"Why not a Glock?" "Why a .45?" These are questions that I get all the time when I tell people what my preferred carry weapon is. The truth of the matter is that I fall very much outside of the established (or accepted) norm in my choice of carry weapon, but I am completely happy with my choice...and I think that more than a few people out there might agree with me if they knew my reasoning. This Shield is a Performance Center model chambered in .45ACP. The Performance Center upgrades on this gun over the standard Shield 45 are the ported barrel and slide, fiber optic sights, and a tuned trigger system. I got it in December 2017, and have been carrying it ever since. The only modifications I've done to it are a dab of white paint on the front sight and the addition of the Holosun HS407k red dot that I got from Brownells; I had to get the slide machined with an optic cut to mount it. Otherwise it is completely stock with about 1800 rounds through it.
The first thing that I like about my Shield is something that a lot of people actually dislike about them: the grip texture. Starting with the 2.0 models, Smith and Wesson introduced a much more aggressive grip texture to the M&P pistol line. The texturing is much more coarse, and there's also more of it all around the grip. A lot of people say that it's too aggressive, especially when carrying in the waistband, but I find it to be perfect. It really digs in when you grip the pistol, and helps it stick to your hand really well.
Another thing I like about my Shield is the trigger. The original M&P and M&P Shield models were known for having triggers that were less than spectacular, particularly when it came to the reset. (This is actually the reason that I put an Apex Tactical kit in my M&P 45 midsize). For the 2.0 models, Smith and Wesson changed the trigger to feel a little more crisp and to have a much better reset. On top of this, the Performance Center models had their pull weight reduced a bit over the standard models. My trigger breaks at a little under 5 pounds, and has a very nice audible and tactile reset.
The next thing that I like about the Shield is the size. Being my primary carry weapon, size plays a very large part in my everyday comfort. For me, its the perfect size for carry. It's narrow, at 1 inch wide, so it doesn't add too much bulk when it is being carried. This makes it easier to do things like bend or lean forwards without the gun and holster digging in to my waist. The length of the grip with the factory flush fit magazine allows me to get enough of my pinky finger on the grip to feel like a full grip while not sticking out too much when riding in a holster. This feeling of a full grip is something that I look for in a handgun, and one of the primary reasons that I chose the .45 Shield over the 9mm Shield. The larger grip size combined with the reduced muzzle flip of the .45 really led me to prefer it over the 9mm Shield.
The last thing that I like about my Shield is the reliability. I mentioned that this currently has around 1800 rounds through it, and I have not had any malfunctions at all. Not even one. It runs every kind of ammo, regardless of projectile type, grain weight, powder charge, and primer. It's never had any feeding or extraction issues. It runs no matter how dirty and dusty it gets from being carried every day. Smith and Wesson is a very established company that's known for making quality products, and my Shield is a great example of this.
I've carried this Shield for 5 years now, and in that time I have only grown more fond of it. It has a unique combination of small footprint, full grip, crisp trigger, and utter reliability that is more and more difficult to find in a .45 caliber carry weapon. In a sea of 9mm ultra compact pistols, the Shield .45 models remain a great alternate option for those like me seeking something a little different.
