Bought the 45 Shield

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TrickyDick

TrickyDick

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IMG_20170602_183134254.jpg IMG_20170602_183123973.jpg IMG_20170602_183101691.jpg So I finally received my M&P 45 Shield from PSA.

After looking it over, it's obvious that it's been fired, and the barrel wasn't cleaned afterwards either. I'm not sure if it's normal, a QC piece, or a return. But nevertheless, it feels good in the hand, and it's slimmer than my current carry pistol ( Springfield XD9 subcompact).

I haven't fired it yet, hopefully I'll do it this weekend.

Things I like so far:

The grip; it's comfortable, and even with the short magazine, I'm able to fully grip it.

The frame thickness; it's slightly bigger than the Shield 9mm, and fits like a glove. It also hides nicely under a t-shirt.

The weight; as many of you may know, it's relatively light.

The rear sights are easily driftable.


Things I don't like about it:

The stipling of the grip; it's nice in the hand, but not nice against bare skin when in the holster.

The Slide release; this may be because it's new, but it's very tough to drop, even when there's no mag.

But overall, I'm satisfied. Until I shoot it, I won't know how much I'll like it.

(Yes, I took the liberty of giving it an American aesthetic. 'Merica.)
 
S&W fires all their handguns before they leave the factory and they do not clean them before shipping. They include at least one piece of fired brass in the box too. Not to worry, it's normal.
 
Usually you can roll a large marble across the stippling to knock it down a bit. Only do it to the side that bothers you. On gen4 Glocks you can use the end of a punch on each square knob, and lean it a round in a circle to round the end gently. (takes forever)

Doesn't matter if it's been fired, it'll last 30,000 rounds easy. I think my favorite shop shoots many of their in stock pistols, especially the 1911's, since they have their own range. Nothing shady, just to make sure they work well for a good customer experience.
 
Water-Man said:
Does the OP own the 9mm Shield and, if so, does the 45 fit in a 9mm holster?
Click to expand...

I do not own the 9mm Shield. I currently own a Springfield XD9 subcompact.

I ordered a holster from alien gear for the 45. From what I've seen online, the 45 is a different holster than the 9/40 shield.

That being said, the 45 does slip into the Springfield XD9 holster. It's not too loose, but there's really no retention. But it's still nice I can carry the 45 Shield in the holster if I have to.
 
TrickyDick said:
After looking it over, it's obvious that it's been fired, and the barrel wasn't cleaned afterwards either.

The rear sights are easily driftable.

The Slide release; this may be because it's new, but it's very tough to drop, even when there's no mag.
Click to expand...
They are all fired at the factory.

Not sure how you plan on drifting the rear, there's a set screw that goes all the way through and keeps slide internals in place. You should drift the front instead.

The slide stop is not supposed to be used as a slide release on Shield. It is intended for disassemby and initial loading of the gun. Pull on the slide to release it.
 
zaitcev said:
They are all fired at the factory.

Not sure how you plan on drifting the rear, there's a set screw that goes all the way through and keeps slide internals in place. You should drift the front instead.

The slide stop is not supposed to be used as a slide release on Shield. It is intended for disassemby and initial loading of the gun. Pull on the slide to release it.
Click to expand...


Well thank you, that's all news to me. I was under the impression that the set screw was made to make it easier for the average person to adjust the rear sight.

I also wasn't aware that the slide release was made only for disassembly, I figured it would've worn down over time to make it easier. But now that you said that, I did notice that the two surfaces were pretty square and it would need alot of wear to be even remotely used as a slide release.
 
I have the 9mm, and like it as a light weight carry gun, little more concealable as it is very thin. I guess I will have to try one of these, as I love .45 ACP. I need it like a hole in the head, but that has never stopped me before. I suppose it is somewhat wider/larger than the 9mm? Guess I could look it up. These are nicely priced as well.

Russellc
 
jdc1244 said:
And you’re far from alone.

Looks like another win for S&W.

And it looks like I’ll be getting another Shield.
Click to expand...
With their Mail in rebate, and Palmetto State armory's great price, it's almost silly to not buy one. The deal was too good to pass up.
 
TrickyDick said:
I also wasn't aware that the slide release was made only for disassembly, I figured it would've worn down over time to make it easier. But now that you said that, I did notice that the two surfaces were pretty square and it would need alot of wear to be even remotely used as a slide release.
Click to expand...
Yeah, Shield 45 is a child of its age, so to speak. Many tactical instructors recently suggested never use the slide release, even if the gun allows it (for convoluted reasons that do not necessarily make sense for everyone). So, someone at S&W thought that it would make the gun slimmer if they kept up with the times, and there you have it. The manual is very careful to never mention using the slide lock as a release and instructs users to pull back on the slide.
 
I've already been a proponent of "boomeranging" or "slingshoting" the slide instead of hitting the slide stop in all my guns.

Even though some are pretty natural and easy for me to swipe down, not all of them are. It's a bit more universal manual of arms. I used to use the slide stop, but it occasionally caused jams in one of my guns (which I've since rectified the source of that issue) but always worked fine when "boomeranged" the slide so I trained myself to ignore all slide stops.
 
The slide stop is not supposed to be used as a slide release on Shield.
Click to expand...
News to me. I've been running ~50 rounds a week through my 9mm Shield since I got it (early 2014) and I've pretty much always used the lock lever as a release. No harder to operate than the one on my Kahr CW9 since it has a tendency to jam if you slingshot it, I've alway done it the same with my Shield that has replaced the Kahr as my main carry.

If you say its in the manual for the Shield 45 I'll believe you, but if its in the manual for the Shield 9 & 40 I've ignored it since the beginning without issues -- I practice with the 9, well over 5000 rounds through it, and carry the 40, which is well broken in but carried far more than its shot.

I find using the slide lock lever as a release to be far more natural than sling-shotting as my left hand is right there to hit it after I seat the fresh mag and the gun is ready to fire again slightly faster. YMMV.
 
Yeah, there's this big push to make dropping the slide a two-handed maneuver, but then everyone puts palm-slicing rear sights on to make sure they can rack the gun off the bloody stump of their shot-off weak hand. :)


Larry
 
An external slide Stop/Release is dual functional. The overhand method for releasing the slide is in vogue now but that said the external lever allows dual function for releasing the slide. Its up to the individual user/operator to apply methodology which works best for them. I go back to Parris Island 1964 when instruction of the period taught the basic to hand hold that was later referred to as "The Teacup Hold". Handling techniques evolve over time/usage. The only constant is change!
 
I think it goes to the aftermarket to issue an extended release lever for Shield 45. Vickers Tactical makes extended releases for Glocks, so why not? Its sear surface may also be cut by a slightly different angle, making it possible to release with a thumb pressure.
 
I bought a S&W M&P45 Shield and really like it. Current dealer cost is $363 while Palmetto State Armory has been selling them 'on sale' for $299 with free shipping!

Anyway, with the $75 Rebate from S&W it was too good to pass up. The 45 Shield is a sweet shooting pistol and plenty accurate out to 10 yards.
 
Congratulations on your purchase. I have a Shield 45 also. Very pleased with mine. I was surprised how soft the recoil felt to me considering it's weight.
 
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