Is the Shield worth it?

[CCT125US]

Rented a Shield 9 a number of months ago. The rental had a good trigger. The wife was impressed, and was able to keep multiple mags in the 2" dot at 7yds. The one we purchased has a horrendous trigger. Just God awful, keeping in mind I think the P30 v3 trigger is good... Anyway, add Apex parts for $100 + night sights for $125, and I just have trouble putting that much into a $350 gun. I have read all I can find on the Shield and what problems others have gone through. I just mentally have trouble putting that much into a seven round sub compact. Talk me into it.

[Up1911Fan]

If it's a gun you may carry, I would do it. If it's a range toy then no. For me it was a G43, Ghost connector and Ameriglos.

[Sigfan26]

Rented a Shield 9 a number of months ago. The rental had a good trigger. The wife was impressed, and was able to keep multiple mags in the 2" dot at 7yds. The one we purchased has a horrendous trigger. Just God awful, keeping in mind I think the P30 v3 trigger is good... Anyway, add Apex parts for $100 + night sights for $125, and I just have trouble putting that much into a $350 gun. I have read all I can find on the Shield and what problems others have gone through. I just mentally have trouble putting that much into a seven round sub compact. Talk me into it.


If it's a gun you may carry, I would do it. If it's a range toy then no. For me it was a G43, Ghost connector and Ameriglos.

This.

[orionz06]

Can't look at it as 33% of the guns value dumped into it in parts.

Is a Shield at $575 with an enjoyable trigger and night sights worth it? I'd say yes. It's a great singlish stack 9mm that is very capable and can be shot in volume.

[Lomshek]

Can't look at it as 33% of the guns value dumped into it in parts.

Is a Shield at $575 with an enjoyable trigger and night sights worth it? I'd say yes. It's a great singlish stack 9mm that is very capable and can be shot in volume.

My outlook as well.

[Father of 3]

An alternate route would be to just pick up the Apex sear for slightly over $40 which is the main enhancement in the Apex kits IMO as it lowers the trigger pull weight and Ameriglo i-dot pros which are comparable to HD's for about $90 from Optics Planet. Saves you about $90 over your current route.

[RJ]

A Shield is off my list for future CCW because:

- Both Mrs. and I shot one at the range, it felt very squirmy. I had issues dropping a mag as a lefty, by inadvertently hitting the mag release.
- The trigger on that (admitedly well used) range gun was fairly heavy.
- Wife's struggle with racking the slide
- Continued concerns about disintegration of the RSA. I am not 100% positive S&W has addressed that.

On the sights, I don't know if, financially, that would weigh in for me. I'd change to Trijicons anyways.

Bottom line, some of this is personal situation obviously, but that's where we ended up. I'm waiting for the VP9SK.

Having said all that, there are loads of guys on the S&W forum that love 'em.

PSA: I own a M&P FS 9 with an Apex DCAEK.

[JodyH]

With the PPS going for <$400, the Shield isn't worth it.

[spinmove_]

With the PPS going for <$400, the Shield isn't worth it.

I can regularly find Shields for <$400. I'd have to swap sights on them regardless of it was a PPS, Shield, or G43. The trigger doesn't bother me at all so I wouldn't have to spend anything there.

[breakingtime91]

If your carrying an hk; i think a pps is an easy choice

[joshw0000]

I'm a big fan of single stack guns, and having a safety is a huge bonus since I always carry with one in the chamber. Had the LC9S been available when I bought my Shield I wouldn't have bought the Shield. That said the wife and I both have LC9S's but I still love my Shield 40. It's easy to conceal, accurate, and I have adjusted to the trigger after several hundred rounds (which all fired without a single issue).

Now, if I could get my hands on a 9mm Shield barrel, I'd love it even more.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

[Talking Monkey]

Maybe try contacting Smith and Wesson. They might be willing to help you out with that trigger under warranty.

[Beat Trash]

I've carried a Shield as a BUG since 2012. I lucked into mine a week after they were announced at SHOT that year. I've since bought two more.

If you can do without night sights, the factory sights are good. Much better than the factory nights on a Glock (And I'm a huge Glock fan). But if you are adding the cost of night sights into the equation when trying to determine if it's worth it, you must be honest and consider that you would have to purchase night sights with any of the Shield's competitors.

An Apex sear will address the trigger.

All of mine have been reliable and accurate enough for the intended purposes that I use them for.

I have large hands with long fingers. The Shield is about as small as I can go and still have control over the gun. But it does squirm around a bit due to the rounded front and back straps. I sold off a Walther PPS 9mm when I bought my first Shield. The PPS was just square enough in the front and back straps that the gun did a better job of staying put in my hands. The PPS I owned was also amazingly accurate for a gun it's size. I do regret selling that gun.

For me, guns of this size are used as a BUG to a full size gun while at work and in uniform. I very rarely will use one in a low threat environment when off work. The rest of the time, a M&P9c or a Glock 19 is about as small as I go.

My wife though has hands that are substantially smaller than mine. She isn't too fond of the Shield. I bought a Glock 43, and it fits her like the gun was made for her. The Glock 43 is just too small for my hands though. For her, the Glock 43 is a primary carry gun. With her body size, build and manner of dress, she just can't effectively conceal annoying larger.

So to answer the initial question, is the Shield worth it? Depends...

Define your needs for a sub-compact pistol. If a single stack 9mm is the answer, then I'd be willing to bet that between a Shield, PPS and a Glock 43, one of them will answer your needs. Then at that point, investing in better sights is definitely worth it.

[CCT125US]

An alternate route would be to just pick up the Apex sear for slightly over $40 which is the main enhancement in the Apex kits IMO as it lowers the trigger pull weight and Ameriglo i-dot pros which are comparable to HD's for about $90 from Optics Planet. Saves you about $90 over your current route.

I was not aware this was an option. A quick Google search confirms availability.

I appreciate the responses so far. I should have been more clear that this is my wife's gun. She discovered it and shot the sample well. The one purchased is in need of improvement. Good point about NS regardless.

[breakingtime91]

I was not aware this was an option. A quick Google search confirms availability.

I appreciate the responses so far. I should have been more clear that this is my wife's gun. She discovered it and shot the sample well. The one purchased is in need of improvement. Good point about NS regardless.

My wife also likes the shield, she is a small Filipino lady so the shield is about all she can get a good grip on. It is soft shooting for its size and the safety is a benefit for her. I would also consider the safety a good benefit for deep/discreet carry. The paddle release on the pps makes a little more sense for you since you seem to normally carry a hk.. Idk, seems like a toss up to me ;)

[orionz06]

The sear and striker block are my go to Apex parts and I question if the striker block doesn't help more in most cases. S&W supposedly has altered the geometry of the sears to be closer to Apex parts anyway. Swap the sights and striker block and see how it does. The stock sear is also easy to work over a little as well.


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

[CCT125US]

The sear and striker block are my go to Apex parts and I question if the striker block doesn't help more in most cases. S&W supposedly has altered the geometry of the sears to be closer to Apex parts anyway. Swap the sights and striker block and see how it does. The stock sear is also easy to work over a little as well.


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

I can't believe how much drag is caused by the compression of the striker block spring. I can darn near feel every coil drag as it is compressed into the block. I removed the RS to take a look, and was surprised at the design of it.

[TR675]

Hogue handall Jr. is a big and easy grip upgrade for those with larger hands.

[RJ]

The sear and striker block are my go to Apex parts and I question if the striker block doesn't help more in most cases. S&W supposedly has altered the geometry of the sears to be closer to Apex parts anyway. Swap the sights and striker block and see how it does. The stock sear is also easy to work over a little as well.


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

Based on the parts in the DCAEK for the M&P, I agree 100%.

My recollection is that Randy Lee was not best pleased when the S&W revised sears came out (2013?).

But yeah, the top of the stock striker block looks like a New Mexico mesa compared to the Apex USB in the kit.

[orionz06]

The stock part can actually be taken care of in a regular drill in minutes. It won't be exact and the Apex part is great but smoothing the stock and rounding it is quick.


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[Sasage]

I have newer Shield 2015 manufacture and the Apex sear....favorite trigger on any of my pistols. Ymmv

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[tsf1225]

I purchased a Shield in May of this year and really like it. The only change I have made is to put a bike inner tube on the grip. The trigger is a little heavy but works fine for me and I am always surprised how well I shoot it especially at closer distances. It was a little squirmy the first few times I shot it but now not at all.

I also looked at the PPS and thought that's the direction I would go. However, the paddle release was different enough from my HK's that it was not as easy a transition for me as I thought it would be. I also like the 7 round mag on the Shield because I can get 2 1/2 fingers on it then for mag changes I use the 8 rounders. The only issues I have is that the mags are a little hard to seat sometimes and on slide lock I need to slingshot the slide (I typically use my weak hand thumb) because the slide release is very tight.

[incogneato]

S&W recently announced the Shield with factory myth sights (unfortunately after I bought mine), which should lower the total cost, if buying new. My 2015 Shield was surprisingly pleasant to shoot, accurate and has a nice (to me, anyway) trigger.

[Nephrology]

I picked up a 9mm Shield this summer w/o thumb safety. I like it quite a bit. The trigger has improved substantially with live + dry fire and I am very confident in my ability with the gun. Very soft shooting and easy to shoot in volume with a trigger close enough to my Glocks that I don't feel like I had much of a learning curve. Personally I wouldn't splurge on the Apex parts but thats your call. Only modification I have made was to add some Ameriglo I-dot night sights. My biggest gripe was that changing them out was a massive PITA. Also had a recoil spring assembly explode on me but that was a known issue with a bad batch of springs - S&W shipped me two replacements for free. ~200 trouble free rounds since.

[CCT125US]

Is there a production date range with troubled RSA?

[RJ]

Is there a production date range with troubled RSA?

From the Sep discussion:

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?17156-M-amp-P-Shield-9mm-recoil-spring

I lurk on the S&W forum, and my sense is that the mothership is sending out replacement RSAs at this point. One would hope a new build gun would not have this issue.

[Nephrology]

Is there a production date range with troubled RSA?

No idea. Mine was made in 2013 I believe. Would have to check. Either way it wasn't a fatal problem until the part failed, and it wasn't something that came out of the blue. Developed and progressed to failure over 200 rounds during which it was 100% reliable. If you see it developing contact S&W and shelve the gun til they get you a replacement. I didn't have to wait terribly long, but I did call back to check on the status of my order and was sent one that day by a helpful CS rep. Got a back up also for free a month or so later as the rep left my existing order for a replacement open.

[Clay]

I received a new RSA from S&W a couple of weeks ago, so they are shipping. S&W service has never been horrible in my experience, but I would say it has improved in the last two years or so, especially in regards to sending out spare parts.