- Joined
- Feb 9, 2016
- Messages
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Few observations of my upgrades.
Upgrade #1 $40 for an Apex Tactical Ultimate striker Block and spring for the 4" PC Shield Plus.
The new Apex Tactical Ultimate Striker Block upgrade for my PC 4" carry Comp Shield Plus was well worth the $40 I consider it an outstanding bargain as it saved me from having to send my gun back to S&W to get the correct grade of striker block installed and it eliminated literally all perceivable creep and all the grittiness feeling I experienced with the what I will call the standard grade S&W OEM striker block. Trigger is now an absolute pleasure to use. It worked out great as I was able to install it while I was installing upgrade #2 XS's F8 night sights. I sensed absolutely no break in period the trigger just immediately exceeded my highest expectations and hopes for solving my trigger issues with the S&W OEM trigger. The single largest improvement I gained from the Apex USB was an over 70% reduction in extreme outlying flyers.
In over 800 rounds out of my 4" Performance Center Comp Carry Shield Plus using six different factory 13 round magazines and two factory 15 round magazines I have had no failures of any kind. Same can be said of my 3.1" Shield Plus after over 650 rounds using all the same magazines as for the 4" Shield Plus. Allowing me to say both HGs have been absolutely 100% reliable thus far. I simply deep cleaned both when I first got them home and not since, and inspected both before each range session and only periodically oiled per owners manual as I felt necessary.
Upgrade #2 $116 from Amazon XS F8 night sights.
This is purely MY opinion. I had ordered "dot over dot" design NTS from Amiglo and XS to see which I would like better.
Used a Umarex Walther P99 airsoft HG I had files the plastic sights off so I could use an extra skinny rubber band to attach the sights to try them out without damaging them at all so I could return them as still NIB condition.
I can not express strongly enough how much I like the dot over dot design of the XS F8 sights. They work much, MUCH better and much MUCH faster at aligning the sights and getting on target than traditional 3 dot sights and FOR MY eyes worked better than the smaller Ameriglo equivalent. I do not recall the exact amount but IIRC the XS F8 front sight was 18" wider/larger VS the Ameriglo and worked perfectly with my over 50 20/30 with mild astigmatism eyes. The XS F8 might or might not be to large for those with 20/20 vision and no astigmatism but they worked absolutely beyond my wildest expectations.
And XS advertises saying their night sights are the brightest on the market and I can attest they are VERY brilliant indeed and again in MY OPINION perfect in size and brightness for a night sight. AS you bring the HG to bare on target the dot over dot just jumps out and naturally instantly draws you eyes to the sight picture.
So well in fact have the XS F8s worked I might not use a MRD on at least my 4" Shield Plus as I shoot the thing very well (for me at this point) just using the XS F8s. After 445 rounds out of my 3" Shield Plus with the XS F8 sights I might use an MRD on it because I do shoot groups about 50-75% larger VS my 4" Shield Plus. If I am shooting the 3" Shield plus off sandbags it is over 90% the accuracy equal to its 4" big brother but shooting standing off hand and my groups open up 50-60%.
I will try MRD on the 3" and 4" Shield Plus HGs and I suspect with an MRD on the 4" I should be getting 2-2.5" 14 shot groups at 15 yards, possibly even 20 yards as I do with my 4" Walther PDP with an MRD shooting off sandbags.
As far as my overall opinion of the 4" Shield plus, now with the trigger and NTS upgrades done I can find absolutely no fault with the gun whatsoever and would change absolutely nothing else about it. Even FOR ME the grip texture is about perfect.
But, the grip is just small enough I do have more difficulty keeping both guns under control VS larger HGs I own, but again this is the trade off one must accept if one wishes to carry a maximum concealable micro or sub-compact HG.
Yes it IS MORE difficult to shoot well VS my 4" Walther PDP Compact or P320 FS or P320 Carry, but I knew from previous experiences with my 3.1" Gen-1 Shield you can not, nor did I expect a 25.8oz gun with a 3" barrel whose grip is only 1" wide by 2.125" deep to be easy to shoot well as a HG whose grip is 34% wider and circumference is 9.3% larger and weighs more empty than the 4" Shield does fully loaded. If you want a micro compact VS a compact you're going to have to accept certain compromises one of them being a micro compact is (at least for me) going to be more difficult to shoot as well VS a Compact HG. But then again the Shields are purposeful designed for personal defence HGs that offer the combination of maximum capacity and still maintain maximum concealability and not designed or intended for bullseye shooting or engaging bad guys at anything much over 20 yards.
I understand bad guys can be shooting at you from >20 to 50 yards out but at those ranges you had better be 100% certain of everything behind your intended target and I personally if at all possible would likely first seek shelter behind some bullet proof object VS returning fire at ranges exceeding 25 yards and as likely as not at a moving target for a host of common sense safety, civil and criminal liability reasons.
Over all I would rate my 4" Carry Comp Performance Center Shield Plus 4.5/5 stars (-1/2 star for needing a trigger UG) as good as it gets for a high capacity sub-compact designed specifically for concealed carry handgun in its price point.
Now for my 3.1" Shield Plus. Save for ONE thing, everything else I said about my 4" Shield plus applies equally to my 3" Shield Plus. Especially the trigger. In MY OPINION after firing over 600 rounds out of my new 3" Shield Plus I can find absolutely nothing wrong with its trigger it is a pure unadulterated joy to shoot.
The ONE and ONLY draw back to the 3" VS 4" is as to be expected the 3" is going to require more practice and while not a great deal more, I would say I will need to shoot 15-20% more rounds to keep myself as proficient with the 3" Shield as with the 4".
When shot off sandbags with concentrated care the 3" Shield is about 90% as accurate as the 4" Shield Plus. But other than the ONLY issue of shootability separating the two my 13+1 3.1" Optics ready Shield Plus is again in MY opinion an unbeatable bargain and a superb personal defencive deep concealable HG I do not see how it can be bested if you need a HG that you can conceal and carry ridiculously easy and have 14 rounds of Federal 124grn HST as a potenet means of insuring the safety and continued well-being of yourself and your loved ones.
My next review will be of both HGs wearing MRDs and see if what if any improvement in my overall defensive shooting capabilities an MRD makes.
Now I will include a few targets. Left to right 1st Silhouette is of four 10 yrd groups by my 3" Shield Plus and last shots of the day all other pictures are of 4" Shield Plus targets. Sorry they are 90* out of wack I couldn't figure out how to right them on my computer.
Upgrade #1 $40 for an Apex Tactical Ultimate striker Block and spring for the 4" PC Shield Plus.
The new Apex Tactical Ultimate Striker Block upgrade for my PC 4" carry Comp Shield Plus was well worth the $40 I consider it an outstanding bargain as it saved me from having to send my gun back to S&W to get the correct grade of striker block installed and it eliminated literally all perceivable creep and all the grittiness feeling I experienced with the what I will call the standard grade S&W OEM striker block. Trigger is now an absolute pleasure to use. It worked out great as I was able to install it while I was installing upgrade #2 XS's F8 night sights. I sensed absolutely no break in period the trigger just immediately exceeded my highest expectations and hopes for solving my trigger issues with the S&W OEM trigger. The single largest improvement I gained from the Apex USB was an over 70% reduction in extreme outlying flyers.
In over 800 rounds out of my 4" Performance Center Comp Carry Shield Plus using six different factory 13 round magazines and two factory 15 round magazines I have had no failures of any kind. Same can be said of my 3.1" Shield Plus after over 650 rounds using all the same magazines as for the 4" Shield Plus. Allowing me to say both HGs have been absolutely 100% reliable thus far. I simply deep cleaned both when I first got them home and not since, and inspected both before each range session and only periodically oiled per owners manual as I felt necessary.
Upgrade #2 $116 from Amazon XS F8 night sights.
This is purely MY opinion. I had ordered "dot over dot" design NTS from Amiglo and XS to see which I would like better.
Used a Umarex Walther P99 airsoft HG I had files the plastic sights off so I could use an extra skinny rubber band to attach the sights to try them out without damaging them at all so I could return them as still NIB condition.
I can not express strongly enough how much I like the dot over dot design of the XS F8 sights. They work much, MUCH better and much MUCH faster at aligning the sights and getting on target than traditional 3 dot sights and FOR MY eyes worked better than the smaller Ameriglo equivalent. I do not recall the exact amount but IIRC the XS F8 front sight was 18" wider/larger VS the Ameriglo and worked perfectly with my over 50 20/30 with mild astigmatism eyes. The XS F8 might or might not be to large for those with 20/20 vision and no astigmatism but they worked absolutely beyond my wildest expectations.
And XS advertises saying their night sights are the brightest on the market and I can attest they are VERY brilliant indeed and again in MY OPINION perfect in size and brightness for a night sight. AS you bring the HG to bare on target the dot over dot just jumps out and naturally instantly draws you eyes to the sight picture.
So well in fact have the XS F8s worked I might not use a MRD on at least my 4" Shield Plus as I shoot the thing very well (for me at this point) just using the XS F8s. After 445 rounds out of my 3" Shield Plus with the XS F8 sights I might use an MRD on it because I do shoot groups about 50-75% larger VS my 4" Shield Plus. If I am shooting the 3" Shield plus off sandbags it is over 90% the accuracy equal to its 4" big brother but shooting standing off hand and my groups open up 50-60%.
I will try MRD on the 3" and 4" Shield Plus HGs and I suspect with an MRD on the 4" I should be getting 2-2.5" 14 shot groups at 15 yards, possibly even 20 yards as I do with my 4" Walther PDP with an MRD shooting off sandbags.
As far as my overall opinion of the 4" Shield plus, now with the trigger and NTS upgrades done I can find absolutely no fault with the gun whatsoever and would change absolutely nothing else about it. Even FOR ME the grip texture is about perfect.
But, the grip is just small enough I do have more difficulty keeping both guns under control VS larger HGs I own, but again this is the trade off one must accept if one wishes to carry a maximum concealable micro or sub-compact HG.
Yes it IS MORE difficult to shoot well VS my 4" Walther PDP Compact or P320 FS or P320 Carry, but I knew from previous experiences with my 3.1" Gen-1 Shield you can not, nor did I expect a 25.8oz gun with a 3" barrel whose grip is only 1" wide by 2.125" deep to be easy to shoot well as a HG whose grip is 34% wider and circumference is 9.3% larger and weighs more empty than the 4" Shield does fully loaded. If you want a micro compact VS a compact you're going to have to accept certain compromises one of them being a micro compact is (at least for me) going to be more difficult to shoot as well VS a Compact HG. But then again the Shields are purposeful designed for personal defence HGs that offer the combination of maximum capacity and still maintain maximum concealability and not designed or intended for bullseye shooting or engaging bad guys at anything much over 20 yards.
I understand bad guys can be shooting at you from >20 to 50 yards out but at those ranges you had better be 100% certain of everything behind your intended target and I personally if at all possible would likely first seek shelter behind some bullet proof object VS returning fire at ranges exceeding 25 yards and as likely as not at a moving target for a host of common sense safety, civil and criminal liability reasons.
Over all I would rate my 4" Carry Comp Performance Center Shield Plus 4.5/5 stars (-1/2 star for needing a trigger UG) as good as it gets for a high capacity sub-compact designed specifically for concealed carry handgun in its price point.
Now for my 3.1" Shield Plus. Save for ONE thing, everything else I said about my 4" Shield plus applies equally to my 3" Shield Plus. Especially the trigger. In MY OPINION after firing over 600 rounds out of my new 3" Shield Plus I can find absolutely nothing wrong with its trigger it is a pure unadulterated joy to shoot.
The ONE and ONLY draw back to the 3" VS 4" is as to be expected the 3" is going to require more practice and while not a great deal more, I would say I will need to shoot 15-20% more rounds to keep myself as proficient with the 3" Shield as with the 4".
When shot off sandbags with concentrated care the 3" Shield is about 90% as accurate as the 4" Shield Plus. But other than the ONLY issue of shootability separating the two my 13+1 3.1" Optics ready Shield Plus is again in MY opinion an unbeatable bargain and a superb personal defencive deep concealable HG I do not see how it can be bested if you need a HG that you can conceal and carry ridiculously easy and have 14 rounds of Federal 124grn HST as a potenet means of insuring the safety and continued well-being of yourself and your loved ones.
My next review will be of both HGs wearing MRDs and see if what if any improvement in my overall defensive shooting capabilities an MRD makes.
Now I will include a few targets. Left to right 1st Silhouette is of four 10 yrd groups by my 3" Shield Plus and last shots of the day all other pictures are of 4" Shield Plus targets. Sorry they are 90* out of wack I couldn't figure out how to right them on my computer.
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