Finally got around to trying a Shield 9mm. I waited for the no thumb safety version.

All the good reviews are quite true. Shoots reliably, so far, and little recoil for rapid fire ammo dump!

Little recoil because it's heavy in comparison to some other CC pistols/revolvers.

Shield/9mm/7+1/115 gr = 1.50 lb =24.0 oz
XDs 3.3"/45ACP/5+1/230 gr = 1.63 lb = 26.1 oz
CM9/9mm/6+1/115 gr = 1.24 lb = 19.8 oz
LCR/38spl/5/130 gr = 0.97 lb = 15.5 oz
LCP/380ACP/6+1/90 gr = 0.76 lb = 12.2 oz
G26/9mm/11+1**/115gr = 1.67 lb = 26.7 oz

*The Shield, XDs, and CM9 weights include a thin Pachmayr rubber grip sleeve. The LCP has a thin Hogue grip sleeve.
**Pearce 1 round grip extension.


At 8.5 oz less than the Shield, there is something to be said for toting the LCR (and being able to shoot reliably more than once from inside a coat/jacket pocket).

At about half the weight of the Shield there is also something to be said for the LCP!!

And a quick reload for the Shield may be a loaded LCP rather than a spare Shield magazine.

And since diameter counts, as so aptly pointed out by John Taylor, I'm hoping for a Shield in 45 ACP. If they would keep the barrel thin, it could weigh less than the 9mm and several ounces less than the XDs! (I have found most Kahr's extremely unreliable in anything but the 9mm and the CW45, so, no, I don't want a lightweight CM45).

So, I'm happy with the Shield. But I do wish they had made it with an ambidextrous magazine release. Releasing the mag with my index/trigger finger like on the XDs is a bunch easier, for me, than shifting the gun around for a thumb release on the left side like the Shield.

I can't hit anything with my LCP beyond a few yards but it sure is easy to tote. The Shield is the upper limit in size that I can carry everyday. It helps that it is relatively thin.

FWIW,

I put xs big dot sights on a Shield yesterday. I wimped out and had a local smith knock out the factory sights. They were tight, tight.

It shot to the top point on the big dot front sight.

Perfect for me, as I aim with the top of the dot as opposed to covering up the target with the dot (like I did using express sights on my elephant rifles).

The only set of big dots that actually shot where I wanted them.