I am about to trade my gun off and I need some advice.

GunLuvr01 · October 20, 2015, 07:20 PM

Hey guys, I am thinking about trading off my XDS9 with the 3.3 inch barrel. The gun hasn't given me any issues or anything, I am tired of the annoying grip safety plus I am wanting to move up to a larger caliber. I found one place that has a Kahr CW40 and another that has a M&P Shield 40. I would appreciate it if you guys could shed some light on these two guns. I read mixed reviews on the Kahr, but the reviews on the Shield are usually positive. I haven't fired my XDS a lot, but it is showing some wear on the rails already. How durable is the Kahr and Shield compared to the XDS? Would you recommend trading or staying with the XDS? Please vote in the poll. Thank you

dalto · October 20, 2015, 08:13 PM

The Kahr's require about 300 rounds before they are reliable. In my experience, they struggle in the first 200 rounds which tends to hurt peoples confidence.

The Shield and the Kahr are quite different in feel. I would recommend you at least dry fire them both before you purchase. The Kahr has a long smooth trigger pull and a long reset. The Shield has a trigger pull more similar to the XDs.

That being said, I would not personally want a single stack short barrel sub-compact in .40 S&W. That may just be me though.

GunLuvr01 · October 20, 2015, 09:20 PM

I have fired the Shield 9 and felt the Kahr trigger before. Both guns were impressive. I agree that a .40 in a smaller gun may not be the best idea due to recoil, plus it could cause early damage to the frame. The gun store had a Shield 9 in stock. Do you think that would be a better choice?

**44 AMP** · October 20, 2015, 11:18 PM

I can only offer a little experience with one Kahr. A few years ago I was tasked to do a break in on one, for a friend with nerve damage.

I can no longer recall the model only that it was Kahr, small, and .45acp.

And, that Kahr put in the manual to give it a 200rnd break in.

Other than the cheese grater checkering on the backstrap, my greatest discomfort was sore thumb from loading two magazines, over and over.

There were 3 stoppages within the first 100 rnds, one actual failure to feed, and two cases where the slide stopped just short of fully shut.

The last 100 were flawless function, 150rnds of 230 ball, 50 230jhps.

That one worked acceptably well in my opinion. Sorry, no other help here, other than to move the thread to Semi Auto handguns.

erikrichard · October 20, 2015, 11:34 PM

I had the same Springfield, now I have a Glock 27 .40 with a 9mm conversion barrel. I recommend it highly.

willr · October 21, 2015, 12:03 AM

Don't get rid of anything. You will regret it later. I have traded before and discovered years later that I traded a valuable classic. I also sold a vest-pocket auto that I wish I had again.
willlr

Sequins · October 21, 2015, 12:21 AM

Of the choices you outlined I voted Shield, however if you were to choose a 9mm shield that would be even better. 9mm is better than .40 in my opinion, particularly in a tiny gun where the recoil disadvantage of .40 is amplified.

Fullclip610 · October 21, 2015, 12:43 AM

Sell it privately and get the shield NINE

O4L · October 21, 2015, 01:25 AM

Here's a deal on a Shield 9 for $309.

http://www.woodburyoutfitters.com/sm...d-180021-24847

PatientWolf · October 21, 2015, 04:04 AM

I'd stick with 9mm in that size pistol unless you already have one.

I've carried the PM9 and the Shield from time to time.

If you are going to carry it, the Shield is a little smaller than the CW9, but larger than the PM or CM9. The CW9 is still concealable though and gives you extra rounds I believe. I believe S&W has better customer service, not that you would ever need it.

Of your choices, I'd vote for the Shield 9.

skizzums · October 21, 2015, 04:42 AM

i have a shield .40 and don't think i have shot it more than 3-4 times. it's stout, but manageable, overll it's very comfortable design and i will surely come across someone that has a shield 9mm they will trade for it. hard to beat for a pocket pistol, just not my choice for carry since i have found an almost identical sized pistol that holds five more rounds. i wouldn't trade an XDs for it, you can find lots of shields in the 300$ range, your xd is more valuable, unless the shop your talking about is throwing money in the pot as well. regardless, get it in 9mm. the shield's trigger is tops btw.

Limnophile · October 21, 2015, 05:06 AM

Given that the FBI abandoned the .40 S&W last year for the 9 Luger, as the optimal service sidearm, why are you going in the opposite direction? I'm not arguing that one should do as the FBI does, but I think it would be wise to consider the factors they did in arriving at their decision.

Also, why get rid of a gun that gives you no problems? I prefer an affirmative external safety on my guns, and I do not have much experience with grip safeties, but grip safeties seem to me to fall into the passive category; thus, I don't see how it can be much of a hassle. Nothing wrong with buying a second gun, though.

CajunBass · October 21, 2015, 06:13 AM

What would I do?

I wouldn't trade. Sell outright and buy what I wanted, but I wouldn't trade.

Targa · October 21, 2015, 06:43 AM

I don't know, I like the XDs better than the Shield. I just didn't like the feel of the Shield. I really like my Kahr CM9, it just fits me well and if I am going to sacrifice rounds for concealability I am making sure it is as concealable as comfortably possible and the Kahr's excel at that, well for me anyway. Yes they are very tight and certainly need to have the 200 round break in that Kahr requires.
As for the .40, the 40 vs 9 debate can go on and on but for me any performance gains the 40 has over the 9 isn't worth the extra price, extra recoil and reduced round count compared to the 9. On a plus note, .40 rounds are abundant in my kneck of the woods.

vyse.04 · October 21, 2015, 09:11 AM

I am a Kahr fan, but prefer 9mm in their smaller offerings (or .45 in slightly larger package). I held a Shield and didn't care for the feel. Two different triggers and feel as well, but I'd imagine recoil would be similar in both packages. The cheese grater grip on my .45 didn't bother me, but my wife hated it. CM40's are also discounted quite frequently from what I've seen.

I'd also recommend trying to sell it privately on Armslist or something similar. I sold two of my Kahrs online, making more for one than the gun shop would give for both. Note that I sold my Kahrs more to move to a similar platform that my wife preferred, not because I no longer liked the brand. My K9 was a favorite single stack 9mm of mine, and actually got me into buying striker fired pistols.

Wishoot · October 21, 2015, 09:38 AM

I voted Shield.

Mine has been rock-solid reliable since day 1. It's also remarkably soft shooting for such a small gun.

erikrichard · October 21, 2015, 09:58 AM

Why would the OP want 2 similar semi-auto guns for the same purpose? I don't really get the desire to keep every gun you buy, unless it might gain some collector value down the road. Most of the revolvers I've sold over the years have gone up in value, and I regret those sales. Every semi-auto pistol I've sold has remained the same or gone down in value. The chances of a Springfield XDS ever gaining collector value is zero, or close to it.

highpower3006 · October 21, 2015, 10:07 AM

I have had a Shield 9mm as my EDC gun for the last year and a half. I know nothing about the Kahr as I have never owned or even shot one. I really like the Shield and I would recommend one for a carry gun. Mine has been 100% reliable and is reasonably accurate.

osbornk · October 21, 2015, 10:38 AM

If it were me, I would use the current gun more to get more accustomed to it. The grip safety should not be an issue once you get accustomed to it. I suspect down deep, you just want to buy another gun.

GunLuvr01 · October 21, 2015, 11:46 AM

Hey guys, I appreciate the responses. I went to a LGS earlier and I was kind of surprised at his offer. He wanted me to pay him $50 difference for the Shield, and my XDS has four mags going with it. He claims that xds sales dropped, I don't know if thats actually true or not. Needless to say, I didn't go for it. I agree with the post saying I would be better off selling it privately. I will more than likely hang on to it for a while.

erikrichard · October 21, 2015, 12:04 PM

Gun stores are worse than pawn shops or car dealers, their trade offers are a joke. Everyone advising you to sell privately is 100% correct.

Tactical Jackalope · October 21, 2015, 12:47 PM

Don't like Kahr, don't like the XDS.

Get the Shield

Click here!

Email Gurney and ask him for $300. See what he says and then pay the difference.

Cheapshooter · October 21, 2015, 03:16 PM

What's the problem with the grip safety? Do you even notice it while shooting? I don't on my XD40 Sub Compact, or on my 1911 based pistols.

khegglie · October 21, 2015, 03:53 PM

OP if $$ aren't an issue towards the change see Cheapshooter's rule.
You can avoid later REGRETS.

Nathan · October 21, 2015, 04:35 PM

I have the XDS 9 3.3". I have a Kahr P40 DLC w/ night sights. I have shot the Sheild 40.

Given a pure choice, I would get the Kahr, I think, but it is close to the XDS. If I had the XDS 9, I would not trade to the Kahr. I would just learn it....too much trouble switching and I like the grip safety. It is integral to my technique.

Why don't you like the grip safety?

You might try a PRP or Gallowey kit to improve your XDS trigger, if that is an issue to you.

BTW, I consider both the Kahr and the XDS to be great guns with a slight edge to the Kahr, but the XDS's grip safety makes that close...

View Poll Results: What would you do?
Trade for the Kahr	6	9.68%
Trade for the Shield	31	50.00%
Keep the XDS	25	40.32%
Voters: 62. You may not vote on this poll

October 20, 2015, 07:20 PM	#1
GunLuvr01 Member Join Date: February 26, 2015 Posts: 69	I am about to trade my gun off and I need some advice. Hey guys, I am thinking about trading off my XDS9 with the 3.3 inch barrel. The gun hasn't given me any issues or anything, I am tired of the annoying grip safety plus I am wanting to move up to a larger caliber. I found one place that has a Kahr CW40 and another that has a M&P Shield 40. I would appreciate it if you guys could shed some light on these two guns. I read mixed reviews on the Kahr, but the reviews on the Shield are usually positive. I haven't fired my XDS a lot, but it is showing some wear on the rails already. How durable is the Kahr and Shield compared to the XDS? Would you recommend trading or staying with the XDS? Please vote in the poll. Thank you

October 20, 2015, 11:18 PM	#4
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,846	I can only offer a little experience with one Kahr. A few years ago I was tasked to do a break in on one, for a friend with nerve damage. I can no longer recall the model only that it was Kahr, small, and .45acp. And, that Kahr put in the manual to give it a 200rnd break in. Other than the cheese grater checkering on the backstrap, my greatest discomfort was sore thumb from loading two magazines, over and over. There were 3 stoppages within the first 100 rnds, one actual failure to feed, and two cases where the slide stopped just short of fully shut. The last 100 were flawless function, 150rnds of 230 ball, 50 230jhps. That one worked acceptably well in my opinion. Sorry, no other help here, other than to move the thread to Semi Auto handguns. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

October 21, 2015, 04:42 AM	#11
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	i have a shield .40 and don't think i have shot it more than 3-4 times. it's stout, but manageable, overll it's very comfortable design and i will surely come across someone that has a shield 9mm they will trade for it. hard to beat for a pocket pistol, just not my choice for carry since i have found an almost identical sized pistol that holds five more rounds. i wouldn't trade an XDs for it, you can find lots of shields in the 300$ range, your xd is more valuable, unless the shop your talking about is throwing money in the pot as well. regardless, get it in 9mm. the shield's trigger is tops btw. __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

October 21, 2015, 06:13 AM	#13
CajunBass Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2005 Location: North Chesterfield, Virginia Posts: 4,767	What would I do? I wouldn't trade. Sell outright and buy what I wanted, but I wouldn't trade. __________________ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

October 20, 2015, 08:13 PM	#2
dalto Junior Member Join Date: October 14, 2015 Posts: 7	The Kahr's require about 300 rounds before they are reliable. In my experience, they struggle in the first 200 rounds which tends to hurt peoples confidence. The Shield and the Kahr are quite different in feel. I would recommend you at least dry fire them both before you purchase. The Kahr has a long smooth trigger pull and a long reset. The Shield has a trigger pull more similar to the XDs. That being said, I would not personally want a single stack short barrel sub-compact in .40 S&W. That may just be me though.

October 20, 2015, 09:20 PM	#3
GunLuvr01 Member Join Date: February 26, 2015 Posts: 69	I have fired the Shield 9 and felt the Kahr trigger before. Both guns were impressive. I agree that a .40 in a smaller gun may not be the best idea due to recoil, plus it could cause early damage to the frame. The gun store had a Shield 9 in stock. Do you think that would be a better choice?

October 20, 2015, 11:34 PM	#5
erikrichard Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Posts: 160	I had the same Springfield, now I have a Glock 27 .40 with a 9mm conversion barrel. I recommend it highly.

October 21, 2015, 12:03 AM	#6
willr Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2006 Posts: 356	Don't get rid of anything. You will regret it later. I have traded before and discovered years later that I traded a valuable classic. I also sold a vest-pocket auto that I wish I had again. willlr

October 21, 2015, 12:21 AM	#7
Sequins Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2014 Posts: 394	Of the choices you outlined I voted Shield, however if you were to choose a 9mm shield that would be even better. 9mm is better than .40 in my opinion, particularly in a tiny gun where the recoil disadvantage of .40 is amplified.

October 21, 2015, 12:43 AM	#8
Fullclip610 Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2014 Posts: 119	Sell it privately and get the shield NINE

October 21, 2015, 01:25 AM	#9
O4L Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2015 Posts: 646	Here's a deal on a Shield 9 for $309. http://www.woodburyoutfitters.com/sm...d-180021-24847

October 21, 2015, 04:04 AM	#10
PatientWolf Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Location: NC Posts: 947	I'd stick with 9mm in that size pistol unless you already have one. I've carried the PM9 and the Shield from time to time. If you are going to carry it, the Shield is a little smaller than the CW9, but larger than the PM or CM9. The CW9 is still concealable though and gives you extra rounds I believe. I believe S&W has better customer service, not that you would ever need it. Of your choices, I'd vote for the Shield 9.

October 21, 2015, 05:06 AM	#12
Limnophile Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Location: Issaquah, Washington Posts: 1,032	Given that the FBI abandoned the .40 S&W last year for the 9 Luger, as the optimal service sidearm, why are you going in the opposite direction? I'm not arguing that one should do as the FBI does, but I think it would be wise to consider the factors they did in arriving at their decision. Also, why get rid of a gun that gives you no problems? I prefer an affirmative external safety on my guns, and I do not have much experience with grip safeties, but grip safeties seem to me to fall into the passive category; thus, I don't see how it can be much of a hassle. Nothing wrong with buying a second gun, though.

October 21, 2015, 06:43 AM	#14
Targa Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Posts: 2,084	I don't know, I like the XDs better than the Shield. I just didn't like the feel of the Shield. I really like my Kahr CM9, it just fits me well and if I am going to sacrifice rounds for concealability I am making sure it is as concealable as comfortably possible and the Kahr's excel at that, well for me anyway. Yes they are very tight and certainly need to have the 200 round break in that Kahr requires. As for the .40, the 40 vs 9 debate can go on and on but for me any performance gains the 40 has over the 9 isn't worth the extra price, extra recoil and reduced round count compared to the 9. On a plus note, .40 rounds are abundant in my kneck of the woods.

October 21, 2015, 09:11 AM	#15
vyse.04 Senior Member Join Date: February 10, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 685	I am a Kahr fan, but prefer 9mm in their smaller offerings (or .45 in slightly larger package). I held a Shield and didn't care for the feel. Two different triggers and feel as well, but I'd imagine recoil would be similar in both packages. The cheese grater grip on my .45 didn't bother me, but my wife hated it. CM40's are also discounted quite frequently from what I've seen. I'd also recommend trying to sell it privately on Armslist or something similar. I sold two of my Kahrs online, making more for one than the gun shop would give for both. Note that I sold my Kahrs more to move to a similar platform that my wife preferred, not because I no longer liked the brand. My K9 was a favorite single stack 9mm of mine, and actually got me into buying striker fired pistols.

October 21, 2015, 09:38 AM	#16
Wishoot Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2009 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 1,093	I voted Shield. Mine has been rock-solid reliable since day 1. It's also remarkably soft shooting for such a small gun.

October 21, 2015, 09:58 AM	#17
erikrichard Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Posts: 160	Why would the OP want 2 similar semi-auto guns for the same purpose? I don't really get the desire to keep every gun you buy, unless it might gain some collector value down the road. Most of the revolvers I've sold over the years have gone up in value, and I regret those sales. Every semi-auto pistol I've sold has remained the same or gone down in value. The chances of a Springfield XDS ever gaining collector value is zero, or close to it.

October 21, 2015, 10:07 AM	#18
highpower3006 Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2011 Location: Savannah TN Posts: 1,220	I have had a Shield 9mm as my EDC gun for the last year and a half. I know nothing about the Kahr as I have never owned or even shot one. I really like the Shield and I would recommend one for a carry gun. Mine has been 100% reliable and is reasonably accurate.

October 21, 2015, 10:38 AM	#19
osbornk Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2012 Location: Mountains of Appalachia Posts: 1,598	If it were me, I would use the current gun more to get more accustomed to it. The grip safety should not be an issue once you get accustomed to it. I suspect down deep, you just want to buy another gun.

October 21, 2015, 11:46 AM	#20
GunLuvr01 Member Join Date: February 26, 2015 Posts: 69	Hey guys, I appreciate the responses. I went to a LGS earlier and I was kind of surprised at his offer. He wanted me to pay him $50 difference for the Shield, and my XDS has four mags going with it. He claims that xds sales dropped, I don't know if thats actually true or not. Needless to say, I didn't go for it. I agree with the post saying I would be better off selling it privately. I will more than likely hang on to it for a while.

October 21, 2015, 12:04 PM	#21
erikrichard Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Posts: 160	Gun stores are worse than pawn shops or car dealers, their trade offers are a joke. Everyone advising you to sell privately is 100% correct.

October 21, 2015, 12:47 PM	#22
Tactical Jackalope Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2010 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 6,429	Don't like Kahr, don't like the XDS. Get the Shield Click here! Email Gurney and ask him for $300. See what he says and then pay the difference.

October 21, 2015, 03:16 PM	#23
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	What's the problem with the grip safety? Do you even notice it while shooting? I don't on my XD40 Sub Compact, or on my 1911 based pistols. __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

October 21, 2015, 03:53 PM	#24
khegglie Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2009 Posts: 387	the rule OP if $$ aren't an issue towards the change see Cheapshooter's rule. You can avoid later REGRETS.

October 21, 2015, 04:35 PM	#25
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,333	I have the XDS 9 3.3". I have a Kahr P40 DLC w/ night sights. I have shot the Sheild 40. Given a pure choice, I would get the Kahr, I think, but it is close to the XDS. If I had the XDS 9, I would not trade to the Kahr. I would just learn it....too much trouble switching and I like the grip safety. It is integral to my technique. Why don't you like the grip safety? You might try a PRP or Gallowey kit to improve your XDS trigger, if that is an issue to you. BTW, I consider both the Kahr and the XDS to be great guns with a slight edge to the Kahr, but the XDS's grip safety makes that close...