling comfortable shooting a small .40 S&W handgun, I made the move yesterday. I traded my Shield 40 in for a Shield 9mm. I paid $379 for the 9mm and got $175 for the 40 in trade. I had a choice and I chose the manual safety version.
I field stripped, cleaned and lubed the gun this morning. I put about 250 rounds through the Shield 9mm this afternoon. Not one single issue. Nice groupings and no sore hand. This is just my opinion, but I feel that the 9mm is so much more manageable a lot more fun to shoot. I own a Glock 23 .40 S&W and love it. So it is not about 9mm vs .40 S&W. It is about a small gun in a .40 vs 9mm. For those of you that like the 40 Shield, I respect that. For those of you on the fence between the two versions, shoot both if you can. If not, as the owner of both, I would recommend the 9mm.

 

[RobzGuns]

I put about 250 rounds through the Shield 9mm this afternoon. Not one single issue. Nice groupings and no sore hand. This is just my opinion, but I feel that the 9mm is so much more manageable a lot more fun to shoot. I own a Glock 23 .40 ACP and love it. So it is not about 9mm vs .40 ACP.

That's pretty much how I feel about it. While I CAN shoot the .40 just fine, to me 9mm is just more manageable and allows me to get back on target for followup shots quicker. A plus is that with today's ammunition, there's not a large enough difference in performance to give up quicker followup shots.

Congrats!

 

[Well Armed]

$175 for the shiels 40 all because 3 people claimed theirs went kaboom (I think 2 of those stated they used reloads)?

Glad you got a gun that worked better for you, but you got ripped off in the trade IMHO.

 

[RobzGuns]

Sorry if you think it's a rip, but 50%-60% the Shop's NIB price is what the average person gets when trading. [shrug]

 

[Well Armed]

Sorry if you think it's a rip, but 50%-60% the Shop's NIB price is what the average person gets when trading. [shrug]

I realize that, but I still think that's a ripoff and a bad deal even if it is normal. What I think does not matter though as long as the OP felt it was worth taking the loss.

 

[M&Pmeister]

Well, shops I dealt with typically give 60% of the FMV on used guns. So looks like they figure they could resell it for around $300. Given that Shields are selling brand new for $350 and up. $175 is a fair (but not great) trade-in for a good condition Shield.

It's you money and your gun. You do what you feel you have to, regardless of what the rest of us think. But... at least get the name right...

It's not .40 ACP, there is no such animal.

.40 S&W.

 

[Well Armed]

Well, shops I dealt with typically give 60% of the FMV on used guns. So looks like they figure they could resell it for around $300. Given that Shields are selling brand new for $350 and up. $175 is a fair (but not great) trade-in for a good condition Shield.

It's you money and your gun. You do what you feel you have to, regardless of what the rest of us think. But... at least get the name right...

It's not .40 ACP, there is no such animal.

.40 S&W.

Yea usually new online for $350 + transfer, but I've found that on sites like ArmsList via FTF sales, you can usually sell it at online prices or a little less. At LGS, I usually see it going for near $400 + tax.

I agree though, as long as the OP is happy with the deal, that is all that matters.

 

[andrewcdub]

I did the same thing just now but kept the 40 shield. Also picked up 100 rounds of 124 gr hst. I shot the 9 a little bit better than I do the 40. Gonna sell my friend my 40 shield since he has been drooling over it since i bought it. I got the 9 used with talon grips on it already and an extra 7 round mag for $390.

 

[xcutter]

Well, shops I dealt with typically give 60% of the FMV on used guns. So looks like they figure they could resell it for around $300. Given that Shields are selling brand new for $350 and up. $175 is a fair (but not great) trade-in for a good condition Shield.



It's you money and your gun. You do what you feel you have to, regardless of what the rest of us think. But... at least get the name right...



It's not .40 ACP, there is no such animal.



.40 S&W.

Sorry about that. I have a Colt 1911 45 ACP. I cannot believe I wrote that. I did actually mean .40 S&W

 

[Well Armed]

Sorry about that. I have a Colt 1911 45 ACP. I cannot believe I wrote that. I did actually mean .40 S&W

We'll let it pass this time, but next time we won't be so forgiving...

 

[xcutter]

We'll let it pass this time, but next time we won't be so forgiving...

Fair enough

 

[Mountain Walker]

Total agreement with you OP! 40SW is too much for this little gun and bullet technology has advanced where the 9mm is formidable. It is nearly impossible to access gun performance without shooting it, and sometimes after buying a gun we discover it just is not what we wanted. You are wise to make the change and I think that the Gun Shop was fair, that's how they stay in business. I would have done the exact same thing.

 

[Well Armed]

Total agreement with you OP! 40SW is too much for this little gun and bullet technology has advanced where the 9mm is formidable. It is nearly impossible to access gun performance without shooting it, and sometimes after buying a gun we discover it just is not what we wanted. You are wise to make the change and I think that the Gun Shop was fair, that's how they stay in business. I would have done the exact same thing.

I think it's a matter of opinion. I and many others shoot the 40s&w Shield just fine. The recoil is a none issue to me as I really do not notice it...

For example, just because even a 9mm Shield may be too much for some women and a 380 may better suits them better, that does not mean or equate to the 9mm is too much for the gun. It means it's too much for the person who's shooting the gun IMHO.

 

[skip4309]

The .40 is a great caliber...never shot one...always shot the 9mm and it worked for me....shot it well....I'm glad people love it (the .40) but its not for me...its like driving a sports car....some are good at it and some are not...but It still gets me to where I'm going....and that's what counts....

 

[Nomadic Vagabond]

I just sold my Shield 40 for a Shield 9 for all the same reasons. Cabela's gave me $250 for the 40 and sold me the 9 for $399.

 

[Well Armed]

I just sold my Shield 40 for a Shield 9 for all the same reasons. Cabela's gave me $250 for the 40 and sold me the 9 for $399.

$250 isn't bad at all. With everyone looking to get rid of their 40 shields so cheap, I kind of wish I didn't by mine brand new.

 

[uechikid]

I too bought the Shield in 9mm. Partly because of the kaboom threads (there were more than three) but also because 9 is easier to control. I have an M&P40 FS and shoot it just fine. I just felt that in a stressful situation a caliber that's easier to control should, hopefully produce more rounds on target. My wife and I bought his and hers?

 

[Mountain Walker]

The Shield has pretty good recoil mitigation or dampening with that VERY stout double recoil spring unit. It may be just fine for some folks, but the 40SW is still a lot for that little gun with cracked frames and slides and so forth showing up. Having said that, I bought a G27 over twenty years ago and that thing is the best shooter ever and has never had any problems at all. It has always been fine to shoot, with moderate recoil, particularity with the 180 grain bullets at 1,000 fps or less. There is however a little more to hold on to with the fatter grip of the G27. Today, I would probably by a G26 instead, but I am not selling my G27. Not to sure the new Shield is as able to handle a steady diet of the 40SW as the G27 is. Just my thoughts, perhaps someone is going to do a ten thousand round torture test on the Shield in 40SW. My impression of the Shield is that it is slightly over built for the 9mm but not for the 40SW.

 

[M&Pmeister]

Shoot... had I known folks are dumping their Shield 40s cheap, I would've waited and buy a couple of them from y'all instead of a new one.

Even though I'm not bothered by the Shield 40, I can understand why some might be. It's not the caliber, but all depends on the shooter and the particular pistol. I've shot some pocket 380 and 9mm that are "snappy" and I don't particularly like to shoot much. But I still own and carry them. Why? Because that's the price I pay for concealability. As long as the recoil is not so overpowering so as to make the firearm uncontrollable, it can be an effective CCW. Being a 100+rd range gun is not a prerequisite for a good pocket/subcompact pistol.

 

[Daniel71]

About trade-in prices:
Years ago there was a guy named Doc Walther (a dentist by trade) who liked to sell guns at the local gun show. After buying a gun from him you would go to his dental office in 3 days to pick it up. Once I was passing by his tables and overheard a potential customer say "that's all you'll offer me in trade-in?" And the guy walked away angry. Doc Walther looked at me and said, "these guys want me to pay full price for their trade-ins and sell them my new guns at a discount". Personally I would think getting 50% for one of my used guns would be fair, but I find I always end up paying more than that on Gun Broker for the guns I buy. (Actually, I don't sell any - I get attached to them in almost all cases.)