S&W M&P Shields do not not fit my hands, but they fit the hands of some people I respect, who train extensively with their Shields. The Shield Plus works better in my hands, regarding fit, but recently, my right hand aged-out of being able able to shoot compact nines, as a category, so, I have not been in any hurry to buy a Shield Plus. (If I shoot 9mm right-handed, now, it is normally only with auto-pistols that have full-length grips.)
I have not heard that S&W uses failure-prone polymer. I think that the S&W M&P auto-pistol line has been in the field, long enough, to prove their polymer parts well enough.
Of the several polymer-frame pistols I have tried, over the years, some specific Glocks seems to fit me the most reasonably well. So, while not a “Glock fan” or a “Glock boy,” I do have some Glocks, that I shoot with either hand, and some compact Glocks, for lefty usage. For some time, while I was working as a police officer, specified Glocks were on the list of approved duty pistols. Glocks were Gen3 at the time, and they were the most-acceptable fit, a simple process of elimination, rather than an established brand preference, so, I worked hard to develop what some call “muscle memory” with Glocks. Later, the Gen4 Glocks fit me much better, and 9mm was an acceptable alternative duty cartridge initially for plain-clothed investigators, and later for uniformed personnel. With scientists telling us that it takes 3500 repetitions to develop acceptable competence, and some indications are that 10,000+ repetitions are needed to develop true unconscious competence, I am not going to throw away that advantage, by switching to a different polymer pistol system. (Plus, I’d rather not spend the money, anytime soon, on 10K rounds of ammo, to learn a new system.)
So, had the S&W M&P40 been on the list of approved duty pistols, at the time I transitioned to Glock, I just might have become accustomed to the S&W M&P auto-pistol system, instead, and might have liked the Shield, when it later came along.
Edited to add: Sorry about typing so much, but, I will leave it. A beginner might find it useful.
I have not heard that S&W uses failure-prone polymer. I think that the S&W M&P auto-pistol line has been in the field, long enough, to prove their polymer parts well enough.
Of the several polymer-frame pistols I have tried, over the years, some specific Glocks seems to fit me the most reasonably well. So, while not a “Glock fan” or a “Glock boy,” I do have some Glocks, that I shoot with either hand, and some compact Glocks, for lefty usage. For some time, while I was working as a police officer, specified Glocks were on the list of approved duty pistols. Glocks were Gen3 at the time, and they were the most-acceptable fit, a simple process of elimination, rather than an established brand preference, so, I worked hard to develop what some call “muscle memory” with Glocks. Later, the Gen4 Glocks fit me much better, and 9mm was an acceptable alternative duty cartridge initially for plain-clothed investigators, and later for uniformed personnel. With scientists telling us that it takes 3500 repetitions to develop acceptable competence, and some indications are that 10,000+ repetitions are needed to develop true unconscious competence, I am not going to throw away that advantage, by switching to a different polymer pistol system. (Plus, I’d rather not spend the money, anytime soon, on 10K rounds of ammo, to learn a new system.)
So, had the S&W M&P40 been on the list of approved duty pistols, at the time I transitioned to Glock, I just might have become accustomed to the S&W M&P auto-pistol system, instead, and might have liked the Shield, when it later came along.
Edited to add: Sorry about typing so much, but, I will leave it. A beginner might find it useful.
