Guy on AR15.com posted pics of his totally stippled Shield on Friday.
Printable View
evnash has that covered.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2...h/21b25d2e.jpg
Took my new Shield to the range today. It shot well for what it is. I managed to keep most shots in a 3" orange ball at 55 feet. When I tried to shoot at any longer ranges, my grouping was inconsistent and all over the place. I was happy with that considering that I never felt that I shot thin guns all that well and this has the 6.5 pound trigger.
If this had a usable ambi-safety like my other M&Ps, I would install the Apex FSS and trigger but without a usable safety (I am a lefty) I think this trigger will suffice.
When I finished with the Shield, I shot my M&P 9MM compact with the FSS and trigger kit. I have only fired my M&P 45s recently and I was very pleasantly surprised how well my 9MM compact shot. At 25 yards, I shot a target that has two (approximately three inch) orange balls on it (spaced apart vertically by perhaps 18 inches or so). A double target. I fired one 17 round magazine of Sellier and Bellot at each orange ball. The results on each ball were almost identical.
The top target had all rounds within six inches and ten of the rounds were inside of the orange three inch ball. The bottom target also had all rounds within six inches (by my Leatherman scale) and nine of the rounds were within the orange ball. I was thrilled with this as I didn't even realize that I could do this, unsupported with this little gun.
I already appreciated the ease of carry and concealment, lightweight, relatively high round count, and speed of the trigger on this gun but until I compared it to my Shield, I didn't realize how perfect I think my 9 compact is. I think the Shield will be a fun range gun and good for days when I have a bad back-ache but the M&P 9MM compact and my M&P 45s will still remain my main carry guns.
A very good option for those who wear tailored suits. I'll be purchasing one in the near future.
Well put Irish.............................
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...325/shield.jpg
I had a couple of free hours today and the urge to take my new PPQ and Shield back to the range again. Yesterday I left the range after firing the Shield for the first time feeling that it was a good shooter but I could have lived without it. So I shot about three boxes of Walmart Federal 115 grainers through the PPQ before I switched to my Shield. Today I wasn't keeping the rounds in the three inch orange ball at 55 feet as well as yesterday, so, I thought I should call it a day.
I couldn't resist my urge to try the Shield out at 25 yards thinking perhaps the "Aim small miss small" thing would work out. Surprisingly, it did. I shot three and a half eight round magazines of the same Federal ammo and all of my groupings were within six inches, strung out mostly vertically and the misses were almost all above the target (3" orange ball). I hit the ball itself nine or ten times.
This was all done taking my time in slow fire mode. I walked away today thinking what an accurate, good shooting and natural pointing little gun this thing is. I can tell this is going to be a favorite range gun for me. It was a bit of work to maintain the proper technique to hit well at distance but the gun is plenty accurate and rewards you if you do your part. Seems like a good gun to practice for accuracy with.
I picked up my M&P Shield 9mm today. I fired 50 rounds of PMC 115 grain ball ammo. I also fired 25 rounds of Federal HST 124grain carry ammo through it with zero issues. This is a nice easily controlled soft shooting 9mm as you would expect from the M&P line. I will say the trigger is pretty nice as well, its crisp with less travel than a standard M&P full size. The reset is decent, but nothing as snappy as the glock, but again its there. Rapid fire was easily controlled with this gun. I predict S&W will sell the SHIT out of these little blasters!
I was a little bit dissapointed. I mic'ed the rear 10-8 sight on my full size M&P 9mm and the rear sight on the Shield. The 10-8 rear is going to be to "wide" to fit the Shields dove tail by about .020 of an inch. The 10-8 Rear sight mic'ed at .860ish and the factory rear sight of the Shield mic'ed right at 0.820. I am a big 10-8 rear sight fan, so I will either file down a standard M&P9mm 10-8 rear or just wait and see if they make a rear sight for this application...as of now I doubt it. But I emailed Mr. Yam anyways and asked if they would produce a 10-8 rear sight for this application.
So Here are a few pics, comparison with my BG380 and a full size M&P 9mm.
M&P Shield vs BG380
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo4-10.jpg
Top View
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo3-13.jpg
All 3 width pic
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...2/photo5-7.jpg
M&P 9 10-8 Rear Sight Width
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...2/photo4-9.jpg
M&P Shield Rear Sight Width
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo3-12.jpg
All 3
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo2-12.jpg
BG380 on top of the Shield
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo1-12.jpg
A few shots at the range...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo1-13.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo2-13.jpg
Picked mine up this evening from Colonial Shooting Academy. Looking forward to range time at the new facility. Thanks, Tim!
I picked up one yesterday. The trigger is stiff, every bit of 6.5#, if not a tad bit more. I won't get a chance to shoot it till Tuesday. I'll try to measure the trigger pull before it gets shot. The reset, while better than the original M&P, still isn't as pronounced as the Glock. But then, I've never had issue with the standard reset.
M&P triggers tend to lighten up with use, usually about .5#. My agency ordered a T&E, but it's not expected to arrive just yet. When we got the T&E M&P9's, they came with NDA's about 8 months before the first M&P was for sale. so for me to go to my agencies range with a Shield before they can get a T&E fells kind of weird.
After reading so much about the safety lever, both pro and con, I was surprised at the safety on my sample. It isn't all that stiff to engage or remove. I can disengage it with my thumb. But with the way it sits in the frame, I can not see how it could inadvertently become engaged while carrying the gun.
I'll never use the safety when carrying the gun, but I still like the option of having it. Just as when I used to carry a 3913 for an off-duty gun, I like having a safety if I have to temporarily set the gun somewhere, such as a glove box, under a car seat, in a drawer, ect.
When I first handled the gun at the store, it felt ok. Not earth shattering, just ok. But the more I handle it, the more it grows on me.
I took it to work last night and showed it to various officers, many of which the only gun they possess is their issued M&P9. I could have sold a dozen of these things in about an hour.
I think that so long as S&W doesn't screw this one up, they will dominate the subcompact market with this gun.
any leads on a pocket holster for this gun???
I have a custom one in the works by a respected maker, I will show it when its done.
As well as other options and mag carriers.
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Spent some time dry handling a 9mm Shield the other day. I'll have one to shoot in a week or two. First thoughts:
- Small, light, and handy. Reminded me of a 3913 in form factor.
- Felt like what I thought a thinner G26 might.
- Trigger is better than a standard M&P, with less of the engineered mush. Still an M&P trigger, however.
- 3-dot sights were decent enough for an OEM standard offering.
- Safety was recessed enough to make operation of the lever deliberate, but I still wonder about inadvertant activation.
- Points well.
- Size efficient.
- Right sized ankle gun. May be a little tall for pocket carry (pending).
- Affordably price pointed, even at retail.
I want to see an accelerated wear test and a torture test by a disinterested party.
S&W will sell a lot of these.
Leather? I'll probably build myself one like my Diamondback 9mm holster, smaller the better with this gun.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...sters/RKBA.jpg
www.talontactical.com / Mike Benedict in Jasper, GA will be making pocket as well as belt holsters for the Shield.
yeah, I spoke to mike (online at least) but looking for something soft right now. I'll go see him when he gets the kydex done. I always seem to have more holsters than I use... :(
I'm kind of wondering if anyone knows which model Desantis Nemesis might work. these are cheap and work good.
Fondled one yesterday.
Agreed with others that the trigger is a little bit better with a faint reset. Still not a great trigger by any means.
Also, I don't think the safety would be easy to manipulate under stress....maybe after extended use it would break in, but it was very stiff and difficult to get a purchase on.
That being said, its in the lead for my next CCW gun.
A little holster info. My Comptac Mtac holster for my full size M&P fits the shield nicely! Very comfy and light on the hip.
The Pistol wear PT-ONE holster arrived today. I will be writing a review on this holster in a bit after I have logged a few miles of running and workout out with this holster on!!
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo3-14.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo2-14.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2.../photo1-14.jpg
I am about the last person I would have epected to bu y a new release Shield. But I was at the LGS for a totally different purpose and another guy asked about it and they had just put it on display like 5 min. ago. He and I looked it over and discussed it and I was very impressed with the trigger. He was going to come back tomorrow to get one of the five the store hand on hand.
I had read forum posts about a gritty trigger but this sample was very nice, better than my Glocks. I pretty much cannot resist a good trigger, so I did it.
The build quality seems very good for a $395 pistol. The trigger was excellent for a DAO, not as light as my 1911, but pretty darn nice. And it does not have the heavy take up of the PF9.
I was also surprised at the quality of the sights. They look the same as on other M&P pistols, both dove tailed and steel with white dots. Not what I expected for a near-pocket pistol and for under $400.
The mags seem good quality as well. Comes with one 7-rd flush and one 8-rd extended grip mag, both of sturdy stainless steel. Both seat easily with a firm rap. NO MAG SAFETY, yea! One thing I do not like, it will not release the slide on an empty mag. Not a big issue but I prefer how my Glocks work.
Speaking of safeties, the thumb safety is well done for a concealed carry piece, if you are going to put a safety on it. I did not buy the pistol for the safety and will not likely use it. It does release easily for me with a downward swipe of my thumb which catches it at about the knuckle. Release is firm but easily accomplished. However, to apply the safety I cannot do it with my strong hand, I have to use my support hand to get a better angle and more force. Again, not a big issue and I am glad they went with a low profile safety that works going off and sacrifice the less urgent putting safety on action.
Size is near perfect. The slide is about 1/8" thinner than a G27/G23. It is practically the same length as the G27, with just a little less of the rear slide. The grip is about half the thickness of a G27 and just 1/4" longer, about the thickness of the magazine bottom plate. With the extended 8-rd mag it is exactly as long as my G23. I can stuff it into my Wrangler jeans front pocket (no tight designers for this old guy) but it bulges enough it would be kind of obvious. It should be very thin for an IWB holster or an OWB that hold the grip close to the body.
I also liked that this is coming from a major US pistol maker so there should be a good market for holsters, mags, and it probably uses the already plentiful after market M&P sights. So it is not like buying an oddball model that will have $50 mags, and few compatible accessories.
I had no intention of buying this pistol but at $395 with all of it good features and good trigger I couldn't pass it up. We'll have to see how it performs at the range. So far, I think S&W hit a grand slam home run with the Shield. They rightly ought to sell millions of these as they obviously paid attention to the concealed carry market. There may be better pistols out there but not at this price and this quality and combined features.