M&P Shield = The new Glock 26

[Buckeyeguy525]

I was able to trade my xd subcompact for an m&p shield 9mm this weekend. While the gun is very flat, it is by no means a pocket gun along the lines of the Kahr pm/cm series. It feels much larger and heavier in the hand, at least to me anyway. After taking it to the range and dumping several hundred rounds, a very familiar feeling came over me...the same one I had the first time I fired the Glock 26. While there have always been much smaller guns out there than the g26, I had never found one that shot like the 26. From my experience with glock, theres no difference in shootability between a 26, 19, 17. It felt the same with the Shield. While its not the smallest gun, it shoots as well as a full sized m&p and has a much better trigger. IMO it is a much better "combat" style firearm than any other ccw option out there namely bc of the excellent trigger reset; it is very easy to feel and "ride the reset" for very fast and accurate shots. Picking it up for the first time I was able to draw and dump and entire mag into a small area of the chest without any flyers...very impressive for a gun its size. So thats how I am feeling about the shield, its not the smallest gun out there, but its head and shoulders above even the Kahr pistols (at least imo) in terms of shootability. S&W has a real winner with this one and I encourage anyone that is a fan of the polymer striker-fired design to pick one up.

 

[Plan2Live]

I'm waiting to compare it to the XDs in 9mm when Springfield brings that to market. I wish S&W had increased the size of the saftey lever or offered the Shield without a safety.

 

[Nine Lives]

I've been considering upgrading to the Shield from the PPK .380. Have you ever shot a PPK in .380? If so, how would you compare the sizes of the two pistols?

 

[AJChenMPH]

S&W has a real winner with this one and I encourage anyone that is a fan of the polymer striker-fired design to pick one up.

I'd read a bunch of good things about it, and was planning on getting one...until I actually did pick one up. The grip and my hand just don't agree -- it points way, way higher than intended aim for me. Too bad, I was looking forward to getting one...

 

[Skribs]

With a 6-round capacity and a manual safety, there's no way I'd call it a G26.

I pocket carry a M&P 9C, and that practically IS a G26 as far as I'm concerned.

 

[holdencm9]

I'd agree the Shield seems more in the ballpark of the Ruger LC9 or Kahr CW9 and the M&P 9c is more similar in size to a Glock 26.

Height and length dimensions for all may be somewhat similar but the thickness of the latter two I think are more similar.

 

[smalls]

I agree with Skribs, the M&Pc is closer to a G26 with a pinky extension.

 

[jimbo555]

I'm waiting for Sig to work out the bugs on the p938.

 

[Kcinnick]

Two different guns. I much prefer my 3914 over any of the new micro guns. I got a PF9 when they first came out on impulse, it was of course the smallest lightest 9mm ever at the time. It works, but is not nearly as accurate or comfy as my 3914. I have decided to carry what I play with, and I play with M&P's and 1911/2011's, so my daily carry is a M&P pro.

 

[F-111 John]

With a 6-round capacity and a manual safety, there's no way I'd call it a G26.

The M&P Shield in 9mm comes with a 7+1 magazine and an 8+1 magazine with grip extension. The Shield in .40 has a 6+1 and a 7+1 magazine.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

My son bought a shield. I compared it with my g19 and my glock was lighter unloaded. I liked the feel of the shield much better than my brick of a 19, but I did't get it for carry as I just find them too bulky.

 

[Pilot]

I'm waiting for Sig to work out the bugs on the p938.

That's the route I think I'm going also. Handled one last week and liked it. Prefer the SAO 1911 trigger.

 

[Buckeyeguy525]

I wasn't trying to compare the Shield to the G26 in capacity or dimensions, I guess my point kind of got lost in my post. I just meant that the glock 26 was a super small gun (for its time) that shot just as well as the larger guns. Up until the shield came out, there wasn't (in my opinion and experience) a gun smaller than the glock 26 that shot as well as a full size handgun. I've owned most of the popular pocket 9's/40's and I wouldn't consider any of them a fun range gun, not even the Kahr. Granted the shield is bigger than those, its smaller than the g26 and shoots even better.....huge compliment to the shield.


Now when springfield brings out the xds in 9mm there could be a new king....

 

[CPshooter]

With a 6-round capacity and a manual safety, there's no way I'd call it a G26.

Agreed. Apples and oranges.

 

[Skribs]

The M&P Shield in 9mm comes with a 7+1 magazine and an 8+1 magazine with grip extension. The Shield in .40 has a 6+1 and a 7+1 magazine.

Fair enough. It's still not near the same as G26. The G26 has different proportions, is thicker, and has greater capacity.

I also wouldn't consider any M&P with a stock trigger to be a replacement for a Glock, that hinge is downright aweful. I have the APEX in mine, though (would not have gotten an M&P if the APEX kit wasn't available).

 

[Girodin]

With a [7+1]-round capacity and a manual safety, there's no way I'd call it a G26.

I tend to agree. Its the new Kahr P9 if anything. I'm not really sure what the shield brings to the table that a P9 or even a CW9 didn't already offer. An unneeded external safety perhaps? I suppose I see the appeal for a person who is already a S&W user. I'm not saying it is not a good gun or that S&W isn't right to take their market share for that sized gun.

Another thing the g26 offers that the shield does not is that it takes magazines of its larger siblings. This is nice in that one can carry a 17 round mag for a reload just as or very nearly as easily as a G26. If the G26 is used as a BUG there is commonality of one's mags as well. The same mag pouches work whether one is carrying a G26 or G34.

The big knock on the G26, and where the shield and the Kahr P9/k9/cw9 sized guns actually do offer something that may be more desirable, is that if you can conceal a G26 it typically isn't much of an issue to conceal a G19 instead.

I can see the shield cutting into some of the G26's market share though (of course it is also cutting into the compact M&P's)

With the shield and XDS I wonder if glock will try to compete in that market with a new offering or not.

 

[rodensouth]

...sorry it posted in wrong thread...

 

[Just One Shot]

it is by no means a pocket gun

I have one in my pocket as I type and it's just as comfortable as my PM9 was.

 

[Series 70]

Just got a 9mm Shield yesterday. It seems that it would work with some pockets, but not others. I plan to experiment, with the hope that it can replace my J-frame in most situations. It will serve well in a coat pocket as we move to cooler weather, even if it's too large for some pants pockets.

 

[Autolycus]

It isn't a Glock 26 by any means. The Shield can't take larger mags from its bigger brothers as the 26 can. When I carry my Glock 26 out and about it is accompanied by 2 spare Glock 17 magazines. The Shield is reputedly a great gun, I have handled one but haven't shot one as my range doesn't have a rental one, but the Glock 26 is a great ccw gun.

 

[340PD]

I own a Shield, PM9 and a S&W 340PD snubble. Of the three, I can wear lightweight wool dress slacks with my 340 in a pocket holster and no one will notice, and it is easy to draw.
In casual khakis my PM9 will pocket carry in a good pocket holster, but drawing, due to the hump on the rear of the slide, requires much more practice. No way would I consider pocket carry in my Shield. I am not saying it can't be done, it is just too big for me to be comfortable. Yes I can get a Kimber Ultra CDP and a 3" L frame, and a G26 in there also, but when it comes to a reliable draw, the Kahr and preferably the 340 will always be my choice.

 

[g_one]

The G26 is noticeably shorter (in terms of height), but just a little longer. IMHO length isn't nearly as importance as height when it comes to concealing. The slightly slimmer profile will make it less visible in a pocket, but it should still fit in a pocket the same way a Glock does. For me, what makes a gun a good pocket gun is the holster (assuming it actually fits in my pocket, which both the shield and the g26 do - although the shield was only in my pocket for a little under a minute so I didn't get much experience with it) - and the best pocket holster around is the raven concealment pocket holster

 

[RBid]

I'll be blunt. I think the Shield is a quality weapon, but is also overrated.

The trigger sets it a step above most of the DAO slim 9s, in terms of effectiveness if you had to draw. On the other hand, if you can carry a weapon that size, odds are good that you can also carry an SR9c, M&P9c, G26, XD9sc, etc-- all of which give you increased capacity up front, substantial capacity boosts with reload, and the flexibility to be your primary HD weapon.


This is my personal opinion. Take it as such.

 

[Purgatory]

I took that the theme of the OP's post had more to do with the handling/shootability of the SHIELD than it's comparable dimensions/capacity to other guns of its niche.

The title appears to have been referring to the 'handling' of such a small 9mm in comparison to Glock's smallest 9mm (to date).

I have heard/read this before and am pleased to hear it.

I have a handful of Glocks and have been interested in a 26 for a while now, but wanted something lighter and thinner that handled as well or better than the 26.

The SHIELD seems to fit these parameters and I have been interested in it for that very reason.

Owning/carrying the smallest 9mm that is comfortable to conceal is only half, or less, of the equation. The 'handling' of such a small firearm in the type of situation that would call for its employ is really what matters most, to me. If you have to draw and fire quickly and, possibly, repeatedly, under the most stressful situation you can imagine, the ability of the gun to handle the recoil and cycling of the cartridge is absolutely paramount.

The consensus, from what I've heard/read, is that the SHIELD handles the 9mm cartridge a bit better than the contemporaries of its niche: Kahrs, Kel-Tecs, etc.

That is very good news to me and I look forward to testing it out for myself.

I don't pocket carry, but I look forward to carrying the SHIELD IWB for its thinner dimensions, less weight and similar capacity to my G36.

ETA: I will add that I am not excited about its manual safety, but am hoping that if I never turn it on even once, hopefully it will retain its stiffness and I can kinda pretend it's not even there. No, I don't know how that will work out, but everything else about the gun seems to fit my needs for a small 9mm.

 

[fastbolt]

I was rather impressed when I borrowed a Shield 9 from another instructor for an afternoon. I'm thinking about ordering one in a month or so.

It won't "replace" my 3913, CS9, SW999c or pair of G26's, but I can see them spending more time in the safe once I have a Shield 9.

Just slimmer and enough lighter than the rest of them to make it a handier choice for pocket holster carry in some of my coats & riding vests. It might even cause my collection of J-frames to spend some more time in the safe. Dunno. We'll see.