Smith & Wesson Shield .45 ACP, ???????

PolarFBear · January 14, 2019, 09:19 AM

I had pretty well decided on a Glock 30S for my next CCW. It offered all that I was looking for. Then, I "discovered" the S&W Shield 45. I was impressed with how it feels. And it is a LOT smaller than a Glock 30S. Plus, it carries almost the same round count. Who out there has actually shot a Shield 45? My LGS does not have one for rent or I'd give-it-a-whirl. My concern is that it is to light and small to handle the .45 acp. I have had a couple of AMT DAO 45s. They are heavier than the S&W and were a REAL handful. Very unrefined, uncomfortable and generally unpleasant. My current CCW is a Glock 19 Gen 4: a tip-top firearm. It replaced a S&W 3rd Gen 6906.

USNRet93 · January 14, 2019, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolarFBear

I had pretty well decided on a Glock 30S for my next CCW. It offered all that I was looking for. Then, I "discovered" the S&W Shield 45. I was impressed with how it feels. And it is a LOT smaller than a Glock 30S. Plus, it carries almost the same round count. Who out there has actually shot a Shield 45? My LGS does not have one for rent or I'd give-it-a-whirl. My concern is that it is to light and small to handle the .45 acp. I have had a couple of AMT DAO 45s. They are heavier than the S&W and were a REAL handful. Very unrefined, uncomfortable and generally unpleasant. My current CCW is a Glock 19 Gen 4: a tip-top firearm. It replaced a S&W 3rd Gen 6906.

No such thing as a free lunch...

krimmie · January 14, 2019, 09:31 AM

I bought the gen1 shield in .45 first, liked it so much I now have the 9mm too.

I think the .45 Shield shoots like a larger gun, surprisingly light recoil for its size. Everyone is different though, so it’s s good idea to get ahold of one before buying.

cxm · January 14, 2019, 01:12 PM

I bought one about six months ago...

It is a really good gun... accurate and drop dead reliable...

Mine has replaced my 9x19mm Shield for daily carry... it is easy to conceal and goes bang first time... every time.

I'd say get one...

FWIW

Chuck

hubris · January 14, 2019, 02:15 PM

Just in the early stages of new gun fever. Think I want a compact 45 such as Shield, XD-s, or XDe. LGS pushing Shield.

jcj54 · January 14, 2019, 03:14 PM

I have had a .45 shield for almost a year. I am very impressed with it, especially that the felt recoil is no greater than the 9mm. It has slighlty more muzzle flip, but is very controllable.
S&W hit a home run with this one.

223 shooter · January 14, 2019, 05:07 PM

Quote:

I bought the gen1 shield in .45 first, liked it so much I now have the 9mm too.

I think the .45 Shield shoots like a larger gun, surprisingly light recoil for its size. Everyone is different though, so it’s s good idea to get ahold of one before buying.

I went the other way , bought the Shield 9mm first - liked it so much bought the 45!

I'll second krimmie's comments on the 45 - was pleasantly surprised the first time out with the Shield 45 , I was expecting a lot more felt recoil. Was not harsh by any means.

I usually shoot 185 - 200 grain reloads in mine but have fired the heavy 230s as well. I too suggest trying one out , any ranges close by that rent?

dontcatchmany · January 14, 2019, 05:20 PM

I have two shield 45s and a 40.

Got a 45 with a Crimson Trace green laser and first shot was dead center of my aim. Probably 1500 rounds now and not a single problem.

Liked it so much that I got a Performance Center model last week and it, too, is very accurate.

Both are comfortable to shoot even with Underwood 230 gr +P bonded jhp at over 1000 fps. Can not remember for sure but I believe it is 1200 fps.

They are my daily pocket carry.

IMHO you will be getting pleased with the Shield 45.

IdaD · January 14, 2019, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dontcatchmany

Both are comfortable to shoot even with Underwood 230 gr +P bonded jhp at over 1000 fps. Can not remember for sure but I believe it is 1200 fps.

I don't think there's a 230 grain 45 ACP load out there that gives you 1200 FPS, especially out of a 3" barrel.

dontcatchmany · January 14, 2019, 06:51 PM

1,000 for with 230 gr +p bonded jhp Underwood.

Said I could not remember! I have been shooting several of their ammos of late. They have lighter loads and and the extreme varieties do shoot beyond 1200.

And I am not totally sure about the Shield 45 barrel velocity. The 230 gr Underwood shoots very accurately in the Shield 45.

But we both digress. My point was that the Shield 45 is a very good shooting subcompact 45. And, from my total usage very reliable.

Southrnshooter · January 15, 2019, 01:02 AM

I have a 45 Shield. Very soft shooting pistol considering the weight and caliber. Mine is extremely accurate too. I was chewing out the center on the bullseye at 7 yards with the first 3 mags.

I've shot the 9mm and 40 also. 9 is great but the 40 is pretty snappy. The 45 is more of a push, than a sharp snap. Really easy to get back on target with. I've shot 50 rounds of 230gn HST's which is my carry load plus probably another 300 or so rounds and not a single bobble. I love it..!!

**Spats McGee** · January 15, 2019, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hubris

Just in the early stages of new gun fever. Think I want a compact 45 such as Shield, XD-s, or XDe. LGS pushing Shield.

I have a 9mm Shield 1.0, and like it very much. Of the ones you've listed, the only one I've shot was an XD-s in .45, but I can say that in my limited experience with it, it was a surprisingly soft shooter.

hounddog409 · January 20, 2019, 03:48 PM

I personally prefer the compacts to the shields.

I would take a M&P compact over a glock every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

I have a 9c and absolutely love it.

claydoctor · January 20, 2019, 06:57 PM

Like some others, I bought the 9mm first. Resisted the idea of buying the .45 but then they had the rebate and online the actual cost was $250, so naturally, I said, what the hell? The recoil on the .45 is so slight, that my first thought was that S&W had somehow reversed the laws of physics. The gun is a winner !

Cornhusker77 · January 22, 2019, 09:31 PM

Big fan of the Shield .45 too.
I started with the .40, and as noted above, it's plenty snappy.
I added a 9mm to the stable, and it was quite a bit better, but when the rebates came out on the .45s, I had to have one.
Now, it's my most carried gun, and it's lots of fun at the range too.

mellow_c · January 23, 2019, 01:19 AM

After reading all this, I miss my 45 shield.

Kind of

I had one and put over 500 rounds through it. I LOVED it! It was very accurate, stayed put in my hands, and had a lot of punch!

It was a bit of a work out to shoot 100 rounds from it, but it was still enjoyable.

However, mine was extremely unreliable! I would experience any number of failures from that dang gun. I think I had something like 4-5 different progressions/types of failures from it. And I would experience on average about one failure for every 10 or 15 rounds fired. All with various different types of 230 grain FMJ factory ammo.

I sent the gun back to S&W 4 times! They ended up replacing the entire top half of the gun and all the magazines, and it still didn't solve the issues. I can say with absolute certainty that it was not shooter error, Absolute Certainty.

They finally offered me a replacement firearm, but by then I had honestly had my fill of shooting that little monster so I asked them if I could get ahold of an M&P 45C instead of another shield as a replacement. After considering all the time, energy and ammo I had put into that 45 shield they were kind enough to honor my request.

To tell the truth, I bought the shield just for something fun to shoot (little gun, big bullets) and boy oh boy could it shoot! Great trigger and one ragged hole at 7 yards when I focused. I do kind of miss it because it was a good gun, I just had a real lemon! Something must have been off with the frame but I will never know.I seriously considered going for another one (I'm sure the replacement would have been fine) but in the end I was glad that I chose the 45C. That is a very enjoyable pistol once you take care of the horrible factory trigger.

I also like the XDS in 45. I shot someone's at the range one day and was impressed. The geometry of that gun allows for great controllability, a good feel, and a feeling of straight back recoil, provided you add a little extra traction to the grip like skateboard tape or a sleeve of bicycle inner tube. The factory grips are a bit slick if I remember correctly while the grip on the 45 shield has plenty of traction!

I'm referring to the first generation of each handgun.

OhioGuy · January 23, 2019, 12:44 PM

There is nothing about the XD-E that is especially better or worse than any other single-stack pistol. I think the real question is "Do you want a DA/SA hammer-fired gun?"

If yes, get the XD-E and I don't think you'll regret it. I think it's a very competent gun in both 9 and .45.

If no, then try both the Shield and the XD-S, especially the newer Mod.2 grip version. They're both striker-fired, reliable and easy to use. Between them, get whichever fits your hand best. If you happen to like the ergos of the XD-E but don't want the DA/SA action, then get the XD-S.

rt11002003 · January 23, 2019, 01:19 PM

Took mine t the range again last week. Had taken my Kimber Micro9 the prior week. My .45ACP Shield is more manageable and more accurate. Wish I could have bought it at the prices folks have mentioned. Missed the rebate by a week, or so.

XDforever · January 23, 2019, 02:34 PM

I have both the 9mm and .45acp shields 1.0. Love them both. Very manageable recoil.

Joe

January 14, 2019, 09:19 AM	#1
PolarFBear Senior Member Join Date: April 22, 2015 Location: NE Tennessee, a "Free State" Posts: 478	Smith & Wesson Shield .45 ACP, ??????? I had pretty well decided on a Glock 30S for my next CCW. It offered all that I was looking for. Then, I "discovered" the S&W Shield 45. I was impressed with how it feels. And it is a LOT smaller than a Glock 30S. Plus, it carries almost the same round count. Who out there has actually shot a Shield 45? My LGS does not have one for rent or I'd give-it-a-whirl. My concern is that it is to light and small to handle the .45 acp. I have had a couple of AMT DAO 45s. They are heavier than the S&W and were a REAL handful. Very unrefined, uncomfortable and generally unpleasant. My current CCW is a Glock 19 Gen 4: a tip-top firearm. It replaced a S&W 3rd Gen 6906.

January 14, 2019, 01:12 PM	#4
cxm Member Join Date: October 11, 2004 Location: Tejas Posts: 40	My Shield 45 I bought one about six months ago... It is a really good gun... accurate and drop dead reliable... Mine has replaced my 9x19mm Shield for daily carry... it is easy to conceal and goes bang first time... every time. I'd say get one... FWIW Chuck

January 14, 2019, 03:14 PM	#6
jcj54 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2011 Posts: 218	.45 Shield I have had a .45 shield for almost a year. I am very impressed with it, especially that the felt recoil is no greater than the 9mm. It has slighlty more muzzle flip, but is very controllable. S&W hit a home run with this one.

January 14, 2019, 09:31 AM	#3
krimmie Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2007 Location: S. Florida Posts: 280	I bought the gen1 shield in .45 first, liked it so much I now have the 9mm too. I think the .45 Shield shoots like a larger gun, surprisingly light recoil for its size. Everyone is different though, so it’s s good idea to get ahold of one before buying.

January 14, 2019, 02:15 PM	#5
hubris Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2013 Location: SE Tn Posts: 122	Just in the early stages of new gun fever. Think I want a compact 45 such as Shield, XD-s, or XDe. LGS pushing Shield.

January 14, 2019, 05:20 PM	#8
dontcatchmany Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2010 Posts: 460	I have two shield 45s and a 40. Got a 45 with a Crimson Trace green laser and first shot was dead center of my aim. Probably 1500 rounds now and not a single problem. Liked it so much that I got a Performance Center model last week and it, too, is very accurate. Both are comfortable to shoot even with Underwood 230 gr +P bonded jhp at over 1000 fps. Can not remember for sure but I believe it is 1200 fps. They are my daily pocket carry. IMHO you will be getting pleased with the Shield 45.

January 14, 2019, 06:51 PM	#10
dontcatchmany Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2010 Posts: 460	1,000 for with 230 gr +p bonded jhp Underwood. Said I could not remember! I have been shooting several of their ammos of late. They have lighter loads and and the extreme varieties do shoot beyond 1200. And I am not totally sure about the Shield 45 barrel velocity. The 230 gr Underwood shoots very accurately in the Shield 45. But we both digress. My point was that the Shield 45 is a very good shooting subcompact 45. And, from my total usage very reliable.

January 15, 2019, 01:02 AM	#11
Southrnshooter Member Join Date: February 13, 2016 Posts: 18	I have a 45 Shield. Very soft shooting pistol considering the weight and caliber. Mine is extremely accurate too. I was chewing out the center on the bullseye at 7 yards with the first 3 mags. I've shot the 9mm and 40 also. 9 is great but the 40 is pretty snappy. The 45 is more of a push, than a sharp snap. Really easy to get back on target with. I've shot 50 rounds of 230gn HST's which is my carry load plus probably another 300 or so rounds and not a single bobble. I love it..!!

January 20, 2019, 03:48 PM	#13
hounddog409 Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2015 Posts: 115	I personally prefer the compacts to the shields. I would take a M&P compact over a glock every day of the week and twice on Sundays. I have a 9c and absolutely love it.

January 20, 2019, 06:57 PM	#14
claydoctor Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 450	Like some others, I bought the 9mm first. Resisted the idea of buying the .45 but then they had the rebate and online the actual cost was $250, so naturally, I said, what the hell? The recoil on the .45 is so slight, that my first thought was that S&W had somehow reversed the laws of physics. The gun is a winner !

January 22, 2019, 09:31 PM	#15
Cornhusker77 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2009 Posts: 219	Big fan of the Shield .45 too. I started with the .40, and as noted above, it's plenty snappy. I added a 9mm to the stable, and it was quite a bit better, but when the rebates came out on the .45s, I had to have one. Now, it's my most carried gun, and it's lots of fun at the range too.

January 23, 2019, 01:19 AM	#16
mellow_c Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,862	After reading all this, I miss my 45 shield. Kind of I had one and put over 500 rounds through it. I LOVED it! It was very accurate, stayed put in my hands, and had a lot of punch! It was a bit of a work out to shoot 100 rounds from it, but it was still enjoyable. However, mine was extremely unreliable! I would experience any number of failures from that dang gun. I think I had something like 4-5 different progressions/types of failures from it. And I would experience on average about one failure for every 10 or 15 rounds fired. All with various different types of 230 grain FMJ factory ammo. I sent the gun back to S&W 4 times! They ended up replacing the entire top half of the gun and all the magazines, and it still didn't solve the issues. I can say with absolute certainty that it was not shooter error, Absolute Certainty. They finally offered me a replacement firearm, but by then I had honestly had my fill of shooting that little monster so I asked them if I could get ahold of an M&P 45C instead of another shield as a replacement. After considering all the time, energy and ammo I had put into that 45 shield they were kind enough to honor my request. To tell the truth, I bought the shield just for something fun to shoot (little gun, big bullets) and boy oh boy could it shoot! Great trigger and one ragged hole at 7 yards when I focused. I do kind of miss it because it was a good gun, I just had a real lemon! Something must have been off with the frame but I will never know.I seriously considered going for another one (I'm sure the replacement would have been fine) but in the end I was glad that I chose the 45C. That is a very enjoyable pistol once you take care of the horrible factory trigger. I also like the XDS in 45. I shot someone's at the range one day and was impressed. The geometry of that gun allows for great controllability, a good feel, and a feeling of straight back recoil, provided you add a little extra traction to the grip like skateboard tape or a sleeve of bicycle inner tube. The factory grips are a bit slick if I remember correctly while the grip on the 45 shield has plenty of traction! I'm referring to the first generation of each handgun.

January 23, 2019, 12:44 PM	#17
OhioGuy Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2016 Posts: 1,089	There is nothing about the XD-E that is especially better or worse than any other single-stack pistol. I think the real question is "Do you want a DA/SA hammer-fired gun?" If yes, get the XD-E and I don't think you'll regret it. I think it's a very competent gun in both 9 and .45. If no, then try both the Shield and the XD-S, especially the newer Mod.2 grip version. They're both striker-fired, reliable and easy to use. Between them, get whichever fits your hand best. If you happen to like the ergos of the XD-E but don't want the DA/SA action, then get the XD-S.

January 23, 2019, 01:19 PM	#18
rt11002003 Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2014 Posts: 524	Took mine t the range again last week. Had taken my Kimber Micro9 the prior week. My .45ACP Shield is more manageable and more accurate. Wish I could have bought it at the prices folks have mentioned. Missed the rebate by a week, or so.

January 23, 2019, 02:34 PM	#19
XDforever Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2006 Location: North Texas Posts: 171	I have both the 9mm and .45acp shields 1.0. Love them both. Very manageable recoil. Joe