Traded my thumb safety Shield for a non thumb safety.

I can understand the op not liking a safety on the Shield; I'm not a big fan of safeties, but why spend extra money to trade for one without the safety? Why not carry with the safety off?? .....that's no different than what you have now
 
This reminds me of "back in the day" when the hot set up on yer well-used 1911 was to tape the grip safety down all the time. Folks felt that if they needed to grab the pistol in some goofy fashion in a fight they wouldn't get the grip safety to disengage and they would get zapped by some unforgiving VC .....

I did it too .....

But, these days I carry a Shield very close to the family jewels and always carry and practice using the TS. That was a criteria for purchase of a EDC to have a TS that was well integrated and functioned nicely. More important to ME than the mag release which is not all that smooth to operate when in my particular hands, at least as far as "speed" is concerned. Maybe it will grow on me or loosen up a tad. I like the Shield a LOT. A keeper... and the TS is always engaged when it goes into it's AIWB !
 
I'm new here, and can already see that this is one of the "lightning rods" of this forum...each forum seems to have its "pet issue" where everyone seems to want to voice their opinion. And that's cool...that's what we're here for, right?

I had my order in for a NTS model Shield a few weeks ago. Would have had it in four days, so it wasn't an indefinite wait. But after talking it over at length with my wife, we decided to buy the TS model instead. The main reason is we weren't completely decided either way, so we thought it better to have one (and train with it) than to not have one and decided that we really wanted it. This is our first striker-fired pistol, and I guess everyone has to find their own comfort level in a handgun. If you're not comfortable with something, regardless of what OTHER people feel, you're not going to use it and you're not going to carry it. My two other pistols either use a long self-defense type trigger (Kel-Tec, I'm talking about you!) or a decocker to safety the weapon. It's not fool-proof...nothing is. Our CZ actually allows you to switch out the decocker and install a thumb safety instead, which I have done, just to see how I like it. It seems to work pretty good, although it's not as easy to turn off as the Shield's is.

Like some others have posted, I find the Shield's safety to be nearly perfect. It could probably stick out just a hair further. I'd like someone to make an extended safety lever...because it rides down just like a 1911's safety does...so it's very ergonomic to use. Our CZ's safety's pivot is right close to the lever, so it's more of a rotation motion than to simply sweep down on it.

Anyway, I like the option of both, now that Smith is offering both for sale. I would like some confirmation from the company that they do offer a safety removal service on a current model, if that is indeed available. I know how to remove it myself, but if Smith actually performs this in-house, that might add some legitimacy to it, if that were ever questioned in court down the road. At this point, we don't plan to remove the safety on ours, but it'd be nice to know that there was a factory-backed option for that should the desire arise.
 
Well Armed said:
Yes, my Shield will be traded in ASAP as soon as the 45 is released. Hopefully but I doubt it, there will be some kind of conversion kit for the 40.
Click to expand...

My Shield .40 is already converted to 9mm. So im just sitting back waiting on a .45. Maybe if we complain enough, we will get it LMAO.

Its just too bad theres no way of going from .45 to .40. =-(
 
Man, if I knew a .45 Shield was in the works, I would start saving for one tomorrow. I like my XDS 45, but would love to have a Shield .45 for a backup. My wife's Shield 9mm fits in all the holsters I have for my XDS 45, so I presume the Shield 45 would also. Listen at me, I'm talking as if it's really gonna happen. To tell the truth, I have also been watching for a Ruger SR45C, but they haven't come out yet either, and there's nothing I've seen to say they ever will. I'm sure Springfield is as happy as a june bug over the oversight by Smith and Ruger. :)
 
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I just bought a new Shield, and I went to buy the safety model, because I didn't think they would have the no safety model. Lo and behold they had both, and it was a choice in the store that I really agonized over. I think they're both great, but I went for the no safety model, and here's why . . .

1) I firmly believe all that garbage about the only reliable safety being the one between your ears and that guns go off when people actually pull the trigger

2) I carry in kydex, and all of my holsters (OWB training and IWB concealed) fully cover the trigger

3) My draw stroke, which I have practiced a thousand times has my trigger finger straight out until sights are on the target (thank you Jeff Cooper).

4) I know myself, and I would probably engage the safety for carry some of the time, and would have to thus train myself to click the safety off on my draw stroke - I found the Shield safety somewhat small and awkward for me to easily click off (assuredly) on a draw stroke. Your hands may differ.

5) I was mildly concerned that the safety could engage accidentally upon draw or that fumbling for it could result in a drop or a trigger pull. The former, especially after switching it off thousands of times.

6) If I don't like the shield, I figured the no safety model was slightly more marketable in case I wanted to unload it.

So all that being said, have I second guessed myself occasionally? Sure, I would have either way.
 
HK-N-THE-HOUSE said:
Are the no safety models still in need of trigger job ?
Click to expand...
Depends on who you talk to.
There was no changes between the NTS Shield and the TS Shield, so if one thinks the TS Shield needs a trigger job, then yeah... The NTS model would also 'need' one.
Personally, I didn't feel that my TS Shield needed one.
 
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I thought the trigger on my NS model was pretty good out of the box (certainly more than good enough for a defensive carry gun). Zero grit to a bit heavy of a break, but given the short "DA" pull, I kind of like the noticeable "wall". My only complaint is that initially, I find the trigger reset tougher to ascertain than on my Walther.
 
got a shield a year ago. Sold it almost right away. I really couldn't get past the safety and the trigger really did suck. not matter what I've heard from people the trigger was ****. maybe some better than others ... but **** none the less. Now the no safety sounds good. Apex kit now its starting to sound real good. Whats the apex kit cost?

R
 
MCM said:
I am strange I guess. I don't mind the safety at all.
Click to expand...

You are not strange. I do not mind the safety either.
I am so used to thumbing the safety on or off it has
become second nature.
 
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I kind of want to trade my Shield for a no safety version, but I'm not really wanting to deal with the night sights and apex kit again.
 
dullh said:
The answer to that is to replace the factory sights with night sights - I put Ameriglos on mine. And that's not at all the *only* improvement...

While you are swapping sights drop in an Apex kit and have as close to awesome as you're ever going to get with your Shield...
Click to expand...

I agree.. But if S&W is going to be so crazy about the way they affix the rear sight, they should make them better than. I and a gun smith can't even take my set screw out it's torqued in so tight it will need to be drilled out.
 
wagswvu said:
I agree.. But if S&W is going to be so crazy about the way they affix the rear sight, they should make them better than. I and a gun smith can't even take my set screw out it's torqued in so tight it will need to be drilled out.
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I wish they mAde the ejector as tight as the rear sight and set screw....... :).....lol
 
While I do not carry with my safety engaged, except on the rare occasions that I pocket carry, I do engage the safety every time I holster the gun.

After watching the video where the police chief shoots himself in the leg while holstering his Glock, I believe my thinking is pretty sound. For those of you that have not seen the video, the pull cord on his jacket got caught in his trigger guard as he was holstering.

My holster was custom made for the Shield and covers the trigger and has never engaged the safety. Given the choice, I would take the safety version again.
 
I removed the tab that blocked the trigger bar from engaging the sear on mine, now I have a Shield without a manual safety; best part, it didn't cost me a dime.
 
M&PGuy2014 said:
I removed the tab that blocked the trigger bar from engaging the sear on mine, now I have a Shield without a manual safety; best part, it didn't cost me a dime.
Click to expand...

I wonder how long it will take the NS guys to figure out how to do this mod with theirs lmao.

And this is why the NS version was a not so great idea. Anyone notice they aren't selling at near the rate the TS shields were selling?
 
Smitty357 said:
Anyone notice they aren't selling at near the rate the TS shields were selling?
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As observed in this thread, Not everyone who got a Shield is THAT annoyed by the TS and eager to dump it for a NTS model. I still believe they brought out the NTS version simply to attract the "I'll never own a CC gun with a TS" crowd... And it appears to be working. ;) :)
 
MCM said:
I train with it. No problem at all.
Have had other's with them through the years.
Never an issue with me.
Browning Hi Power I bought new in 1984, Sig 210-6, High Standard .22's etc.
I am just surprised so many accept it on 1911's but not this one? LOL LOL.
Now folks have a choice, nothing wrong with that.
If I were in the market today I would buy the same one, with the safety. The little thing is a tack driver and always goes bang. Happy as a clam. :D
Click to expand...

Totally agree - just train a little & it's not a problem - in fact it's a benifit

:cool:
 
Jaysq said:
While I do not carry with my safety engaged, except on the rare occasions that I pocket carry, I do engage the safety every time I holster the gun.

After watching the video where the police chief shoots himself in the leg while holstering his Glock, I believe my thinking is pretty sound. For those of you that have not seen the video, the pull cord on his jacket got caught in his trigger guard as he was holstering.

My holster was custom made for the Shield and covers the trigger and has never engaged the safety. Given the choice, I would take the safety version again.
Click to expand...


IMHO Glocks do not have a safety

:cool:
 
dondavis3 said:
Totally agree - just train a little & it's not a problem - in fact it's a benifit

:cool:
Click to expand...

I don't own any guns with safeties, so no need to train for something that I will never own or use..... ;)
 
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I still believe they brought out the NTS version simply to attract the "I'll never own a CC gun with a TS" crowd... And it appears to be working. ;) :)
Click to expand...

I've said from day one that this idea of a NS version was nothing more than. A marketing gimmick by s&w. They should have focused more on a .45 version of the shield instead. But hey, great minds think alike. And I'm sure me and u have been around this game for quite awhile now that we know what we want lol.
 
I'm new to guns in general, I've only been carrying for about 2 months, and the Shield was only my second pistol purchase. My first was a M&P .22LR for plinking with my kids.

Having said that, the safety does not bother me. I train to swipe it off on the draw and do not engage it while carrying. I train to swipe it off "Just in Case." I even notice that I do the swipe when firing friends guns, because it's become habit.

As far as my opinions of the Shield, I love it. Everybody who's shot it loves it and I think I should get a commission from S&W for my raving of it.

Would I have bought a NTS shield had it been available when I bought mine? IDK. It's just not an issue for me. Maybe that's because I'm so new to guns.
 
I have been shooting since 1987, and never owned a external safety gun until the shield came out. That is why I traded for the no safety shield.... The End. :)
 
MA Compliant?

Forgive me if this has already been covered...is it Mass Compliant? Thanks
 
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