.45 ACP S&W Shield

Geezer

Geezer

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I've been about ready to order me a Shield in .45 ACP now that they're at Kel-Tec prices (with the rebate). My buddy has just gotten one so I stopped by today to check it out. I'm glad that I did. The first thing that I noticed just how aggressive the grip texture was. It was almost painful to hold. It would need to be hit with some sandpaper before I could carry it on a belt. That grip would make my love handle look like hamburger.

Next was the trigger. I know everyone complains about the S&W trigger. This one, the pull was kinda heavy but the trigger felt different every time I pulled it. But what really surprised me was the re-set. It was almost where the trigger was back to where it was fully extended.

And, Billy said that when he got it he thought something was wrong with the magazines. 3 rounds was all he was able to get in them. He does not have an Upula loader and was loading them by hand. He says in his 50 years of shooting he has never seen such stiff magazine springs in anything. He gave me one to load. I was able to get the 3 rounds in it and I finally got number 4. I put the magazine on a table and somehow got number 5 in it. I didn't even try the 6th round.

He did say that gun had worked flawlessly so far. 200 rounds I think he said. He said for the money it was a good entertainment value. But I can tell he ain't thrilled with it. I compared the size of it to my G43. About the same length, a little bit wider, and the grip just a little bit longer. A very nice size for a compact .45.

My first choice in a single stack plastic gun would be a Glock 36. But with the Shield at less than half the price of a G36...... I'm glad that I looked at his before I placed an order. I think I have talked myself out of it. I know some of you have gotten them lately. What are your thoughts on them?
 
The match director from Buccaneer ( I think he's 70-ish) shoots a Shield in 45acp for BUG. You have to load five rounds in each mag for those matches, and he won the BUG match at H20 last month out of maybe 60 shooters. For whatever all that is worth.
 
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My brother has one, and I really like it. It handles well... better than my carry gun, a 9mm Shield. Also, no problems with the magazine or trigger pull, something is up with that.
 
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I purchased one about 6 months ago and I really like it. I have a Shield in .40 also, and I like it, but this .45 is much better for me. The trigger and reset is better and I like the grip better too. Yes, the new mag's are strong. I just loaded them up as far as I could and left them alone for a few days and then topped them off. A week and a half and no problem.

I have used several brands of factory fmj 230 grain as well as my reloads of the same and 200 gr lswc with no failures with around 600+ rounds. And, yes, the Gold Dots feed perfectly.

It has now become my EDC.
 
Geezer said:
I've been about ready to order me a Shield in .45 ACP now that they're at Kel-Tec prices (with the rebate). My buddy has just gotten one so I stopped by today to check it out. I'm glad that I did. The first thing that I noticed just how aggressive the grip texture was. It was almost painful to hold. It would need to be hit with some sandpaper before I could carry it on a belt. That grip would make my love handle look like hamburger.

Next was the trigger. I know everyone complains about the S&W trigger. This one, the pull was kinda heavy but the trigger felt different every time I pulled it. But what really surprised me was the re-set. It was almost where the trigger was back to where it was fully extended.

And, Billy said that when he got it he thought something was wrong with the magazines. 3 rounds was all he was able to get in them. He does not have an Upula loader and was loading them by hand. He says in his 50 years of shooting he has never seen such stiff magazine springs in anything. He gave me one to load. I was able to get the 3 rounds in it and I finally got number 4. I put the magazine on a table and somehow got number 5 in it. I didn't even try the 6th round.

He did say that gun had worked flawlessly so far. 200 rounds I think he said. He said for the money it was a good entertainment value. But I can tell he ain't thrilled with it. I compared the size of it to my G43. About the same length, a little bit wider, and the grip just a little bit longer. A very nice size for a compact .45.

My first choice in a single stack plastic gun would be a Glock 36. But with the Shield at less than half the price of a G36...... I'm glad that I looked at his before I placed an order. I think I have talked myself out of it. I know some of you have gotten them lately. What are your thoughts on them?
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I appendix carry my 45 shield. Had to get rubberized talon grips for it. It was rubbing my stomach raw. The trigger is a lot better than the 9/40.
My mags were very hard to load until I ran a few through the gun, they softened up a bit.
 
"The first thing that I noticed just how aggressive the grip texture was. It was almost painful to hold. It would need to be hit with some sandpaper before I could carry it on a belt. That grip would make my love handle look like hamburger."

Geezer, you lost me there. I've had three Shields, and the grip texture is the same as a full size M&P and the M&P22. They are like a clean shaven face, almost too slippery. If M&P has come out with a new mod, I'm not aware of it.
 
I have a M&P 22 and have shot many M&Ps. None were like this new .45 Shield.
 
From what I have read the .45 Shield has the texture of the M&P 2.0, far more aggressive than the originals or 9/40.

Still haven't seen/held, but not in the market.

Sent from my SM-G360V using Tapatalk
 
I saw where @Wahoo95 said he was thinking about getting a .45 Shield. Maybe he can let us know if he got one.

This one was in a totally different league than any other M&P I've ever handled.
 
Picked up one of the Shield 45's from PSA at $299 with a $75 rebate and Im very happy with that decision. The new grip texture should have been standard on the M&P family since the beginning. The trigger is nice as well with a strong reset for those that like the audible click. The 45's is very glock like in its trigger feel. The size is perfect and for me the added bonus is that it fits the same holsters as my Shield 9. In typical M&P fashion this Shield shoots much softer than its size would lead you to expect. Accuracy is great.
This is hands down my most favorite compact/subcompact 45 on the market. I read about stiff mags some people have experienced but mine had no issues.

I love the new texture and if anyone believes it's too aggressive they should begin wearing an undershirt. Contrary to popular belief it'll actually make you more comfortable in warmer weather in addition to keeping your skin off your gun ;)

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
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My buddy said it was a soft shooting gun. @Wahoo95 , does yours have a long reset? His was almost at the end of the travel. It did have a Glock feel to the trigger but his felt different each pull. I only dry fired it, didn't shoot it. I liked the size of the gun. I really wanted to like it but I don't think me and the texture would get along.
 
my wife tried the 9 and the 45 side by side (of course I had to hold them just because) the grip texture of the 45 is a bit rough but thats what I want when I am handing my firearms, definitely like the way the shield 9 feels vs my g43 but I don't think that would take much.
 
Shot my buddies Shield .45 yesterday and landed the first two shots dead center of the target. A quarter would have covered both holes. Such a soft shooter for a .45. But that seems typical for the Sheilds overall. I may be getting one before the rebate deal goes away.
 
I've got a Shield in .40 cal. I hate it! Absolutely the hardest recoil of any gun I've ever owned! I can feel it crack I my trigger finger! I gave it to my brother! He's not a gun guy and won't know the difference!
 
So I took a XDS, 43, and Shield, all 9mm, for a test run last Friday (see results on the CFF Instagram page, shameless plug). My intial thoughts of handling the Shield was that the grip was really skinny and the slide seemed really tall. Now the gun I shot had a trigger put in it, so I cannot attest to that, but the muzzle flip was alot more than the other two pistols. In the end, the XDS won my heart. This was also my first attempt in shooting a single stack pistol like these and I did have a few first round bitch flinches. The Shield ended up 3/3 in the Official Butter Carry Gun Search
 
Hammer21b said:
I've got a Shield in .40 cal. I hate it! Absolutely the hardest recoil of any gun I've ever owned! I can feel it crack I my trigger finger! I gave it to my brother! He's not a gun guy and won't know the difference!
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Was it because of the 40? I like 40 but it is snappy.
 
Butter said:
So I took a XDS, 43, and Shield, all 9mm, for a test run last Friday (see results on the CFF Instagram page, shameless plug). My intial thoughts of handling the Shield was that the grip was really skinny and the slide seemed really tall. Now the gun I shot had a trigger put in it, so I cannot attest to that, but the muzzle flip was alot more than the other two pistols. In the end, the XDS won my heart. This was also my first attempt in shooting a single stack pistol like these and I did have a few first round bitch flinches. The Shield ended up 3/3 in the Official Butter Carry Gun Search
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Just need to get an Honor Defense in your hand.
 
IMG_0046.JPG IMG_0045.JPG Just read over this old forum and figured I'd bring it back from the dead. I picked up my shield 45 during the rebate and got it for 275 after the rebate. Compared to my brothers xds 45 the shield just shoots smoother. I have not shot a g36 but haven't heard many people rave about it either.

The 45 shield isn't perfect but luckily like a glock it has a strong aftermarket that can fix any shortcomings. I have truglo tfx pros, apex trigger and action enhancement kit, and two hyve extended magazines. This is the perfect compact 45 in my opinion. The best part is it's still a 300$ gun so it won't hurt my feeling dinging it up.
 
What's the brand of the holster? Can't make out what comes before "Revolution". Thanks. Looks like a really comfy rig.
 
My only gripe with the Shield is they could have engineered the 8 round mag better. That piece that tends to ride up is bothersome. If you ever had to put in another mag under stress that would be an issue. I ended up with a Shield 9mm and have no complaints other than the 8 round mag.
 
Geezer said:
I have a M&P 22 and have shot many M&Ps. None were like this new .45 Shield.
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I have to agree. I picked one up at a gun show and the grip texture was way too rough for me. I have two M & P 22c's and a Shield 9mm and they are a lot smoother then the 45.
 
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I have both the 9 mm and 45 ACP shield, I just had to have the 45 when they came out and I am glad I got it, I now use it as my EDC, there is nothing about it that I don't like. I carry it in a handmade leather holster from Red Cent Custom Leather.
 
Shortly after I finally acquired a Shield in 9mm S&W announced that they were going to introduce the Shield in 45 ACP, well damn! I am a fan of the 45 ACP and I just had to have one. I placed my order with my FFL and when I got it, I immediately took it home admired it, cleaned and oiled it and off to the range we went. About 2 to 3 hundred rounds later and a sore palm of which I am not going to complain, I now have a new EDC or it is now in the rotation. Yes rotation, I like to rotate my carry guns so that I can maintain proficiency with them. I know some of you are going to say that I should stick with one EDC and use the other for range guns, I am not that kind of guy I treat my small collection of carry guns sort of like tools, I use them. Back to the subject at hand, I like the Shield and I really like it in 45.
 
blink. said:
Anyone with a shield 9 be interested in swapping for a shield .40?
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I've got a 9 with safety NIB but not really looking to add another caliber to my ammo inventory.
 
I have Hogue Handall on my M&P 9, 40 and 45, all police trades.
I like my new Shield in 45, nice textured grip a d the $75 rebate feels oh so good.
 
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