smith m and p shield 9 mm.

[johnson1942]

pros and cons on this as a carry gun. thanks, before hand.

[Rick Hodges]

Pro's it is small concealable, accurate, controlable, reliable and fits my hand well.
Con: Its a 9mm..... I carry the 40...LOL

[LUCKYDAWG13]

a friend of mine has one in 40 shot it a few times nice pistol but it's a 40 i carry the XDs in 45 [smilie=p:

[bedbugbilly]

I'm more of a revolver guy but I picked up a 9mm Shield a while back to switch off to for CC. I normally carry a Smith Model 36 snub. I carry on the belt. I can't say enough good things about my Shield - I love it! It eats anything I feed it whether it be factory or my cast boolit reloads. Accurate and have never had a hiccup with mine. Fits my hands well and no harsh recoil. I only own a couple of semi-autos and I like to have safeties on them. The Shield is available with or without. Some don't like the safety - to me it isn't an issue. I just leave it off. Lots of options out there for carry holsters - OWB, IWB, etc. Racking is stiff when new but will loosen up some after a few hundred rounds. I have made no changes to mine - the trigger was/is very nice on mine right out of the box. I find it easy to breakdown, clean and reassembleI really have nothing negative to say about mine nor would I change anything on it. They come with one 7 and one 8 round mag in 9mm. The 7 round might be more convenient depending on how you carry. I picked up a couple of extra 8 round mags as I prefer those. Some like the 40 and prefer that cartridge. I'm perfectly happy with the 9mm and feel it's adequate. When I was looking for a single stack to switch off to once in a while I also looked at the Glock 42 (which was iffy on delivery when I was looking), a Kimber, a a XD. All decent handguns but I went with the Shield and have never regretted it. YMMV

[bdicki]

I got the 40, carries nice in a Crossbreed.

[johnson1942]

im doing a trade with a law enforcement officer, think i will like what im getting, thanks guys.

[9.3X62AL]

The only thing I would add to this discussion......if you opt for 9mm, be highly selective about ammo. I have railed at length about the boutique ammo favored by FBI in this caliber (147 grain JHP @ 950 FPS). This is a 30% down-load from the caliber's true ballistic potential, and in my view makes the caliber marginal at fight-stopping. My choice for 9mm carry is some form of 124-125 grain JHP at the caliber's full potential--in the 1225-1250 FPS ballpark. Basically, the M-9 ballistics with an expanding bullet. Don't cheat yourself out of full performance just because some geeks in lab coats cooked the books for dubious downstream benefits.

[cainttype]

Seems a little disingenuis to quote high end +P/lower end +P+ 124s to compare to the most sedate 147s available.
An unbiased comparison would find ammunition options a lot more varied. Try comparing some of the available selections here: http://www.ballistics101.com/9mm.php.
The following examples are including Recoil Impulse in lb/secs (RI) for those that mistakenly claim the 147gr options were "loaded down" to reduce recoil for unseasoned shooters, a total falsehood that can be compared by inputting the numbers here: http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

Federal... 124 JHP/ 1120fps / RI .70 / Free Recoil 7.80 ft/lbs
147 JHP/1000fps / RI .72 / Free Recoil 8.42 ft/lbs
"Tactical HST"
124 +P 1200fps / RI .74 / Free Recoil 8.82 ft/lbs
147 +P 1050fps RI .76 / Free Recoil 9.20 ft/lbs

Double Tap... 124 JHP +P 1310fps / RI .80 / Free Recoil 10.32 ft/lbs
147 JHP +P 1125fps / RI .80 / Free Recoil 10.42 ft lbs

Buffalo Bore... 124 JHP +P+ 1300fps / RI .80 / Free Recoil 10.18 ft/lbs
147 JHP +P+ 1175fps / RI .84 / Free Recoil 11.29 ft/lbs

The 147gr JHPs have been recommended for good reason. They have consistantly out-performed the lighter-weight options for decades and, unless standard bullets take a big leap forward in design, they will continue to be at the top of the 9MM's "Best Options" list.

I do agree that careful ammunition selection should be very high on the priorities list... Beware the hype, consider the options, choose what you're most comfortable with.

[modified5]

Can't really add to what has been said about the pros and cons other than this.
I tried to hate these guns since they came out.
When my wife FINALLY :-) decided to get her ccw we went to a local indoor range and rented a few guns for her to shoot. Best $100 I ever laid down. The double stack fit both of our hands better but we decided to get the single stack for more discreet carry. I ended buy two.
No regrets at all.
Oh, I guess I have one pro to add, no Glock grip angle.

[osteodoc08]

What a timely thread. I've been debating on the XDS 45 and the Shield in 9mm. With appropriate ammo, I feel they are both adequate. I love the XDS cause it's a 45 and the sights were better for me. The Shield has the ever so slight edge in comfort. I may end up with both. I'm gonna start with the 45 as I shoot that caliber the most and have plenty of experience with it.

[9.3X62AL]

Cainttype--

Those 147 JHPs running 1050 FPS or more would be GREAT. I would carry them in a hot second. The Winchester "Sub-Sonic" ammo my shop authorized did and does well to get 950 FPS in 4.4" barrels (SIG or Glock full-size), and barely 900 in the shorter Glock 19/SIG 228/229/239 tubes. PATHETIC. Hence my 40 S&W/45 ACP/357 Mag carry preferences.

The sole advantages these powder-puff loads provide is an extended lifespan for any platform shooting them habitually and relative ease of on-paper qualifications, much like wadcutter loads in the old 38 Specials. Shooter lifespan has the potential to be affected by their use also, but not in a positive way.

[swmass]

Love that gun... Can't really think of any cons. It's the perfect size, shoots like a "big gun", has nice big metal sights, and most importantly is reliable as could be. I trust it just as much as I trust my 442 and LCR. I'm more of a glock guy and I still think the shield is above a glock 43. I'd bet the shield is one of best selling carry guns right now, for good reason.

[Forrest r]

Really nothing to do with carrying but reloading for the 9mm shields. This is what starline has to say about their 9mm brass.

9mm brass: also known as 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Luger and 9x19mm. This cartridge is now one of the most popular pistol cartridges in the world. **NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN S&W SHIELD PISTOLS WITH NEAR-MAX OR +P LOADS, DUE TO POORLY SUPPORTED CHAMBER CONDITION**

Some p+ loads that were fired from a shield.

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t242/forrestr-photo/e58c1b47-e2fb-4ff1-ac7f-d0ba08d38206_zpsvxyes24j.jpg (http://s162.photobucket.com/user/forrestr-photo/media/e58c1b47-e2fb-4ff1-ac7f-d0ba08d38206_zpsvxyes24j.jpg.html)

Typically, I toss any brass with smiley faces, just wanted to see how they looked after re-sizing them.

[Electric88]

I also would highly recommend the Shield. I have at least 3 different buddies (There's probably more, just can't think off the top of my head) that all have a 9mm shield and they all love them. I've fired them, and for the price and size could not think of a better, more accurate gun. The only reason I don't have one is that money goes other places first.

But I intend to own one someday :-)

[sandman228]

I traded a glock 43 a while back for a shield and don't regret it 1 bit . the shield is a much better fit for me and I can shoot it allot more accurately . the only complaint I have about it is I wish the safety was ambi because I'm left handed . other than that its a great gun and in my opinion 10 times better than the glock hands down .

[35remington]

Given that the small autos run on the ragged edge of cycle reliability, and addressing the reliability issue alone for purposes of making my point, I'd suggest that extra hot loads increase the risk of malfunction in small autos. Speed up the slide greatly and the gun is more likely to choke. Given that "bang" is most important when assessing the value of a defensive piece, more so than extra fps, I'll not over run the cartridges in an attempt to make up for the short barrel.

I'm more likely to view the idea of +P+ as viable in the large autos.

[johnson1942]

again i thank every one for their input. i found out my son in denver has one and really likes it. however what he carries for personel defense with his ccp is a remington 1911 stainless steel 45 auto. he is a big man so it hides well with him. he is also a minister and a ccp carry minister. he loves his remington 45 auto. he says the accuracy of it is the best their is. thanks again guys.

[cainttype]

9.3X62AL,
I'm not a big 9MM fan, just making few observations about ammo choices, and the reasoning behind those choices.
First off, the OP is not restricted by department regs so he can choose whatever works best for him.
Secondly, if we restrict those choices to standard pressure only (as has been suggested) we still find the Federal options at http://www.ballistics101/9mm.php as follows:
124 Hydro-Shock 1120 fps / RI .70 / Free Recoil 7.80 ft/lbs
147 Hydro-Shock 1000 fps / RI .72 / Free Recoil 8.42 ft/lbs

124 HST 1150 fps / RI .71 / Free Recoil 8.17 ft/lbs
147 HST 1000 fps / RI .72 / Free Recoil 8.42 ft/lbs

So again, the idea of reduced recoil being the reason for the sub-sonic loads does not really hold up under scrutiny.

Oddly enough, a .35-.36 cal 158gr projectile that is often lucky to reach 825-850 fps in a snubby is considered an excellent option as a hideout choice, while a .35-.36 147 gr at 950-1000fps is being frowned upon... Bullet design is the only possible difference one might argue, but better designs are introduced regularly so even that point is basically moot.
The main reason the 147 JHP offerings have been so widely accepted, and recommended, by the best organizations and most experienced people available is because they tend to expand, remain intact, and penetrate deeper than the lighter-weight offerings that often fragment, resulting in decreased penetration. Better projectile designs could remedy some of those weak points.

Having options is a good thing.
If I were limited to 9MM 115s only, that's what I would carry. For now, though, I will carry the 147 JHP before any other option where the 9MM is the only choice.

[dualsport]

My neighbor has one, 9mm. Says it's very reliable.

[Bonz]

I own an original Shield 9mm and the new Performance Center model in 9mm and love them both. I used to own the .40 cal version but sold it because I didn't like the way it shot and the trigger. I sold it and bought the Kahr MK40 Elite and don't like that one either, LOL. I still own a Sig Sauer P239 in .40 cal and carry it once in a while but it is heavy.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a 40 shield and a glock 43. The glock is a bit smaller and the smiths got the advantage of being a 40 so its a decision every day for me. I do have to admit the shield is carried more but for no other reason then its a 40. I think if glock made a 43 sized gun in .40 it would beat out both of them in my book. Bottom line is there both darned good guns that a guy can trust his life to.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

just came across this https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/5/20/smith-wesson-announces-mp45-shield-pistol/