I have an original MP shield 9mm. Just been in the safe. Really like the feel, seems to fit my larger hands. Have read the trigger update with apex and possible trijicon hd sights. I paid very little, I believe $250 for it. Are the upgrades worth it or does the pistol function well stock? Appreciate the insights.

I installed an Apex trigger in a M&P 9mm and it’s absolutely the best trigger I’ve ever felt on a striker-fired gun. My gun is the 2.0 version so I’m not sure how much different the first version would affect the outcome. The Apex trigger pull is adjustable at install by a combination of springs. I can’t explain exactly, I had a gunsmith install it. Based on my experience I would highly recommend it.

i had a original shield, it was an ok gun, I traded it in for a p365 that is more accurate, holds more rounds, came with good night sights.

I've put apex kits in my full size M&P's and really like them. I also have a original Shield that I just polished the trigger bar and striker block plunger to get rid of the gritty feel. After doing that and adding a Hogue grip sleeve I sold my Glock 26

I've moved on to a Shield plus, which comes with a "better" trigger, but put an Apex in my USPSA 5" M&P and it's a great trigger. The stock trigger wasn't bad IMO though, and I kept the stock in my Shield 45. It's been my experience that few hundred rounds really smooths out the stock trigger pull.

No 'upgrades' needed. Just shoot the SOB.

Mine has been my EDC for many years. Bone stock. It has been extremely reliable with every ammo I have run through it. The trigger did get smoother with use. Not sure exactly how many rounds through mine but safe to say a few thousand. I would suggest you shoot yours some and see what you think. I'd like something with with more capacity but mine conceals so well and is so reliable I'll keep carrying it and practicing reloads.

I've always wanted to like the Shield. However, I shot other people's examples at the range, and couldn't fall in love with it. When the Shield Plus came out, I figured I'd like it better due to a thicker grip, but also didn't fall in love with it, and quickly went back to my Glock 26. Sold the Shield Plus.

The market seems to be flooded with Shield 9MMs in my area

A Gen I Shield is my most carried gun. I love the dimensions and it shoots well. Maybe I’m just used to it, but I find the trigger on mine to be great.

The Apex trigger is “ok”. For me I’d say it was worth it. The stock trigger on my shield plus is awesome. Mine have been very accurate and prefer them over the sig. If it was me, I’d sell the gen one and buy an mos shield plus.

Maguts mag extension, 11 rds in the shield

I still don't understand doing anything to a gun you've never shot, except shooting it.

The Shield is my go-to discreet carry. Gen 1 9mm. I love it for what it is as it is. I don’t believe a bunch of pimping is in order unless you just wanna spend money and have convinced yourself you gotta have mo’ betta. Just stick an extra mag in your pocket or on your belt.

When the Shield was first introduced it was hot stuff. Technology has given us options that hold more bullets in about the same size platform. That doesn't mean that the Shield quit being a solid choice. I have a first generation Shield and with the MagGuts +2 it is a 10+1 gun. I have it stashed someplace convenient to hand when kicked back by the fireplace while reading a book (taking a snooze in my big comfy chair). They aren't worth much in the used gun market nowadays so I use mine for jobs like that. It isn't my primary ccw handgun, but handy enough to keep around.

Just go shoot it. Odds are that you don't need to do a single thing to the gun. Shoot, clean, rinse, repeat.

I know many folks like to tinker with stuff, but a great deal of the time, there is nothing to really gain, and quite often when it comes to firearms people start adding/swapping parts and it compromises the reliability of the guns. I cannot even begin to put a number on the amount of Glocks I saw come across my bench when I was at various U.S. Embassy outposts that had some sort of issue. Magically as soon as I tore them down and took out the aftermarket crap someone had put in there to "improve" them, and returned them to stock condition, they ran perfectly. Of course I almost always got the same answer; "It was like that when I got it/it was issued to me like that".

Anyways, go shoot the gun for at least 3-4 range trips and get 6-800 rounds through it. Then determine if you really need to do anything, other than buy more ammo and improve your skill sets.

Yep

I second this 100%. Have it in three full size M&P's and it's the reason I've moved from full size Glocks. (The Gen5 Glock trigger is worse than the previous versions, have no idea why people think it's better.) The M&P was always, a decent gun to me, but never liked the ridiculous take up of the stock triggers. I measured one it was on honest 0.4". Like seriously, WTF? Tried an Apex and there's been no going back. Only other trigger that is as good is the Walther PDP pro.

Thanks, sounds like a plan.

That's what I told you. Just shoot the SOB.

Yes, thank you as well.

I sure like my Shield Plus. I bought it because I needed a good concealed carry pistol that wouldn't drag my pants down, and I liked the extra magazine capacity. I got a CYA IWB plastic holster for it. It has been totally reliable for about 800 rounds so far. Never a jam or failure of any kind even with my reloads. I like the trigger. I like the way it fills my hand and points so naturally. I like that I can field strip it with no tools or little parts to lose. It hides very well even with the 13 round magazine. One thing about that magazine, tho, is that all I can stuff into it is 12 rounds. And that last round takes all the finger power I have. That's ok, tho, because I've always loaded my semi autos with max-1 rounds in the magazine. A cop friend told me that's what he did because he thought it made his gun more reliable because the mag spring isn't so stressed. I don't know if that's true or not, but I took his word for it.

Shield Plus, 15 rounds. EDC. Comfortable to carry and shoot.

I’d like to try the Plus. Right now I carry with the 8 round mags in my Gen 1 Shield 9. I figure if I need more than 8 with a mag in my pocket I’m in a world of doo do anyway.

Nevermind the extra rounds.....the Plus is much easier to shoot accurately with speed.

Yup. It's tiny size difference makes a huge performance difference, especially with bigger hands.

Well, I’m going to have to try the Plus. Thank you.

Just bought a Shield Plus this afternoon, about two hours ago in fact. I had looked at it in the gun store a few days ago and watched several youtube reviews and it seemed to fit what I want.

Went to the gun store/range after lunch to put some rounds through my full size M&P 2.0 and was about 90% decided to get the Shield Plus at their listed price. They only had one in the store and lo and behold, it was on sale for $50 less so I said "I'll take it!"

Had a box of ammo left from my shooting so I went back into the range and put 50 rounds through it without any cleaning, literally right out of the box. Ran fully loaded 10 and 13 round magazines to test for function, accuracy and POI and it's right on the sights at 7 yards for windage and elevation. Happy to say that those first 50 rounds went through without a hitch.

The flat trigger on these was really what had convinced me. It's definitely crisper than a Sig P365 and breaks very cleanly with a short reset, but the main thing is that it's one of the most comfortable triggers I've handled in a small handgun. These small 9mm's tend to pinch my trigger finger on the bottom and leave a blood blister, with this one there wasn't even a hint of that.

Most of the shooting today was just point and shoot as soon as the sights looked good and I was grouping very well with it. It's definitely controllable and IMO more so than a standard P365 or even a 365XL, at least in my hands.

The P365's are snappy (no surprise there) and this one is too, that's just a fact of life shooting 9mm ammo in a 20 ounce pistol, but it's much more comfortable to shoot than the 365. Don't take the impression that I'm knocking the Sig, I've liked my 365XL for a while now, pinched trigger finger and all, but for a fact this one is going to replace it.


Shot the final five rounds fastasIcan to finish up the session - 5 rounds in just over one second. It isn't as controllable as the full size M&P (duh) but every one of those shots would have been a solid upper torso hit. It's definitely combat ready from the get go.

I like it.

That mirrors my conclusion. Lost interest in my 365xl after shooting the Performance Center Plus.

Took the new Shield Plus back to the range today to wring it out. I think I'm going to like it.

Fired 100 rounds, the first 10 were slow, aimed fire at 7 yards to verify POI, then I farted around a bit getting more used to the trigger. After that I put a box through it doing Mozambique drills which apparently is the Boomer name, Failure Drills is the modern name. A rose by any other name, etc., two to the body and one to the head at 7 yards. Did okay with that.

Took the last 10 rounds and fired two five shot bursts at five yards - stick the pistol out and when it's pointing at my "looking point", not aiming point, fire five rounds as fast as I can. No reacquiring a sight picture between shots, just hold onto the grip for dear life and fire like someone's trying to kill me.

I was going to see where it printed at 25 yards but ran out of ammo. I'll try some 25 yard shooting another time just to see how it goes but this little 3" barreled gun isn't really a "shoot the bad guy peeking around the hostage's head" sort of firearm. Unless I don't care for the hostage...



Two five shots groups fired offhand at seven yards, slow, aimed fire using a 6 o'clock hold at this 2" square; five with the 13 round mag in place and five with the 10 rounder. Pretty sure I'll stick with the 13 rounder, it's a lot easier to shoot. To be honest, the Sig P365XL is more mechanically accurate and will group better than this but this'll do.




Mozambique aka Failure Drills. Fluffed a couple of shots but - practice, practice practice.




Panic drill at five yards - fire five as fast as I can, reload, repeat. Point it at the bottom of the square then try to emulate an automatic weapon.




Not going to compete in any Steel Challenge matches with this but as a concealed carry piece I'm happy with it. Not going to mess with it or add custom bits and pieces, either. As it comes out of the box it meets specifications.

And my trigger finger doesn't hurt at all.

The money I saved from a trigger upgrade, going to purchase a 10mm shield instead:-)

My Plus has the 4" barrel. The added sight radius is helpful for me. In my case, I'm getting better accuracy with it than with the 365xl. The longer sight radius, better trigger, and better fit to my hand all probably contribute to that.