I never cared for the trigger safety. On my Glock 17 it would hang up and I’d have to take my finger off the trigger then re-engage. That distrust I guess carried over to the Shield, which never hung up but I couldn’t shake the feeling it might at a critical moment. I trade my Shield in and haven’t looked back.
I don't understand the popularity of the M&P Shield guns.
- Thread starter KarateHottie93
- Start date
dogtown tom
Member
I'm sitting here trying to wrap my head around someone believing an XD > Shield.
Next up, "My Jimenez is better than your Davis" .
Next up, "My Jimenez is better than your Davis" .
WheelGunMan
Member
That's a huge observation from a range gun. Yes.. that's a big feature of the Shield..
Jim Watson
Member
Hey, it is a competitive market, buy what you want.
I only have a basic Plastic M&P 1.0 but with Burwell trigger. I prefer it to most other striker fired guns.
When I divest the @#%^&* Glock, I will look at a M&P Compact vs Shield Plus. A friend likes his Shield Plus, won as a match prize, even though he is otherwise an XD shooter with an occasional foray into @#%^&* Glock.
If I can divest another seldom used gun, I will look at an XD but it will be the big 5.25 for competition.
I only have a basic Plastic M&P 1.0 but with Burwell trigger. I prefer it to most other striker fired guns.
When I divest the @#%^&* Glock, I will look at a M&P Compact vs Shield Plus. A friend likes his Shield Plus, won as a match prize, even though he is otherwise an XD shooter with an occasional foray into @#%^&* Glock.
If I can divest another seldom used gun, I will look at an XD but it will be the big 5.25 for competition.
The Shield in 45acp is great in my opinion. It's the thinnest single stack polymer pistol in 45 that I know of besides the SA XDS45 but the XDS has the crappy grip-safety. The Shield 45 is what the Glock 36 should have been , but Glock made the 36 fat and very "hit and miss" on reliability.
Capybara
Member
I'm in California where we have been restricted by the handgun roster to only having the Shield 1.0 because no new guns have been added to the roster for more than a decade. I've daily carried the Shield 1.0 for 8 years. I practice with it. It goes bang, every time, it's reasonably accurate, it has never broken, malfunctioned FTE or FTF. Not once in about 6,000 rounds. I thought that it might be getting a little tired after EDC for 8 years so I upgraded to a Shield Plus Performance Center. Trigger, grip texture, sights, magazine capacity, it has a ported barrel and slide, everything about it is better. I also have a Glock G17 Gen 3 that I sometimes carry, although it gouges me in the side when I sit down or drive because it's big. As far as quality and reliability between Shield and Glock, there is zero difference in my experience. I like Rugers too so I added a Max 9 to my CCW because I wanted to try out a green dot CCW pistol. Jury is still out on carrying a green dot but the pistol itself is decent. Trigger isn't as good as the Shield Plus PC.
The Shield is popular because it's a good gun. Whether or not you like it is your choice but millions of Americans disagree with you. Not saying it's the "best" CCW gun on the market but it's well built, reliable, easy to shoot, thin so easy to carry, etc. The SIG P365 outsells everything else on the market because it's tiny and holds a lot of rounds but I find SIG reliability to be questionable, at best, I've owned three SIG handguns, they have all had defects, had to go back to SIG for repairs under warranty and still had more problems so I will never buy another SIG.
I judge guns by how they work for me, because that's all that matters to me. The Shield 1.0 and the Plus for the past year have both been rock solid, no FTEs/FTFs, nothing has broken on them so they're both fine by me. I think Springfield/HS Produkt make good guns too. I would consider the Hellcat if I could by one without off roster extortion prices, but eventually, we will lose the roster here and we'll be able to buy any gun like people in America can.
The Shield is popular because it's a good gun. Whether or not you like it is your choice but millions of Americans disagree with you. Not saying it's the "best" CCW gun on the market but it's well built, reliable, easy to shoot, thin so easy to carry, etc. The SIG P365 outsells everything else on the market because it's tiny and holds a lot of rounds but I find SIG reliability to be questionable, at best, I've owned three SIG handguns, they have all had defects, had to go back to SIG for repairs under warranty and still had more problems so I will never buy another SIG.
I judge guns by how they work for me, because that's all that matters to me. The Shield 1.0 and the Plus for the past year have both been rock solid, no FTEs/FTFs, nothing has broken on them so they're both fine by me. I think Springfield/HS Produkt make good guns too. I would consider the Hellcat if I could by one without off roster extortion prices, but eventually, we will lose the roster here and we'll be able to buy any gun like people in America can.
I have a first gen shield and a compact 1.0 that I have had great luck with but can admit the triggers are not great and the texture on the grips is a bit lacking. The compact trigger actually wore in to being pretty decent after several thousand rounds, but the shield is stubbornly staying horid and it might get an apex at some point.
I also have a 2.0 compact and have to say that while the trigger may not be 1911 good, it is far from bad and the grip texture is much better for me to hang on to. I like it much better than any glock or XD I have handled. I guess that's why its good we have so many options on the market.
I also have a 2.0 compact and have to say that while the trigger may not be 1911 good, it is far from bad and the grip texture is much better for me to hang on to. I like it much better than any glock or XD I have handled. I guess that's why its good we have so many options on the market.
red rick
Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2009
- Messages
- 3,164
I handled a Shield Plus at the LGS yesterday . It looked like a nice CC pistol and had the best trigger that I have felt in a striker fired pistol . The only thing that I didn’t like about it was the feel of the thin grip . I would like a more rounded grip feel at the front .
mrmike7189
Member
The Shields in my state (MA) have horrendous 10 pound triggers. A stiff plastic trigger is not nice. I never loved any polymer /plastic guns.
I've had a few including the Shield 9 . Today I have one plastic/polymer gun , a Glock, the company that started the whole "plastic fantastic" trend.
It works fine ,I just prefer metal guns. It is a lightweight CCW. , and that probably why S&W &Glock keep selling them by the millions!
I've had a few including the Shield 9 . Today I have one plastic/polymer gun , a Glock, the company that started the whole "plastic fantastic" trend.
It works fine ,I just prefer metal guns. It is a lightweight CCW. , and that probably why S&W &Glock keep selling them by the millions!
sevt_chevelle
Member
I can't believe the popularity of the XD series.
My shields for 1 don't tell me where to grip the pistol, "grip zone".
I think the slide sits high, is overly heavy and has more recoil due to it.
My shields for 1 don't tell me where to grip the pistol, "grip zone".
I think the slide sits high, is overly heavy and has more recoil due to it.
hemiram
Member
I'm not a huge fan of either gun, but if I had to choose, I would take the S&W. The first time I shot an XD, I thought it was insanely overpriced, as I had shot one in it's original secret (cheaply priced) identity. The grip is wrong, the grip safety is not something I want on a gun, and the price is really wrong. As cheap as used M&P's are, I would go that way, but I can think of about a half dozen polymer framed guns I would (and a couple of them I already own) buy over either one. I'm not a fan of striker guns at all.
KansasTrapper77
Member
I had a Shield .45 Performance Center Model and now have a Shield 2.0 .45 P.C. And I loved both guns, they FIT in my hand unlike Glocks or XDs. Plus I shoot it decently for being a compact .45.
But I am considering sending it down the line for a 9mm of some kind.
Hornady’s senior Balistician claims their Critical Defense and Duty in 9mm has a near as makes no difference same wound channel to .45 in the same line.
Breaks my heart. I like my Shield, and In my mind the .45 was a trade off, capacity for a little extra insurance (oomph) on the rounds you did land. The talk now sounds like its not even that.
But I am considering sending it down the line for a 9mm of some kind.
Hornady’s senior Balistician claims their Critical Defense and Duty in 9mm has a near as makes no difference same wound channel to .45 in the same line.
Breaks my heart. I like my Shield, and In my mind the .45 was a trade off, capacity for a little extra insurance (oomph) on the rounds you did land. The talk now sounds like its not even that.
GarnetandBlack
Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2023
- Messages
- 35
Maybe these will offer OP some clarity as to why some people think the Shield line, specifically Shield Plus, is not only good but the best in class:
Lot's of good options on the market today, but for many the best carry pistol on the market is the Shield Plus. It's an incredible little pistol in how accurate and fast it can be shot for me compared to any other option out there.
Lot's of good options on the market today, but for many the best carry pistol on the market is the Shield Plus. It's an incredible little pistol in how accurate and fast it can be shot for me compared to any other option out there.
And this is the thing.
OP
OP
KarateHottie93
Member
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2017
- Messages
- 386
Mine feels like it has a 10 point trigger
Oldschool shooter
Member
I have a .40 Shield, the 1st iteration. I bought it almost new, the older gentleman that I bought it from had put just 1 magazine worth of ammo thru it and didn't like it. It went thru the S&W custom shop. Upgraded trigger, night sights and ported. It works fine for me, never had a problem, but I do like my XDs.45 a bit better.
lysanderxiii
Member
There is a reason there are several dozen manufactures of concealable 9mm pistols selling their ware in the US these days.
Tastes differ.
Tastes differ.
InTheSwamp
Member
Never cared for the original trigger. The Shield Plus changed my approach.
I have Shield in 9mm, 40S&W, and .45acp. The Shield 45 is the softest shooting, most accurate among the 3. IMO, the Shield 40 recoils too violently to be a carry gun. I shot it multiple times and each time, the recoil made my thumb hit the magazine release and the magazine is ejected.
I LOVE the Shield Plus. The Performance Center models have amazing triggers. Best factory trigger on a striker fired gun I have ever felt. They break between 3.25 and 3.5 pounds. I have two of the Performance Center Shield Plus models, and one regular Shield Plus with factory night sights.
I've also owned three version 1 Shields and a 4" 2.0 Performance Center Shield.
Once the Shield Plus came out, I sold my regular sized Shields... Because, I knew they would stay in the safe...
But the Shield Plus. They are amazing carry guns. And, the 4" PC version is scary accurate. I am amazed at how well this gun can shoot.
I've also owned three version 1 Shields and a 4" 2.0 Performance Center Shield.
Once the Shield Plus came out, I sold my regular sized Shields... Because, I knew they would stay in the safe...
But the Shield Plus. They are amazing carry guns. And, the 4" PC version is scary accurate. I am amazed at how well this gun can shoot.
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Alllen Bundy
Member
I decided against buying any Shield because of the overcomplexity of the trigger which could result in a potential failure to fire. THAT is a deal breaker.
I have no issue with the 8 lb trigger pull of my P365 and I doubt that I would have an issue with the Shield MA compliant 10 lb trigger pull, as long as it was smooth and not gritty.
I'm a pragmatist, and I will put up with needing to perform some finishing work and/or modifications on a pistol if I can make it perform well and reliably. Granted, I'll be cursing out the company while I correct their corner cutting measures. But as long as I can get the product to perform the way that I need to I'll put up with it.
I have no issue with the 8 lb trigger pull of my P365 and I doubt that I would have an issue with the Shield MA compliant 10 lb trigger pull, as long as it was smooth and not gritty.
I'm a pragmatist, and I will put up with needing to perform some finishing work and/or modifications on a pistol if I can make it perform well and reliably. Granted, I'll be cursing out the company while I correct their corner cutting measures. But as long as I can get the product to perform the way that I need to I'll put up with it.
