Moving from Single Stack Subcompact to Double Stack Subcompacts?

[einherjarvalk]

Reading other folks' stories of going from Glocks to not-Glocks and back to Glocks again, along with my recent kick of "streamlining" my guns and supporting equipment has had me rethinking my most common EDC choices. Since I live in central Texas, I often find myself carrying a single-stack subcompact under a t-shirt with no undershirt - specifically, the M&P Shield. There's nothing inherently wrong with my Shield, and with the modifications I've made to it (Apex DCAEK, Hogue slip-on grip, Hyve extensions, Dawson/10-8 fiber optic sights), I can shoot it decently well. Most people who have tried it and compared it to the Glock 43 have found it to be a better-shooting gun for them too.

That said, my attention has increasingly begun to drift to the Glock 26 Gen 5. I occasionally get some hands-on time with a friend's modified Glock 26 Gen 3, and I've often found it shoots just as well - if not better - for me than Glock 19s and Glock 17s at distances of 10-15 yards. The modifications done are fairly modest, consisting of Wilson Combat night sights, a stipple job that removed most of the finger grooves, and a Ghost minus connector. While my Shield shoots fairly well for such a small, slim, gun, the G26 tends to shoot a bit better. Combine that with parts compatibility with my G19.5 and all of my Glock magazines, and the G26 is an ever-more-appealing option (as is the P30SK/VP9SK, but Glock is definitely the front-runner here).

Has anyone gone from a slim 9mm like the Shield or G43 to a subcompact like the G26/M&P9C/VP9SK? I know Tamara has had nothing but good things to say about the G26.5's performance, but I'm wondering whether or not I'd regret selling my Shield and carrying something with a bit more added bulk every day in exchange for magazine and parts commonality with another gun I already have.

[GJM]

I would put this entire discussion on hold until after the coming SHOT shot.

[Duelist]

I traded in a 3 week old shield 9 for a used G26.3. I have not regretted that decision for even a moment, and would do it again. The 26.5 is interesting, and I may get one eventually.

[Larry Sellers]

Go on....

I would put this entire discussion on hold until after the coming SHOT shot.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[HeavyDuty]

I would put this entire discussion on hold until after the coming SHOT shot.

Oooh, a mystery!

Let me guess - a 26 frame with a 43 slide ala 30s?

[JHC]

I would put this entire discussion on hold until after the coming SHOT shot.

Nobody can go wrong with a Gen 5 G26. With 17 mags for reloads. If there was to be only one Glock, that is the decathalete

[BigDaddy]

IMHO, guns like the G43, the Shield, a j frame or any of these little LCP's are just not enough gun. I a world of G19's they just do not have enough bullets. I would never carry any of them even though I admit I do own a G43. A nice little bug but as a primary carry,no. When you absolutely cannot been seen with a gun, ok. But anything else IMHO is a mistake. Once again, it's my opinion so YMMV. I think a G26,G27 is a good choice for self defense. I think the minimum number of rounds a self defense gun should have is 10.

[einherjarvalk]

I think the minimum number of rounds a self defense gun should have is 10.

That's something that's pushing me in the direction of the G26 as well. I have the ability to go to 10+1 in the Shield with the Hyve +2 extensions, but at the moment I have them pulling duty as a reload, as the size of the extension and narrow width of the gun mean that a magazine with extension will often fail to drop free, catching on the bottom of my palm instead. The standard 8- and 7-round magazines don't have this problem for me, for some reason.

[jnc36rcpd]

How do you shoot the Shield compared to the Glock 26? I realize that question is somewhat subjective and your efficiency with either gun would likely improve with practice and training.

Is the Glock 26 harder to conceal or less comfortable than the Shield? These issues are even more subjective. Is whatever decrease in concealment or comfort so significant as to outweigh the advantages of the Glock?

Once you answer those questions to your satisfaction, I'd look at the ammunition capacity of the Shield versus the G-26. Even with standard flush magazines, the Glock trumps the Shield. You also have the ability to reload the G-26 with fifteen, seventeen, or thirty-three round magazines. Magazine capacity is unlikely to be a significant factor if we're discussing a duty rig and service weapons with seventeen versus fifteen rounds, but you're at the lower end of the spectrum when we're talking Shield versus G-26 and I'd go for higher capacity.

[Nephrology]

I have 2x G43s and 2x G26.3s. Will never get rid of them, but may eventually upgrade to 26.5s.