Snub nose or Shield?

[teddy12b]

When I started to carry it was either a G26 or G19, but I work where I need to have a shirt tucked in and when I carried IWB I always ended up getting my back banged up one one way or another. I don't think putting a wedge inside a belt and cinching it down is good for my spine. Seems to work for everyone else, just not me so I switched to pocket carry.

Initially I went with a S&W 642, but in training classes or doing any kind of drills really sucks with 5rds and a slow reload. Personally I carry spare ammo on speed strips in the other pocket. I found that hornady american gunner 125gr XTP shoot very well out of my gun and I don't think it's too much to manage for me.

After a while of this, I missed the speed of a magazine reload, but just as importantly I missed being able to have a tritium night sight. For those reasons I really liked everything I read about the shield when it came out and eventually I bought one. I've pocket carried a gen1 for years, then switched to a gen 2 with factory nights when that came out. The shield is a time proven, rock solid, top notch pistol that you can bet your life on once it's proven itself with enough of a round count.

Something you may want to consider and something I've looked at quite a bit is the Sig P365. It's the same size as the shield, but more ammo. The only reason I haven't bought one and made the switch is because I think they still have a primer strike issue, but when/if that ever gets dialed in I'd make the move in a heartbeat all other things being equal.

 

[edporch]

I carried a S&W 9mm Shield with 7 + 1 round Magazine as a pocket pistol for a few years.
(The 8 + 1 round magazine's length stuck out of my pocket)
I liked it fine.

THEN I found the Sig P365.
With the 12 + 1 round magazine, the P365 is about identical in profile to the 7 + 1 Shield, and only weighs a few more grams.
The 12+1 P365 is the logical choice for a concealed pistol over the 7 + 1 Shield.

 

[teddy12b]

I carried a S&W 9mm Shield with 7 + 1 round Magazine as a pocket pistol for a few years.
(The 8 + 1 round magazine's length stuck out of my pocket)
I liked it fine.

THEN I found the Sig P365.
With the 12 + 1 round magazine, the P365 is about identical in profile to the 7 + 1 Shield, and only weighs a few more grams.
The 12+1 P365 is the logical choice for a concealed pistol over the 7 + 1 Shield.

It's on my list to put through a trial for sure. Seems like any time I get close to buying one I read reviews of newly produced models still getting the striker drag and I put that on hold for a bit longer.

 

[Tactically Fat]

...striker drag...

There's a reason that Glock's striker is the shape that it is.

 

[edporch]

It's on my list to put through a trial for sure. Seems like any time I get close to buying one I read reviews of newly produced models still getting the striker drag and I put that on hold for a bit longer.

I waited for awhile til I got my P365, an 01 DEC 2018.
I've not had any problem with it.

Yes, they did have some early issues.
But when I see the the Indiana State Police selected it as their back-up duty firearm, they must have confidence in it.

No firearm made won't have ones from the factory that have warranty issues.

Even Glocks that many people swear by have issues sometimes.

For example, I bought a Glock 21 some years ago that was a Jam-O-Matic.
It wouldn't even fire one magazine without jamming.

I sent it back to Glock, and they claim to have fixed it, but it STILL jammed, just not as much.

I finally sold it to a friend CHEAP, telling him about the problem.
He ended up having a private gunsmith fix it.

https://www.policemag.com/510876/in...-sig-sauer-p365-as-their-back-up-duty-firearm

 

[Denny347]

How often are these "deep concealment" times? Considering how remote it is that you will need to shoot another human being and then add to that the infrequency of your "deep concealment" times makes gun play even MORE remote. So carry the smallest handgun you can shoot reliably/accurately and carry on about your day.

 

[BE Mike]

It's on my list to put through a trial for sure. Seems like any time I get close to buying one I read reviews of newly produced models still getting the striker drag and I put that on hold for a bit longer.

Striker drag is a non-issue. I've got over 1,400 rounds through my Sig P365 with no problems, but to each his own.

 

[dan45]

On me the S&W 442 prints more than my Kahr CW9. I carry both IWB. Also the Smith is harder to hit anything with.

 

[BE Mike]

On me the S&W 442 prints more than my Kahr CW9. I carry both IWB. Also the Smith is harder to hit anything with.

Agreed. The older I get the smaller those j frame sights seem to get. I cut my teeth on revolvers, but I shoot my autos better.

 

[1nderbeard]

shield. more rounds, equal or greater firepower in terms of ft pounds. (Probably) much more accurate.

 

[Route 45]

Shield is not a pocket gun. It really is not even a deep concealment gun. I am a big fan of the single stack 9s but they are best used with a good belt.

I used to have a Shield .45 and pocket carried it all the time. I now pocket carry a Sig P365 with the 12 round mag every day. It's not about the gun, it's about the pocket. And the pocket holster.

If I am going to belt carry, I see no reason to go with anything less than one of my compact double-stack 9mm pistols. (M&P compact 2.0 or CZ P10c)

IMO, snubby revolvers are useless. Crap sights, crap trigger, low capacity, slow reloads, stout recoil with good defensive ammo. Sure, great "get off me" guns, if you can choose your own lethal encounter. Better to be prepared for a wider range of possibilities.

 

[teddy12b]

I'd also agree that a Shield can be used as a pocket gun, but it's 100% dependent on what pants you wear. I'm 6-0 and 255# full figured guy who does athletic stuff. The size of clothes I wear and like lend themselves to having larger pockets. Cabelas makes khaki pants with deep wide pockets that work well for carrying a postol as does duluth trading company. For me, I have several years of proving that pocket carry is a thing that works.

About the only time I take my S&W642 over my shield is when I'll be in dress pants and I find it prints just a touch less than my shield.

A huge part of pocket carry is the holster. Currently I haven't found anything that works better than an Uncle Mikes cheapo. I was really excited and looking forward to the blue force gear pocket holster because it's probably less than half as thick as the uncle mikes but the one I bought never quite fit just right and didn't release the gun so I canned it. I'd be curious if those work well with the P365s.

 

[gregkl]

I feel like I'm on a seesaw, lol!

I might have to take TF's advice and buy both! I do appreciate all the feedback. I just asked my brother if he was still carrying his LCR. He has been for about 3 years now and carries it 90% of the time. He bought a Shield but it prints too much for him being just under a T-shirt.

I am leaning towards the Shield at this point mostly because it will be so close to my Compact as far as manual of arms. I'll get the 2.0 without the safety so I can feel better about having just sold my previous Shield.

When you compare the Shield to a J-Frame they are so close in overall size, you'd think there wouldn't be much difference in printing when carrying OWB.

 

[700 LTR 223]

I carried a S&W 9mm Shield with 7 + 1 round Magazine as a pocket pistol for a few years.
(The 8 + 1 round magazine's length stuck out of my pocket)
I liked it fine.

THEN I found the Sig P365.
With the 12 + 1 round magazine, the P365 is about identical in profile to the 7 + 1 Shield, and only weighs a few more grams.
The 12+1 P365 is the logical choice for a concealed pistol over the 7 + 1 Shield.

I too have owned a Shield for a few years now but with the recent purchase of a P365 the Shield is going into retirement! The grip of the Shield feels downright bulky compared to the P365. What impresses me about the size of the P365 is not how it compares to the Shield but to my Glock 42 , which of course is a 380.


There is a P365 under the Glock! The P365 is of course not as slim as the G42 and weighs more. At the store I told the salesman how the P365 grip reminded me of the G42 but did not realize the profile was so similar.

 

[medcoxo]

I am a big fan of the Glock 42 .380 single stack.

 

[Route 45]

Shoot Point Blank has Shield 2.0 9mm on sale this weekend:

 

[gregkl]

Shoot Point Blank has Shield 2.0 9mm on sale this weekend:

I just got that e-mail. I may just grab one. I haven't seen it that low anywhere online and when you add the FFL fee, the PB deal looks even better.

 

[roscott]

I know you’re getting conflicting info, but...



I have both, and carry both. However, they both mostly fill the same purpose: a small, lightweight summer gun. And the j frame gets selected 90% of the time.

The .38 just fills the “small gun” role better. When I go to grab the Shield, I usually end up just stepping up to a larger gun that I shoot better and am more comfortable with. The .38 goes with me golfing, biking, working etc because it so easily disappears in a pocket, and there is no chance of it accidentally being seen.

 

[NKBJ]

Seeing the better 2/3's bounce a tomato can across the back yard with a hammerless air weight revolver amazed me.
It's what she wanted, to be able to shoot through the front of her purse without jamming (to shoot if needed without pulling her hand out of the shoulder bag) and she mastered shooting it with accuracy in no time.
That was when we lived down south. Nowadays on the corn tundra I can well see the logic in what spycraft taught in WWII for cold country, that pistols jam in your coat pocket because the empties don't fly away. Double action revolvers don't jam.

 

[Bigtanker]

Our LGS up north here. Good through Oct. 3rd.