EDC Update: Switching to the Shield Plus
Last year, David and I each did articles on what we carry every day and a little info about why we made those choices. While most of my carry items have remained the same, there has been a change in the handgun I’m normally carrying. It’s now the Smith & Wesson Shield Plus. But the Shield wasn’t my first stop. Let’s talk about it.
Where We Started
In last year’s article, I was still carrying my Sig P365. I still love my 365, but it is not cut for an optic. I made the switch to red dots on my teaching guns and range guns in 2022 but hadn’t really made that adjustment for my carry guns. Shortly after last year’s article, I made the decision to put optics on my primary EDC guns.
Initially, this was the Glock 43X. Well, sort of. I had a 43X that was not cut for an optic, so I bought a Palmetto State Armory Micro Dagger Slide that was cut for a Holosun 407K. I put those on in place of the factory slide and started carrying it. One of the reasons I chose that route was because I could get 15-round flush fit magazines from Palmetto State Armory for the 43X.
Switching to the Shield Plus
Although the 43X was doing what I wanted, it didn’t conceal as well as I hoped. My torso isn’t wide and the grip on the Glock was just long enough to make me feel like I wasn’t concealing as well as I could. That left me with the option of changing how I carried or changing guns.
One of the first articles I posted here at the Protector’s Perspective was about the Smith & Wesson Shield Plus. I liked the gun a lot and ended up buying one for myself, again not optics-ready. Around the time I was making the decision to fully switch to optics, one of the retailers I use had the optics-ready Shield Plus on sale. I sold the version I had and spent about $35 more to get an optics version. I decided to carry it with the 10-round flush fit magazine and back it up with the 15-round extended mag. The gun ships with a 10-round and a 13-round magazine.
A Guide to Taking Gun on Your Next Flight
The Shield Plus and Red Dot
You can read my previous article for some of the background and specs on the gun. I stated in that original piece that had the Shield Plus come out first, I may have bought it instead of my P365.
I also recently tested the Riton X3 Tactix MPRD 2 red dot on this gun. You can read my review of it here.
I stayed with a Tier One Concealed holster, this time opting for the T1-M model. I had one of them while carrying the 43X and liked it enough to get another one for the Smith & Wesson.
Pretty much everything else stayed the same. Still using the Pitbull Tactical Universal Magazine Carrier. Still have my Shivworks Clinch Pick and my Benchmade Griptillian. (A similar model of the Benchmade is here) Still using Sig V-Crown 115-grain ammo. My medical hasn’t changed.
Medical Response: What Do You Need to Carry?
The Other Days
If I’m being honest, there are some days that I don’t want to carry the Shield Plus. If I’m making a quick run to the store or going to spend most of my day sitting at my desk, I go with my Ruger LCP Max. I talked a little about the Max when comparing it to the Glock 42 and Ruger LCP. I also find myself carrying it when I travel by air because I can use a very small travel safe.
Which Small Pistol? Ruger LCP vs Glock 42 vs Ruger LCP Max
I usually carry the Max in a DeSantis Slim-Tuk holster. The gun is small, and this inexpensive holster does a great job with it. Easy to take on and off. I use the 12-round magazines for it and the Pitbull UMC. Currently, I use Speer Gold Dot 90-grain JHP ammo in the gun.
This is Now
Hey, I’m on a journey. I don’t have all the right answers all of the time. For now, this is my setup. I always reserve the right to change. This is what fits the context of my life right now.
And that’s important. If you go on Facebook and ask what you should be carrying, you will get a lot of answers. Some are well-meaning. Some are misinformed. But many fail to consider the context of your life. That’s why, if you ask us what gun to buy or carry, we’ll ask you some questions first. We may even schedule some time at the range to let you find out what works best for you. Get in touch with us if you’d like to schedule something.
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