S&W .45 M&P Shiled

[mfllood3800]

Just picked one up- Anyone have issues with theirs or are they a pleasure to group.

I like the ability with this one to adj both front and rear sights left and right- something my other 10mm didn't have.

I also see a set of aftermarket height adj sights for this- has anyone had to utilize these for height?
Most hand guns I shoot tend to be low and left.

This is out to 25-45 yards

 

[Laelkhunter]

My Dept issued the S&W M&P .45 I purchased the 9mm Shield for off-duty carry, and also have the M&P .45 Compact. They both have fixed sights, and no thumb safety. We never had any problems with the weapons themselves, they always functioned properly even with minimal maintenance. The main downfall I found is the heavy (almost 8 pound ) trigger pull for the .45 pistol. I am a Range Officer/Firearms Instructor with the Dept, and we had difficulty getting some of the Deputies to be able to master the heavy trigger pull, and the recoil of the .45 I personally prefer the .45 for duty, but some officers can't handle the recoil.
We have since transitioned to the Glocks in 9mm (34 for duty, 17 for Detective/Plain Clothes), and we have not had any deputy fail to qualify when shooting the qualification course the first time with the newly issued pistol.
I personally still carry my M&P Compact .45 off-duty, and occasionally the 9mm Shield. I think they are good guns, and mine are more accurate than the Glocks I own and am issued.

 

[mfllood3800]

I have the compact .45, and the trigger pull is heavy for sure.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Lots of good reviews and a couple of bad reviews on the Shield. You can always get a trigger kit which makes it much nicer. Typically for a right hander low and left means yanking on the trigger.

 

[Laelkhunter]

With the heavier trigger pull, you might tend to put more finger in the trigger for better leverage. This causes the shots to go left of point of aim. When you try to compensate for muzzle flip and recoil, you tend to "dip" the barrel in anticipation of recoil. This causes the shots to "go low". Proper trigger control is very important. However, if you are shooting a 2 inch group at 25 yards, and it is going low and left, it could be in need of sight adjustment. If, however, your group is 12 inches, and some of the shots are spread out low and right (or left), it is not necessarily a fault of the pistol, but could be a shooter problem. Dry firing does help work on your shooting fundamentals, but you know when dry firing that there will be no recoil, so you can control the trigger and the sights won't move when the striker falls. Then you go to the range, and after you load the weapon to fire the first shot, it might be on target. Then you realize it still recoils, and your shots start going "low and left" again trying to compensate for recoil.
Have someone load your magazines with dummy rounds mixed with live rounds, and then shoot the pistol like that. If the front sight moves when the striker falls on an empty chamber, you know you are not doing something right, and not exercising proper trigger control.

 

[mfllood3800]

Here is my target at 25 yards
This Shield shoots as it should
the Witness on the other hand, has something going on

I have pretty good trigger pull. But when a gun is set up correctly I can usually work with it.

I love the Shield .45
Great shooter right out of the box other than the heavy trigger.
May have to look into the trigger kit.

 

[Beendare]

With the heavier trigger pull, you might tend to put more finger in the trigger for better leverage. This causes the shots to go left of point of aim. When you try to compensate for muzzle flip and recoil, you tend to "dip" the barrel in anticipation of recoil. This causes the shots to "go low". Proper trigger control is very important. However, if you are shooting a 2 inch group at 25 yards, and it is going low and left, it could be in need of sight adjustment. If, however, your group is 12 inches, and some of the shots are spread out low and right, it is not necessarily a fault of the pistol, but could be a shooter problem. Dry firing does help work on your shooting fundamentals, but you know when dry firing that there will be no recoil, so you can control the trigger and the sights won't move when the striker falls. Then you go to the range, and after you load the weapon to fire the first shot, it might be on target. Then you realize it still recoils, and your shots start going "low and left" again trying to compensate for recoil.
Have someone load your magazines with dummy rounds mixed with live rounds, and then shoot the pistol like that. If the front sight moves when the striker falls on an empty chamber, you know you are not doing something right, and not exercising proper trigger control.

^^ exactly...great post.

I have the Shield in 9mm and due to the small size have a hard time not putting too much trigger finger into it. It takes some getting used to and I have to spend some time with it after shooting other pistols to dial it in. 9mm is plenty for that little gun, I wouldn't want it in .45 or .40.

I have the Apex kit in mine...big difference.

 

[mfllood3800]

I have the shield in the 9 as well. My .45 is a much better gun in this set up IMO. The 9 is fine don't get me wrong, but it doesn't group at bulls eye any where close to .45, at least not for me. I need to move the sight on my 9 and get it dialed in. The .45 came spot on out of the box, as seen in the pic with that group. The 9 is much more to the left.

I will say the .45 is no where near as violent as I expected. Super sweet cal in this shield line up.