Posted: 10/31/2015 8:05:01 AM EDT
| I am looking at both of these now . I currently have a 17 gen 4 & a gen 3 23 . I would like something smaller . What made you choose the 43 over the shield. |
| While I love S&W 3rd gen guns, I think the M&P's are crap. I think they're awkwardly balanced and have crap triggers. I also can't stand the giant base plates they put on the mags. (I'm lookin' at you, Walther PPS.) As I'm heavily invested in GLOCK and have shot GLOCKs more than any other handgun, it simply made sense to get a G43. |
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I too was was on the same quest a couple months ago. Went to the range, rented and shot the following 9mm 's...
Glock 43 S&W Shield Ruger LC9s Springfield XDs Also shot my friend's Kahr PM9 (I was considering the CM9, but couldn't find one.) I quickly eliminated the Ruger, then the XDs. I really wanted to like the Kahr, but the magazine bugged me the way it stuck out. The shield felt really good. Shot really well. Probably the best value coming in under $400 at that time. But I bought the G43. Paid $100 too much at the LGS for $550. Here is why.... I own the G19 and love it. It felt smaller for IWB concealed carry. It was so hard to find that when I did I was kind of hooked. NO REGRETS..... Well, now that I see the Shields for sale for around $300.... Hmmmmmmm |
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I keep hearing how crappy Shield triggers are, as well as m&ps in general. maybe I simply got lucky, but both my shield and my m&p 9c have good triggers and I am transitioning from 1911s with polished triggers and sears. gen 1 and 2 and even some gen 3 glocks have had triggers that I did not like. 4 gen 4s I have fired, 2 -19s and a 26 had good triggers. and of course a 43
the 43 I found it had a pretty good trigger and shot well. I like my shield more, but that may simply be because I have had it for a few years and have shot it a lot without a hiccup. |
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I am a Glock guy, but I carry a shield every day. For now...
Currently it is easy to carry 7+1 in the gun and an 8 round reload. A few extra rounds are comforting. I can shoot it well, and I have it. Eventually, I will probably buy a Glock 43 once some mag extensions and mag gut followers prove to be reliable. you cant go wrong IMO |
| I handled a Shield a few times but I just didn't like the grip and ergos. I used to carry a S&W 3913 but switched to a Glock 27 when my Agency switched to Glock 22's. Since retiring I wanted something lighter than my Glock 27. The Glock 42 came out and I bought one which I really like. When the Glock 43 came out I bought the 43 and am completely satisfied. I like both the 42 & 43 but carry the 43 most since it is 9 MM and has better ballistics. I find the Glock 43 has less recoil than the Glock 27 and fits my medium size hand great. |
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I'm not a long time Glock guy so when I did my comparison "shootout" I was not baised one way or the other. Quick story. I have both the S&W shield and the G43. I gave the Shield (and a Ruger 1911) to my Nephew for his college graduation. Both were new/unfired. After that, I bought a G43. He liked that better but we had yet to fire either one. I told him I didn't care which one I keep or give to him. We set up a time to go shooting them both, my daughter went with us. After burning through a 1K case of Fiocchi ammo, all three of us without a doubt thought the SW was the best. It had the best trigger, it was easier to shoot with a bit less felt recoil (less "snappy"), we all shot much tighter groups with it, it also shot to point of aim while the G43 shoots high and left. In the end, he decided to keep the Shield so I ended up with the G43. Not because I chose it over the shield, I got it because I gave him the choice and he didn't like the G43. My daughter really dislikes it but had no issues at all with the SW. I took the G43 home and started my "tweaking". First was a trigger job, that helped a lot. Then Taran +1 baseplates, a costly extra to get what the SW comes with at less cost. Next was a stipple job, then sights which I am still not sure on whether or not I like what I put on. In the end, I have far more money into this gun than what the SW costs. I like it myself now that it's been "customized" but for the money I still feel the SW is the better option.
This Sunday will be another interesting "test". I am taking two buddies from work to the range to shoot for the very first time. One guy in his 40's the other just turned 60. Neither one has ever shot a handgun, the 60 yr. old has never pulled a trigger on anything bigger than a pellet gun. I'll be starting them on 22's and then a 38 revolver. Both are interested in a semi auto carry gun and we'll have quite a selection for them to try out. I'll have the G43 and the Shield, other co workers are bringing their guns, Sigs, Khars, XD's etc. It will be interesting to see what a couple noobs pick as their choice. I'm also excited to get a chance to try other stuff. Never shot an XD yet or a Kahr, that will be new to me. BTW, I still have the shield here, as well as all my nephews other guns, because he got a new job in New Yawk and obviously couldn't take them with him. I don't know what he needs to do to have them down there (if he even can) but for the time being they are all in my safe. |
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Quoted:
While I love S&W 3rd gen guns, I think the M&P's are crap. I second that. I rented a Sheild one time and felt that trigger. I think the split trigger safety is so awful. I don't see how anyone including police departments could possible like that on M&Ps or shields. If I ever had possession of one the first thing I would do is replace it with the apex trigger. |
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Quoted:
Shield seems to be more consumer grade and has had more problems. Update to my above post. We went out shooting with the two new shooters today. Both of them chose the Shield over the G43 as the better gun. They hit well with it, felt the trigger was easier to use and had no issues. They both thought the G43 was harder to shoot and hit with, and for the first time it jammed, twice. For 9mm selection we had the G43, Shield and Sig P290. The P290 was accurate for myself but the trigger pull seems like it will never end. I thought about ordering some popcorn while I was waiting for the rounds to go off. Another friend of mine, the one who owns the Sig, put quite a few rounds downrange with the G43 and the Shield. He also felt the Shield was the better gun and he is a Glock owner and shooter. The Sig actually is his wife's gun but she rarely shoots it because of the long hard trigger pull. I think she has been wanting something different and he felt the Shield would be perfect for her. For my new shooter buddy, we stopped at the local gun shop on the way back and he bought a Shield. I'll stick with my G43 but I can't honestly say that I think it's a better gun than the Shield, at least not "out of the box". The biggest casualty of the day, other than the G43 jams, was my Mossberg 930 shotgun. Five rounds fired and the charging handle disappeared. I have shot the snot out of that gun and have had no issues. Today I let a newbie try it and he only got to shoot those 5 rounds. :( |
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Just wondering what ammo did your G43 jam with? I bought some cheap 9mm ammo (can't remember the brand right now) from academy and I have the TT +1 and +2 mag plates. It jammed with that ammo occasionally, but I also had 3-4 duds in the box.
Switched to Federal ammo, which was about $2 more per box of 50 and no more jams. Quality duty ammo has never jammed on me yet either. I've never tried a shield in 9mm, but my last 3 carry guns were G23 to a Ruger LC9 to a Springfield xds 45 to now the G43. Out of those, the G43 fits my hand the best. |