Mike Pannone on Micro compact options

[Cool Breeze]

Opening salvo: IF I knew I was going to gun fight, I'd stay home. IF I had to go, I'd bring a rifle... with friends... who have rifles.

Being a retired bum, living in the relatively quiet social atmosphere of flyover country, i.e., the sticks, I think I'll stick with my current choice for carry, a G17.

Since I don't work, I can pretty much choose where I go. Hence no need for deep concealment and tiny guns. Street crime is a very, very rare event here. My primary concern, as remote as the odds are, are whack job mass killers, either the domestic or imported fundamentalist types. I want a bigger gun with more ammo. IF I ever have to engage, (and that's a big IF) odds are it will be at longer distances than typical defensive scenarios. That's my take.

I can conceal a G17 under an unbuttoned shirt relatively well. Typical geezer fashion statement.

I want to be like you when I grow up.

[Cool Breeze]

For those of you who don't like or mesh well with the Shield Plus ergos - did you have that same problem with the regular Shield (if you tried one?). I've only shot a regular shield and I did find the grip a little thin for how long front to back it was but I don't think it through me off any. A Glock 43 with a hogue grip feels great. A normal Glock 43 grip felt too small. A normal Sig 365 grip also felt too small.

I'm still trying to find something between my g19 and g43 but I still can't make up my mind on it.

[Paul Blackburn]

As far as ergos, never had a problem manipulating the magazine release or slide stop. What else is there?

The slide stop isn't even necessary for that matter...

[Paul Blackburn]

As far as ergos, never had a problem manipulating the magazine release, slide stop, or inserting a magazine. What else is there?

The slide stop isn't even necessary for that matter...

[mmc45414]

For those of you who don't like or mesh well with the Shield Plus ergos - did you have that same problem with the regular Shield (if you tried one?). I've only shot a regular shield and I did find the grip a little thin for how long front to back it was but I don't think it through me off any.

It probably does add about as much width as a Hogue wrap. When I had my Shields they didn't seem thin, the Plus seems to be just enough wider to be nice. But I have somewhat small hands (prefer the small backstrap on the M&Ps).
ETA: I just remembered when I bought the Shield 45 (the last one I had) it was because the grip was just a wee bit larger, in a good way. In your case it might be worth getting your hands on (I crack myself up...) a Shield Plus.

[psalms144.1]

For those of you who don't like or mesh well with the Shield Plus ergos - did you have that same problem with the regular Shield (if you tried one?). I've only shot a regular shield and I did find the grip a little thin for how long front to back it was but I don't think it through me off any. A Glock 43 with a hogue grip feels great. A normal Glock 43 grip felt too small. A normal Sig 365 grip also felt too small.

I'm still trying to find something between my g19 and g43 but I still can't make up my mind on it.

My problem with the Plus' ergos are how it pointed in my hand - front sight high consistently, making me adjust my grip/wrist angle to acquire the sights/dot. Never had an issue with the trigger reach, mag or slide release. I never owned a manual safety version, but have shot them, and found the MS to be marginally useable, at best.

I have none of these issues with a P365, P365XL, or Macro. And, I know I'm in the minority, but I find the MS on those pistols to be completely useable in factory form. I do use a WC grip module on the XL, finding it "fills my hand" better than the factory's thin module. I use the factory module on my standard P365, primarily because I don't want to add any girth to it when I pocket carry. If I didn't pocket carry it most of the summer, I'd probably pick up a WC module for it as well.

[TOTS]

A normal Glock 43 grip felt too small. A normal Sig 365 grip also felt too small.

I'm still trying to find something between my g19 and g43 but I still can't make up my mind on it.

I know you weren’t specifically asking for this answer, but just throwing out/ reiterating that the Macro should in no way be thought of in the same light as the original/ X/ XL grips. They are that different. Best analogy- the 365 is a micro compact grip. The X/XL grips are too small and the G19 is too big. The Macro grip is the goldilocks perfect middle ground. If it’s too long, the correct answer is to chop it. A hack to make the X/XL grips usable is the tape/ inner tube mod that makes them size up to the Macro circumference but still take the 12 rnd mags.
@G19Fan

[Blades]

A normal Sig 365 grip also felt too small.

I'm still trying to find something between my g19 and g43 but I still can't make up my mind on it.

G26?

The Boresight Solutions P365 Razorback grip module fixed the smallness of the P365 for me. I haven't tried a Wilson Combat grip module.

[G19Fan]

I know you weren’t specifically asking for this answer, but just throwing out/ reiterating that the Macro should in no way be thought of in the same light as the original/ X/ XL grips. They are that different. Best analogy- the 365 is a micro compact grip. The X/XL grips are too small and the G19 is too big. The Macro grip is the goldilocks perfect middle ground. If it’s too long, the correct answer is to chop it. A hack to make the X/XL grips usable is the tape/ inner tube mod that makes them size up to the Macro circumference but still take the 12 rnd mags.
@G19Fan

Love it.

I did have to tape and inner tube my legacy g43 frame to get it to be usable

[Navin Johnson]

For those of you who don't like or mesh well with the Shield Plus ergos - did you have that same problem with the regular Shield (if you tried one?). I've only shot a regular shield and I did find the grip a little thin for how long front to back it was but I don't think it through me off any. A Glock 43 with a hogue grip feels great. A normal Glock 43 grip felt too small. A normal Sig 365 grip also felt too small.

I'm still trying to find something between my g19 and g43 but I still can't make up my mind on it.

For me: Shield+ better than Shield. Shield is just fine also. Have owned the big 3, Shield+ by far nicest shooting. It shoots like a bigger gun (very stable in strings) I put a glob of epoxy on TS and it works much better for me

43X/48 have worst ergronomics for me and recoil is very snappy (put blister on trigger finger every time I shot it) Punt (and I have used glocks since late 80's)

365 has sharper recoil than Shield but is still quite shootable and I found it to be most accurate

I carry an X with ts. Son has +. I like the larger trigger guard on 365 for gloved hands. 43x and Shield are difficult except with thin (useless) gloves