SHIELD X Series??

[Dave686]

I have a fullsize M&P, M&P Compact 2.0, and a M&P Shield, all in .40S&W. And a M&P 9L CORE thats a range gun.

I also had a M&P40C, but after I bought my M&P Compact 2.0, I sold it, as I had no use for it. The compact 2.0 wasn't much bigger and had 13 or 15 round mags.

I carry my Shield the most, as it's the most concealable. My concern about this new X series is that it might be too big, and offer nothing more than my Compact 2.0.

All this could be moot for me though. It appears S&W has decided after I bought all these 40S&W's from them that I really don't need that anymore. That's not going to work for me, I'm not switching to 9mm. I've had my Shield since around the time they first came out, I was going to buy a new Shield PLUS, but they decided I didn't need that either.

Anyway… has anyone got to do a comparison between the Shield X and a regular Shield or Shield PLUS?

 

[Beju]

FWIW, I handled a new Shield X and a new Shield Plus Carry Comp in a gun store. The Shield X had the rounded face Performance Center striker block, while the Shield Plus CC had the regular flat face, beveled edge striker block. Both had the characteristically rough trigger bars that cause a gritty trigger take-up until they smooth out. The Shield X grip felt slightly slimmer. I'm not sure why they did this, as not too many people have complained about the Shield Plus grip being too thick. I let a 5'1" friend of mine shoot my Shield Plus, and she was quite pleased with it.

I wouldn't worry about the Shield X being too big if you typically carry a Shield with the 7 round mag. The grip length will be almost identical. If you carry AIWB, the slightly longer slide may reduce the 'keel' effect, where the grip wants to rotate away from your body. 0.5" of slide length probably won't be too big of a deal for OWB carry either. It's still a pretty short slide.

With the Shield X vs the Compact 2.0, you gain slimness and a 4-5 oz weight reduction, but lose 2 rounds for a similar length grip. I have a Shield Plus and a 4" Compact, and the Shield Plus is a bit easier to carry and conceal. This may vary by user, but I'm a pretty lean guy. A larger fellow might find there to be less of a practical size difference.

IMO, S&W adding a rail to the X is something that they should have done to the Shield Plus. They made the Shield Plus's dustcover portion of the frame thicker to the point where some original Shield holsters don't work with it. Downside of them adding a rail now is that one will have to wait for holster selection to catch up to the older guns.