I guess I am caught up in the hype and put money down at a dealer for the next 9mm shield they get in stock. So far I have handled a 9mm Shield that was the store's demo model and a .40 Cal shield that I was not interested in because of its caliber.
So I put a deposit on one at my local gun store for the next 9mm shield that they get in. Right now there seems to be a roulette wheel allocation system to dealers and the guns get snatched up as soon as they arrive.
For $400 I can gamble on it. Maybe not the smartest thing to do with a gun that you have never fired, especially when you are the type of person who accumulate guns and rarely sell them unless you really don't like them or really need the money.
I would like to try it in a smart carry and/or a High Noon Public Secret Holster in appendix carry. I tried the store copy in a pocket holster and the gun seemed too big & too angular for this mode of carry.
So at this point I am not sure exactly where the M&P Shield will fit into my carry lineup. In my current carry lineup I carry a Kahr PM-9 in a pocket holster in dress slacks at work. I don't use it with the extended mag, since that makes it print more and makes it more difficult to clear the pocket when drawing, especially if doing so from a less than perfect position.
If I am not at work I typically carry a j-frame in a strong side pocket holster and a Glock 19 IWB behind my right hip. I prefer the J-frame to the Kahr because the J-frame's grip is more positive to get my hand on than the Kahr PM-9, and the curve on the back of the J-frame is angled so that it will clear the pocket if being drawn from an awkward position where the square back of the Kahr might snag. I've managed to draw a bluegun replica of the Jframe while mounted in a training drill, whereas a gun with a squarer back might have been an issue.