Shield Plus vs Shield 9 v1

[Shield 9 WV]

Good review, with unexpected results.

Thank you, and I agree regarding the unexpected results. I'm trying be objective and not just parrot the opinions of reviews that I've seen.

(snip)...more or less a straight upgrade which effectively serves as a replacement for the 1.0/2.0 models.

However, I've always thought that the Shield PLUS made more sense as a high capacity alternative to the Shield rather than an outright replacement, (snip)

Interesting analysis. That makes good sense.



(snip) ...but personally I think that the added weight, (when fully loaded) sort of hurts the Shield PLUS more than it helps it in the role as a replacement model, because obviously carry weight is often a decisive factor when choosing a carry gun, and for those who are specifically looking for a lightweight carry gun, the Shield PLUS actually loses points.

Again, good point. I in the camp of "if you want more horsepower, get a bigger horse."

So yeah, the Shield PLUS is great as an alternative to the Shield for those who want more capacity
than the Shield, but less weight/bulk than the Subcompact, but it doesn't replace either in my opinion.[/QUOTE

Your conclusion ^^^ fits me to a T. I wanted more capacity due to the more recent trend of multiple attackers and I didn't want to carry an extra mag if I could avoid it.

 

[crosseyedshooter]

but personally I think that the added weight, (when fully loaded) sort of hurts the Shield PLUS more than it helps it in the role as a replacement model, because obviously carry weight is often a decisive factor when choosing a carry gun, and for those who are specifically looking for a lightweight carry gun, the Shield PLUS actually loses points.

I remember reading somewhere that, when empty, the Shield Plus was actually a fraction of an ounce lighter than the Shield. So, loaded to equivalent capacity, the Shield Plus should actually be equal or lighter than the Shield. In other words, you could load the Plus to 8+1 rounds with a standard grip length and it'll be lighter than the regular Shield with 8+1 rounds.

The Plus also has improved trigger and grip texture. Other than a severe price drop on the regular Shield to make it a lower price alternative, I think the Plus does make the regular Shield obsolete.

 

[Echo40]

Why would anyone buy a Shield PLUS over a Shield if they had no intention in taking advantage of its increased capacity? Honestly, they'd be paying more money, and carrying a thicker gun for no reason if they bought a Shield PLUS only to carry the same amount of rounds as the Shield in order to reduce the overall weight, so it's a moot point.

As for improved grip texture and trigger, the 2.0 also boasted such improvements over the 1.0, and most agreed that they weren't substantial enough upgrades to merit replacement of the Shield 1.0, which they ultimately did not.

I don't understand why certain folks need what they carry to be the absolute best of the best and thusly feel obligated to push it as such. The Shield PLUS obviously has some advantages over the Shield, but it's not a straight upgrade, especially not if you take away it's biggest advantage by nonsensically carrying it with a downloaded magazine, presumably for no better reason than to make the argument that, hypothetically speaking, it would render the standard Shield obsolete by nullifying it's main advantage over the Shield PLUS if you do so.

 

[Dave Lively]

Was the trigger on your v1 Shield as smooth out of the box as it is now?

I have had guns with gritty triggers that smoothed out with use.

 

[Echo40]

My Shield 1.0's trigger was excellent out of the box, but then again it's a Performance Center model with a factory tuned trigger.

 

[mmb617]

For comparison I just weighed my Sig-P365 and my Shield Plus, both with 13+1 rounds in the gun. Each gun is also equipped with an ArmaLaser green dot laser.

The Sig 365 weighs 25.4 ounces.
The M&P Shield weighs 27.5 ounces, 2.1 ounces heavier than the Sig.

Maybe someone can post the weight of a loaded Shield v1.

My 1.0 Shield weighs 24.4 ounces loaded with 8 rounds. It should be 24.8 with 8+1 as each round is 0.41 ounce.

 

[peterGun]

Since 2018 my EDC had been a Shield9 1.0.

Last summer I bought a Shield40 2.0 and liked that trigger so much I gave the Shield9 to my daughter.

Both my Shields wore a rubber sleeve to fill the grip a little better but I found the overall ergonomics acceptable.

So far I’ve held off buying the Plus because I’m not sure about the trigger, I confess a fondness for the 2.0 hinged triggers and really don’t want too many different trigger options.


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[Papa_D]

You're talking about light, I'm talking about setting fire to your clothing. Hell of a difference there...

Not meaning to sound like a jerk, but in all seriousness, have you ever heard of clothing catching fire from a Revolver being shot from the hip or even a coat pocket? Pretty sure there is more fire from a .357 at the cylinder/forcing cone than a 9mm at the barrel ports.


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[ShieldDriver]

Thanks for the write up. I never had a 1, but I have a 2.0 and it's a keeper. Lower capacity and I do prefer the trigger on the plus, but the 2.0 ain't no slouch.

 

[Echo40]

The fear of clothes catching fire through contact with hot gases is yet another in a long line of firearms urban legends. Like most other urban legends, it has been tested thoroughly on YouTube, but apparently certain folks just don't watch much firearms content online or just happen to never watch the specific videos which test such things.

At most, the hot gases which are vented when a firearm is discharged tear fabric apart, but they don't cause it to catch fire. I've seen a number of videos with folks shooting all different types of handguns beside clothing or inside of pockets, and typically all it does is tear up the fabric, sometimes blackening it in the process, but I've never seen it catch fire.

Heck, I've seen videos of clothing shot with traces and flares which didn't catch fire. In fact, the only video in which clothes ever set fire that I've ever seen was one in which a guy shot clothes with a flare gun, then ended the video by admitting that the clothes had been soaked in gasoline prior to filming the video because otherwise the flares just bounced off the clothes.

In fact, when I was a teenager, my brothers and I were playing with fireworks in the backyard on the 4th of July one year, and my younger brother lit a Roman Candle, pointed it at a log, then had the little flaming ball which launched from it rebound off the log and strike him in the chest. The projectile then bounced off my brother's chest, landed in the grass, and fizzled out. My brother wasn't hurt at all by it, it just knocked the wind out of him and gave him a good scare. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt at the time, which was blackened at the point of impact, but it didn't catch fire. My brother kept that shirt as a reminder of what happened, he'd bring it out sometimes and show it off when he told the story to others.

So yeah, clothes aren't quite as flammable as folks seem to think.

 

[waffles]

Not meaning to sound like a jerk, but in all seriousness, have you ever heard of clothing catching fire from a Revolver being shot from the hip or even a coat pocket? Pretty sure there is more fire from a .357 at the cylinder/forcing cone than a 9mm at the barrel ports.


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Reading is fundamental. I posted that the clothes catching fire was bull****, check to see the position a person is taking begone you reply.

 

[Shield 9 WV]

Was the trigger on your v1 Shield as smooth out of the box as it is now?

I have had guns with gritty triggers that smoothed out with use.

Yes, my v1 has always been smooth right out of the box in 2017. That's why when others complained about a gritty trigger I could never figure out what that meant. Mine was excellent.

 

[sotexas]

I did get rid of my Shield PC after getting my Plus but only as part of a group being traded on another gun. Have since purchased a 4" plus. I have a Shield PC .45 and a 4" .45 as well. The Shields (any model) make a very good EDC for most people and each version continues to stand as newer versions are released.