Would you risk your life using a Shield

[waynesigmeister]

As a retired LEO, I now work high risk security details, such as plainclothes bank robbery prevention or wearing a suit for bank robbery prevention, robbery prevention in very expensive jewelery stores where they have $20,000,000 in product. I carry a Glock 23 40 cal, concealed for work but am looking at the Shield. I also wear body armor for these details. I have read a lot of negative reports on the Shield. I need a gun that is reliable and capable of putting down a suspect if I were to get in a shooting. The gun must be small enough to conceal, light enough to carry 12 hours a day. A 1911 is to big and heavy, am looking at the Shield due to its size.

 

[Franklin]

Would I trust my life.....YES I DO, I carry it as a B/U every day .40 Would I want a full size M&P with more capacity as primary......YES. Your type of high risk employment may involve multiple bad guys at once. Capacity may be necessary.

 

[Rpg]

Have you considered a Colt Commander?

 

[ColbyBruce]

Around metro Atlanta, jewelry store robberies are usually done by teams. Four or more robbers using the shock and awe method. Quick and violent. I would not choose a eight shot handgun as a main carry gun to deal with multiple assailants under those circumstances. I would pick it for a B.U.G. The two 9mm Shields I bought for my daughter and D-I-L have been flawless, the gun itself is fine.

 

[growr]

Yes, I would.....although I don't own a Shield many of my friends do and they are totally happy.

My choice for things like you are describing is my 3913, if I felt I needed more rounds I use my 6906 in the same holster which is a Kramer #3 or their MSP.

If I wanted or needed a .40 the 4013 would be my first choice followed by the Shield.

(You might detect by now that I am a 3rd generation enthusiast!!)

Randy

 

[Storm40]

I also trust it but I agree with others here that in your situation higher capacity and the Shield as a BUG would be ideal.

 

[buckshotshorty]

Since you already carry A Glock 23 have you considered a Glock 27? Smaller, and lighter.

 

[BillyMagg]

As a retired LEO, I now work high risk security details, such as plainclothes bank robbery prevention or wearing a suit for bank robbery prevention, robbery prevention in very expensive jewelery stores where they have $20,000,000 in product. I carry a Glock 23 40 cal, concealed for work but am looking at the Shield. I also wear body armor for these details. I have read a lot of negative reports on the Shield. I need a gun that is reliable and capable of putting down a suspect if I were to get in a shooting. The gun must be small enough to conceal, light enough to carry 12 hours a day. A 1911 is to big and heavy, am looking at the Shield due to its size.

No, if you had confidence in it, you wouldn't be asking that question, and I prolly wouldn't carry my 3913 either, the double action trigger pull stinks, my Browning Hi-Power would fill the bill, maybe an M&P .40 or glock, but NOT a shield. No I am not in LE, and yes I would carry and will carry the 3913 for CCW, but not if I were expecting what you might logically expect in your scenario...... billy

 

[4530pop]

Just what "negative reports" have you read about the M&P Shield?!?!?

Are they from people in a similar profession as you? I've been following the evolution of this pistol since it's inception. The positive reviews and reports far and away outweigh any negative press. Even the short "recall" was basically a fart in the breeze.

Analyze exactly what you do for a living and determine what your self protection needs are. If you could find yourself in a combat life or death situation you should seek professional guidance. Not opinions from people on a forum..........at least that is my opinion.

 

[ken158]

Yes I trust my Shield for CCW / off duty but after saying that,
I consider your job "offensive" and not "defensive" and therefore would suggest you keep your Glock 23, maybe get a Glock 27 and be sure to have 2 extra mags for the 23 as they also fit the 27.

 

[VictorLouis]

Your first few responses echoed my thoughts. You are in a position where multiple assailants are a very real possibility. I personally would have a double stack 9 of some persuasion, as I do not care for .40.

Perhaps you only meant your question on it for the role of a back-up?

 

[SpringGunTunes]

I carry a Walther PPQ .40 in an DeSantis Speed Scabbard outside wasteband holster wearing a tucked in t-shirt with a button up Hawaiian shirt over it unbuttoned and untucked. I wear it to church, to the mall and Home Depot. As far as I know nobody has ever noticed. For that kind of work you should consider the same or at least a M&P Compact. Wearing a sport coat or suit should cover up just about anything.

 

[Mushki]

Given that I can comfortably conceal a double stack compact pistol in business attire all day every day at work in similar clothing I would recommend that. The sheild appears to be a fine pistol by all account I have seen and heard but why carry less gun than you can conceal. Suits are easy to conceal in and I often carry a full size while in a suit. It's the tighter fitting clothes that require a compact for me.
I'm not saying I would not carry a shield, just tha given your situation I believe there are better options.

 

[4530pop]

It seems to me that if you are willingly going to put yourself between someone else's commodities and two or more, possibly armed men, who have planned to relieve you of said property, a 3.1 inch barreled 8 or 9 shot 9mm automatic handgun may not be the appropriate weapon.

Regardless of it's inherent reliability or comfort of concealment.

 

[waynesigmeister]

When I work the bank details in a suit coat, it is always wearing body armor, carrying the Glock 23 with 2 extra mags and the Bodyguard .380 in my pants pocket with an extra magazine in my other pocket. There are two of working at the same location but one is at each door with no radio communication, just cell phone. We were on the look out for a 4 man robbery team, local PD was notified of our situation .

Last detail we worked, a Verizon store across the street and north of us was robbed at gun point by a lone suspect. He fled into a grocery store just east of our location and was arrested. Plain clothes details and jewelery store detail are a one man detail as is executive protection details but sometimes it becomes a 2 man detail.

I don't like the .40 cal because of the recoil and have been looking a changing to the .357 Sig. I feel the 9mm is to small for this type of situation.

 

[Kanewpadle]

If I was in your situation I think I would carry TWO full size guns!

The 357Sig is a good choice. The recoil in compact and sub compact guns is snappy but over and done with very fast. Almost too fast to notice.

If you don't object to Glock, I think a Glock 41 and a 30S or 30SF would be ideal.

 

[kbm6893]

A 9MM loaded with good defensive, hollow point + P rounds is a FAR better choice than less rounds that have a "bigger number" on the box. Your marksmanship is gonna be **** in a real **** your pants scenario. More rounds, the better.

As much as I hate polymer, striker fire guns, in your situation, I'd be packing an M&P 9MM with as many rounds as it could hold, with an M&P subcompact as the backup. Same mags is a big plus. And the Bodyguard .380 would MAYBE make it to the third gun after the first two. If you don't think the 9MM is up to the task, why even consider a .380?

As for the Shield, what bad reports? The gun is a hot seller. Glock tried to compete with the single stack .380 and people are laughing at it. I owned a Shield (sold it, but just to buy something new). Gun was flawless.

 

[GregoryJ]

If I were in your situation, I think I would opt for a M&P 9 compact with a 12 round magazine as my conceal carry and have one (or more) spare 17 round magazines on my person. The difference between a Shield and a 9C is not insignificant especially if on your hip for twelve hours. However, the added rounds outweighs the comfort factor of the Shield, IMHO.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I am not a fan of the .40 S&W either, though I have owned four. I gave my BHP to my son, sold a Sig P239, Star Firestar, and a Glock 22. I do like the .357 Sig cartridge, and own Glock 31 & 32 pistols in it, plus another NIB Glock 31 set aside for my son's birthday.

There is not a lot of difference in overall size of my BHP, Sig P228 DAO, Glock 19/32's. There is a bit of weight difference, the Glocks win that one. I use fifteen round MecGar mags in my Sig P228, equalling the Glock 19 capacity wise. I shoot the Sig the best.

I would suggest the Glock 32 or Sig P229 in .357 Sig to you.

 

[Justin69]

I am NOT trying to put words in his mouth, but the " negative reports" the op MAY be referring to could be all the kabooms associated with the shield

 

[Don 73]

I have to agree that a full-sized carry plus a compact backup in the same caliber would be a very wise choice (especially if the mags were interchangeable between the FS and compact) ex. M&P 9mm FS + M&P 9c

 

[amazingflapjack]

If the assignment is plain clothes, I sure would not wear a suit, and I would look at what I was confident with. Good balance, to me, is at least as important as weight, so I would look at BHP's or high end CZ's in 9MM.

 

[vipermd]

As a retired LEO, I now work high risk security details, gun must be small enough to conceal, light enough to carry 12 hours a day.

I believe you answered your own question, shield for CCW yes. As a "duty" weapon NO, go with a double stack 357 sig, couple of spare mags. I do not know what your ROE are, arrest powers? If you believe you would be at risk for multiple, armed attackers, a shield would not be first, second, third, etc choice. Be Safe,

 

[t2203]

I carry one as a back up gun in 9mm. Very few times is it a primary. Most of the time that is a 4 inch 19 357 or full size 1911. We have had excellent results with the 147gr Federal HST in street use. I totally get the recoil issue in the 23 and we no longer issue it for that reason. With a proper holster you could hide a Glock 19 and have plenty of rounds on tap. Don't go cheap on the holster. Mine are kramers and they disappear and have lasted many years.

 

[Mountain Walker]

Since you already carry A Glock 23 have you considered a Glock 27? Smaller, and lighter.

This is a brilliant answer! Get an older GEN 2 or 3. BTW this holster is superb for a BUG:IWB Klipt Appendix Holster | Blade Tech | Holsters

 

[ColbyBruce]

There is about a finger width of difference in barrel length and grip height between Glock full size, compact, and sub-compact models. If a + mag extension is used then the height is right about equal. The weight difference will hardly be noticeable on the belt.

The sub-compact Glock frames began as Gen. 2.5's, finger grooves with no checkering in between. Here is a photo of my Gen. 2 Glock 19's and Gen. 2.5 Glock 26's with +2 mag extensions.

 

[rock_castle]

Just what "negative reports" have you read about the M&P Shield?!?!?

Are they from people in a similar profession as you? I've been following the evolution of this pistol since it's inception. The positive reviews and reports far and away outweigh any negative press. Even the short "recall" was basically a fart in the breeze.

I am wondering the same thing. My Shield 9mm has been flawless with maybe a thousand rounds through it. I am regularly on several internet forums and the feedback I have seen has been overwhelmingly positive. While it is a great choice for a CC firearm, I would want more capacity in a role like the OP's. A Glock compact would be my choice.

 

[blujax01]

Personally, I think a properly fitted AR makes the perfect accouterment for a Brooks Brother's suit.

 

[Hamfisted]

If you like the .40 I think I'd stick with the G23, and as others have suggested, get a G27 for a bug gun, as the G23 mag will fit the G27. I'm sure you've got plenty of stats to look at, but in a serious heist you're probably looking at 2 to 4 assailants inside and 1 or 2 outside to deal with, so capacity is a high priority in your weapons choice. If they get you down on the floor, do you have an option within your reach? Don't stand with your back to any glass door or window that is not bulletproof, ever. If the assailants know you are in the way they may choose to take you out first before entering the store or property. Don't make yourself an easy target. I'd also have a pump 12 gauge hidden out of sight but within quick reach. Nothing says "Get the *** out ! " like a shotgun. Good luck, and be careful out there.


-Mike

 

[mustangman]

I don't risk my life carrying a Shield, but I do depend on it to protect me and my family when we're out and about. I think the only risk using the Shield, is not in the gun functioning properly, but in the capacity you might need. If you are comfortable with 7 +1 in the .40, then I think its a viable option.