The Achiles heel of the Shield

[Rastoff]

Indeed this is the biggest issue with all small semi-autos; grip size.

When it comes to guns everyone wants to talk about how it shoots. That is after all the main function of the gun. But, there are other aspects. One of those other aspects is manipulation.

Look at this pic:

My hands are larger than average. This is normally an asset when handling a gun. Not so with the small guns. Every time I attempt to reload a gun like the Shield, I risk seriously injuring the palm of my shooting hand or worse, not seating the mag properly.

The Shield is amazing, but this aspect is a real issue. Has anyone else noticed this issue? If you haven't, have you tried to do a reload under time pressure?

 

[RobzGuns]

Yup... It takes a slight change in technique to do a rapid mag change without pinching your hand. Same goes for all the Subcompacts (Nano, LC9, PF-9, etc).

 

[Tom Beavert]

LOL

I had to laugh out loud seeing your post, I was at the range last wed. shot some full size M&Ps, and a Glock 34 which will all close the slide from slide lock if the mag is slammed home with a full mag. I next worked on my current edc Shield 40 drawing from an IWB holster, and when I slammed the mag home for a reload there was blood all over.
Thanks for the laugh
tb

 

[jstanfield103]

You bigger guy's too bad. I am only 5' 5" tall and these smaller 9's fit me great. I have no problems what so ever. Finally my shorter height helps instead of hurts.

 

[Radco]

I am also sort of big! 6ft 3" 225 hands are XXL in Golves I never paid attention that much of the grip size as it felt OK. Till now I had to grab my 9MM Shield and really look at it in my hand and load reload the mag a few times I never pinched my hand loading the mags yet but know I heard you can I am sure I will soon lol

 

[Ballistic147]

I'm 6'3", 195lbs and have larger hands. So far my Shield 9 hasn't bit me when doing a quick mag change but my 40c has many times. Actually I can still see the scar from the last time it got me a couple months ago. At the range it hurts but doesn't slow me down. I have a feeling in a true life or death situation I would never even notice it.

 

[Protected One]

Great point, Rastoff! Not really an "Achilles heel", but something to be aware of and prepared for.

I pinched (broke) a blood vessel under my skin while reloading and seating a magazine in my glock 23, years ago. It hurt like hell and took a week to heal, but it made me aware of the need to revise my reloading technique. By the time I bought my shield 9mm years later, it was not an issue. The same technique is used whether shooting my Bodyguard 380 or full size BHP - loosen my hold on the grip with all but the thumb and middle finger, creating enough clearance for the new magazine to be fully seated without interference from the meaty edge of my hand.

I carry the 7 rd mag with an 8 rd mag reload.

I'm 6'3", 195lbs and have larger hands. So far my Shield 9 hasn't bit me when doing a quick mag change but my 40c has many times. Actually I can still see the scar from the last time it got me a couple months ago. At the range it hurts but doesn't slow me down. I have a feeling in a true life or death situation I would never even notice it.

You and I are the same height and weight and hand size, and as mentioned above I was bit ONCE by my glock 23, and thus, modified my reloading technique. Haven't had a problem since.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Nah, not a problem. More like a feature of a bottom feeder gun designed for concealment. Just one of the reasons to practice with your carry.
If I were to nominate an Achilles Heel for my Shield, it would be the RSA (Recoil Spring Assembly). A slightly improved spring seat would cure that Sword Of Damocles.

It's all Greek to me.

 

[Protected One]

Nah, not a problem. More like a feature of a bottom feeder gun designed for concealment. Just one of the reasons to practice with your carry.
If I were to nominate an Achilles Heel for my Shield, it would be the RSA.

Rock Solid Aim?

 

[Pisgah]

To me, this is sort of like complaining that a manual-shift vehicle requires you to use both feet, unlike an automatic-shift vehicle. Yeah, so? Different vehicles require different techniques; different guns require different techniques. If you are unable or unwilling to adapt, then stick to a gun that you can handle. A sub-compact handgun has maximum concealability as its primary design goal. That means compromises have to be made somewhere, and the user must be willing to accept and adapt to those compromises.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

We had 16 shooters Sunday. Everybody does fine with service size handguns, but when everybody pulls out what they carry, you can see the sweat pop out. Pisgah is right, it truly requires a different attention set to get the guns we carry to perform as well as we do with bigger guns. I firmly believe we should all concentrate more on what we carry. But us humans like to revert to what we do well at. I'm not certain a SPEED reload is something to spend a lot of time on with these little blasters.

 

[SwflG17Guy]

The only pistol I have owned until a few days ago has been my G17. At the range Monday I went from shooting my full size glock to a shield .45 as I was offered some free shots to check it out.
My first 3 shots were stacked on top of each other, I couldnt believe how good this gun felt. It was a very easy transition for me. I bought it then and there.

 

[NCW Ray]

If I'm not careful that "issue" can happen with all of my pistols, M&P full size, M&P compact, M&P Shield, Sig P229 and even the HK P7M10 I used to own. I've never drawn blood that I can remember but I have had many blood blisters from being pinched. If I don't straighten out my pinkie finger during reloading, it moves the fatty part of my hand away from the grip just enough to clear the magazine, I'll be assured a blood blister! I've learned to deal with it.

 

[Magload]

You think the Shield is bad try the Bodyguard. When I switch back to my Shield this fall it will feel like a full size. I bought some mags for my 1911 from a guy and think I know why he sold them for $5 each. They have drew blood several times. I reached over top of my Bodyguard the first day I had it to remove tension on the slide stop and let the slide go forward. The fat part of my support hand got closed in the port. Had ti retract the slide to get it out. Which wasn't easy with the gun hanging on to my support hand.

 

[Drummer Boy]

Thanks guys! Now I don't feel like a "rookie" anymore I learned the hard way, with my Bodyguard. I pinched several blood blisters from the little .380, but It also happened with my Taurus PT140. By the time I bought my Shield, I had already changed my mag loading technique.

 

[shakyshoot]

We had 16 shooters Sunday. Everybody does fine with service size handguns, but when everybody pulls out what they carry, you can see the sweat pop out.

I don't feel like I'm compromising at all when I shoot my Shield vs my larger 9mm's. When I did my concealed carry qualification I shot the Shield. I had done dry runs of the course of fire with Shield vs a compact and a full size, and I shot better with the Shield. I don't think I'm losing anything at all,at least up to 15 yd.
Yes, I have pinched myself a few times when loading a new mag.

 

[garddogg56]

MAN you guys need to learn to adaptRastoff ,did you try out the Shield before you bought it?I personelly wouldn't buy a gun without trying it first,just saying

 

[Whitwabit]

Thank the Shield would be a much larger seller if it had changeable back straps like the Compact .. I use the large back strap on my 40 Compact and if I could have gotten the same feel from the Shield I probably would have bought one ..

 

[ChiefStealth]

To avoid "the pinch" I turn the gun so the mag well is to the left, and I grip the gun with (right hand) thumb and trigger finger only. Slam the mag in and my hand is not in the way. No pinch. But, I have to turn the gun back over, with grip to the right, to grip and operate the slide.

 

[Rastoff]

I'm not certain a SPEED reload is something to spend a lot of time on with these little blasters.

Yeah, not a "speed" reload, but the correct method. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Do it slow until it's second nature and then it will become fast. Then just do it. Don't try to do it fast.

Rastoff ,did you try out the Shield before you bought it?I personelly wouldn't buy a gun without trying it first,just saying

Oh yes, I knew what I was getting into. I shot two before I bought this one and handled them a lot. I only bought this because it was $100 less than I've ever seen it here.

I haven't pinched my hand with the Shield and it's not really an Achilles heel either. It is something that needs to be thought about if you're going to carry. As we can see in the few responses here, lots haven't thought about it.

It does indeed require some thought and maybe a different method. I've always been taught to keep a full firing grip during a mag change. This is the best way to hold the gun and most secure. However, if the heel of your hand is in the way, you'll have to move the grip a little to be able to seat the new mag.

I try to pinch the gun between the base of my trigger finger and thumb while still keeping a decent grip with the rest of my firing hand. This extra squeeze causes the base of the grip to move away from the heel of my hand. This is enough clearance to get a good seat and no injury for me. But it does take some practice.