Thoughts/Experience with M&P Shield in .45acp?

Pops1911 · Dec 11, 2016

Hey everyone. My curiosity has peaked and am wondering if anyone has input on the .45 M&P Shield? I love my .45acp round and I have shot the Shield 9mm. Mashing these two together could maybe be a happy time for IWB carry. I have held one of the Shield 45's in a gun store and it felt very similar to the 9mm version. Thanks. Pops

IronMonster · Dec 11, 2016

I got no input but want to follow the thread. I own two 9MM shields and would like to add a .45

Pops1911 · Dec 11, 2016

Yeah that's my issue too. LOL

L84Cabo · Dec 11, 2016

On any subcompact and particularly one in 45 acp, go rent it and shoot it. Most are quite unpleasant. If you're comfortable with how it shoots, then the next step is deciding how comfortable you are with a short sight radius, low capacity single stack. Or that might be your first consideration. How do you feel about actually fighting with one of these weapons? What if you have to take a longer shot? What if you have to deal with multiple assailants? Or an actual mass shooting or terrorist attack given what is going on in our world today?

Only YOU can decide how comfortable you are with these things and using a sub compact gun like this.

Pops1911 · Dec 11, 2016

Thanks L84Cabo. Some of those same thoughts have been running through my head as well. Your named scenarios have already upped my daily carry to a .45 with a longer sight radius [not a short 9mm] especially if I am on the road or in the Big City. The sight radius thing is critical to these aging eyes.

MrMillspecer · Dec 11, 2016

You may want to look at the xd mod 2 .45 sub compact. 9 round capacity w the short mag 13 rounds w the extended plus one in the chamber. A lot of firepower for a small pistol. Conceals nice in a cheap uncle Mike's iwb holster. Real accurate and a soft shooting .45. My wifey could easily shoot it. 3.3" barrel and high vis sights as well. A man size target wouldn't stand a chance at 50 yards let alone 10.

L84Cabo · Dec 11, 2016

Pops1911 said:
Thanks L84Cabo. Some of those same thoughts have been running through my head as well. Your named scenarios have already upped my daily carry to a .45 with a longer sight radius [not a short 9mm] especially if I am on the road or in the Big City. The sight radius thing is critical to these aging eyes.

Welcome. Note that there are no wrong answer here. It's your life and/or the lives of your family so only you can decide what is appropriate. For me personally, once upon a time I felt very comfortable with a sub compact single stack. They sure carry nicely. But the world seems to get crazier day by day. I've read too many stories, of late, about the shenanigans going on. I don't know if you caught that story I posted recently from the 1911 forum on the guy that had the home invasion?? Stories like that really bring thing homes for me and make me think the highest priority should be given to carrying a gun you actually would want to fight with.

Accordingly, most of my daily carry these days seems to be with a 4 inch M&P 45 with 10+1 and a 14 round backup. It's funny but I carry appendix and the big 14 round mag is almost more of a challenge to carry than the gun. The gun is easy in a JM Custom AIWB WC rig and I really don't notice it anymore than my sub compact XDs. A good holster and belt combo REALLY helps!

Do go shoot the 45 before you buy it if you're really considering it. I don't find my 3.3 in XDs 9mm all that pleasant to shoot so I can't imagine what it would be like in 45. Perhaps the Shield handles the recoil better however. And none of this really matters when carrying because you can deal with anything in a gun fight. But I find myself dreading training with the sub compact...which obviously isn't good. And if you do go shoot it, let us know what you think. I've always been curious about the Shield and particularly the .45.

Larrabee · Dec 11, 2016

MrMillspecer said:
You may want to look at the xd mod 2 .45 sub compact. 9 round capacity w the short mag 13 rounds w the extended plus one in the chamber. A lot of firepower for a small pistol. Conceals nice in a cheap uncle Mike's iwb holster. Real accurate and a soft shooting .45. My wifey could easily shoot it. 3.3" barrel and high vis sights as well. A man size target wouldn't stand a chance at 50 yards let alone 10.

The XD mod 2 .45 sub compact is a sweet gun no doubt, something worth looking into. The shield in 45 is too, but I'd choose the XD. Actually, I'd take the M&P45c over both but that's just my preference.

As always, hickok45 gives a good review.

U8395279 · Dec 11, 2016

I would say consider going with the S&W M&P 40c instead. It is just a bit thicker, and you get 10+1 rounds of .40 S&W. 11 rounds vs 7 rounds? That is an advantage, in my book.

The gun is very easy to control rapid fire. Take a look at Hickok45 shooting it with 180 gr heavy bullets:

poomero · Feb 16, 2017

I have the shield in .45 and love it. Very accurate and a very easy to handle gun. I have shot mine and a 9mm back to back and I feel the .45 is less snappy and a better shooter.

old11bravo · Feb 17, 2017

My pops just bought the Shield in .45. He's 79 years old. He carried the 9mm Shield for years and tried out the .45 several times before he actually bought it. He loves his Shield in .45 and like others have said here, he thinks the difference in recoil between the 9mm and the .45 is imperceptible.

He wants to sell the 9mm Shield now.

1fastss · Feb 23, 2017

I have had my .45 Shield for about 4 months now. Probably about 500 rounds with not one hiccup. Had a Shield 9 before and the .45 shoots as good or better. Better trigger and feels better in hand for me. I have a new Walther pps m2 also so I sold the 9 shield. No regrets at all,love it!

jrd541280 · Feb 23, 2017

One thing about a shield, it fires everytime you pull the trigger. About 45cal shield? Thinking there will be lots of dna for the forensic dicks to collect.

. Just me.

TM-Salem · Mar 5, 2017

Im really thinking of selling my 9mm shield and getting one in 45.. wish I would have known they were coming out with a 45 version before I purchased the 9mm.

Pops1911 · Mar 6, 2017

After much thinking and comparing I finally went with a CZ 75D pcr in 9mm. Two reasons I guess. 1. I already have some nice all metal 1911s in 45acp. 2. I actually prefer all metal firearms. That being said the Shield 9mm will still be a part of the carry pieces. I will forgive that it is not all metal. [nice guy, huh?]