What's with The Shield Mania?

[hstrawn]

I NOW KNOW!

I picked one up last week at Academy Sports after the California episode to increase my cc from .380 to 9mm, and after one day at the range and its first 100 rounds I'm a disciple. Yes, everything is stiff and rather difficult to operate, and I had sore fingers and hands from everything associated with this firearm except the felt recoil. We had a couple stovepipes, failures to eject, and it didn't lock back on a couple of empty magazines but I'm not at all concerned. I'll do a couple hundred more this week and the same next week and expect that prior to the end of this process it will perform as well and as my full size 9. (This first outing was with win white box and Italian perFecta)

Geez, is this one fine firearm. I really like my full size 9 but this gun is 'special'; not too small and not too large, and it even shoots straight! As an aside, if a problem were to arise with it, I was advised by the sales guy at Academy to bring the gun back to them for returning to S&W.

1,000,000 and counting--I now see why.

hugh

 

[cardguy]

I liked mine so well, I bought my first Crimson Trace (green) for it. It's loaded with 124 gr HST ammo and I feel the combination is good enough I'm betting my life on it. Complete confidence.

 

[PirateJim]

Welcome to the Shield Owners family! They really are sort of "special" guns. I call it the Little Big Gun.

I had a couple of feeding/ejecting issues in the first 100 as well, but mine smoothed out and is just fine now with somewhere around 1,000 rounds thru her. Get a Maglula/Uplula to deal with the magazines. You'll use it for all your guns once you own it. And it may not be necessary to say, but be extra careful putting her back together after field stripping, get the recoil spring assembly in place firmly and nice and straight and you'll probably have no more RSA problems than most here have. i.e. no problems at all.

 

[RobzGuns]

Congrats on finally seeing the light! It is too bad that last week's incident caused you to feel the need to change your defensive choice though.

I believe that as you adjust your grip, the FTEs will disappear (although it COULD have been Perfecta ammo related).

Also... pay close attention to where your thumbs are resting. ALL my lock-back failures are when my thumb is inadvertently resting on the Slide Lock.

Welcome to the Shield club.

 

[DarylLawman]

Love it !!!!!!

 

[Mister X]

I NOW KNOW! Yes, everything is stiff and rather difficult to operate, and I had sore fingers and hands from everything associated with this firearm except the felt recoil. We had a couple stovepipes, failures to eject, and it didn't lock back on a couple of empty magazines but I'm not at all concerned. I'll do a couple hundred more this week and the same next week and expect that prior to the end of this process it will perform as well and as my full size 9.

Geez, is this one fine firearm.

I don't know whether this is actually serious or a form of satire.

 

[hstrawn]

Dead serious.....no satire.....no sarcasm.....no snark.....just seriously like this gun; even before it loosens up and quits hurting me.

 

[Silverlobo]

Welcome to the club.

 

[oldfart64]

Dead serious.....no satire.....no sarcasm.....no snark.....just seriously like this gun; even before it loosens up and quits hurting me.

I've had mine 10 days, first I cleaned it just as if I shot it. First time out, I fired 100 rounds. No misfires , or other shenanigans. just perfect!. I am an older guys and like you wanted to move up from my 380 (a glock g42) . I have arthritis so I was concerned as well. Mine is a little stiff (especially the mags) but I think another 400 rounds or so and it will loosen up well. Put the Lyman trigger gauge on it last night and it is 6 pounds and 11 ounces on a number of trials. It feels less to me though. I love it and hope I never have to use it in anger.

 

[Cornhusker]

I liked my 40 so much, I bought a 9mm just so I could shoot it more.
At first I was shooting left, and I don't know if it's me or the guns, but now they shoot dead center.

 

[redwing57]

...

Also... pay close attention to where your thumbs are resting. ALL my lock-back failures are when my thumb is inadvertently resting on the Slide Lock.

Exactly. I have the same thing. With my normal grip, my thumb wants to rest right on the slide lock. By the way, same issue with my wife's Sig P238. I had to change my grip on that one to avoid it. My grip on the Shield is still maturing; my hands are a bit large for its smallish grip. Oddly enough, the P238 is even smaller, but it's less of an issue due to the reduced recoil.

 

[wcroadie]

Serious question, (I am a gun newb) do you guys bring the Maglula/Uplula with you to the range or just load by hand there?

 

[NoogMan]

I always use the maglula at the range

 

[NoogMan]

Btw, welcome to the "Shield life"....

You'll love the gun even more after you carry it for a week.....it's the "little big gun" that just disappears while you're carrying it.

I love Shields so much, I've got two of the same caliber, and I"m gonna pick up a performance center ported just for giggles and occasional carry.

 

[GatorFarmer]

I had a choice of buying a 9mm Shield or a 442 for the same price not long ago. I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice in picking the 442. Going to all 9mm would simplify so many things after all. Then I read things like the above... and feel better. When it comes to a carry gun, I like a fully functional and reliable gun out of the box, not a tinker with it until maybe it works hobby kit. No fluff and buffs, no break ins, Nada.

I even looked at a Shield and a G43 tonight.

Think I will just keep my revolver.

 

[JLM]

Love mine. Had it about 18 months and I can't recall a malfunction in nearly 2k rounds.

 

[jimmib]

my Shield 40 has never given me any problems....I had to get used to it and adjust my finger grip to hit the part of the target I like....I was wanting something in 9mm and instead of another Shield I boght the 9mm Compact....very happy with that also....enjoy your new Shield....

 

[hstrawn]

Congrats on finally seeing the light! It is too bad that last week's incident caused you to feel the need to change your defensive choice though.

I believe that as you adjust your grip, the FTEs will disappear (although it COULD have been Perfecta ammo related).

Also... pay close attention to where your thumbs are resting. ALL my lock-back failures are when my thumb is inadvertently resting on the Slide Lock.

Welcome to the Shield club.

Thanx to you and all, and after getting the fine responses to my first post I have discovered that my full size grip is not appropriate for the Shield--among other things, my thumb IS ALL OVER the slide lock and slide. Got to think that my few "gun malfunctions" are probably in fact, due to "shooter error". Back to the range in a couple hours work this out.

 

[Radco]

Love my 9mm Shield as well So far we have 3 in the family

 

[hstrawn]

Thanx to you and all, and after getting the fine responses to my first post I have discovered that my full size grip is not appropriate for the Shield--among other things, my thumb IS ALL OVER the slide lock and slide. Got to think that my few "gun malfunctions" are probably in fact, due to "shooter error". Back to the range in a couple hours work this out.

Back from the range.....ran through 102 cartridges, 102 on target, and had NO Malfunctions/Failures of any sort--WWB or Italian. My stupid error--and an easy fix. KEEP THE THUMB OFF THE SLIDE AND SLIDE LOCK. It'll now be my regular CC--larger than I'm used and not quite as concealable as my P3AT but after Jan 1, I won't have to worry about it being seen (accidentally or intentionally) as open carry goes into effect. I'll occasionally pack the P3AT for old times sake and when full concealment is necessary or prudent.

thanx to all, again.......hugh