My new "BUG"...S&W M&P Shield 9mm...

[1894c]

RE-POST & UP-DATE: to begin with I LOVE GLOCKS....BUT, recently I sold my two Glocks (26 & 27) that I used when i serve with my LE Agency...to make a long story short...first off i am allowed to be armed, especially when i'm on patrol with other LEO's. so my handgun has been a Glock 27 (Agency approved) that i pocket carried on a daily basis and qualify with three times a year (7 years)...the holster that I've been using is an Uncle Mike's pocket holster (tried others--leather--plastic, but this worked real well especially when one needs to clear pistol from pocket).

about 60 days ago i was in the process of looking for an individual with 3 other LEO's--while looking, i ended up in heavy brush with small bushes and trees, suddenly i realized that a stick was poking me hard in the thigh, when i looked i discovered that the stick was poking through my uniform pants pocket, pushing hard against my pocket holster and was in the middle of the trigger guard...another inch forward and the Glock would have gone bang...it was at this point that i decided to re-think my choice...

UP-DATE: my LE-LGS called me last Tuesday and informed me that they received a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield in 9mm with my name on it (they have a .40S&W on order for me too). the Shield pistols are really hard to find, especially during this time of uncertainty...you can find them on gunbroker.com, but they want $550+, the normal civilian price is $429.00 and the LE price is $309.00.

Why did i chose the Shield, because it comes with an additional manual safety (see photo, safer in my mind)...it's Glock-like so i'm very familiar with it's operation, it's thinner, two single-stack magazines (one 7-shot, one w/ 8-shot w/ extended floor plate). I shot it briefly at our LE range, only 60+ rnds, shoots good, no issues, and it pocket carries real well...i thought i would share this, especially for those who are looking for a small 9mm or 40S&W pistol for CCW...Code-4

[olyinaz]

Those are nice pistols, I love my full size M&P, and the manual safety in the familiar 1911 position really adds a level of comfort for certain kinds of carry.

Great choice!

[Molasses]

I've had baby Glocks, KelTecs and Kahrs and found them all to have something I didn't like about each of them. So, of course I just went "Humbug!" about all the excitement over the release of the Shield.

Ended up buying the very first one I encountered "in person". I paid MSRP, but I'm happy with it. It's a .40, so I'm giving up a round from the 9mm version, but ammo is a little easier for me to find and it shares the chambering with my CZs, so that's all to the good. The safety is a nice feature and while the lever's pretty small, it hasn't been an issue outside of while trying to manipulate it left handed while attempting weak hand-only drills. Yet the safety lever is small enough and its movement is positive enough that I'd expect it to stay put if I ever want to trust that articulated trigger to be the only safety engaged.
I've got a few hundred rounds through my Shield, mostly HSTs and the like and it has functioned without a single failure to date. It's a keeper.

[MrMurphy]

You must have big pockets. Never been able to pocket carry a baby Glock.

The Shield's safety does require a pretty deliberate motion to move it, most guys seem to just run it with it off.

I won't use a Glock or similar pistol without a 'hard' holster (Kydex or leather), generally IWB as i can conceal a medium sized Glock that way in almost any condition in civvies.

Having done so for over a decade, the Shield is even easier to hide. Handled one, still waiting on mine to show up.

[1894c]

MrMurphy--i'm not a big guy just average in size and weight...had been pocket carrying my Baby Glocks for seven years, both in uniform pants and blue-jeans (made it work)--as I stated, tried other pocket holsters, but the Uncle Mikes work best for me...as far as the safety on the M&P Shield i think you'll be surprised, as I was, how serviceable the manual safety on the Shield is...hope yours comes soon, you're going to like it...i thought nothing would replace my Baby Glocks, but the Shield has... Code-4... :)

[Rusty]

If you get the "old guy" jeans instead of the boot cut cowboy skin tight style you'd be amazed at what you can carry in the pockets. I have carried a 3" M65 S&W in mine.

[1894c]

If you get the "old guy" jeans instead of the boot cut cowboy skin tight style you'd be amazed at what you can carry in the pockets. I have carried a 3" M65 S&W in mine.

RUSTY--you are so right...born and raised as a NY urban kid...didn't grow up with cowboy stuff (respect it), but for me it just doesn't work...i found that through determination that I could get a Baby Glock or a Ruger SP-101 to pocket carry...please see attached photo of the closest things to cowboy boots I ever owned...ok John Wayne didn't wear them, but if he was from my neighborhood he would have... :)

[Bill in Oregon]

30: Glad you made that discovery with the Glock before you had an AD wound!
I turned to the Springfield XDS because of the welcome grip safety.
Oh,, and I wore out a lot of Chuck Taylors growing up in Tacoma.

[86er]

The Glock would've worked with a MIC holster in the pocket or some other solution. You said you love Glocks. You know about the Glock kabooms (most common with g2 G21's). Well the blast goes out the mag well of the Glock. If you shove another mag in there you are back in business in spite of whether or not you are injured. I've seen an M&P kaboom and it blew the backstrap off the pistol. No one was hurt but the backstrap blew off the pistol and rendered it useless. I also know of an M&P that went off while the LEO was trying to holster in the car on the passenger side. The seatbelt was caught in the holster and somehow pressed the trigger in spite of the safety. Would have happend with the Glock too without a manual safety. The safety is between your ears, as they say. To me, the M&P is NOT a combat firearm. You can't spell WIMP without M & P.

[1894c]

To me, the M&P is NOT a combat firearm. You can't spell WIMP without M & P.

86er i respectfully disagree...but that's half the FUN of this forum...I've seen many M&P's in LEO holster's in my part of the world...the S&W M&P is making a huge real-world impact into the LE and Military community...the between-my-ear thing is always a good reminder...i and others find the M&P as street and combat ready as the Glock, it's just hard for some ancient Glock guys to realize that there's another choice, another option...and the M&P is USA made...as always I appreciate your comments and input... :)

[1894c]

You know about the Glock kabooms (most common with g2 G21's). Well the blast goes out the mag well of the Glock. If you shove another mag in there you are back in business in spite of whether or not you are injured.

86er--you mean like these Glock KaBooms, would like to see the owners holster these, let alone carry on in a street-fight...yikes...by the way not all kaBooms have been restricted to the .40short&week or blow through the mag well...i just love a good "urban legend"... :)