S&W Shield?

[fatelk]

Somehow I got on Palmetto State Armory's mailing list so I get emails every day with great "deals". I need to unsubscribe because I just can't buy anything in the near future, but in the last couple days I've been seeing some pretty great prices on S&W Shield pistols.

They have the .40 S&W Shield for $280 shipped, with a $75 mail in rebate, and the .45 Shield for $300 shipped, again with the $75 rebate. The local gun shop does $15 transfers, so after the rebate the .45 would come to $240 total. Gotta be something wrong with them, right? Seems too cheap for a decent gun.

[Electric88]

I don't know about the .40 shield, but the 45 has a shipping price of $15. Just a heads up.

[fatelk]

Oh, you're right. I missed that. I saw an earlier ad that said "free shipping", I guess, and made an assumption. It still seems like too good of a price for anything that's worthwhile.

Its not really relevant for me, anyhow, as I need another gun like I need a hole in my head, but it's hard not to be tempted if it's a good gun. I really need to go unsubscribe from their email list.

[DerekP Houston]

I'm guessing just an over supply and little demand. They *were* a hot ticket item when first announced, i wonder if the backstock is finally catching up to actual demand. A coworker of mine has one in 40 cal and he says it's a bit snappy. I had my eye on a 9mm version.

[bdicki]

I have a 9mm and a 40S&W they're nice carry pistols. Some people don't like the safety on them, but you have a choice you can use it or just leave it off.

[Electric88]

I'm with you fatelk. If I show up with another firearm right me, I suspect I could get shot with it.

Oh well. It would be a nice addition. ..

[tygar]

I just got the 45 Shield, without safety, from CDNN at $299.

So far I have only run about 60rds thru it, because, the mags are extremely hard to load by hand. Had to use a loader.

Been leaving them loaded to try & get the springs to allow hand loading.

Will see how it shoots & reliability, but it's not lighter than other 45s I carry, e.g. Kimber Ultra, Officers, Defender, S&W 325PD & not really smaller than the autos.

May be good, we'll find out.

[35remington]

Actually the 45 Shield is in fact a little lighter than all of the compact autos mentioned by tygar above. Kimber and Colt are 24-25 ounces in Defender and Ultra Carry, and the Officers weighs more than that. The only one that is not heavier is the 325 PD revolver.

Smaller? No. Thinner? Yes.

Mine is quite good, and worth the price.

Whatever you do, don't weaken the springs in the magazine by cutting off a few coils or sand off the scallops on the bottom of the slide!

[Lefty Red]

The Shield is a very good pistol! In any caliber!


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[tygar]

Man another nitpicker! I weighed the Kimber, & 325PD, & Shield & rough measured the size.

We're talking within 1.5-2oz with both loaded with the same 6rds. The width difference on the slide needs a micrometer to measure the difference.

Because of the rubber grips the autos grip is wider, but then are easier to grip.

The PD is 2oz lighter.

Point is, the difference is negligible.

I didn't say it wasn't good or worth it, just that it needed more testing.

Been shooting autos for almost 60yrs. Know what to do with them.

[35remington]

Pointing out that it is, in fact, lighter is not nitpicking, just steering you and readers toward the actual facts of the matter. You did say "it is not lighter!" A 45 auto also can only be so small and still function. Lots lighter is not possible in a gun with similar capacity and it is unreasonable to expect the Shield to be "lots" lighter as it is not…..but it is in fact lighter than all your other mentioned autoloaders

Complaining about the magazine spring strength is fine and I do it myself. It is also worth pointing out here for the uninitiated that the magazine spring strength is absolutely necessary or the gun won't run. Poor magazine spring strength by comparison is a major reason why "concealable" shrunk in the wash 1911's jam more often than the full size variants. My luck with them has been generally poor.

[texasnative46]

Lefty Red,

I bought my 9mm Shield a week ago & like it enough that I've retired my revolver that I've carried for years every day concealed. - Best 249.oo that I've spent lately.

Bte, a company on www.ebay.com called "my holster" sells a thumb-break OTB holster that's a SCREAMING BARGAIN at 28.89 delivered.= NICE leather & leather-handwork, too.
(I've bought worse holsters for 3-4X the money.)

yours, tex

[knifemaker]

If you did some research, you will find far more positive good reports on the S&W Shield being a reliable accurate firearm. The magazine springs are powerful and makes reloading the last 1-2 rounds a tough go. Purchasing a Maglula magazine loader will solve that problem.

[CastingFool]

I really like my Shield. Trigger is good, and just fits my hand perfectly. Wouldn't mind having one in 45 acp.

[Lefty Red]

Lefty Red,

I bought my 9mm Shield a week ago & like it enough that I've retired my revolver that I've carried for years every day concealed. - Best 249.oo that I've spent lately.

Bte, a company on www.ebay.com called "my holster" sells a thumb-break OTB holster that's a SCREAMING BARGAIN at 28.89 delivered.= NICE leather & leather-handwork, too.
(I've bought worse holsters for 3-4X the money.)

yours, satx

They are nice pistols! I have had one in each caliber and if they were a bit thicker, I would have kept one.

Rumor has it, the 2.0 version are due out at the end of the year. Suppose to be completely ambidextrous. And so are the Compacts in the M&P line. So fingers crossed.

I looked at my_holster seller on eBay and they look like a good American made holster from FL.

Don't know is I could retire my snubbies. Just too comfortable to throw in the pocket.
But am looking for a replacement for the Baby Glock, so hoping the American made M&P Compacts in 2.0 are as good as the Duty sized 2.0s.

Or if S&W wanted to make a 40cal Shield on the Shield 45's Frame, a tad wider, and bump the capacity up to 8/9 with a flush magazine then I'm game!

But hard to go wrong with a Shield NTS in any caliber.

Lefty


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[DerekP Houston]

Well brownells has em on sale today, I went ahead and asked the wife for permission and got approval! 9mm 8+1 w/safety for 294.99 shipped to my ffl, $20 transfer and still get the $75 mail in rebate. I can't believe I got it for cheaper out the door than my bersa 380.

[Any Cal.]

They are excellent IMO. I paid $369+ tax a while back, and thought it was worth it. It is a smaller gun that shoots like a larger one. I even liked the thumb safety. Only drawback to me was that the trigger was a bit heavy with overtravel, so wasn't a great target shooting gun. Wasn't bad, just slightly coarse. Noticeably smaller and lighter than a Glock 23, and shot nearly as well with the longer mag in. Mine was in .40. Would love to buy another at current prices, but have too many projects going right now.

[texasnative46]

Lefty Red,

I, too, am a SOUTHPAW & I see nothing that makes any difference for us "wrong handed folks" that S&W can change. - I don't care that the magazine release is on the left side. = ZERO difference to me in a SELF-DEFENSE pocket pistol.

Fyi, I bought the NTS model.

yours, tex

[texasnative46]

knifemaker,

Fyi, I agree 100% on loading the last round into the supplied magazines. = I bought a mag-loader for 8 bucks for mine.

yours, tex

[Lefty Red]

Lefty Red,

I, too, am a SOUTHPAW & I see nothing that makes any difference for us "wrong handed folks" that S&W can change. - I don't care that the magazine release is on the left side. = ZERO difference to me in a SELF-DEFENSE pocket pistol.

Fyi, I bought the NTS model.

yours, tex

Glad you and literally every other lefty doesn't have a problem. I get ribbed by every other lefty I know about it.
But if there is a way to accidentally engage the slide stop or press the magazine release on the Shield or M&P, I did it under pressure. So I won't sorry it. Hoping the 2.0 version are like the Full Size ones and they fix that.

Lefty


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