Posted: 5/8/2012 7:17:33 PM EDT
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So far that's the best review on the S&W Shield I've seen.
Excellent point about the 8 round magazine. I hope S&W sees that review, because a redesign fix of the 8 round mag shouldn't be that difficult. I'm sure they opted for the rubber slip on sleeve to cut costs by making magazine production easier though. Also a real good point about training to disengage the safety. I'm very pleased that the M&P Shield has a good trigger and I hope S&W incorporates that nice reset into their full line very quickly. |
I stop at Blythe's whenever I'm in Valpo. As far as indoor ranges go, they have the finest ventilation.  Great review of the Shield. I picked one up yesterday and will shoot it tomorrow. This afternoon I picked up a Galco IWB STO474 because 1) it's the only leather I could find and 2) it does keep with the minimalist theme. I usually carry a Glock 19. I paid $436 OTD for the gun, and have $70 into holsters and mag pouches. Honestly, I'm not sure if this gun solves $500 worth of me complaining that my Glock was too chunky. Of course that number will go up since I have to put night sights on it and pick up some additional $38 unicorn mags. It really is too big for pocket carry. Not because it doesn't fit, but because you can't get it out with any kind of efficiency. You are correct...the 8 round mag simply should not be. I've been fingering the gun dry firing since last night and my middle and ring finger are raw on the fleshy part of the proximal phalanges. The stippling is sharp. We'll see...my wife may end up with this one. This afternoon I'm having a bit of buyer's remorse. |
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I have one on order at my local shop.
Thanks for the great review, it answers all the questions I have about actually using the firearm. I did have the chance to handle one a week or so ago, and found it to be a very good fit in my hands. Has the trigger lightened up any after all the rounds you have put through it? |
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Quoted: I have one on order at my local shop. Thanks for the great review, it answers all the questions I have about actually using the firearm. I did have the chance to handle one a week or so ago, and found it to be a very good fit in my hands. Has the trigger lightened up any after all the rounds you have put through it? Not really. At least not that I can tell. But I like the trigger. I'm used to a heavy trigger on striker guns... although I guess I don't need it now that I have the safety I don't want keeping me from poking a hole in my leg I don't really need.  |
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Quoted: I stop at Blythe's whenever I'm in Valpo. As far as indoor ranges go, they have the finest ventilation. http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o150/PAS48329/photobucket-5272-1330695910665.jpg?t=1330695911 I remember when those bullet holes were put there. Some guy came in with a rifle and told them it was a .22... yeah, a 5.56x45mm flavor of .22. He got off most of a mag before someone realized the report was way too loud out in the lobby and raced in to stop him. He sent several rounds right at K-Mart, although I'm sure they were pretty buggered up after going through AR400 steel. |
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Quoted: Quoted: I stop at Blythe's whenever I'm in Valpo. As far as indoor ranges go, they have the finest ventilation. http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o150/PAS48329/photobucket-5272-1330695910665.jpg?t=1330695911 I remember when those bullet holes were put there. Some guy came in with a rifle and told them it was a .22... yeah, a 5.56x45mm flavor of .22. He got off most of a mag before someone realized the report was way too loud out in the lobby and raced in to stop him. He sent several rounds right at K-Mart, although I'm sure they were pretty buggered up after going through AR400 steel. I was there in February. The kid behind the counter said they had been there for a couple of years, but I hadn't noticed them a couple months earlier when I was in. He told me a guy came in with an AR pistol and genuine AP ammo....I said "green tip?" and he said no, it was AP. He also told me that in order to prevent that from every happening again, they now stack wood 4x4s behind the armor plate. I sat there for a second like this -  |
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Quoted: Quoted: Is there any feedback on the .40 S&W version? I'm particularly interested in recoil and reliability as compared to the 9mm. Nope, I haven't shot one. I likely won't buy one, I'm not a .40 kind of guy. I own zero .40's in my vast collection of firearms. I just sold my last .40. I would not want to fire .40 in this gun. I would pay a hooker to smash my balls with her heels before I did that. |
You Sir.... are a natural for the camera and your persona is perfect. No ego. Just facts in layman's terms.
With that said.... Do you think a possible fix for the 8rd mag to wrap a thin layer of electrician's tape where the spacer goes? From your video, the spacer seems ALMOST snug enough that a single or double layer of electrician's tape would keep it in place. Your thoughts? ( I carry the 17rd M&P mag w/ x-grip spacer now and it works just fine in my pocket. ) |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Is there any feedback on the .40 S&W version? I'm particularly interested in recoil and reliability as compared to the 9mm. Nope, I haven't shot one. I likely won't buy one, I'm not a .40 kind of guy. I own zero .40's in my vast collection of firearms. I just sold my last .40. I would not want to fire .40 in this gun. I would pay a hooker to smash my balls with her heels before I did that. Please elaborate. I am not knocking you or arguing. I am interested in your reasoning. I do like the .40, and I am planning on picking up a shield in .40. So you have my interest. Any worse than a G27? CW40? AMT45? Yeah I know the last is not a .40, put I have had one so using for comparison. My point is.... Not looking for a range gun, all day plinking. Want for my intent. Hard hitting, easily concealable pistol to be used for self defense. Again, not looking for an argument, a discussion please. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Is there any feedback on the .40 S&W version? I'm particularly interested in recoil and reliability as compared to the 9mm. Nope, I haven't shot one. I likely won't buy one, I'm not a .40 kind of guy. I own zero .40's in my vast collection of firearms. I just sold my last .40. I would not want to fire .40 in this gun. I would pay a hooker to smash my balls with her heels before I did that. Please elaborate. I am not knocking you or arguing. I am interested in your reasoning. I do like the .40, and I am planning on picking up a shield in .40. So you have my interest. Any worse than a G27? CW40? AMT45? Yeah I know the last is not a .40, put I have had one so using for comparison. My point is.... Not looking for a range gun, all day plinking. Want for my intent. Hard hitting, easily concealable pistol to be used for self defense. Again, not looking for an argument, a discussion please. This gun is very easy to shoot with the 9mm 147 gr. loads at 990-ish FPS. I just sold my last .40 (G23) because I realized after carrying .40 for nearly 16 years, I just did not enjoy shooting it, even in 180 gr. target loads. It's whippy. It's snappy. It's not that it recoils a lot, but it's how it recoils that I found less palatable as I aged. I don't enjoy very loud guns nor guns that are unpleasant to shoot. I want to be able to practice enough to be proficient and look forward to shooting it and the confidence that shooting well instills. I don't feel like I'm giving anything up from a terminal performance standpoint. |
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Quoted: interesting.Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: SNIP SNIP SNIP This gun is very easy to shoot with the 9mm 147 gr. loads at 990-ish FPS. I just sold my last .40 (G23) because I realized after carrying .40 for nearly 16 years, I just did not enjoy shooting it, even in 180 gr. target loads. It's whippy. It's snappy. It's not that it recoils a lot, but it's how it recoils that I found less palatable as I aged. I don't enjoy very loud guns nor guns that are unpleasant to shoot. I want to be able to practice enough to be proficient and look forward to shooting it and the confidence that shooting well instills. I don't feel like I'm giving anything up from a terminal performance standpoint. I did the opposite. Switched from 9mm to .40 and 357 SIG. I am getting older too, but to me. The "snappy" recoil really isn't an issue. I do still have a couple of 9mm left, but for the most part they are doubles of my .40s so they don't get touched very often. Especially since I have 9mm "conversion" barrels for almost all of my .40s and 357 SIGs. Which is what I plan to do if I get a .40 Shield. I know it all comes down to opinions and preferences. Thanks. |