Who I still waiting?

[Fastbolt]

Which is so bogus when one of their push points was a BUG.

Well, yes & no ...

They're putting their private/commercial customers first this time around, and I can understand (and applaud) that marketing decision. Especially with the continuing push for smallish CCW-type pistols chambered in 9 & .40 S&W.

If some cop felt some crying need to get one right away, he/she could step up and buy one from one of the commercial/sporting goods venues.

I have a bunch of smallish 9's & .40's, as well as more than half a dozen J-frames, and they were all serving my needs just fine before I knew they were going to actually produce a diminutive M&P. I can wait a bit for the LE guns to ship (and get a bit of a discount, and maybe stock night sights).

 

[darksideemt]

I just meant they could have done both or at least a few, but agree with everything else you stated.

 

[Maddmax]

Just wanted to check and see who is still waiting on there shield (9 or 40) to come in? My LGS just keeps saying it could be any day when my 9 will be here.

I grabbed one of the first two that came to my LGS. Glad I knew the owner and he kept one for me. The other one was gone before I got there and picked mine up. They never made it past the first day here.

 

[Fastbolt]

I just meant they could have done both or at least a few, but agree with everything else you stated.

From what I've often heard, there's seldom complete internal agreement with all of their marketing decisions ...

 

[fonejack54]

I checked on gunbroker.com until I noticed a local FFL (35 miles) had one for auction. I emailed him and he called me saying he had four at $449. Went to the range yesterday and love it. You guys ought to try that route.

 

[Will41]

Gunbroker currently only has 2 for sale, and they are going to sell for way more than retail plus shipping and the transfer fee.

I am going to put some money down and get on the list at my LGS.

They told me that they are one of the largest retailers for S&W. So, if anyone can get them, it will be them. I hope they are right.

 

[fonejack54]

Will, I wasn't suggesting buying from Gunbroker. Just use it to find one that is relatively local.

 

[Will41]

Ok, I checked Gun Broker, but I did not see any in Ohio.

Also, I stopped in a small LGS today. He told me that he ordered 4 and stopped taking orders.

Yesterday, I stopped in a larger LGS, and they also stopped taking orders. They have 15 people on the list.

The owner of the small LGS told me that S&W is 6-9 months behind.

 

[mrbort]

I'm definitely still waiting.

I don't have a lot of options around here but I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll be able to be in a bigger city with several gun stores and that MAYBE I'll find one

 

[tennisguy]

I'm Waiting Too

I can't find any store in my area that has one in stock. I went to a local gun store and ordered one, but the guy said who knows when it will come. He said they have orders with 3 large distributors and said the distributors marked supply as "allocated" which he said meant they would get one when it was their "turn" (whatever that means). Plus, I am 3rd on their list to get one (9mm). $390 plus tax. Lowest price I could find in my area, other prices were $449 and $499 plus tax.

Another gun store sent out an email saying S&W "committed" 20 Shield 9mm's and 4 Shield 40 cal and they would be on a first come first serve basis. They were the ones for $499. I don't know how S&W can guarantee them such a large quantity and not other local stores. I thought they all get them through distributors. Anyway, I can wait a while if they means saving $100.

Anyone know how many Shield's S&W can manufacture in a day or week or month? Or how distributors determine which stores get supply and which don't?

 

[Houdini1953]

Got a call from my LGS this morning and will pick up my 40 caliber tomorrow...it's been a long five week wait I put my name on the list for a 40 and was number two and it came in this morning, tomorrow I'll have the funds and will walk out the door to clean and inspect it before shooting it, just gotta find a good holster for it now!

 

[Afrancis]

I went to my LGS to look for one on the 12th and they where out. He put me on the list for a 40, and surprisingly there wasn't anyone on the list, but he did say he didn't have any idea when he would get any in. He called me back on the 14th and said he had one waiting for me. I went down the next day and put it on layaway. It was $429.99 + tax.

 

[Houdini1953]

I went to my LGS to look for one on the 12th and they where out. He put me on the list for a 40, and surprisingly there wasn't anyone on the list, but he did say he didn't have any idea when he would get any in. He called me back on the 14th and said he had one waiting for me. I went down the next day and put it on layaway. It was $429.99 + tax.

Wow you are super lucky even though mine is $419 plus 9.25% tax will run me $467.08 I will gladly pay it tomorrow afternoon and then take it home and clean and inspect it! Thinking of getting rid of my Glock 26 and trading it for a 9 Shield!

 

[EvilNuff]

I was 13th on my LGS wait list and that list has since grown to over 40. Very popular gun!

 

[Houdini1953]

I was 13th on my LGS wait list and that list has since grown to over 40. Very popular gun!

Until the past couple of years I never had so much trouble getting ammunition or weapons from my gun store, but with the Shield being so new I guess that is to be expected.

I understand that S&W now is running a third shift to produce more weapons, hopefully the Shield.

You do think that this forum management should think about creating a forum just about the Shield!

 

[tennisguy]

Emailed S&W To Ask

I emailed S&W a couple of times to ask them about production and availability, but they just emailed back and said it was a very demanded product and they are doing their best to meet demand. Oh well....I thought they might give up some info on supply.

 

[Nakanokalronin]

I emailed S&W a couple of times to ask them about production and availability, but they just emailed back and said it was a very demanded product and they are doing their best to meet demand. Oh well....I thought they might give up some info on supply.

When I was asking about my M&P 9mm FS, I asked them about Shield production as well. Like you were told, all they said was that they initially had 25,000 Shields ready to go before it was announced and as of right now, they're just working on back orders.

 

[WR Moore]

Just a quick word about manufacturing. I don't work for S&W and haven't been in the plant, but the way these things usually work is that all the products aren't being produced at the same time. BTW, this applies to just about every industry.

The plant will have a product production target determined by orders (or in the case of new product, anticipated demand) from distributors and previous demand. The plant will tool up and run the targeted amount, plus probably a few on over run. Then, they'll retool and run the next item in the product list. Production priority will usually be determined by the size of the production needed because tooling setup time is dead time so far as production.

So, if demand is greater than production, the production schedules have to be jiggled. It isn't a case of hire another shift to run dedicated machines that otherwise would be idle. If S&W had 25K Shields on hand before announcing the new product, they undoubtably were waiting to see what kind of demand they got before dedicating more time and money to making more.

 

[tennisguy]

Production

I thought I read S&W only had a few thousand ready to ship at announcement, and that was 9mm only. Has there been demand like this other any other handgun recently? If so, any thoughts on when supply met demand?

 

[Nakanokalronin]

I thought I read S&W only had a few thousand ready to ship at announcement, and that was 9mm only. Has there been demand like this other any other handgun recently? If so, any thoughts on when supply met demand?

I read they had a max of 8,000 RTG. When I told that to the S&W tech/gunsmith, he politely said "Actually there was 25,000 ready to ship before it was introduced."

I'm still kicking myself for the one I let get away I had in my hands when they first came out. I liked it but I wasn't in the market for anything at the time. After the range trip, I ordered one immediately so now I have to wait.

The plant will have a product production target determined by orders (or in the case of new product, anticipated demand) from distributors and previous demand. The plant will tool up and run the targeted amount, plus probably a few on over run. Then, they'll retool and run the next item in the product list. Production priority will usually be determined by the size of the production needed because tooling setup time is dead time so far as production.

Ha, Keltec is notorious for this to the extreme. Thankfully the Shield dosn't have the kinks to work out with first production runs and consumer beta testing like other manufactures.