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Shield 9 vs .40

6K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  The Happy Kaboomer 
#1 ·
I have shot both the 9mm as well as the .40.
I carry the 9mm Shield as my preferred concealed weapon.
I find there is one more round of the 9mm vs the .40.
What is the thought of which one to carry as the concealed carry choice. One more round, or a little more punch in one less rounds?
 
#2 ·
The number of rounds held is a secondary consideration, Being able to consistently and accurately put shots on target should be the priority with any chosen weapon. At the gun shop I hear possible buyers first question be how many does it hold? ​If you're comfortable with a 9mm and can shoot it well , one round less capacity makes little difference.
 
#6 ·
It's not how many shots you have, it's not how many magazines you carry, it's not the size of the bullet (.044 isn't going to change anything), it's not who gets the 1st shot or even the 1st hit, it's who gets the 1st good hit. Shot placement wins. Carry what shoots best for you.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I shoot both about equal. Over the years I have had a couple of the S&W Shield 9mm and seem to keep going back to them again and again. Not sure if it's even worth buying another now and going through the time and effort to break in another. I was curious what others thought about the differences between the two.
I like the 40, but just a tad snappier then the 9 but not enough to really change anything. I love a .45 cal but not the bulk.
 
#11 ·
The answer to your question is based upon how much you train, and how efficiently you can accurately follow through and shoot accurately.

If you train to manage the recoil, the larger round makes sense, especially if you shoot accurately under stress.

If not, go for the extra round, and start training more intensely.

I personally prefer a .40 or a .45, but often carry a 9mm (my favorite now is a Shield in 9mm or a HK P30SK in 9mm. My .40 carry is a SIG P229 and my .45 Carry is a M1911a1 or Springfield XD).
 
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#12 ·
I carried the 40 caliber round for years as a EDC. First in the S&W 4013 TSW. It shot great and I liked it a lot. Then I bought a Glock 27. It was my favorite gun for a very long time. I probably shot it better than any other gun I own. The 40 caliber is a great round and very manageable. I now carry a revolver mostly for ease of operation.
 
#13 ·
First I should say that I have been a member of this forum for some time, but took an absence and now can't seem to sign back in so I had to start all over again.
At age 68, I have done a lot of shooting in my time using the S&W 586 wheel gun with great success in competitions.
I have been carrying the M&P .45, 9 shield, and various others but seem to keep coming back to the Shield for comfort. The 40 I was shooting was the slightly larger model with stacked magazine helping to take up a little of the snappiness of the caliber. Like most, the gun started sitting in the house more and more until it just became the "house gun". I prefer to have the same weapon for carry as I do for the house to assure I get same amount of range time. The 40 went to a better home...
I enjoy the 9 as well as the 40, but then again I also enjoy the .45, .38, .357, and the little .380. I just don't see the need for all of them sitting in the safe any more so they were adopted out!
Thank you Wendy for the welcome...It does feel good to be back in the forum. My ham radio hobby has been a little too demanding of my time the past few years, but I think I can now share my time between hobbies once again.
 
#14 ·
I have a 3rd gen and a shield in .40 . i find there not to be too much difference between the 9 and .40 in felt recoil nor recovery time between my 9 & .40 3rd gens and theshield is not bad to shoot at all.
 
#15 ·
Having acquired both 9mm and .40 Shields, both standards and Performance Center models, I sold the first, a standard 9mm and replaced it with a .40 Performance Center model. Loved the trigger, so then I bought a 9mm Performance Center model. Comparing the two Performance Center Shields, what really made the difference for me was the trigger; I shot the .40 better than the 9mm. That trigger made the difference for me -strangely enough because the 9mm trigger was lighter. Since then I have acquired another standard CA-compliant .40 Shield. I decided to hang onto it primarily because I am comfortable with the trigger. If memory serves me correctly, the second standard model (.40 cal.) has a better trigger than that first standard model in 9mm. In the past I carried a .45 Colt Officer's Model (lightweight alloy frame) and was happy with it. I now carry the Shield because it's lighter and slimmer -more concealable. Like several have said, it boils down to what you shoot the best when the chips are down. Thumbs up for the Shield!
 
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