LC9s and Shield likeablity

Status
Not open for further replies.

357smallbore

Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
865
Location
Leavenworth KS
I have both guns. 2014 Shield and 2016 LC9s. I really like them both. I believe the 9mm platform is perfect for my ccw needs. The Ruger has a much better trigger. The Shield has everything else. I carry the Shield, and use the LC9s as my "grab gun" in my car. The slide safties are not an issue for me on these.
What do you all think of these guns? Do you feel one is better than the other?
 
Last edited:
I have the same weapons, a gen 1 Shield 9mm and a gen 1 LCP. I carry the Shield daily, reserving the LCP for a warm weather option. I trust my life with either.
 
I've had 9mm Shield six years and it's very dependable . LGS here is big Ruger dealer with frequent sales ,been considering smaller Ruger for pocket or ankle holster.
 
Never liked the Shield. Too large for a pocket 9 and triggered sucks. Heard 2.0 trigger may be better. Had an LC9s Pro, but it started rusting in spots similar to how an SR9c I used to have did. Don’t own either Ruger anymore. I’ve owned many brands and never had ones rust like Ruger semi autos. Now own XDS mod2 and very happy.
 
I like my LC9s the gun is fast and easy to shoot. The trigger is very light and this is why I opted for the safety version. I removed the magazine safety (easy, see youtube).

The Shield I've never shot so I don't know.
 
I have shot the LC9 and did not like the trigger, but I understand the LC9s corrected that problem. The ergonomics of the LC9 didn't work for me. I tried the Shield and bought it. I shoot the Shield better than the Ruger as the gun feels right in my hand.
 
I haven't been able to warm up to Rugers blued pistols when it comes to deep, sweaty concealment. I've had some rust spotting issues on my old lcp, ec9s, and LCP II (to a lesser degree).

The EC9S does everything I could want in a 9mm single stack. However, I tend to go with a stainless .380 over the Ruger offerings. My EC9S is a truck gun of sorts. It lives in my computer bag as a back up. If things went sideways and all i had was that little pistol and a spare mag, I would feel ok.

I think the shield is built better, but I gravitate toward a smaller gun in .380 for edc and move up to a compact double stack 9mm or big bore wheel gun in place of a tiny 9mm.
 
Own both the LC9 and SR9c. LC9 is definitely a pocket pistol, and the SR9c isnt much bigger yet holds twice as many rounds....it takes a while to empty the SR9c fully loaded.
 
I had a Shield and I have a LC9s. I liked the Shield, but never warmed up to the trigger. I really like the LC9s trigger, and it carries better in pocket and IWB than the Shield. I put some Tru Glo night sights on the Ruger and I have a carry gun that’s roughly the size of a PPK, with 9mm power, great trigger and great sights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vba
I have an original version 9mm Shield and I really like it, and it's my go to CCW about half the time. The trigger isn't great but it isn't awful either. It is definitely too big for pocket carry but it carries AIWB really well. I did add rubber Talon Grips to mine and found that to be a big improvement.

My other CCW is an LCP which I carry in a Nemesis holster in my front pocket. I like the trigger on it fine and it's more accurate than it needs to be. Mine is a second gen original so it does have an improved trigger and sights over the original. I haven't ever shot an LC9s but given how much I like my LCP I would imagine it's a nice pistol.

Comparing the two, the Shield is a nicer pistol and it appears to be built quite a bit better. But part of that is by design as the light weight of the LCP is a big selling feature. If I could only have one I suppose I'd take the LCP because there are a lot of times I can carry it where I wouldn't want to try to carry the Shield.
 
I have over 650 rounds through my lc9s. It is light and easy to carry and shoots well. I did have some early, seemingly atypical wear in the rsa channel in the first hundred rounds. I sent it in and Ruger said it was normal. The level of wear has not noticeably increased since. I havent had issues with rust, but I live in a dry climate. My only current issue is that when I shoot quick follow-up shots from retention, my right thumb will occasionally engage the slide stop on recoil. It is a shooter (poor grip) issue that I'm trying to sort out with drawing and roped dry fire.

I have also had the gen 1 shield, which I sold. It shot well and had no issues in the few rounds I fired (say 100), but I had other smaller options.

I now have a 2.0 4 inch Shield PC. A nice slim 4" carry option. It has a better trigger than the lc9s. Good FO sights (my lc9s has Ameriglo Nights). And I like the rough grip texture. A combination of grip geometry and texture and the location of the slide stop make it so I do not have lock-backs on a half-full mag. I havent put many rounds through the new shield, but it shoots like a bigger gun.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vba
I remember this same debate so many years ago with both were so popular. I had the original LC9, shot a lot of rounds through it, then bought the Shield which did have a nicer trigger than the Long trigger pull of the original LC9. And then the debate would always go toward the Shield. Then Ruger came out with the LC9s and that changed the whole game. I got rid of the Shield, nothing wrong with it, just not me. Bought the LC9S and still have that gun. The Shield was just too big for my preference. And I love slim grip guns and the Ruger was just right. Plus the gun has been for years now very reliable. I have a dozen mags for it, have shot the heck out of it and added a TruGlo night sight. One thing I love about the LC9S is IMO just one cool looking gun. I love the design.

Both nice guns, it is just going to be a personal taste IMO .
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: vba
I like the size and weight of my 9s. I carry it mostly in a pocket holster in my jackets. Most of my jackets/coats have at least one pocket where it is comfortable and concealed....The trigger is quite nice too.
 
I own the shield 45 and carry it daily and I shoot it well, I've shot a 9mm small Ruger and shot it as good. My friend with the Ruger was surprised at my shield and now owns one also and swaps out the two for carry. I think it is personal preference between the two, just go to a rental range and shoot a box of bullets through each.
 
I don't own an LC9s. Never shot one. So you might want to take this post as being worth exactly what you've paid for it. With all of that said, I carried a G19 from ~2013-2017. I bought a 9mm Shield 1.0 in 2017 & it's a fantastic carry pistol. I carried my G19 off and on for a while, but I finally even gave up on that. The Shield is my primary EDC now.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top