Range Comparison & Review of my S&W Shield and Sig P938

[4D5.ACP]

I just acquired both of these guns and took them to the range last night. Here are my thoughts:

Sig P938 Extreme
Shot over 100 rounds of:
WWB 114gr - Perfect, no issues
Speer 114gr - Perfect, no issues

Accuracy: I am one the believes that a properly set up gun is more accurate than the shooter, as they say. The Sig did very well, it shot where i aimed it.
Did it shoot low? No. I have seen the Youtube video of the low shooting P938. I must say i like those guys, but disagree with their methodology. if they suspected a problem with their P938 shooting low, why didn't they sandbag it? Why didn't they try another P938? Why didn't they have it look at by a gunsmith? Not a well sampled test, IMO.

This P938 did great.

Grips: A little aggressive, thumb a little sore, but I like them.

Overall, i enjoyed the P938 very much. Solid gun.


S&W Shield 9mm
Shot over 100 rounds of:
WWB 114gr - Perfect, no issues
Speer 114gr - Perfect, no issues

Accuracy: Again, I am one the believes that a properly set up gun is more accurate than the shooter, as they say. The Shield did very well, it shot where i aimed it.

Grips: Very comfortable. Easy to shoot well.

Overall, I enjoyed the Shield very much. Solid gun.

Which is better?
Both shoot very well, very reliable. Neither had a FTE, or any other issue. The P938 is smaller and easier to carry, but the shield is only slightly bigger. The Shield is slightly more comfortable to shoot. I did notice the shield had a little more muzzle flip, not much, but the P938 had nearly no muzzle flip. Both were very controllable.

ps- originally posted on 1911forum

 

[4D5.ACP]

Update: Range Comparison of my S&W Shield and Sig P938

Update: My Shield vs. P938 Comparison

I again took both to the range. Here is an update...

Sig P938
Shot 124 more rounds of WWB 114gr, Speer Lawman 114gr and Monarch 114gr. These are all considered target quality ammo. The Sig ate through them with no issues until round 95 (WWB 114gr), with a FTE. This is the first issue I have experienced in over 200 rounds.

The Fix: I placed one drop of gun oil on the extractor and shot the remaining 30 rounds of WWB with no issues. I have become convinced the slide and extractor heat up over extended shoots and need the oil, at least during break-in.

Grips: screws loosened after about 200 rounds and needed tightened, carrying on a Sig tradition.

Continued thoughts: P938 is a solid gun. Very reliable. Very controllable. It says a lot that I shot 100 rounds through this gun and was not tired of it. I wanted to keep shooting.


S&W Shield 9mm
Shot another 100 rounds, as mentioned above in the Sig review. No issues.
Grips: very comfortable, slightly easier to get tighter groupings than the Sig. But, slightly more muzzle flip. This may be due to the more aggressive nature of the Sigs grips.
Continued thoughts: Love the shield. Easy to shoot well. Not quite was cool as the Sig, but that's a personal opinion.

I had hoped one would knock out the other as I compared them, but they are two very well designed and built guns. Craftsmanship is excellent on both. My suspicion is the Shield may have it over the Sig on Quality, but that would be a very close call, and too early to say confidently.

David

 

[jfrey]

Very good comparison. I personally prefer the Shield for the reasons you listed. Over 200 rounds through mine and not a single problem.

 

[CZ223]

Thanks 4D5ACP

Ever since I heard about the Sig 938 I have been dying to try one. I carry a 1911 all of time so, it seems logical that this would be a good fit for those times when a smaller gun is called for. This the same reason that I used to carry a Mustang as a back-up to my Colt 1911 years ago. How does it compare in size to the LC-9?

 

[Orion8472]

4D5.ACP, could you post images of these two pistols together to show size? Sitting on their sights, width, and any other angle you could do? Thanks.

 

[4D5.ACP]

Ever since I heard about the Sig 938 I have been dying to try one. I carry a 1911 all of time so, it seems logical that this would be a good fit for those times when a smaller gun is called for. This the same reason that I used to carry a Mustang as a back-up to my Colt 1911 years ago. How does it compare in size to the LC-9?

How it compares to the LC-9:
Same width and length. Shield grip a little wider, which makes it a little more comfortable, IMO. Both are the same height with their flush magazines. LC-9 is a little shorter with the extended magazine because it uses a cut-out pinky extension.

 

[4D5.ACP]

4D5.ACP, could you post images of these two pistols together to show size? Sitting on their sights, width, and any other angle you could do? Thanks.

I will try to get photos loaded, but photos and Youtubes are plentiful through a Google search.

 

[Orion8472]

I saw one video that was comparing them, but that person didn't do the best job of really comparing size.

CandRreviews has a video. Not bad. . . . . . . looks like the P938 is a lot shorter when both sitting on their sights. Considerably shorter, in fact.

 

[dbp]

Price factor

The Shield is the one I chose primarily because of cost. The Sig is around $250 more than the S&W.

 

[Orion8472]

Though that is true [on the price], feel, recoil, concealability, etc. would be more important to me than the extra cost. I wish I had a place to rent both to try out. . . . but seeing how new they are, I doubt that will happen any time soon.

 

[dbp]

Agreed on the importance of feel, recoil, etc., but with all the reviews I have seen there is precious little difference in the two to the point that this reviewer can't choose between the two. There would have to be a pretty big reason for me to pay $250 more for the Sig and I just haven't seen it in any review.

 

[Orion8472]

Indeed. I guess, at that point, it would come down to those who prefer metal frame handguns and SAO triggers. . . . . and the included night sights.

I'm still a bit unsure of what direction I would go on these two. I see strengths and weeknesses in both.

 

[Skylerbone]

I was ready to hunt down a Shield to join my 3 M&Ps when a fellow forum member posted a deal on Kahr K9 trade-ins. I've been having a ball with that for the past week and a half ($329 with night sights) and committed to a custom cc holster for it thanks to a second, equally gracious forum moderator.

I don't keep up with enough gun magazines to catch every product announcement but the Sig 938 and Shield both caught my eye as solid contenders. I'm glad a proven platform came my way but it's great news knowing both these models could have filled that niche had I been a bit slower to act. Thank you for the straight-forward review, 4D5. It means more to me coming from an end user and forum member than a "journalist" securing advertising dollars. I may still have need of another thin compact to replace a doublestack.

 

[CZ223]

Orion8472

You hit the nail on the head. I already have an LC-9 and it is a great gun but it is plastic and has that long double action trigger pull. Even though I have two Glocks, the LC-9and, two LCP's, all great guns by the way, I still prefer the 1911 platform and a single action trigger. Also, I think I just prefer metal and wood over plastic. One more question, how does the 938 compare in size to the EMP or the Aegis?

 

[4D5.ACP]

Update #2 More Range Time with Shield and P938

Not to be too redundant... I took both guns out to the range and shot 50 rounds of Federal 114gr through each. Both functioned flawlessly. Both a pleasure to shoot.

I have now become much more accurate with both guns, learning their trigger. The Shield was easier to get a customed to its trigger. Excellent trigger out of the box.

However, after more than 250 rounds through three range sessions with the P938, I have come to shoot the Sig much better. It has a heavier trigger, which I'm sure you know, has a short slide and is a bit more of a challenge to get tight groupings.

But, in either case, I guess that's not really the mission of these two fine autos.

 

[CDR_Glock]

After having put over 600 rounds through mine, I realize that it's quite an accurate gun. It takes a little bit of work to adapt to shooting it. it also takes a few hundred to loosen up the pistol.

 

[4D5.ACP]

After having put over 600 rounds through mine, I realize that it's quite an accurate gun. It takes a little bit of work to adapt to shooting it. it also takes a few hundred to loosen up the pistol.

600 rounds through a P938 or a Glock?

 

[CDR_Glock]

600 rounds through a P938 or a Glock?

The 938.

It took me no time to get accustomed to my Glocks.

 

[Arp32]

Is the P938 trigger not a 1911 style single action? How heavy is it?

 

[CDR_Glock]

Is the P938 trigger not a 1911 style single action? How heavy is it?

Yes, Single action but not like my 1911 triggers (Ed Brown or Mars Armament T.H.U.G.). 8 pounds per manufacturer. It felt heavier initially, despite oiling. I did a few hundred cycles and dry fires, as well as fired a lot of ammo. I suppose I could have taken it to a gun smith to work the trigger. It's also quite small, and I have long fingers. That is why I usually prefer bigger grips on guns. I have adapted so it's all fine, now.

My P238 was acquired used. My P938 was brand new.

 

[FMF Doc]

I have shot both, and own the shield in 9mm. I can buy a couple of shields for one 938, and I have the option of getting it in 40. The are different platforms, but both good shooters. You really can't go wrong with either.