I have a 40C & a 40 Shield. I didn't think there would be that much difference myself...until I carried both. The Compact is not hard to carry but the Shield is a lot easier. You might not think that the small difference in size would matter, but it does.
Why the Shield?
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Your missing the point. People that bought the Shield instead of the Compact didn't care about the stuff you listed in the first place or they wouldn't have bought Shield, they would have bought a Compact. There are after-market options for the Shield grips, plus, there are also lasers and lights available for the Shield, as well as sights, trigger kits, etc... As far as bullet capacity, well, the Compact is supposed to have a higher bullet capacity...it's a double stack -vs- the Shield single stack. That's not a negative or a positive, both guns were purposely made that way. Once again, one of the main reasons why people that buy the Shield, choose it.
The things you listed as "so much more" with the Compact are, in many case, the actual things the motivated people to buy the Shield instaed of the Compact in the first place. And, as you see, there is already a thread full of people here that completely disagree with your assessment of the "negligible" differences. Both guns are nice, and as I stated (and many others), it comes down to preference. If you like Compact, get it...if you like the Shield, get it. Or better yet, if you can afford both...
OP
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I have to agree on some of your points, and disagree with others. Unless you can not have a mag. that can have more than 10 rounds, I can not see why having a gun with a higher capacity, the ability to change grips, an ambidextrous mag release, and a rail which gives more options to mount a flashlight, lasers, etc, would be a reason way people would choose the Shield over the M&P9. I maybe wrong, but I don't hear to many people complaining about having those options and features.
I do agree that, in most cases, having the features and options that the shield lacks may not have been as important as to Shield buyers, but other than the size difference, I still believe the the M&P9c has more to offer.
As far as "negligible differences" goes, I based that off of many more comments from people on youtube who own and carry both guns, and on the dimensions written on paper. I'll admit that whether it is or isn't is subjective, but it appears from the comments in this thread that in person, the size difference is more apparent.
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TexasG
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I bought my shield because I no longer want to carry my 3913, CS9, or 908S. I predicted 2 years ago the value of all 3 listed above will go up and they have significantly.
I've never been all that fired up for striker fired and prefer metal frames.
I've done some trigger smoothing (without $apex$) and so far I like the compromise.
I've never been all that fired up for striker fired and prefer metal frames.
I've done some trigger smoothing (without $apex$) and so far I like the compromise.
Pef
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For me personally, the Shield feels better in my hand, I shoot it just as well as the 9c, it's easier to conceal, feels much better IWB, and was less expensive than the 9C. So yes, it was worth it.
OP
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Nice to know. Price was size was why I went with it, but when I started researching the compact and saw a size difference that seemed to be so small that I doubted I would notice it. I found that I could get one for close to the same price as the shield. I figured that I might as well have just gotten the compact. Seems as if I was wrong.
gunny4053
US Veteran
For me, it's not what I see in someone's video as much as what it feels like and how it performs in real life for me. In my current situation, the Shield is just the better option.
I got the 9c about 2 months before the shield came out... months later I shot my buddies shield and tried it out iwb compared to my 9c and the difference was very noticeable.
On paper it looks like nothing, but for the intended purpose of IWB with the shield, I'll gladly not have the ambi controls or the rail, for that reduction in width.
I talked myself out of the shield for a long time due to the likeness in size to the 9c... but I stopped kidding myself and picked up a shield a couple months ago, and side by side the 9c feels like a brick. With that being said, I'm holding on to the 9c because it still serves a purpose to me, but I am much more frequently carrying the shield.
On paper it looks like nothing, but for the intended purpose of IWB with the shield, I'll gladly not have the ambi controls or the rail, for that reduction in width.
I talked myself out of the shield for a long time due to the likeness in size to the 9c... but I stopped kidding myself and picked up a shield a couple months ago, and side by side the 9c feels like a brick. With that being said, I'm holding on to the 9c because it still serves a purpose to me, but I am much more frequently carrying the shield.
Even though they are close....
Even though they are close in size and weight, the c IS bigger and heavier. The Shield feels like plenty of serious gun that is better suited (for me) to carry.
Even though they are close in size and weight, the c IS bigger and heavier. The Shield feels like plenty of serious gun that is better suited (for me) to carry.
Atticaz
Member
I bought a Shield, second I held one, after owning a Beretta Nano, since it's release. My Nano and I were inseparable. I loved everything about it except for the grip and lack of slide lever. It shot great, out of the box and I was very happy with it, for my first striker fired pistol. But the day I held the Shield, I knew what the nano missed. Sold it the very next day and bought the Shield.
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Atticaz
Member
I bought a Shield the second I held one, after owning a Beretta Nano since it's release. My Nano and I were inseparable. I loved everything about it except for the grip and it's lack of slide lever. It shot great and I loved the simplified features. But the day I held the Shield, I knew what the nano missed. Sold it the very next day and bought the Shield.
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dentkimterry
Member
I have a 9c and a Shield 40. I wear the Shield IWB and the 9c OWB. Just works best for me.
For me, it was not so much the weight as it was the grip length.
The compact has a very short grip length so, the Shield just fits my hand better.
Although the difference in width doesn't seem like all that much on paper, the "printing" factor is.
The compact has a very short grip length so, the Shield just fits my hand better.
Although the difference in width doesn't seem like all that much on paper, the "printing" factor is.
Why a Shield rather than a J-frame?
kbm6893
Member
I owned an LC9 and it worked but I sold it. Trigger was long but ok in a self defense gun. Had a Shield but I didn't like the safety. Not having a safety but the fact it was too flush and not as easy to flick on and off the LC9 had a better safety. Have a 642 again and it fits the role it was made for, but I like safety features on a carry gun since that's really the only one that gets carried so it's loaded in the safe. The new striker fired LC9-S looks like it's gonna take a whole lot of business from S&W. Short trigge and great reset. Manual safety and magazine disconnect. What I look for in a gun which is why I like 3rd gen pistols. Smaller the Shield too. I had no problem putting hat LC9 in my pocket. Can't even rack the slide with the safety on and I like that too
So I am sure an LC9-s will be my eventual new carry gun. The shortcomings it had are gone.
So I am sure an LC9-s will be my eventual new carry gun. The shortcomings it had are gone.
I have not gotten a Shield and so far I have not needed to get one.
Most often carry another brand of double stack 45 and sometimes a MP compact. I don't find either very difficult to carry in fact it's darn right comfortable to carry all day. I am of average size so I figure it has to be either my belt, holster or my personal tolerance (maybe a bit from all three things) has built up to a point where I am able to carry a slightly larger piece as easily as a single stack is for others in any season.
I have a 9mm in another brand that is very similar in size and capacity to the Shield that I got previous to the Shield being released in 2012. At the time I thought that was the ticket to my ccw nirvana, but honestly I hardly ever carry it.
Everyone is different and what works and meets people needs the best may not work as well for another. Thank goodness we have options like the Shield AND the compact AND many others to choose from.
I can only suggest people investigate all available options and see what works best for themselves.
Most often carry another brand of double stack 45 and sometimes a MP compact. I don't find either very difficult to carry in fact it's darn right comfortable to carry all day. I am of average size so I figure it has to be either my belt, holster or my personal tolerance (maybe a bit from all three things) has built up to a point where I am able to carry a slightly larger piece as easily as a single stack is for others in any season.
I have a 9mm in another brand that is very similar in size and capacity to the Shield that I got previous to the Shield being released in 2012. At the time I thought that was the ticket to my ccw nirvana, but honestly I hardly ever carry it.
Everyone is different and what works and meets people needs the best may not work as well for another. Thank goodness we have options like the Shield AND the compact AND many others to choose from.
I can only suggest people investigate all available options and see what works best for themselves.
Triathloncoach
Member
I had 2 in 9mm. Great shooters but too large to easily pocket carry. My 360 scandium rides much easier. And it's my G19 when I don't pocket carry.
Atonal
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Agreed. The Shield disappears IWB for me, but I couldn't use it for pocket carry. A small revolver or tiny .380 auto would be better in the pocket, imo.
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