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P365 vs Shield Comparison

39K views 38 replies 28 participants last post by  D-der  
#1 ·
My LGS finally got a rental P365 so I was able to do a side by side comparison to my Shield Mod 1. Here's my $0.02.

Trigger: No contest the P365's trigger is MUCH better than the Shields (But only slightly better than the Shield Mod 2) .​
Sights: P365 wins this one - night sights vs. contrast and a better sight picture.​

Grip: This one goes to the Shield - it's slightly narrower and deeper than the P365. It just feels better in my hand. The pinky extension on the 8 round mag gives me a bit more to hold on, but this may change if the P365 had the 12 round mag in it!​

Felt Recoil: The range gave me the new Sig P365 ammo to use. It's 115 gr vs. the 124 gr I had in my Shield. Initially the felt recoil was the same (115 to 124). However, when I switched loads the Shield had less recoil than the P365 both with 115 gr. and definitely less recoil with 124 gr. in both. Haven't the foggiest why this would be, unless the 115's ballistics are significantly different. :confused:

Capacity: We all know the answer to that. :D

Will I be switching EDC guns - no, not yet. I'm waiting for the price of the P365 to drop and then I"ll explore my options
 
#3 ·
I paid $474.99 for my P365. (499.99-5% member discount at Gander Outdoors) the prices will stay low I think, now that they are starting to become just a tad more available.

On a side note, there are magazine extensions available for Shield magazines that increases each magazine by two rounds. (Or +1 round on a .40 Shield, which I wish was an option on the P365) in comparison, a Shield 2.0 with night sights can be had for about $429, and holsters are plentiful.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
I have a 40 caliber Shield and a P365 (9mm, of course).

Both are great guns, the P365 is smaller, until you put the 12 round magazine in it. Then, the grip is significantly longer. Trade off firepower and grip area for concealability.

In my own hands, no one else's hands, the Shield is a tad skinny on the grip, the P365 feels like it fits my hand a bit better, using the 10 round extended grip plate.

I've fired my 40 caliber Shield. For its class of size, a pocket semi auto handgun, it's surprisingly accurate, and even in 40 caliber, is reasonable in recoil, given its size.

Bigger, longer handguns are going to be softer recoiling, more accurate, heavier, less concealable, most of us understand the tradeoffs.

Like a Glock 19, the Shield in 9mm is what I personally consider a "bread and butter" handgun, a great place for novices to start, a great gun to have as a first and only gun. A lot of us folks are rooting for the P365 to be as well accepted as those guns.
 
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#11 ·
It seems a couple of you haven't tried the 12 round magazine yet.

No spoiler, just try to get a hold of one. Or two, or three...
 
#15 · (Edited)
First off..
I just did the MagGuts conversion on my 8 round Shield Mag to +2 so it is now 10 rounds.
Cost: $32.95 + Shipping $3.00 = $35.95
https://www.magguts.com/collections/smith-wesson/products/smith-wesson-shield-9mm-2-magguts

Through 300 rounds it has functioned perfectly!
If you have a Shield 8 round Mag I highly recommend it!

However for my new P365 I can purchase a new 12 round magazine for $9.00 more at $45.00.

I as others have urged, you need to get yourself a 12 round magazine and go back into the range with the P365 and Shield!
The 12 round magazine makes a world of difference!

At the very least ask your LGS to open a 12 round magazine and let you feel what the P365 feels like in your hand with it
I would NEVER carry the P365 with either 10 round magazine!

I have extensively shot my Shield 9mm V1 and my P365 12 round mag side by side.
I used Federal American Eagle 124g FMJ in both.
My perception is that:
1) I am more accurate with the P365.
2) The trigger is much better than my Shield V1 never shot the V2
3) The recoil on my P365 seems to me more manageable than my Shield. which means better follow up shots.
4) I have smallish hands (I use the small grip modules on my P320)
the 365 just feels better in my hand than my Shield.
The P365 is my EDC .
But to each his own..they are both great EDC's
I do not have a problem grabbing either one for EDC.

At this point I just like the feel and shoot ability of my 365.
I put Talon Grips on the 365 and I love the Rubber Talon's feel in my hand rather than the original grip.

However guns are very personal items and you need to find the gun you are comfortable with!
I never think that it's one gun for all!
When your in a defensive position-God Forbid you want to grab the best gun that you feel comfortable with!
 
#24 ·
I agree. IMO, the PM9 is the best single 9 out there until this point. I have owned one (and an MK9 and MK40) and prefer it to my G43. The G43 is still a great gun though. I've had a Shield and two 938s too. I've got a 365 on order so hopefully it will meet my expectations and the reviews. Haven't tried the Ruger LC9s yet but may grab one of those also with the deals I've seen out there on them. I could see some uses for it too.
 
#25 ·
Sig/Shield

Have both. Like each for certain reasons but in a nutshell the P365 is smaller, more capacity, better sights and carries a little better iwb. The shield on the other hand is more robust in my hand and carries better owb especially when on my motorcycle. Just my opinion of course. I also like my xd and glock when I ride.
So many options so little time...

Cheers from Texas
 
#26 ·
I have both as well. I’ll take the Shield over the p365 everyday,every time. The shield is 100% reliable, shoots like a larger gun and eats anything. Carries just as well for me in a Tulster holster. I have two main gripes with the p365 (for me). The darn magazine release is extremely hard for me to use and mags never drop free. It’s so small they always hit my palm or I have to rip them out. The second is for me the grip is simply to small and I have medium size hands. So. The Shield is still king to me. Only other pistol I happen to find as comfortable my PPS Classic.
 
#27 ·
I carry the Shield 45...
A 9mm only kills the body, the 45 kills the soul.
Yep, i own a couple P365`s, but just for play time on my gun range`s.

If 8 rounds of 45 aren`t enough, (& 2 extra BUM`s of critical duty) i`m in trouble,
and i`m likely somewhere i shouldn`t have been, in the first place.

My truck gun is a Glock 10mm in a fixed console holster... ohhhh yeahhhhhhh, thaz right!
 
#28 ·
I have owned both pistols more than once. Do not own either now. Both plenty capable for sure. The Shield has a great grip, but is tall for those wanting to conceal to the max. The 365 disappears, but without the 12 rounder, is a pinky tuck for many. So much emphasis is put on how tiny we can go but the real emphasis should be on how well we put rounds center mass. Most current sub compacts both carry and shoot well.

The everyday need for night sights is certainly debatable. Not many gunfights are done in a closet and in pitch black scenarios, a light is a much better option. The 3 tiny dots can disappear when your heart rate is 160bpm and you have no other reference points.

Find a pistol that works for you and then find another and another... Keep them lines a rollin'
 
#29 ·
I also have both and like each one for what they are. I typically like a commander size, which is why my newest PC Shield 2.0 taking the place of my 1.0, feels closer to that.
But, the micro pipsqueak is good to go and I shot it right out of the box w/o any failures. And of course it's added benefit of 12rds. However, I also have HYVE 10rd mags for my Shield :cool:.
 
#37 ·
Part of my training in no light was having the light shined at me in no light. It was quite disorienting and I learned a light can be a weapon too. We did a drill where the instructor shined different lights as if he were an attacker and had each student point a "finger weapon" at the instructor (playing the "assailant"), then flipped on the overhead light to show where we were pointing. Not one of us was pointing at the "assailant" holding the light. Having a light pointed at you across the room in total darkness is very disorienting. I learned as much in a low/no light 2 hour class as I have ever learned in any 2 hours about shooting. Everything I THOUGHT about a low/no light encounter was wrong. I learned that night sights are pretty useful in low light. Totally useless in no light. Tactical lights are pretty useful to me nearly all day, every day.
 
#38 ·
OP, I have similar opinions. Shield was my first carry gun, had it for one year and flipped it for $350 to fund my P365. The trigger and sights are unquestionably better with the P365, although the trigger on the Shield is perfectly decent (I had a 2.0). The grip on the Shield is narrower than that of the P365 and a bit longer, so I did probably prefer the grip--and the great stippling on the Shield. I in general prefer narrow guns, single stacks. I should also add that the P365 with the 12-round mag totally solves the grip competition and makes it at least equal between these guns -- but I do not carry the 12-rounder, I prefer the flush mag for concealability.

In any event, I was beginning to shoot the Shield pretty well but the P365 seems to shoot great as well! I'm much happier with my P365 because the Shield felt much too large to hide on my frame--I've got an average/slim body and I prefer something smaller and a bit thicker (the sig) to something flat but larger (the Shield).
 
#39 ·
I shoot my Shield 2.0 better, but I'd put in an Apex flat trigger
and a Dawson FO front sight with blacked out rear which made
a noticeable difference but once I get the sights on my 365 to
my personal liking and run a few hundred more rounds I'll be there.
My main reason for both guns is for M-F pocket carry 12 - 14 hrs a day,
while the Shield is doable, the P365 is much better suited for the task.
It's run 100% for 500 rd's, small as I want to go and accurate, I'd say,
it fits the bill.