Getting my wife a new pistol. It's going to be one of these two. She prefers the looks of the Shield. That doesn't really matter though. Anyone ever handled either or both?
Both have good ergonomics but I prefer the glock. The slide on the shield I have is much harder to rack than the glock. Both are good guns, but due to the smaller stature, they are both snappy. I've found most women shoot 19s better but struggle with the double stack grip size. Between the two I'd go g43. Add a Vickers extension and it's a formidable weapon.
I have had both. I liked the feel of the G43 much better than the Shield however I was never able to get the Glock to shoot as accurately as I wanted in a carry gun so I sold it. The Shield fit my hands better (I have small hands) so I was more accurate with it. Mine had a safety which was too small for my liking. Ultimately, I went back to carrying a Glock 19 but my wife took the Shield.
The Shield 2.0 is excellent imo, and effectively addressed the issues people complained about on the 1.0 - specifically the trigger is way better and the grip is more textured (some complained the grip on the 1.0 was a little slippery). As far as ergos go, I much prefer the Shield. Glock ergos have always felt "off" to me.
I personally prefer the 43 of those choices, shield feels off in my hands. If you haven’t considered it, look at the Walther PPS M2 though, best of both in many ways, only downside is slightly less aftermarket accessories, but it’s a very good pistol that many people overlook.
ask your wife to rent both and put rounds down. i did and i was consistently better with the g43...hyve +1 mag extension is a must for me.
@JV3 hit the nail on the head. Get her on the range with both options and see what she likes better. You're choosing between a couple of the most proven guns in the single stack class, so it's mostly personal preference and cost sensitivity.
I have both and have no issues with either but then again I am a 200+lbs male who uses his hands and back for work. My wife on the other hand is a petite nurse who manages a doctor's office and has a harder time racking the slide on my 43 (or any of my Glocks for that matter), than that of the Shield. With that being said, she carries a Walther PK380. I second what others have said and have your wife try out different systems to see which one she prefers. I made the mistake of buying my wife a S&W 642 for her first carry gun and she hated it. It has a stupid heavy trigger and she couldn't hit anything with it. Simple functions yes, but if you can't hit what you are aiming at, what's the point? She now carries the Walther PK380 because that's what she is more proficient at using and feels comfortable with. I just bought a S&W Bodyguard 380 for her to try out to get her something with a smaller footprint. If you were asking which one I prefer or suggest, I'd lean toward the Shield because I think it's the better value for the money, and that's coming from a Glock "fanboy" (I have 5 different Glocks). Reason being is it's at least $100 cheaper, comes with higher capacity mags, reliable, comfortable in the hand, and has an option for the external safety for those that aren't comfortable with the Glock safety. Ultimately, see what she likes as long as that's an option, to see what she is comfortable with seeing she will be the one carrying it. Caliber or brand doesn't mean squat if you can't hit your target.
I carried a Shield for a looooong time but sold it when I got my G43. I have carried it more than anything else since I got it ..... which was when the G43 was first released. I did switch for about a year to a P320 sub-compact but when the recall crap came out I dumped it and went back to the G43 and haven't looked back. Side note - if you want to have her shoot one before you go buy one tomorrow send me a text. You are welcome to come get mine and take it to the range. You can go indoor to Athens Gun Club or if you can wait until Sunday I can take you guys outdoors to Athens Rifle Club. Just hit me up by text if you want to go that route. I likely won't see any responses to this tonight or tomorrow. I am hitting the rack soon and have a day planned tomorrow. I have a Citizen Response to Active Shooter Event emergency CPR even in the morning then plan to work for a few hours. Got to love the very rare availability of OverTime.
If you want to shoot to tomorrow I don't have to be around. We can make arrangements for you to just come get it and go. I trust you.
I think she’s going to have to try them herself. It’s like asking if your wife will like chocolate or vanilla ice cream. We can only say what we like and why. I have been a Glock guy for 25 years but the 43 is my least favorite Glock to shoot. Between these two, I would prefer the Shield. I think the ergos are just better with the Shield. I carry the 43 a lot because it is so small and light. But if I knew I was probably going to actually need a gun, I’d prefer the 26 if I am sticking with glock. But again my opinion is worthless. Let her try them out.
@Boker55, I've owned several of both and while I prefer Glocks in general, I slightly prefer the Shield over the G43 if forced to choose one. I feel like it's more versatile, which isn't a major factor if one has multiple pistols or is looking for something to fill a specific role. I still own my original one, a model with the manual safety bought a few months after they were released. It has Talon grip stuff on it and some night sites that I need to re-install. I don't remember what part of Georgia you're in, but if it's near me or somewhere I frequent you are more than welcome to borrow it for your wife to try out.
