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Should I trade in my Jframe for a Shield?

6K views 45 replies 37 participants last post by  cphilip 
#1 ·
I am thinking of trading in y Jframe for a M&P Shield in 9mm. I use a LCP for pocket carry. I also use a Commander sized 1911 and a Glock 19 for concealed carry. I can get about $250 for a trade in on my Jframe. The Shield is $409.99 BUT I will have to order and it will take around 30 days they tell me.

I think the Shield will be a nice carry gun that will fill the gap between my Glock 19 and my LCP.

Should I trade it in?
 
#3 ·
It depends. Does the j frame have an internal lock? If yes, the trade would be no big deal. If the j frame does NOT have an internal lock, then I would keep it.
 
#13 ·
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I concur!
 
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#4 ·
Personally - I would. But that's me. If in doubt keep the Jframe, buy a Shield & decide later. Maybe once you have the Shield you'll hate it (doubtful from everything I've heard). In that case you'd still have the Jframe.
 
#41 ·
Life is way too short to have a pistol that you dont enjoy shooting. I just got rid of a kahr cm9 that was a good little pistol,
But the long trigger was bothersome to me. I would go from my 45c to the kahr, and wouldnt maintain decent accuracy.

I just purchased a Shield in 40.

Two m&ps are just what the doctor ordered

Also...... I have changed my opinion on pocket carry. I purchased the CM9 to put in a pocket.

When i was honest with myself, I couldnt draw a semi quickly from a pocket.

(try the tueller drill).

For me, the shield is a great IWB pistol. Fast enough and light enough that you dont have to put a pistol in the pocket
 
#12 ·
The Shield appears to be a good little gun. The jframe is a proven workhorse that thousands upon thousands have relied on over the years. It would be difficult for me to trade in something that proven for the new wonder kid on the block.

That said, unless your gun is in poor condition they sell for more than $250 around here. If you decide to get rid of it you may want to sell it rather than trade it. Would probably cover more of your cost for the Shield.
 
#17 ·
A pre-lock, J frame (sized) revolver is, IMHO, part of any well thought-out assembly of SD handguns. The utility of a J frame is proven & impossible to deny. Since you already have an LCP, G19 & Commander it appears you have most of the autoloader options well-covered. If you just subjectively DON'T LIKE the J frame, don't trade it @ $250. Sell it for $325 (or sell it to me for $275). J frames are too popular to take a beating on getting rid of one. Sounds to me like you've simply got a case of Shield-envy.:hand5:
 
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#19 ·
Yeah I guess I do have a case of shield envy lol.

I have been wanting a single stack 9mm for maybe about 1-2 years. At first I was going to get a Kahr PM9 or a CM9. The PM9 was too expensive and the Kahrs are nice but they didn't wow me. The Ruger LC9 are priced right but it looks just like my LCP. When the Shield came out I was wowed before I even handled one. I love the way M&Ps shoot, feel, and look. So when theShield came out it seemed like exactly what I have been waiting for. On top of that the price is right.
 
#18 ·
Handguns are extremely subjective. I love revolvers and hate shooting semi-automatics. I gave my brother-in-law my Ruger 45 acp after owning it 20 years. I also gave him the box of ammo I bought with the gun - and it was over half full. He loves it.

Life is too short to waste on a gun you don't enjoy shooting.
 
#24 ·
If it was me, yes I'd sell or trade in the J-frame and buy the Shield. The Shield is slimmer to carry, more comfortable to shoot, more accurate with a longer sight radius and better sights, holds 7+1 or 8+1 rounds vs. only 5 for a J-frame, and the ammo is a lot less expensive so it's more affordable to shoot a lot. If you can afford it, I don't see how you could go wrong keeping the J-frame and adding the Shield to your collection. Whatever you decide, have fun. :smile:
 
#26 ·
Wheel guns can't get no respect! I've got NOTHING against the M&P Shield. Great design, it's on my short list. But there are just too many situations (Bass fishing in Cotton Mouth territory comes to mind) where a revolver is simply better-suited than an autoloader. As for ammo costs, if you're gonna' practice enough for that to really make the difference, then you'll be a good enough shot that it won't matter WHAT you carry. I'm reminded of what my dear ol' Pappy used to say, "a good golfer practices while a bad golfer...buys new clubs". But it's yours to do as you choose.
 
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#27 ·
Wheel guns can't get no respect! I've got NOTHING against the M&P Shield. Great design, it's on my short list. But there are just too many situations (Bass fishing in Cotton Mouth territory comes to mind) where a revolver is simply better-suited than an autoloader.
I've read a lot of people say how much more versatile a revolver is and I'd love to be educated on this point. So apparently they are somehow better for Bass fishing in Cotton Mouth territory, although I cannot fathom why. I had a borrowed J-frame for about 4 months earlier this year and other than the ability to shoot through a pocket or with the muzzle in contact with an attacker (I did not test either of these), I can't list a lot of ways a revolver is more better-suited. Can someone 'splains it to me?
 
#31 ·
If you trade it in, you will no longer be able to say "dame" when referring to a woman, or "fella" when referring to a man, or "joe" when referring to coffee. Wingtips will also be on the forbidden shoes list as well.
 
#32 ·
simple answer

If you bought it to try and it just does not trip your trigger, let it go. You have others and judging from your comments you seem to have a rationale for each of them. If the j frame does not fit your personal scheme, so be it. I personally have four snubbies and enjoy them all. I often slip one into a pocket for quick runs. I sort of view them as pocket knives of the gun world. Just really handy at times. Way to many choices out there to stick with something that does not make you happy, I say move the j frame along and try another. Good-luck in your decision.
 
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