Performance Center Shield 45

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TomJ

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SE Wisconsin
I picked this up this week to be used primarily as a woods gun when I'm hiking in my area, SE Wisconsin. Over the past two days I was able to put about 100 rounds through it, with 20 rounds being Underwood's 255 grain Hi-Tek coated hard cast +P ammo with the remaining being my reloads, 185 grain FN. I initially had issues with it not going into battery when shooting my reloads, but that was corrected when I shortened the OAL. It apparently likes a shorter OAL as those reloads work in my M&P full size 45, but again this was easily corrected with it functioning 100% with the shorter OAL. The most pleasant surprise was the way it handled the Underwood ammo. This is not a heavy gun, with mine weighing in at 21.6 ounces without a magazine. The recoil with the Underwood ammo was very manageable and significantly less than what I expected. This allows me to get back on target quickly. It's accurate, and shooting the Underwood ammo at 10 yards on a steel target I was able to hit center mass consistently while shooting quickly. They definitely have a winner with this gun.


06706AF7-30BE-4E41-98D5-FDC7550A8DF5.jpeg
 
I always liked the polymer single stacks with a 4”ish barrel, when in 45ACP. Had a XDS 4” and the Shield and G36. My Shield was ported and heard they had non ported ones out there, so stupidly sold mine to try to get a non ported one. Have yet to see one in the wild, so may have to break down and order one. Anyways, great shooter and was less punishing to my damaged hands than the XDS, and on par with the G36. Seemed to carry better than the G36 also.
 
I’ve got the non PC version and I really enjoy mine. Got it as a carry gun but now that I live in the south east, I’ll start carrying it in the woods on occasion as well.
 
I bought a 4" 45 Shield 2.0 a couple of years ago to give my 35 year old Colt Commander a rest after many thousands of rounds fired. At first I wasn't sure about a polymer framed 45,but I really like the pistol. It is a light,compact and really accurate pistol. It also fits my hand like the Commander.
 
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I picked this up this week to be used primarily as a woods gun when I'm hiking in my area, SE Wisconsin. Over the past two days I was able to put about 100 rounds through it, with 20 rounds being Underwood's 255 grain Hi-Tek coated hard cast +P ammo with the remaining being my reloads, 185 grain FN. I initially had issues with it not going into battery when shooting my reloads, but that was corrected when I shortened the OAL. It apparently likes a shorter OAL as those reloads work in my M&P full size 45, but again this was easily corrected with it functioning 100% with the shorter OAL. The most pleasant surprise was the way it handled the Underwood ammo. This is not a heavy gun, with mine weighing in at 21.6 ounces without a magazine. The recoil with the Underwood ammo was very manageable and significantly less than what I expected. This allows me to get back on target quickly. It's accurate, and shooting the Underwood ammo at 10 yards on a steel target I was able to hit center mass consistently while shooting quickly. They definitely have a winner with this gun.


View attachment 1086092

Does the under part of the slide have the scalloped looking marks or grooves like on the non-Performance Center model 45 ?
 
@TomJ thanks for the review. I have thought the Shield 45acp would be a great crash around the woods and trails gun. I wonder how they would handle heavy hardcast +p loads. Sounds like a winner.
 
Does the under part of the slide have the scalloped looking marks or grooves like on the non-Performance Center model 45 ?

I don't see anything resembling those marks or grooves. Where on the slide are those marks?
 
@TomJ thanks for the review. I have thought the Shield 45acp would be a great crash around the woods and trails gun. I wonder how they would handle heavy hardcast +p loads. Sounds like a winner.

I shot a bowling pin match with my shield using the Lee .452 230gn truncated cone (238gn with my alloy and powder coat) I can’t remember the load off the top of my head, it wasn’t +p but I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a pig if that’s the gun I had on me. It wasn’t unpleasant to shoot and it really hammered those pins. The 7rnd mag making the grip a touch longer helped control the recoil a bit better than the 6rnd mag. Oh and they fed flawlessly!
6E3B598A-DCAF-4A5E-90D1-65767D275E3A.jpeg
 
I don't see anything resembling those marks or grooves. Where on the slide are those marks?

Take the slide off , Look at the long portion that "scoops" the ammunition out of the magazine. It is the center of the slide underneath . This area has scallops or little grooves milled into it to supposedly keep the rounds inside the magazines from moving forward as the slide operates.
 
I purchased a couple when they were coming out with the 2nd generation 9s and 40s, I think mine has some of the refinements of the 2nd gen (better trigger and different stippling), one is my everyday carry and gets shot each time I go out and shoot pistol and have found if my reloads have a rounded shoulder it will function easily but squared shoulder bullets caused trouble when firing quickly (I never thought about trying a different OAL). +P Golden sabers and +P200gr rn reloads have not been a problem but I only shot them once for testing and normally feed them regular loads. I've found the holsters for regular shields fit fine but the barrel sticks out about a 1/4".
 
I shot a bowling pin match with my shield using the Lee .452 230gn truncated cone (238gn with my alloy and powder coat) I can’t remember the load off the top of my head, it wasn’t +p but I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a pig if that’s the gun I had on me. It wasn’t unpleasant to shoot and it really hammered those pins. The 7rnd mag making the grip a touch longer helped control the recoil a bit better than the 6rnd mag. Oh and they fed flawlessly!
View attachment 1086576


Love that WW2 brass.
 
Take the slide off , Look at the long portion that "scoops" the ammunition out of the magazine. It is the center of the slide underneath . This area has scallops or little grooves milled into it to supposedly keep the rounds inside the magazines from moving forward as the slide operates.

It does have the scallops. Are you aware of this being a positive or negative?
 
I picked this up this week to be used primarily as a woods gun when I'm hiking in my area, SE Wisconsin. Over the past two days I was able to put about 100 rounds through it, with 20 rounds being Underwood's 255 grain Hi-Tek coated hard cast +P ammo with the remaining being my reloads, 185 grain FN. I initially had issues with it not going into battery when shooting my reloads, but that was corrected when I shortened the OAL. It apparently likes a shorter OAL as those reloads work in my M&P full size 45, but again this was easily corrected with it functioning 100% with the shorter OAL. The most pleasant surprise was the way it handled the Underwood ammo. This is not a heavy gun, with mine weighing in at 21.6 ounces without a magazine. The recoil with the Underwood ammo was very manageable and significantly less than what I expected. This allows me to get back on target quickly. It's accurate, and shooting the Underwood ammo at 10 yards on a steel target I was able to hit center mass consistently while shooting quickly. They definitely have a winner with this gun.


View attachment 1086092
I am a shield fan, but have it in 9mm. I’d like a .45 Shield.
 
I initially had issues with it not going into battery when shooting my reloads, but that was corrected when I shortened the OAL.
Love my Shield 45 but I had a similar issue with my reloads. 200gr lswc bullets would fail to feed or stovepipe regularly. I sorted the problem out by switching to 230 gr hi-tek coated softball from Missouri Bullets. The pistol is very accurate and is pretty easy to control with Fed HST's
 
I shot a bowling pin match with my shield using the Lee .452 230gn truncated cone (238gn with my alloy and powder coat) I can’t remember the load off the top of my head, it wasn’t +p but I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot a pig if that’s the gun I had on me. It wasn’t unpleasant to shoot and it really hammered those pins. The 7rnd mag making the grip a touch longer helped control the recoil a bit better than the 6rnd mag. Oh and they fed flawlessly!
View attachment 1086576
I have a question for your re. those truncated cones. PM on the way
 
It does have the scallops. Are you aware of this being a positive or negative?

I guess it's good to keep the rounds in the magazine seated correctly , but no other gun I have seen has to rely on something like these "scallops" to work correctly.
 
I've got a Shield 1.0 45acp that I have had for years. I still have in my EDC rotation. I always carry at least 1 and sometimes 2 reloads with it though since it is only a 6+1 gun.

Joe
 
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