Shield 9mm ver 1 accuracy question

[donhov]

Haven't shot the Shield 9mm Ver1 for a while but took out today. Not thrilled with accuracy. Mostly to the right and a little high over all. Have over 400 rounds through it but it has sat for a bit. Put the Talon grip on it a few weeks ago and it defiantly helps with control of the pistol, just think that the accuracy just isn't there. Also took my Para 3" elite and mostly in the X, if it wasn't it was me but that has a match barrel, Also took my AR9 5" barrel and with 32 rounds cut out the center of the target. Extractor broke after 125 rounds so that ended my day. Sent part in and will have to wait for new extractor to finish setting up weapon. Oh well at least I finally got time to get to the range and do some shooting. Better than sitting home doing nothing.

 

[Groo01]

Groo here
You are comparing a $400 shield against a $900+ para.
The shield is "good enough" is simple and runs.
The para is a 1911 ,had some hand work ,and flat shoots.
[Mine is an Expert Carry]
A palm size group at 7yds fired quickly will do OK.

 

[roughneck6]

I have the Shield 9mm 1.0 version. I put on a talon grip, Trijicon HD night sights and a Apex Duty Trigger Kit. It's a tack driver, zero malfunctions for years. I love Sigs too, bought a P365, which has also been 100% reliable, but revert back to my Shield if I'm carrying a subcompact.

 

[swsig]

You didn't say what caliber your Shield is, but I'm assuming it is 9mm. I have a 9mm Shield 1.0 with nearly 6,000 rounds through it, and the accuracy is OK, (but just OK), out to 15 yards, and poor beyond that. I have found that I get about a 20-25% increase in accuracy using Winchester NATO 124g rounds for target practice, so that's all I use.

If you otherwise like the Shield, here's my suggestion to go way, way up in accuracy: Get a Shield 45. With my Shield 9, using Win NATO ammo, I can place 45-50% of my shots into a 4"x4" square at 15 yards. With my Shield 45, it's 70-80%. If you don't mind giving up a round in favor of a huge increase in accuracy, go for the Shield 45.

 

[Funflyer]

Haven't shot the Shield for a while but took out today. Not thrilled with accuracy.

What ammo are you using? I would say find the right ammo, drift your sights if necessary and you'll see the Shield the best it can be.

I've never been overly thrilled with most factory range ammo. When the Shield 9 was my EDC, I initially started using Hornady 124 XTPs which were much better than range ammo. Then I decided to give Speer 124gn Gold Dots a try and haven't bought another XTP since. The Speer grouped so much tighter with hardly a flier ever. Comparing the two shows the GD bullet is .3564" in diameter and the XTP is .3552". Haven't measured any factory ball ammo in awhile but I recall it was somewhere around .353"-.354". My guess is that range ammo is made to function more than perform.

 

[OKFC05]

I load 124gr Precision Delta for my 9mm range loads, and have no trouble hitting the head on an IDPA target at 15yds with a Shield. Be sure you do not move the gun as you are pressing the trigger, which is often the problem with a light gun and long trigger pull

 

[sandog]

I was getting 3 to 3 1/2" groups at 25 yards with my PC .40 Shield.
I recently got a Remsport conversion barrel for it so I can shoot 9mm.
My first time out using W-W 124 grain NATO, Sig 124 grain NATO V-Crown, and Remington 124 grain Golden Saber had all 3 loads putting 4 shots almost touching, and one of the 5 would be a flyer.

donhov, if you are consistently shooting right, drift your rear sight to the left a bit. Lighter grain loads will hit lower to take care of the elevation.
My 40 to 9mm Shield was hitting 4-5 inches low with all the various 124 grain loads I tried., so I'm going to try some 147 grain loads, which should hit higher on the target.

 

[donhov]

Guess I should have stated 9mm. Forgot they made many 40 and 45 also. Also had Triton sights installed some time ago and adjusted by the gunsmith. Have as I said over 400 rounds thru it. I didn't mean to imply that I was comparing it to the Para, just that I had the Para Elite Carry 3" 45 caliber with match barrel out also. Also had an AR9 and completely cut out the center of the target with it. Also had my Taurus 605 357 mag 2" and it even was more on target then the Shield. As far as pistols I also have a Sig 365, 938 and a 238, a couple of Ruger revolvers, a Heritage RR 22 mag and a few others. Also I'm well over 75 so eyesight probably isn't as good as it once was and defiantly shake a little. Those issues aside my comment was directed on the Shield just over all not being the most accurate pistol I own and comment was meant to point to that issue. As far as a carry pistol it is great and probably at 5 to 7 yards it would be more than adequate just not as accurate at it's price point as many others.

 

[Ranger17]

I find my Shield (1.0 PC 9) to be quite accurate in the 6-8 yard area that I usually shoot it at. Well guess accurate for my skill level, pic was a 6-7 yd example. I can usually get decent groups out if it, and have 2500 rounds thru it now, near all have been 115 gn. I have taken mine out to 25 yards and the group obviously was larger but considering the 3" barrel and frankly its hard for my eyes at that distance lol, i was satisfied.

OP, what was your accuracy with it before the stock sights were changed out? Perhaps they need to be adjusted for you.

 

[oink]

The Shield 9 V1 is no target gun. It's plenty accurate for it's intended purpose. And the accuracy is fine for it's price point which is and has been in the $250 range or even less on sale for several years.

I like mine just fine for what it is. Plenty good enough for normal everyday personal protection. If any other obligations are involved, like church security team, LEO off duty, or even shepherding a family other than just us two old people, I would not consider it adequate. That's why I have other options. But being thin and small like it is it's a great motorcycle jacket pocket gun that's subject to the abusive conditions that entails.

 

[RobzGuns]

Over 30,000 rounds through my 1stGen Shield9 and found that it's just fine for Defense and IDPA use, using 124gr rounds.
The only work done to it has been the BurwellGuns DIY polishing.

Have someone watch your hands when you shoot, to see if you may be twisting the pistol at the last fraction of a second before trigger break. More often than not, with the Shield's small size and thin grip, that is the problem. You've seen that the grip tape helps, but if you (or others reading this) notice the need to readjust your grip every couple shots, either your grip on the pistol, or the pistol's grip (width/texture) needs modification.

 

[mmb617]

It's not that I think my Shield is inaccurate but I've found the 4" Compact I got later is more accurate, at least for me. Part of that is probably the longer barrel and part of it is the bigger grip. The Shield is fine, the Compact is just better. I'm comfortable with either for EDC.

I can put every round center mass from 10 yds which is what I normally shoot with either gun but the groups will be tighter with the Compact.

Now if I go longer range the Compact is clearly better. I shot both from 25 yds and at that distance the Compact still gets the job done but with the Shield some of my shots miss the target completely.

 

[ptf18]

donhov. Are you shooting a Shield 1.0 or the 2.0? I "thought" I understood that the bore twist is different between the 2 versions. Please correct me if Im wrong.

Im a new Shield owner and not really a pistol shooter. Had my Shield out the 1st time a week or so ago. I shot 115 gn Brass Blazer ammo thru it at 25 FEET with a 2 hand hold and the gun grouped OK. I switched to my "standard 147gn Handload" and shot at 25 FEET. again the gun shot OK. Had to make a windage adjustment to get the poi centered up. Shot the gun with the same handload at 50 FEET...... not really to impressed.

The Firestorm (Bersa) .380 and the S&W 3'' 65 both shot to my satisfaction at 50 FEET.

I "think" I read somewhere on the web that there is a aftermarket barrel that offers "better" accuracy than the S&W barrel. Do I have this correct?

 

[sheepdawg]

My 9mm. gen. 1 Shield is accurate enough for it's purpose but to my amazement I came up with a Kahr CW40 a few months ago, hey they're practically giving 40s away, and it blows the Shield out of the water as far as accuracy goes. It also weighs 4 ounces less, is far more comfortable a carry, hasn't missed a beat once I got past the 200 round break in Kahr stresses and for a 40 I can handle it's recoil easily. I sacrifice a few rounds but if I can't get it done with 7 40s in the pistol and another 6 in my pocket I don't need to be carrying.

 

[AUG]

I hate to break the news to some of you but its not the gun, it is the shooter. Small guns like the shield are not less accurate than full size guns. They are just much harder to shoot accurately. If it is accurate at 7yds it is accurate at 25yds if the shooter does their part.


I just want to clarify it is not inaccuracy. It is difficulty in shooting it accurately.

 

[donhov]

Ok, let me correct my statement, Maybe consistency would be a better word, keeping shots within a reasonable distance of each other rather on target, rather than point on for aim. All my pistols seem to group fairly well except the Shield, it scatters for lack of a better work more than the other pistols. My Para 45 shoots (for me) slightly to the left but height on otherwise. My Sig 365 is just a little low and to the left. Hopefully you can understand what I mean. The pistols all are somewhat consistent but not the same point of impact. The Shield is no where as consistent an my others.

OK, somewhat of an argument on Aus's statement. I shot my Taurus 2" 605 revolver (very cheap pistol) with much better accuracy at the same distance. I shoot (past tense) my Sig 365 with to me very good accuracy, again much better than the Shield. I'm not knocking the Shield per say just questioning it's potential for accuracy. I also shoot my GP100, Sig 938 and various other handguns all reasonably well for my age, just not the Shield. The original reason for the post was to see if it was just my weapon or if most are a little off in the accuracy department. I had just installed the Talon permanent grips and wanted to see if that helped in any way with accuracy and overall feel of the pistol. I would not consider using it much beyond 7 yards as far as accuracy goes but most of my other pistols are good to at least 15 if not more yards.

 

[mmb617]

I hate to break the news to some of you but its not the gun, it is the shooter. Small guns like the shield are not less accurate than full size guns. They are just much harder to shoot accurately. If it is accurate at 7yds it is accurate at 25yds if the shooter does their part.


I just want to clarify it is not inaccuracy. It is difficulty in shooting it accurately.

If you are saying that the length of the barrel has no effect on accuracy then I will dispute that statement.

If that were the case why would anybody even make pistols with longer barrels?

It's only logical that any small deviation from the targeted area at 7 yds will be magnified at longer distances like 25 yds. I don't see that as open to argument either.

 

[MASSIVE]

(I just came here looking for some info and opinions on some 9C stuff and now I feel like a "new trigger" commercial)

Had the same issues with my Shields - All of them. Sold them all except for 1 (the most consistent one). It's okay - "combat effective" and what not. Shot someone else's with an upgraded trigger and found it to be much easier to hit where I was aiming. Went back and forth between the two and realized how "gritty and draggy" my trigger felt by comparison. SO, I decided to upgrade the trigger. Changed everything. First shot, bull. Second shot made the hole bigger. Groups tightened up dramatically and suddenly, my sights were just fine.

That all out of the way so I don't sound like a "get a new trigger" commercial --

I was watching an installation video after I got the new trigger (Okay, it's a Hyve Monarch and the video is easy to find on YouTube). One of the things he was sort of hard-core on was 1k grit to polish down several surfaces. The slot in the frame comes to mind. Never had my trigger out before and that surface wasn't exactly smooth (but it sure is now).

Find that video, pop a few parts and polish some surfaces. It'll cost you one piece of 1000 grit and about 10 minutes of time. See if that doesn't help. Short sight radius pistols are rough enough to aim on their own. Add the *tiniest* bit of unexpected last-millimeter friction somewhere and it can easily cause a gun to seem inconsistent when everything else seems fine.

I wish I still had my old Shields to try that on. One was terribly inconsistent. Just shot everywhere. Now I wonder whether if it was just a rough surface causing some last-millisecond deflection during the break. Granted - I still think polished metal against polished polymer is going to always have a smoother feel over poly-to-poly. But again - 10 minutes and a piece of sandpaper is a small investment. If it helps, big payoff. If it doesn't, no harm.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Drift the sights.............Change your loads........Worked for me.
Long barrels are NOT inherently more accurate than short barrels (from a machine rest). Longer barrels show your wobble & wiggle more allowing to correct for that. Longer =heavier=allow you to hold it steadier.

 

[Boogs]

I have never believed in modifying critical components of a pistol (sandpaper, dremel, etc), particularly a self-defense pistol. Numerous reasons for this, but one should be particularly mindful.

Also not a trigger snob, it is a bit of snake oil if you ask me, however, 400 rounds is a pistol in its infancy. Put rounds through it, dry-fire, allow it to smooth itself out-- it is not a race gun.

What is that statistic? 95% of self-defense shootings occur within 7 yards? Get shots on target, do not see the real world application of wanting to group a bad guy sub-MOA with a 9mm at 5 yards, that is one small hole assuming he isn't moving.

Going from a 1911 to a Shield is only going to upset you, you knew what it was when you bought it