Why the Shield?

[Well Armed]

Why did you buy the M&P shield over the compact when their weight and dimensions are negligible, but you get so much more with the 9c? IYHO, was the 0.06 inch length, 2.7oz weight, and 0.2 frame width difference enough to push you into buying the Shield?

 

[CatSnipah]

Yes, it was.

 

[ScrapmasterFlex]

I bought the Shield for several reasons-

I will say the "Size" was a major factor- I have always liked Smith and Wesson and I own a S&W M&P 15-22 rifle w/ about $1000 extra put into it, and it's been great. I have always known and respected M&P Pistols but as a Glock guy I would probably have looked to a Glock for a new polymer, striker-fired pistol if I was in the market.

However, it became clear to me as a newer CCW-license holder I needed a smaller, lighter, dedicated Every Day Carry pistol for my primary EDC/CCW gun. The Shield came into play after my initial search and soon after, all the parameters just continued to point to the Shield.

My most-happy attribute that I can describe is the metaphysically-wrinkle-free total package of this cosmic gun: It is perfectly sized and shaped and endowed. It is just large enough (w/ the 7+1 and 8+1) to make sure that when I have it , I feel "sufficiently" and properly armed, (which I would not feel with anything smaller, like a NAA mini-revolver for example or even a pocket .380- even my favorite small gun like a Walther PPK) - so it's Just big enough to make me happy, with just enough ammo of just big enough caliber, but not too big at all. While it may not aptly be described as a true Pocket Pistol, it is certainly a SubCompact and perfect for deep concealment and even Pocket Carry (I bought an $11 Blackhawk pocket holster @ Walmart yesterday, which is fine for my occasional pocket carry outages. )


To me it just kept showing me to be just what I wanted and exactly what I needed. It had sufficient size, sufficient capacity, and a sufficient caliber, while not being a micron too big or too much or too easily seen while carrying about my small, easily-printed body.

I am extremely happy I went with it and I would heartily recommend it, even to my Father (if he needed to replace his absolutely-favorite Kahr K40 .40 S&W) which is as large a compliment I can deliver.

 

[Florida J Frame]

Pocket carry

 

[hoc9sw]

Smallest possible grip width, thanks to arthritis damage to my thumb. Had to sell my double stacks.

 

[Lycan]

The weight and dimensions being negligible are your opinion. I don't agree they are negligible. If they were negligible, why would people have bought it in the first place? Getting "so much more with the Compact" is also your opinion. It seems as if you already have a firm opinion of the Compact being better than the Shield, and that is OK, after all, it is your opinion, so I'm not sure what it is you want to know? The differences between the Shield and the "C" are pretty clear to me, so it really come down to personal preference, what feels good to the buyer, and what the buyer wants to pay.

The Shield is a great alternative and a reliable weapon for people that want something to carry that is manageable but effective. It's affordable and I think it's fun to shoot.

 

[STCM(SW)]

I got one for only one reason.
My wife can not DA/SA any of my "J" frame revolvers or "K" frame well.
The Kal-Tec PT3 is a .380, for CC she has shot it OK.
But for night stand or table next to her chair I wanted someing with a little more punch for her.
She is disabled and loss alot of her strength in her hands.

Two cracked Vertebra,(L3,L4) hip replacement, breast cancer, osteoporosis, over active thyroid......

 

[FiremedicMike]

Why did you buy the M&P shield over the compact when their weight and dimensions are negligible, but you get so much more with the 9c? IYHO, was the 0.06 inch length, 2.7oz weight, and 0.2 frame width difference enough to push you into buying the Shield?

On paper, it's .2".. IWB, it might as well be 2".. There's just no comparison to the shield and the compact when carrying IWB..

 

[RobzGuns]

Why pick the Shield? A striker-fire style pocket carry replacement for a PF-9. Can't pocket carry a 'C'.
Plus... back in '12, the factory triggers of the 'C' sucked.

Sent from my Transformer TF101

 

[Donn]

^^^ What Mike said ^^^ I've got both, 9c came first, still like it fine. That said, despite what it says on paper, when carrying the two those numbers make a big difference especially in warm weather.

 

[USAF385]

The dimensions are actually a huge difference when it comes to appendix carry.

 

[Well Armed]

The weight and dimensions being negligible are your opinion. I don't agree they are negligible. If they were negligible, why would people have bought it in the first place? Getting "so much more with the Compact" is also your opinion. It seems as if you already have a firm opinion of the Compact being better than the Shield, and that is OK, after all, it is your opinion, so I'm not sure what it is you want to know? The differences between the Shield and the "C" are pretty clear to me, so it really come down to personal preference, what feels good to the buyer, and what the buyer wants to pay.

The Shield is a great alternative and a reliable weapon for people that want something to carry that is manageable but effective. It's affordable and I think it's fun to shoot.

It's a fact, not opinion, that you get more. You get changeable grips, ambidextrous mag release, a rail, and higher capacity, and everything is damn near the same size and weight.

M&P Compact vs M&P Shield - Buying choices/decisions - YouTube

After watching this video, i just do not see much of a difference unless the width of the grip is an issue to you or you appendix carry...

 

[Atonal]

For IWB, the Shield is much easier to carry for me. You obviously prefer the Compact. Both are excellent options. We are lucky nowadays to have so many choices.

 

[shakyshoot]

There really is a big difference in width that is apparent when you have both pistols in hand, as opposed to watching videos. .2" difference in width is very significant in real life.

 

[Fat B]

The Compact is an excellent weapon but when I wear it all day I always know it's there. The Shield is just that much smaller where I forget sometimes I'm wearing it. On paper the dimensions are negligible. In reality, the differences are much bigger.

 

[Well Armed]

For IWB, the Shield is much easier to carry for me. You obviously prefer the Compact. Both are excellent options. We are lucky nowadays to have so many choices.

I own a Shield, and never held or seen the Compact in person. I was simply asking why did people who never owned either gun choose the Shield when, intents and purposes, there doesn't seem to be that much of a difference between the two.

The PF9, LC9, CM9, DB9, are like pocket sized CCW in 9mm where as the Shield very bottom borderline of being a compact in size and weight.

 

[Well Armed]

There really is a big difference in width that is apparent when you have both pistols in hand, as opposed to watching videos. .2" difference in width is very significant in real life.

The Compact is an excellent weapon but when I wear it all day I always know it's there. The Shield is just that much smaller where I forget sometimes I'm wearing it. On paper the dimensions are negligible. In reality, the differences are much bigger.

Fair enough... I have not personally held both side by side, nor have I carried both. After watching that video, and reading comments from the author of the video and others who own both, the consensus was that their wasn't really a noticeable difference. This is how and why my thread originated.

 

[Atonal]

Fair enough... I have not personally held both side by side, nor have I carried both. After watching that video, and reading comments from the author of the video and others who own both, the consensus was that their wasn't really a noticeable difference. This is how and why my thread originated.

I think for many, the variables include how they carry/conceal, how they feel in the hand and higher vs lower capacity. Both are excellent shooters imo. I could be very happy with either/both, but for summer IWB carry, the Shield is the option I prefer between the two pistols.

There is definitely no right or wrong and the choice can be difficult between these two models. It's all what options are most important to you.

 

[Hillbilly77]

I started with a 9c and ended up with the Shield. I still have (and still like) the 9c.

Why did I want a Shield?
I like the way it fits my hand, and I can feel a huge difference between the two while carrying. The Shield (for me) carries nicer than the 9c. There isn't a ton of size difference between the two, but it's definitely not "negligible".


Also, for some reason, I shoot the Shield better.

 

[Trons]

I was looking at both weapons not too long ago. I picked the Shield for one simple reason that I could not, regardless of how hard I tried to, over look. Price. They are "similar" enough in everything, for my purposes, but capacity. I wasn't willing to pay the extra money for the extra capacity.

In the end, I'm glad I got the Shield. All the follow up research I've done indicates that since it's my EDC, I would have been disappointed with the 9c.