S&W Shield

[rhbrink]

I see that there are some sales on the Shield and I was thinking about purchasing one there are two options with most models some have a thumb safety and some do not have a thumb safety. If no thumb safety where is it does it even have a safety? I've always been a revolver man so this semi auto stuff is new to me.

RB

[HATCH]

They are like a glock.
They have a trigger safety. It prevents the trigger from full travel unless it is pushed.
Its located in the center of the trigger pad.

The best deal happened a few weeks ago. PSA had a sale plus the rebates put the shield down to $200

[Reddirt62]

Yeah, I picked up three @ $220 each. For that quality at that price I don't feel bad about leaving it in the glovebox like I would my Sig.

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[rintinglen]

That safety is so small that it is difficult to operate. I am still coming to terms with mine. The magazines are very hard to load--nearly impossible to fully load with out a Maglula or similar device. Accuracy is decent, it is fairly comfortable to shoot, mine has not malfunctioned at all, the trigger is pretty heavy, I'd give it a "B" overall.

I got mine as a "disposable"gun. One that i could count on to go bang, but that I would not miss if it ended up in a pile in an evidence locker while I waited for some homicide defective to finish his report so the District Attorney could sit on it for a year or two.

However, Unless it is significantly cheaper, like mine was, I think I would get a compact Glock instead a Shield.

[35remington]

If having a bit larger safety to hit makes you feel better, get the 45 Shield. The safety is noticeably larger than on the 9 and 40.

A bit of training as to hand placement makes the safety on the 9 and 40 manageable. If you don't want a safety you have the option of not having one to deal with.

[alamogunr]

I got four, two 9mm's and two .45's. After I wring them out, 2 of them will go to family.

Check recent threads here. Lots of discussion about difficult safety's and stiff magazine springs. For loading magazines, the Uplula loader was recommended. They WORK!

Has anyone received a rebate yet? I submitted the forms on the 9mm's about 3 weeks ago and on the 45's just yesterday. If they follow standard practice on rebates it will be about another 2-3 months. BTW I ordered the .45's before the rebates ended.

At least we are dealing with a reputable company. A couple of years ago I finally broke down and got the wife and I smartphones. They had a rebate deal too. I swear they rejected the first two applications for reasons I never did understand. I think they could sense that I wasn't holding my mouth right or my stamp on the envelope wasn't placed exactly correct.

[rhbrink]

Thanks for the reply's looks like I'll have to go and get one in hand and see how well the safety operates.

RB

[trapper9260]

For me I do not want a safety to deal with. one less thing to think of if need to use it.I also a wheel gun ,it took some get use to a semi auto. So for the DA trigger on them is good enough for me.

[bedbugbilly]

I'm pretty much like you - always been a revolver guy but have owned several semi-autos.

I have a 9mm Shield with a thumb safety because I thought I would ALWAYS use it and just thumb sweep it. I carry the Shield now most of the time (my other favorite was a Smith 36 snub).

The safety on my Shield is rather stiff - i.e. you'd have to work at it to accidentally knock it on or off. Are crying it now and having shot it a lot, I carry it with the safety off and I have no qualms about it. It is in a Fobus OWB holster where the trigger guard is fully covered when carrying and the finger never goes on the trigger until ready to fire.

It boils down to what you prefer and are comfortable with. If I am shooting at range then I do use the safety - but for CCW, it never is on and one is in the chamber so it is ready if ever needed in a SD situation.

IF the safety on mine was not stiff - i.e. could easily be knocked off or on - then I would be switching mine out for a Shield without a safety for my CCW.

The Shield is a great handgun - mine runs without a problem with any factory SD rounds or any of my cast loads regardless of boolit design.

Remember that this is a DA semi so in essence, it is not really any different than carrying a DA revolver - it just sort of takes a little time to wrap your head around that but once you get used to it, it's sort of second nature.

Good luck to you! I like mine so much that at some point, I'll pick up one of the 45 Shields.

[35remington]

If your gun has a safety and it is carried with the safety supposedly off, it is often suggested that one still moves the thumb to disengage it. The reasoning is that it is better to be sure it is disengaged when you desperately need it to be disengaged rather than assuming it will be disengaged when you need it.

The trigger pull is both lighter than a typical DA revolver and much shorter.

FWIW.

[Loudenboomer]

I purchased 2 in 9mm. For carry I'm mostly a J frame snubby or 1911 guy but at these prices they make good spares.
As far as the rebate... Sent mine in about 2 months ago. Still waiting.

[rhbrink]

So is there a difference on the trigger pull between the "Safety" and "Trigger Safety" model? Thinking about the 45 model now as I prefer big bullets over lighter fast ones.

RB

[6bg6ga]

My wife just purchased a Shield in 45acp with the thumb safety. Its a great little gun with the July 1 st promotion additional magazines coming along with a coupon for the defense ammo. At least I assume there will be a coupon other than them shipping us ammo.

They can be had with either the thumb safety of the trigger safety. The thumb safety model's trigger pull was much better. We target shoot and try to come up with triggers we can both be happy with. I can see an officer wanting a trigger safety like the Glock models. Having shot both and owning Glocks I would rate this gun with high marks. Trigger pull (thumb safety model) is crisp and clean without the usual slop the Glocks have.

Haven't tried my 200 gr SWC's or 185 SWC's 45's yet but it functions flawlessly with the standard 230 RN.


Update:

Wife received the two magazines, the magazine loader by Caldwell, and the two boxes of critical defense ammo. Didn't take too long as she purchased the Shield the 5 th of July and the package arrived on Fri the 8th of Sept.

[GooseGestapo]

I mailed my rebate claim back in April. Just before the 4th of July, I got an e-mail stating that the response had been greater than expected and checks were delayed... At least they acknowledged I sent the documentation and THEY received it.

More likely, with post election stock slump, funds are likely scarce...
I've owned dozens of smiths, but this may be the last...

[msp2640]

I have the no thumb safety model and went with that model, because I use to carry the full size version, with out the safety, for a duty sidearm. After firing the 45 Shield, I was shocked at how little difference there is between the recoil of that model vs the full size. As it's primary use for me is for concealed carry, I like the flush bottom mag vs the extended version. Its accuracy is at least on par and maybe a bit better than the full size even with the shorter sight radius - but both my comparisons are based on my original issued sidearm vs my privately owned shield. I have approximately 200 rounds through my Shield at this time, all sorts of FMJ's, HP's and target and training ammo, some partial boxes, loose rounds and reloads (just no cast yet). Not a single issue or malfunction and I've used both mags. I have since reduced the extended mag, to the flush type, with a new floor plate and the bottom plate which retains it. On rare occasions, I'll carry a S&W model 60 with 38+P's. For me, it just the way I've been taught and trained over the years, if I have to pull it out to use it, I don't want to deal with a thumb safety - just point and shoot, only if absolutely necessary. Best of luck with your choice, I really like mine. I'm not telling S&W, but after 6 months of use and carry, I would have paid double for it. Bill in MA

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive got a 40 and just put a dab of super glue on the safety and ignore it. Great little gun for the 400 I paid. A steal for little over 200 that there going for now. You just wont by more of a ccw gun for under 300 bucks. I like my 43 too but for the price I paid for it I could by two shields today and have money over to take the wife out to eat!

[Texas by God]

Excellent sd pistols - easy carry dirt reliable. My wife has the 9 and I had the .40 but it shot too low so I sold it. The .45 looks good. I like the safety models.

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[Any Cal.]

I liked the thumb safety one just fine. Wasn't hard to use IMO, especially compared to the relatively few other small guns that have them. Really wish I could have gotten a couple on the smoking deals recently.

[bdicki]

I received my rebate last week. I was happy to see it was a check not a card.

[6bg6ga]

I received my rebate last week. I was happy to see it was a check not a card.

How long ago did you send in for it? Which rebate was it? I believe there is a money rebate out there as well as a magazine and ammunition rebate. The wife sent in on the magazine and ammunition rebate as it was day 2 of that rebate.

[rhbrink]

Just to let everyone know I bought the safety model and really like it I was somewhat surprised how well it handled the recoil and it shoots better that expected. The trigger is a little rough but getting better and just received a mold from Tom at accurate the 45 200 E I think his favorite mold for the 45 ACP. I am surprised how thin the grip is and that will take some getting used to but I see that Houge makes a grip for it a little more hand filling may look into that some time in the future. That's for everybody's reply there was a lot of good useful info here.

RB

[GooseGestapo]

I bought a 9mm w/s in April, got my check last week.
I also have a .40. Had to drift sight on .40 to get it to shoot poi/POA. Didn't have to with 9.

.40 mags work with 9.
I carry the .40, shoot the 9.

I had a $100 gift card at Academy and gun was on sale. I now have about $100 in it!
They shoot just fine with cast, however, the 6-shot mag won't feed the Lee .40" 150gr SWC, but the 175gr TC works great.
If the slide goes all the way back, the 9 feeds it.
The .40 replaced a .380 BodyGuard, that replaced a KelTec .32. I still have the .380, and I carry the .32 in a slide holster when I go walking...
I really like the Sheilds. Even better with the rebate.

[rintinglen]

I now have 270 + rounds through mine--150 115 FMJ's, about 30 124 grain FMJ's and about 90 odds and ends, leftovers in boxes with out nary a malfunction. Mixed hollow points? No problem.
I am still underwhelmed by the need to use a mechanical loader to fill a magazine and the trigger is nothing to write home about, but it shoots. For a 300 dollar pistol, it shoots pretty darn well. I am starting to think it is time to spend some money and order an Apex trigger set up for it. I'm starting to think that if you can get one with the rebate, you should. They are awfully good at that price point.
When I get back to the USA, I will have to get an M&P and give it a try.

[Beef15]

Bought Shield 9 back in May, submitted for rebate same day, received this week.

Gun is good, looked at a thumb safety model, too small and stiff. Trigger is heavy and long, fairly smooth though, lives in a holster. Find it quite accurate <4" groups at 25yds are possible. Throat seems a little on the short side. Mags were stiff got easier, never needed a tool. Slide stop is stiff but has eased. As a cheap gun for EDC I am very pleased with it.

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[alamogunr]

Received rebates on first two guns, at least I hope it was the first two guns. At this rate I should receive the rebates on the next two within 2-3 weeks.

As luck would have it, older son and grandsons and I went to the range yesterday and gave one 9 and two 45's a good workout. No problems with hardball and an assortment of reloads. All reloads for the 45's were deep seated H&G 68's from a MP mold. I had already used the 45 bbl to plunk test and had to very slightly reseat the boolits. Since they were light loads to begin with I wasn't too concerned about a very small reduction in powder space.

I gave one of the 45's to this older son and will pass one of the 9's to the younger son. Seems strange to refer to them as the "older" and the "younger" since they are 48 & 46 years old. Both grandsons are in college so don't get to spend much time with them.