45acp S&W Shield

[Bonz]

WooHoo, I want one

https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/mp-sheild-45-acp/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=20160523_BlogDigest_173&utm_campaign=/blog/mp-sheild-45-acp/

http://www.gunsholstersandgear.com/2016/05/20/new-sw-shield-45-acp/

[marlin39a]

I saw that this morning. I have the .40 and don't think anything can replace it. The size is just right.

[35remington]

If these sort of threads go true to form we'll have a bunch of 9mm fanboys asking why they should give up an extra round and a little less size for a much bigger bullet out of a slightly larger gun.

The answer to their query? Those that buy it focus on the bigger bullet, more power angle. To each his own....that's why they make them in multiple calibers. While one caliber may be arguably better in some ways than another, it's likely arguably worse in some ways as well.

[Houndog]

DANG, I wish S&W woukd quit doin things like that! My favorite cc handgun now available in my all time favorite handgun round. I'm goin to have to get me one and Mama is goin to have me in the doghouse for sure! Oh welllll It's far easier to ask for forgiveness than permission! She'll get over it. (I hope!)

[bedbugbilly]

I'm one of those "9mm fanboys" and I love my 9mm Shield. BUT . . . I'm glad that they are bringing out a 45ACP! A good reason to add that cartridge as far as reloading and a good excuse to buy a 45 Shield. I've never cared much for the .40 - just me. But I will certainly add a 45 Shield when they become available. Bigger than the 9mm/40 platform? Not so much that it won't carry just as easy as my 9mm.

Kudos to S & W for listening to customers and adding this model - it ought to be a very popular handgun!

[Catshooter]

I do love a .45 . . . :)


Cat

[CastingFool]

I want one, too!

[str8wal]

Hmmmmmmm

[osteodoc08]

Dang. And I just bought an XDS in 45 and a shield in 9mm. When one of these shows up, it's mine!

[mjwcaster]

Handled on at the NRA show.
Will probably be the next new gun I buy.

Barely bigger than the 9/40.
Held side by side you can barely tell it is larger.
Just picking it up, it feels just like any other shield.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[dubber123]

Handled on at the NRA show.
Will probably be the next new gun I buy.

Barely bigger than the 9/40.
Held side by side you can barely tell it is larger.
Just picking it up, it feels just like any other shield.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk


Good info there. I know the specs say it's only a little bigger, but I have handled a few guns in a series where they claim the .45 is only "slightly" larger, but they sure don't feel like it in hand. If it really is very close to the 9/40 versions, I may have to have one too :)

[Lloyd Smale]

I have an m&p 45 compact. id have to see how it compares to it in size to see if its worth my while but if its closer to the 40 shield I have it will be a must have. I'm not really conserned with barrel length and if that's the only difference ill pass.

[mjwcaster]

It is much closer to the 9/40 shield than the compact.
I only got a few minutes with them, everybody wanted to see it.
I can't wait to shoot one.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[Lloyd Smale]

just looked
shield vs compact
width .99 vs 1.2 =.03 winner shield
height 4.88 vs 4.8= .08 winner compact
barrel 3.3 vs 4
overall length 6.45 vs 7.55



sorry but it looks like its about the same size other the a one inch shorter barrel. nothing earth shattering that's going to make it replace my compact. Barrel length isn't a big concern for concealability. Height an width are where it counts and its a toss up there. That and the one inch longer barrel makes it better for double duty concealed/field gun. I guess if I didn't already have a 40 shield and a 45 compact I might take a look at it but the 40s easier to conceal and the compact is going to be easier to shoot. I'm sure its a fine gun though I really like all three of my M&Ps. Probably even better then my glocks. But anymore a new gun has to be justified and it wont do anything my other ones don't already do.

[rintinglen]

Hey Lloyd, check your math. The shield is .21 inches thinner. That is significant in my book.

[Bonz]

Size ComparisonHere is a size comparison of the new .45 as compared to the 9mm and .40 S&W versions of the gun.



.45 ACP MODEL

9MM/.40 S&W MODELS



barrel length

3.3"

3.1"


overall length

6.45"

6.1"


frame width

0.99"

0.95"


height

4.88"

4.6"


weight (unloaded)

20.5 oz

19 oz

[osteodoc08]

Definitely gonna pick one up

[Lloyd Smale]

your right and here I allways brag on my math skills!!
Hey Lloyd, check your math. The shield is .21 inches thinner. That is significant in my book.

[Lloyd Smale]

don't think I'm bad mouthing this gun. If I didn't already have the compact and the 40 shield id be all over this. Never know. I love the 45 and one still might come home with me. I'm sure its one of those things that I will see one in the gunshop and just have to have it.

[Bonz]

I had a .40 Shield and hated it but absolutely love my 9 & 9 PerfCent. The 45 version just has to be great, LOL

[Lloyd Smale]

curious as to why if you didn't like the 40 you think you will like the 45. Loaded up to top end loads the 45 is going to have more recoil. I hear all the time guys claiming the 40 has a sharper recoil. If it does its because there shooting full powered 40s and watered down 45s. Comparing full power ball 230s to 180 factory 40s the 45 will have more recoil. Theres no way around the fact that in a gun if you step up in power your going to step up in recoil too. If the shield is close to 40 size its going to have some pop to it. My 40 does. Neither are going to feel like 9s. Especially the 45 with twice the bullet weight.
I had a .40 Shield and hated it but absolutely love my 9 & 9 PerfCent. The 45 version just has to be great, LOL

[Bonz]

curious as to why if you didn't like the 40 you think you will like the 45. Loaded up to top end loads the 45 is going to have more recoil. I hear all the time guys claiming the 40 has a sharper recoil. If it does its because there shooting full powered 40s and watered down 45s. Comparing full power ball 230s to 180 factory 40s the 45 will have more recoil. Theres no way around the fact that in a gun if you step up in power your going to step up in recoil too. If the shield is close to 40 size its going to have some pop to it. My 40 does. Neither are going to feel like 9s. Especially the 45 with twice the bullet weight.

I have several other pistols chambered in .40 cal. The recoil is completely different on a .40 than .45; the .40 is just a quick snap. I recently bought a Kahr MK40 Elite which I thought would be a great carry pistol and being all steel, should easily handle the recoil. But it really doesn't, just not enough to hold onto. My Sig Sauer P239 is just a little bigger than the Kahr MK40 Elite and handles the .40 cal recoil with ease. My favorite .45 is my Colt Defender with the 3" barrel. To me, the recoil from the .45 is completely different. My friends laugh at me when I complain about some guns that just are not designed to handle the recoil; one of my favorite guns to shoot at the range is my 4" S&W 500 magnum. That gun is the perfect example of a gun being designed to handle a specific recoil.

[Lloyd Smale]

heard many people say the same thing. I never noticed it. I allways thought the 45 with factory ball had more in a comparable gun. I guess ive never been bothered by either to be honest. To me complaining about the recoil of a semi auto handgun is about like complaining about the recoil of a 3006. Now step up to a 375 H&H or a 454 or 475 and yes I will admit theres some recoil. Only 40s I have right now are a shield and a glock 23 and neither ever made me think that they were uncomfortable to shoot and I'm talking a hundred rounds at a crack not a clip full. Personaly I think an ideal carry gun would be one the identical size of a 43 glock or an lc9 in 40sw. The shields are just enough bigger to make me complain! Especially for a 9mm. (nobody listens anyway)
I have several other pistols chambered in .40 cal. The recoil is completely different on a .40 than .45; the .40 is just a quick snap. I recently bought a Kahr MK40 Elite which I thought would be a great carry pistol and being all steel, should easily handle the recoil. But it really doesn't, just not enough to hold onto. My Sig Sauer P239 is just a little bigger than the Kahr MK40 Elite and handles the .40 cal recoil with ease. My favorite .45 is my Colt Defender with the 3" barrel. To me, the recoil from the .45 is completely different. My friends laugh at me when I complain about some guns that just are not designed to handle the recoil; one of my favorite guns to shoot at the range is my 4" S&W 500 magnum. That gun is the perfect example of a gun being designed to handle a specific recoil.

[35remington]

Lloyd, +1 for sure.

I hear so many guys crying about how 40's and 45's are uncontrollable in small pistols as a reason to justify a 9mm, and quite frankly I wonder if they've shot anything with any amount of recoil in their entire life. I don't find that they have all that much recoil in small pistols myself.

Perhaps they need to touch off my TC Scout pistol in 54 caliber shooting a 530 grain conical over 100 grains of FFg or an equivalent of 777. That would then give them some perspective.

[dubber123]

If someone doesn't like the recoil impulse of a particular gun, it's their right to find one they like. If they don't like it, they won't practice with it. That said, I carry a .40 Shield, and don't find it uncomfortable at all. Shooting a 4-3/4" .475 Linebaugh for years will do that for you. :) My friend who can handily outshoot me in speed events prefers the 9mm Shield for the extra round or two and lower recoil, works for him and I wouldn't want to tick him off. ;) As long as someone is confident with what they have, I am happy with more people carrying, regardless of caliber.

[Lloyd Smale]

dubber I agree totally. Just because I can shoot heavy recoil and think ANY 40 is a pussycat doesn't mean the next guy cant and doesn't mean because he cant he wears pink panties. Not everyone actually enjoys shooting my 4in 500 linebaugh. Some days even for me it can be a workout. Everyone has a limit. My buddy shoots his 475 and 500 linebaugh max guns with loads that make me run away like a little girl and he does it while about giggling. My 4 inch 500 is ALL the gun I ever want to shoot and most days its throttled back to about 1100 fps.

[dubber123]

I'd be curious to see what a 45 Shield would shoot like. I just ran a few mags through a 40 Firestar and my .40 Shield. There is a noticeable difference in recoil, I imagine mostly because the Star weighs twice as much. That said I did OK with the Shield. I'm sure I would be a touch faster with the 9mm version, but I'll take the extra diameter and weight of the 40.

[Lloyd Smale]

I like the bigger bullet too. Ive got a shield 40 and a glock 43 in 9 and when I go out I usually grab the shield. The 43 is a bit handier but ive got more faith in a 40.

[Huntsman52]

I wish the shield would be chambered in 10mm. That would be fun!