I have one in 9mm. Its all I carry anymore.

Got the Shield 9. Liked it so much I bought another one.

Finally got to handle one in person yesterday and wrote it off immediately; the grip is just way too thin for my tastes! Oh well...

I recommend the Shield to anyone looking for a concealable 9 mm. The gun has been a huge success story for S&W with between one and two million of them sold since introduction. It feels really good in most people's hands and is accurate. Somehow the engineers figured out how to suspend the law of physics when it comes to recoil even in the .45 version. I originally bought the 9mm and when the rebate came out, bought a second one for my brother and the .45 for myself. My 9 mm rides in a pocket holster velcroed inside my SUV console.

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
Finally got to handle one in person yesterday and wrote it off immediately; the grip is just way too thin for my tastes! Oh well...

Throw a cheap set of Hogue Handall Beavertail rubber grips on it and shoot with the 8 round mag. Fits nice.

I grabbed a Shield 9mm when S&W had the $75 dollar rebate deal. I like it’s size and the extended mags. The grip stinks but you can make it great if you add some rubber Talon grips. But the trigger is pretty godawful and I don’t feel like paying $150 bucks to buy a new trigger to improve a $250 dollar gun.

I was an early adopter.

I missed the recall, and when the trigger return spring broke, I contacted Smith.

They had it back to me in under two weeks, with the 2.0 trigger.

Even with the 1.0 trigger, we had no troubles hitting clays at 30 meters with it.

Never a stoppage or accuracy issue. I recently bought the .45 version, but I have no issue with the original pistol at all.

Bought one and liked it so much that I bought two more. Wife took one for purse duty, and it’s her favorite pistol.
S&W service is very, very good.

Skip

quote:

Originally posted by Cousin Vinnie:

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
I have one. It's a good pistol but it's too big for pocket carry. If I have to wear a belt holster I want a pistol with more capacity and a grip I can get 3 fingers on.

I've read reports of the frames cracking and S&W not covering them under warranty.

I have NEVER heard reports of the Shield 9mm with the frame cracking! I have heard of a couple reports of the 40's having issues "detonating", but it was determined it was caused by bullet setback creating excessive higher pressures, not the fault of the gun.
I have several Shields in 9mm, 40, and 45 and they all have been flawless, and offer a good compromise of size, weight, reliability and capacity for CCW.
My preferred Shield for CCW is a 9mm PC model loaded with Underwood 124 grain, HP, +P ammo.

There has been several threads on the frame issues here on SF. Even with the 9mm versions.

I would get the gen 2 version.

quote:

Originally posted by Cousin Vinnie:

I have NEVER heard reports of the Shield 9mm with the frame cracking! I have heard of a couple reports of the 40's having issues "detonating", but it was determined it was caused by bullet setback creating excessive higher pressures, not the fault of the gun.

I have a shield in .40, and one in 9X19. I haven't had time to do much with the 9X19. The .40, however, cracked with less than 200 rounds through the pistol. S&W refused to warranty it. Range-bought Remington UMC ammunition; no signs of overpressure; no split case, flattened primer, belled case, or other issue.

The crack occurred in the same place as others who have reported it; from the trigger cut-out in the frame to the hole for the magazine release. The crack originated at the rear square edge of the trigger slot; a natural stress riser.

Others reported that s&w would claim the pistol had to go their "met lab," and then claim it was ammunition related. Exactly what happened to me. When I inquired, I was told that the "met lab" could find no indication of what caused the failure, but also that s&w was sure it wasn't a manufacturing defect, and that standard practice, when a cause couldn't be identified, was to blame it on ammunition and to deny the claim. Exactly wha they did.

I was offered a "replacement." S&W offered to "replace" the pistol at a cost higher than I could have paid elsewhere, with a new pistol, new serial number, but told me I'd get free shipping (and of course would have to pay a new transfer fee, with the new serial number). I declined to buy another pistol from them as a "replacement."

The cracked pistol is in my safe.

^^^ok, now I remember reading this man's report, too.

I have tried the 938, glock 43, Kahr pm/cm...and now carry a Shield 1.0 9mm. It is my second one, the first one became my wifes carry gun after she shot it at the range the first time...
Nice to share mags, etc... with all the specials that have been around.

I have a Shield 2.0 that I carry in a Tier 1 appendix rig when off duty. The trigger is way ahead of the trigger in my Compact 2.0, IMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Orndorff:
Love the Shield with an Apex trigger.

Same here. Factory trigger was terrible in my example. Apex sorted it. Nice little gun. However it is not a pocket gun if that's what you're looking for.

I have heard people claim it is close but i think it is more in between the old Shield and the Apex.

quote:

Originally posted by Warhorse:
Is the trigger shipped on the Shield 2.0 the equivalent of an Apex trigger?

I had an old Shield, let it get away when I got a G43. But it always worked and I liked it. The 43 fits in my pocket though.

quote:

Originally posted by pblanc:
I bought the original version when the rebate was available.

My impression is so-so. My biggest gripe is with the trigger. I find that when the striker is released, it jerks the pistol to the extent that it is hard for me to keep the sights aligned even during dry fire.

The small size of the pistol requires a recoil spring that is stiff enough that some shooters with limited hand strength might find it difficult to pull the slide back far enough to lock it with the slide catch. The design of the slide catch makes it difficult or impossible to release the slide from slide lock by using the slide catch lever.

I think with an Apex trigger kit modification the pistol would probably be a pretty decent shooter given its size. So far, my results with it have left something to desire, which I attribute primarily to the quality of the trigger.

i had the same issue with the OEM trigger. No matter how carefully you pressed it the sights would twitch off target. Apex DCAEK+aluminum trigger sorted it.