[AzQkr]

My Shield 45 shoots so instinctively and as instinctively as my 1911's, FOR ME.

The grip angle of a 1911 which I have fired over 600K rds through in one guise or another for 40+ years is 18 degrees. The grip angle on the Shield 45acp? It's matches the 1911 with an 18 degree grip angle. Now I understand why my shield 45 shoots so well in my hands naturally and how it came to replace the 1911's presently in the rotation.

One less round, 19 ounces lighter loaded, what's not to like about it?

Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Shield Review

 

[ghost tracker]

Grip angle has always, for me, been a major factor regarding "natural POA". Pick a dot on the wall with your (unloaded) pistol in your holster. With eyes closed, draw and present your pistol, aiming for the spot you believe the dot to be. Now open your eyes & notice how close you got? If your previous shooting experience was with 1911 or BHP, your new GLOCK will be aimed ABOVE the dot. If your an experienced GLOCKist, and you've got a new 1911 derivative, my money says you'll be...BELOW the dot. It's all about pre-conditioning.
Glad the Shield gives you the same "braille" sight picture. :congrats:

 

[AzQkr]

I shot the shield every bit as good as my 1911's naturally, right from the first shots. That really surprised me. Besides the fact the recoil is negligible, the trigger is more than manageable due to extensive work with glocks I have, the aggressive grip stippling which keeps in locked into the hand, eveyrthing just fell into place automatically with this gun.

It was just another piece of the puzzle for me in trying to figure out why this shield shoots so naturally for me, now I understand better the results from day one with this gun. I'd have not believed a small gun like this could hold it's own with the 1911's in my hand/s, but it has and continues to do so.

 

[HoustonB77]

I'm glad to see you are really liking it. I have yet to handle the 45 version but would love to get one in my hands. I bet it is a dream to carry OWB.

 

[OldChap]

I will not hold one....I will not hold one....I will not hold one.....I will hold one....OH NO!

 

[AzQkr]

I'm glad to see you are really liking it. I have yet to handle the 45 version but would love to get one in my hands. I bet it is a dream to carry OWB.

Yup, it's up on the belt owb and disappears with hardly a notice of any weight on the belt. Fast to deploy from the holster with the shorter barrel length/.

 

[Gabill]

You guys are killing me about the Shield 45. I love my 1911s, but love carrying the 9mm shield. I am staying away just because I know I'll have to take one home.

 

[Mike1956]

My Shield 45 shoots so instinctively and as instinctively as my 1911's, FOR ME.

The grip angle of a 1911 which I have fired over 600K rds through in one guise or another for 40+ years is 18 degrees. The grip angle on the Shield 45acp? It's matches the 1911 with an 18 degree grip angle. Now I understand why my shield 45 shoots so well in my hands naturally and how it came to replace the 1911's presently in the rotation.

One less round, 19 ounces lighter loaded, what's not to like about it?

Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Shield Review

And everybody thinks I had these Glocks modified simply because I didn't think they were ugly enough in stock offerings. Now my secret is out:

 

[Rooster]

It's funny the generational differences. I was brought up on fantastic plastics and striker fired pistols. I guess I never really thought about it, but I've struggled with the offerings that have a 1911 style grip angle. Nothing some training won't fix. I just don't own any guns with a 1911 style grip angle so I'm unable to get in consistent practice and range time.

Great article on the 1911 (18 degrees) vs Glock (22 degrees) grip angle.

Personally, I think it's like you said, whatever you're used to.

 

[bill35738]

Of course you " like " Gabills post AzQkr YOU got HIM started!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mike1956]

Of course you " like " Gabills post AzQkr YOU got HIM started!!!!!!!!!

In that case, under no circumstances should we mention threat-focused shooting.

 

[SouthernBoyVA]

My Shield 45 shoots so instinctively and as instinctively as my 1911's, FOR ME.

The grip angle of a 1911 which I have fired over 600K rds through in one guise or another for 40+ years is 18 degrees. The grip angle on the Shield 45acp? It's matches the 1911 with an 18 degree grip angle. Now I understand why my shield 45 shoots so well in my hands naturally and how it came to replace the 1911's presently in the rotation.

One less round, 19 ounces lighter loaded, what's not to like about it?

Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Shield Review

I just put my last 1911 on consignment sale this morning: a Kimber Classic Custom. I still have two .45's and one is my new (as in this past January) M&P 45 Shield. And like you I think it is a great compact .45 for general carry. I have two holsters for it and I agree with how you found it shoots. I was very surprised, pleasantly I might add, how it handled and how quickly I was able to get back on target for such a light .45 pistol. It really does handle recoil very well.

While it doesn't live in my primary carry stable, it most definitely lives in my secondary carry stable. A fine little gun that deserves serious consideration from anyone looking to pickup a small, high quality .45ACP pistol.


POSTSCRIPT
I just read the review article you included and I would take issue with the writer's opinion of the more aggressive texture on the 45 Shield's grip. I like it and it does immediate grab my shooting and support hands' attention. The only problem I have had with this texturing is when carrying inside of a shirt against bear skin. That is why I have two holsters for it. One holster (DeSantis Mini Scabbard bellt) offers a closer to the body fit for a little deeper concealment. The down side is the texture can be a nuisance against bare skin. My other holster (Fobus Evolution belt) positions the gun slightly away from the body and solves the problem of any skin abrasion from the texturing.

During my time at the range with this gun, my hands never felt scuffed or like they had been beaten up by the aggressive texture. All was well in that department.

 

[maxwell97]

And everybody thinks I had these Glocks modified simply because I didn't think they were ugly enough in stock offerings. Now my secret is out:

There's something else weird about the Glock grips, besides just the angle, I think. Here's a photo from the web of a 17 and a 19:



If you look just at the curvature of the back of the grip, you can see that they don't follow the same profile; the "hump" starts higher on the grip on the G19. In other words, starting with a G17 grip and reducing the length, they didn't just take material off of the bottom; it's as if they cut out a half-inch in the middle.

What I find odd about this is that you'd think they would keep that profile the same. Love or hate the G17 grip, that's what Glock went with, so why modify it in such a way that the compact version actually fits the hand differently than the full-size? It suggests to me that they never put much thought into ergonomics to begin with. Which probably isn't a great surprise to anybody, I suppose, but I think most folks attribute their love/hate of the Glock grip to he angle alone, and it seems to be more complex than that. As relates to the Shield in question, I wonder if it might be more than just the grip angle matching a 1911, as well.

This is actually why I paid an extra $60 to get a G23 instead of a G22. I'd have no problem concealing either, but the G23 gen4 just fit my hand a lot better than the G22 gen4.

 

[Dave909]

Stop giving comparisons of the Shield to the 1911, mine can read and you're hurting their feelings :biggrin2: I know several people with them though and they all love them. Hell I don't know, maybe I should just man up and learn to like those kind of triggers.

 

[Rooster]

Stop giving comparisons of the Shield to the 1911, mine can read and you're hurting their feelings :biggrin2: I know several people with them though and they all love them. Hell I don't know, maybe I should just man up and learn to like those kind of triggers.

Striker is love, striker is life. :tongue2:

 

[Dave909]

Shoo son, ya bother me.

 

[Instymp]

I will not hold one....I will not hold one....I will not hold one.....I will hold one....OH NO!

You touch it, you buy it!

 

[Instymp]

I just put my last 1911 on consignment sale this morning: a Kimber Classic Custom. I still have two .45's and one is my new (as in this past January) M&P 45 Shield. And like you I think it is a great compact .45 for general carry. I have two holsters for it and I agree with how you found it shoots. I was very surprised, pleasantly I might add, how it handled and how quickly I was able to get back on target for such a light .45 pistol. It really does handle recoil very well.

While it doesn't live in my primary carry stable, it most definitely lives in my secondary carry stable. A fine little gun that deserves serious consideration from anyone looking to pickup a small, high quality .45ACP pistol.


POSTSCRIPT
I just read the review article you included and I would take issue with the writer's opinion of the more aggressive texture on the 45 Shield's grip. I like it and it does immediate grab my shooting and support hands' attention. The only problem I have had with this texturing is when carrying inside of a shirt against bear skin. That is why I have two holsters for it. One holster (DeSantis Mini Scabbard bellt) offers a closer to the body fit for a little deeper concealment. The down side is the texture can be a nuisance against bare skin. My other holster (Fobus Evolution belt) positions the gun slightly away from the body and solves the problem of any skin abrasion from the texturing.

During my time at the range with this gun, my hands never felt scuffed or like they had been beaten up by the aggressive texture. All was well in that department.

I put Talons on mine, rubber & like them.

 

[Dave909]

Hey AzQkr, just out of curiosity, what are you using for ammo in the little fella? Does it seem to not mind pretty warm loads?

 

[AzQkr]

Hey AzQkr, just out of curiosity, what are you using for ammo in the little fella? Does it seem to not mind pretty warm loads?

230 Ranger T, two back up mags, one with same, the other with 230 GDot. I've not put +P through it as I don't carry it except in 9mm in the g26