Scoff if you want but the Shield Plus carry comp is a shooter...I'm in love

[dben002]

78 years old, high blood pressure, wear glasses but absolutely in love with the shield plus carry comp after more range time today..

Either blessed or lucky...but my two Shield Plus handguns are totally malfunction free and my Reguler Shield plus has over 500 rounds and my new Shield Plus carry comp now has over 200 rounds.

Not to shabby for an old fart...

 

[lunger]

Nice shootin .

Don't have the Cary Comp but my Shield Plus is my daily carry and a good shooter as well.

 

[shipwreck]

Congrats. I have two 4" Shield Plus pistols, and they are awesome.

Over a year ago, I would have jumped at this new Carry Comp Shield Plus... .

But, the carry comp is really a ported gun... And, no more ported carry guns for me.

Believe it or not - around Feb 2023, I was shooting my 3.1" Performance Center Ported Shield Plus 9mm. And, I had a piece of metal hit me in the eye after the gun fired. I had to stop shooting and immediately find an eye doctor (not easy to do on a Sat morning). Apparently, it took a chunk out of the surface of my eye ball. It healed up fast with some prescription eye drops, but damn did it hurt. And, I got very lucky.

I wear normal eye glasses, so I have never worn shooters glasses for the previous 30 years of shooting. But, this came in over the top of my glasses and got me in right in the eyeball.

The eye doctor thought it was a brass casing that hit me in the eye - but I knew it wasn't. I never felt a casing bounce down my face after it hit me. I just didn't really have an explanation....

Months later, I watched a YouTube video. The silly guy on the video shot a ported handgun up against his body - point blank up to a target. He did it to show that small metal pieces come out of the ports on the barrel. He had several tiny, tiny pieces of metal embed themselves into his arm (I think he had goggles on and had his eyes closed). He showed video of it, and said it took time for many of the pieces to come out of his skin on their own.

When I saw that, I instantly knew what had happened. It was a small, shaved piece of a bullet that hit me in the eye.

Now, I actually wear goggles over my eye glasses, when I am at the range (they are chemist goggles with small air valves - to help them from fogging up). I tried a few different eye protection glasses that go over glasses, but would still get small particles getting me from the gun powder and the dirty air at my local indoor range. The goggles look silly, but they work.

Anyway, after that, I was lucky I wasn't blinded. I don't use ported barrels anymore.

 

[dben002]

Understood.........

Congrats. I have two 4" Shield Plus pistols, and they are awesome.

Over a year ago, I would have jumped at this new Carry Comp Shield Plus... .

But, the carry comp is really a ported gun... And, no more ported carry guns for me.

Believe it or not - around Feb 2023, I was shooting my 3.1" Performance Center Ported Shield Plus 9mm. And, I had a piece of metal hit me in the eye after the gun fired. I had to stop shooting and immediately find an eye doctor (not easy to do on a Sat morning). Apparently, it took a chunk out of the surface of my eye ball. It healed up fast with some prescription eye drops, but damn did it hurt. And, I got very lucky.

I wear normal eye glasses, so I have never worn shooters glasses for the previous 30 years of shooting. But, this came in over the top of my glasses and got me in right in the eyeball.

The eye doctor thought it was a brass casing that hit me in the eye - but I knew it wasn't. I never felt a casing bounce down my face after it hit me. I just didn't really have an explanation....

Months later, I watched a YouTube video. The silly guy on the video shot a ported handgun up against his body - point blank up to a target. He did it to show that small metal pieces come out of the ports on the barrel. He had several tiny, tiny pieces of metal embed themselves into his arm (I think he had goggles on and had his eyes closed). He showed video of it, and said it took time for many of the pieces to come out of his skin on their own.

When I saw that, I instantly knew what had happened. It was a small, shaved piece of a bullet that hit me in the eye.

Now, I actually wear goggles over my eye glasses, when I am at the range (they are chemist goggles with small air valves - to help them from fogging up). I tried a few different eye protection glasses that go over glasses, but would still get small particles getting me from the gun powder and the dirty air at my local indoor range. The goggles look silly, but they work.

Anyway, after that, I was lucky I wasn't blinded. I don't use ported barrels anymore.

Glad you came away ok....does sound painful...would imagine under those circumstances anyone might have the same feelings...

 

[MikeNV]

To the OP, yes the Carry Comp is a good flat shooter.

I've got three ported barrel guns, a Shield Plus Carry Comp, a PC Shield Plus with a 4" ported barrel and a PC Shield 2.0 with a 3.1" ported barrel. I'm very careful with the ammo I run through these after seeing the warning on Blazer 9mm target ammo boxes several years ago. They say, not for guns with ported barrels.

I also saw an article saying Blazer was using a thin plating or coating on their bullets instead of jackets (not sure if that's true or not). There were also reported cases of fragments/slivers of the coating coming off when fired from ported barrels. So, if your ammo says not to use in ported barrels, I wouldn't.

I've never had a problem or seen evidence of fragmenting from firing Remington, Winchester, Fiocchi, or other target brands without a warning, in my ported barrels.

To shipwreck, glad you weren't seriously hurt. I too, always wear safety glasses over my prescription lenses and recommend it.

I do like ported barrels and compensators, just be conscious of any warnings on your ammo.

 

[shipwreck]

To shipwreck, glad you weren't seriously hurt. I too, always wear safety glasses over my prescription lenses and recommend it.

I do like ported barrels and compensators, just be conscious of any warnings on your ammo.

Thanks....

I found that video of the guy injured by the ported gun: - Go to 13:30 on this video:

(I am not a big fan of this guy, but this video is interesting)

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcW2vwKd_UM&t=3s[/ame]

 

[ameridaddy]

78 years old, high blood pressure, wear glasses but absolutely in love with the shield plus carry comp after more range time today..

Either blessed or lucky...but my two Shield Plus handguns are totally malfunction free and my Reguler Shield plus has over 500 rounds and my new Shield Plus carry comp now has over 200 rounds.

Not to shabby for an old fart...

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Minute of center mass is plenty good enough.
Thanks for the review - optical dot or iron sights?

 

[dben002]

Factory iron sights

Minute of center mass is plenty good enough.
Thanks for the review - optical dot or iron sights?

From the factory sights.....



Can't really justify optical Dot sight on a self defense carry handgun as good as this one shoots.......

 

[FK7]

Congrats. I have two 4" Shield Plus pistols, and they are awesome.

Over a year ago, I would have jumped at this new Carry Comp Shield Plus... .

But, the carry comp is really a ported gun... And, no more ported carry guns for me.
.

Glad you didn’t suffer lasting damage. Are you saying the Shield Carry Comp is ported because the port is part of the barrel instead of a separate, screw on piece? The Carry Comp I have is back bored where the port is, so in essence the rifling is about 3.5” long with the last half inch over bored. It seems less likely a bullet could shave off pieces passing by, where as in the 3.1” barreled PC that’s not the case.

 

[shipwreck]

Glad you didn’t suffer lasting damage. Are you saying the Shield Carry Comp is ported because the port is part of the barrel instead of a separate, screw on piece? The Carry Comp I have is back bored where the port is, so in essence the rifling is about 3.5” long with the last half inch over bored. It seems less likely a bullet could shave off pieces passing by, where as in the 3.1” barreled PC that’s not the case.

I will agree that the Carry Comp is less likely to have this issue. But, it is not a real compensator. It is just 1 giant port on the barrel.

I don't believe it to be as safe as a true comp.

Had this never happened to me, I would already own a Shield with the Carry Comp. I like the larger slide Shield Plus pistols. I have two 4" PC ones.

 

[DartonJager]

First four pictures are of groups while sighting in RMR shot off sandbags at 15 yards. Target pasters are covering sight in and POA/POI adjustments to RMR all groups after that shot with RMR sighted in all shots at 15 yards. Literally first shots ever fired from my new 4" Shield Plus PC.
Next two are from second trip first one is five shots at 15 yards second is 10 more at same target at 15 yards. Both shot off sandbags.

I am hoping once I learn the guns trigger better I can shoot better groups off sandbags as my Walther 4" PDP/C shoots better, but I have 10x more rounds through my PDP/C and know the gun much better.

 

[M1A4ME]

I walked away from M&Ps years ago as I just couldn't get the groups I wanted. Years later I bought my wife a Shield 9MM and while working with her I found that small Shield shot rings around the older bigger M&P I had in the safe. I bought myself a Shield and darned if it didn't shoot as good as hers. I bought myself a Shield Plus a year or so later and it shot as good as the Shield pistols for me. Now I've got four Shield Plus pistols. All great shooting little pistols.

Bottom line is the Shield and Shield Plus pistols are great handling, great shooting pistols.

 

[Cphobes]

I’d like to change one of my 3.1” into a 4” upper not ported. Missed a sale that I should have jumped on.

 

[M29since14]

I walked away from M&Ps years ago as I just couldn't get the groups I wanted. Years later I bought my wife a Shield 9MM and while working with her I found that small Shield shot rings around the older bigger M&P I had in the safe. I bought myself a Shield and darned if it didn't shoot as good as hers. I bought myself a Shield Plus a year or so later and it shot as good as the Shield pistols for me. Now I've got four Shield Plus pistols. All great shooting little pistols.

Bottom line is the Shield and Shield Plus pistols are great handling, great shooting pistols.

All of the early M&P 9s I came into contact with were just miserable. I agree with you. I have an early Shield 9 and it is a much better shooter. It came with an improperly assembled magazine that rendered it practically unusable, but once that was remedied it’s been a good little gun.

Good to know shipwreck escaped that incident without permanent damage.

 

[DartonJager]

I walked away from M&Ps years ago as I just couldn't get the groups I wanted. Years later I bought my wife a Shield 9MM and while working with her I found that small Shield shot rings around the older bigger M&P I had in the safe. I bought myself a Shield and darned if it didn't shoot as good as hers. I bought myself a Shield Plus a year or so later and it shot as good as the Shield pistols for me. Now I've got four Shield Plus pistols. All great shooting little pistols.

Bottom line is the Shield and Shield Plus pistols are great handling, great shooting pistols.

Good lord but your experience PECISELY mirrors mine. I bought my Gen-1 Shield when they first came out in 2012. Did a Apex Carry/Duty trigger upgrade only used the parts that eliminated over 90% of trigger creep as my Gen-1's trigger was more than light enough and was amazed at the 10, 12 and even 15 yard groups I shot with a 3.1" micro-compact handgun. Then I gave the Gen-1 full sized 4.25" M&P a try expecting if anything better accuracy and wasn't even able to achieve with the 4.25" FS M&P (and yes I bought a Gen-1 Performance Center C.O.R.E. model) accuracy on par with my 3.1" Gen-1 Shield so I sold it.

As indicated by my pictures just bought a 13+1 4" PC Shield Plus because I simply couldn't resist the Shield Plus's 5 additional rounds giving me a darn near 65% increase in capacity and the only differences are the Shield Plus is 1" longer and including RMR only 2.2 ounces hevior than my 3.1" Gen-1 Shield. Then I shot both same day in a head to head competition at 12 and 15 yards and even with an RMR my new PC 4" Shield Plus the accuracy VS my 3.1" Gen-1 Shield was for all purposes negligible.

Accordingly I found a 3.1" 13+1 Shield Plus at a good price on line and ordered it. Should be shooting it buy Tuesday and will do a full FWIW at my skill level head to head comparison of my 13+1 PC 4" Shield Plus VS my new 13+1 3.1" Shield Plus both with RMRs and report my findings. Will put at least 140 rounds through each to make it as close as 100% fair and thorough as my limited abilities allow.
The two guns are IMO over 95% identical in terms of ergonomics so the fact I have shot my Gen-1 Shield many thousands of times more than my 4" Shield plus shouldn't matter in the results of how well I shoot either.

Absolutely no doubts or augments S&W truly knocked it out of the park with their Shield line of CC pistols as they are if not the NO#-1 best selling HG meant specifically for concealed carry they are in the top 3. I have shot Glocks and Sigs dedicated for CC pistols and you could literally give to me them for free and I wouldn't carry either VS my M&P Shield.