Smith & Wesson Shield 2.0 vs Glock 43X - If I Could Only Have One...

[Music] [Music] what's up guys KS here thanks for joining me today as always in a moment of transparency you guys have thrown a lot of suggestions in the comments thank you by the way as far as what done to put against one of my go to carry guns the Smith & Wesson shield 2.0 you've suggested the Taurus G to see the czp 10s and the Glock 43 X in taking everything into consideration I think the Glock 43 X is the closest comparison so here we go and welcome back to another installment of the if I could only have one series in this series we take a look at two guns whether similar or radically different and look at stats features triggers and yes at the end we declare a winner but here's the thing both of these guns are awesome and if you're considering or owned either you are doing great when I think about carrying a gun I want to balance between shoot ability and concealed ability that means I want a small gun that I can carry in most circumstances whether in full winter garb or in shorts and a t-shirt translation size and weight matter I also want something that I can join put a lot of rounds downrange in one visit we all know that there are smaller options but I find that many of those are just not all day's shooters and I'm simply not as accurate with them finding that balance can be difficult in single stack guns but I think we finally have two worthy competitors the Glock 43 X and the Smith & Wesson shield 2.0 let's jump in alright let's take a look at these two guys side-by-side and see how they stack up I'll tell you what these are - fantastic guns there's just no way around it but when we line these guys up and we'll get them basically side-by-side here they are pretty darn close now that Glock length is going to be 6.5 inches versus the shield's 6.1 so a slight difference there and keep in mind the shield has the stock seven round magazine in it so the height on the Glock 43 X is five point zero four inches versus the four point four five inches but but again we're we're almost splitting hairs that shields just a little bit smaller all the way around Beryl is going to be a 3.4 inches on the Glock versus 3.1 inches on the shield and the width again we are getting really really close the Glocks 1.1 inches and the shield is 1.0 3 however the Glocks slide I'll try and bring these in just a little bit more that slide is is is more narrow I can't remember it's like point eight point nine inches so it's definitely a tiny gun but both of these certainly serve pretty much the same purpose now the weight on the Glock is going to be eighteen point seven ounces with an empty magazine versus twenty point 21 ounces with the empty magazine on the shield that's the seven round magazine again so the shield's got a little bit more mass to it we'll talk about where that could potentially come in handy but again these guys really are pretty darn close all right the shield is gone let's take a walk around the frame of the 43 X and we've spent a fair amount of time with this so it will be admittedly a little bit brief but we'll start with our grit texture now you'll notice that they carried for the grid texture from the original 43 and 42 and I have to say it's not very good it is too light I think Glock had the opportunity to bring forward the Gen 4 Gen 5 grid texture with this and I don't think that would have been too much I think that would have been pretty well received by everybody now the fact that the grip is longer than the original 43 that does give you a little bit more surface area you get a full grip on it that does help I will admit but I still think some extra texture would have been welcome now you're not gonna be able to see very well on camera however there is a little bit of a mag well on the inside that's always welcome just to be able to reinsert those magazines without too much of an issue and speaking of magazines it is the 10 round magazine now this is wider than the original 43 so it's not going to be compatible with your original 43 because it's slightly staggered and it fills in the slightly wider grip of the 43 X I like that by the way I'm so glad they widened that a little bit just gives you a little bit more surface area to grab on to and you do get two magazines out of the box with this so to ten round magazines I mean I think that's fine full-sized grip I do like that quite a bit so we do come up to our slight beaver tail we sweep in there a little bit and a little bit of an undercut although it's the same as it ever was with Glock and I think a lot of people are gonna be taking their dremel x' to it that's just kind of a thing but for me this works pretty well never actually taken a dremel and done the undercut or anything you know I rely on the polymer 80s for that sort of feel but but this works just fine and again the ergos are okay with a little bit more grip texture that would have been welcome now in terms of controls we do have our magazine release button again same as it ever was not ambidextrous but you can swap it very easily with just a little screwdriver something like that pop it right around and you're good to go and then our slide lock slide release again not ambi this is a small gun a lot of people say they should have made it ambi I don't know that there's enough space to do that so the fact is we're stuck with this now you could probably do like it a little extended one if you want to but again this will serve and it serves both as the lock and the release without too much of an issue and then of course we do have our takedown tabs on both sides I took it down the in the original video so I won't be taking it down here but extremely easy to do you do have to pull the trigger pop your slide off and you're good to go in the maintenance is very easy on this now of course there is no rail for any of your toys and I wouldn't expect that in a gun this size there are some aftermarket manufacturers that you can you know pop something on to your front trigger guard right here which has some texture by the way and you can run a light or a laser or something like that but overall that is the frame I think by and large it's actually pretty good with the exception of that light texture that would have been me the one thing I would have changed on this otherwise it actually feels pretty good in the hand alright let's walk around the shield 2.0 for a moment or two and we'll talk about our grip texture first of course they carried for the 2.0 grip texture which is very aggressive very similar to its older or bigger brethren I should say although I think it's actually a little bit more subdued than the full-sized versions feel free to argue with me in the comments on there but I just don't think it's quite as aggressive that said if you're carrying this all day if you're sitting in a car especially in shifting around everyone smile you can definitely feel this so some people wrap it in like sandpaper pistol grips or Talon grips something like that just to soften it up just a little bit and in terms of magazines comes with 2 out of the box one of which is a seven round flat magazine and then it also comes with your 8 round with the little sleeve on it right here and that does extend our grip to a full size grip in there which I really like now if you're curious and I will bring back the 43 X for a moment or two would be a miss if I didn't do this it basically means that the grip length is pretty much the same now you guys are gonna be saying you get 10 rounds in the 43 X versus 8 rounds out of the shield I do agree with that now there are alternatives solutions like this hive base plates a plus 2 so now I've got 10 rounds it is uber comfortable I mean it really is and it's a fantastic backup magazine although I don't think it's really the right solution for concealed carry but I like the fact that Smith & Wesson gave you a couple of different magazine options with the 43 X you're stuck with that grip length size now there will be magazine extensions for it as well which is fantastic but I like the fact that you get this short one here because if you're wearing shorts and a t-shirt or something you really want as much concealed ability as possible so enough on the magazines and then when we get to our controls we do have our magazine release it is not ambidextrous out of the box and it's not swappable that I understand them if somebody's got a solution to that be sure to leave it in the comments and then we do have a little bit of a suite both in the the undercut under the trigger guard as well as coming up to our beaver tail very similar to the Glock but once again you could really kind of get your hand right up on it I mean you can kind of crush this thing a little bit which I like and I have to admit the ergos on this I actually prefer a little bit to the Glock because I feel like there's a little bit more contour a little bit more roundedness with this roundedness but it just it seems to fit my hands just a tiny tiny bit better now when we get to our slide lock and slide release it protrudes just a little bit more it's got a little bit of texture on it as well you'll be able to see that a little bit and I like that it's really easy to actuate them it's not ambidextrous again and not swappable or anything like that but I do like that and then in terms of our takedown doing it very different than the Glock it's not the tabs but instead we do have a lever so you do have to lock your slide back you swing your lever down release the side you can pull the trigger or there's a little tab in there that will release the trigger mechanism so you don't have to pull it again it was in the original video go go search out some videos if you want to see to takedown on this but again it's very easy it's just doing it differently but no tools required or anything like that and then once again we do not have an accessory rail for any of your toys or anything no texture on the the front of the trigger guard I don't use that anyways that's that's not a thing for me but I know some people really they shoot and they like to they like to have their finger on the trigger guard that sort of things so you may find this to be a little bit more slick but again not much of a thing so there's your frame on the Smith & Wesson 2.0 doing it a little bit differently but I feel like there's a little more flexibility in there as well aside from the grip length and width on the 43 X the other notable change on this is going to be with this slide you'll notice that this in PVD coating is kind of a cross between silver and gray it's very matte and I have to say I like this finish a lot I know some people some people said they should have done black I'm sure they will at some point in time or of course you could go get it Sarah coated but I like this I think it's actually really good-looking and its otherwise very subdued with the Glock and the 43 X and all of that now it also does come with from what I understand a marksman barrel in there a lot of people touted the marksman barrel with the original Gen fives that came out I haven't noticed that much of a difference but but if you're into that sort of thing and you get into the nitty-gritty of things then that might be a really good welcomed enhancement for you and then in terms of sights my original one came with polymer sights there are some nitesite options from the factory that I understand but I went with some Amerigo HD sights they do have tritium all the way around with the HD orange call out in front and I have to say I like Amerigo sights out quite a bit especially the rear sights because they're the the edges are softened a little bit so it's really easy to carry this and very comfortable as well so there's your your sights right there and frankly again I think the slide on this is really sharp if nothing else it is an attractive looking firearm the slide on the shield 2.0 takes a very different approach from the Glock 43 X right off the bat you're going to notice something that really calls your attention and that's these fish-scale serrations right here I have two say I love them first off they are extremely functional but I also think they look really cool as well now on the 2.0 they did carry him forward to the front although I have to say these are not really usable serrations some people probably compress check I've got pretty sweaty hands so that's about as much as I can do right there I suppose that as a press check but but I think they're more for look than anything else and it's welcome I mean I think that's fine anything to break up a slide is always a good thing and there's a little bit of milling as we move up as well so I think it by and large is a really sharp slide with the exception of one thing this banner that says caution capable of firing with magazine removed I can't stand that that is not I'm not a fan of that at all I wish guns didn't have to come with that but it is what it is it's a safety warning what-have-you aside from that I think the slide on the shield 2.0 is actually really attractive now in terms of sights I have to give the leg out to the shield not because of these sights but it does come with steel three dot sights out of the box now I did switch them once again for some americo's these are the pro eye dots the straight eight configuration I dig these sights man these are really cool they've got the one tritium dot in the back tritium in front as well really fast acquisition I think this is for a little bit more more up close and personal that's just my take on a but but I do like those quite a bit so there's your slide on the on the shield 2.0 if you're wondering about the barrel that's gonna be an L 2 D combat barrel I know it's not stock you guys give me trouble for stock sometimes but but I like this barrel actually quite a bit so again that's your slide on the shield 2.0 I really dig it the shooting experience with both the 43 X and the shield is great I said in the beginning that I want small guns that you can shoot basically all day and these fit the bill the Glock 43 X incorporates the longer wider grip which allows shooters with larger hands to take full advantage of the gripping surface although the grip texture is too light the added real estate allows the hands to stay planted while shooting the recoil impulse is there for sure but very manageable with good technique there are certainly muzzle flip but getting the sights back on target is quick enough allowing for accurate follow-up shots the stock polymer sights are terrible but these mara glow HD sites are fantastic and I highly recommend them as your first upgrade the addition of the tactical pontoon trigger allows for a shorter faster trigger pulls which turns to 43 X into a beast with the Smith & Wesson shield 2.0 I always look forward to range sessions the grit texture gives serious traction allowing even the sweatiest hands to stay firmly planted although the grip length is shorter than the 43 X the texture and air goes more than make up for it the recoil impulse is again there but it seems with a slightly heavier slide that it's less than the 43 X but only just it's the same story with the muzzle flip it's there but you can easily get your sights back on target for follow-ups the Americal pro eye dots are fantastic especially for quick up close sight acquisition the addition of the apex tactical trigger is superb it's light crisp and the slight bend in the design cradles your finger like it was designed just for you I'll admit it guys Smith & Wesson got it right with this gun all right let's take a look at the trigger on the 2.0 now keep in mind this is not these stock hinge trigger but for those who are curious about the apex trigger this is all for you guys of course we do have our a slightly curved trigger with the safety lever in the middle so we've got our take up right here and I have to say the take up on this is buttery smooth an we get to a nice defined wall and there's our break or break is coming in about four and a quarter pounds which is just tremendous it's so light and crisp and then our reset right there really audible reset they really dialed this in it's absolutely fantastic we'll do this again so we've got our take up very smooth there's our break again four and a quarter pounds our reset and then a follow-up shot you're basically at the wall man I love this trigger and again I know it's not stock the stock hinge trigger on this I have to say though was actually pretty surprising I'm not a fan of hinge and hinge triggers at all but the one that came in this particular gun really was not too bad now the apex dials it up to a whole different level but but again out of the box the shield trigger really was pretty tolerable all right now for the trigger on the 43 X what again not the stock trigger we've spent a lot of time with Glock stock triggers walking into the stock trigger on this was pretty much exactly as you would expect six and a half pounds the resets fantastic but the break is not very good so I went with the tactical pontoon trigger and I've got a couple of their triggers now they're kind of newcomers to the collection and absolutely love these triggers is something very different I've got a dedicated video that either came out before this video or after I never know what the schedule is going to bring so for those of you who are curious about this once again we do have our safety lever and it's a totally flat trigger it's very comfortable very smooth just like the apex trigger as well so we do have our take up which is that that's your take-up and then you're at the wall and there's your break about four and a half pounds some so slightly heavier than the shield but only just and then our reset is right there there's our reset we'll go back out to the start again there start by the way again this really takes pretty much all the travel out which is fantastic so our take-up very minimal and then our break it's a light and crisp and then our reset and then a follow-up shot as well so I'll tell you what both of these triggers on these guns are absolutely fantastic and again neither one's stock so I think it's actually a pretty good comparison well guys here we are at the end of another if I can only have one and I have to say it's but a lot of fun to put this together you guys know I'm a big fan of single stack and subcompact firearms I love the idea of concealed ability but shoot ability as well and finding that balance between the two because not all guns do it as well as other guns do at least in my opinion now when I think about the Glock 43 X Glock got a lot of things right with this the extended and widened the grip so there's more surface for more hand types and I think that's a real welcome change for a lot of shooters the slide finish I think is really good-looking now will it stand up over the test of time I don't know I'm still working with that you guys know I've been running it in a Harry's holster but but I like the look of it if nothing else those front serrations are great now in terms of sights the polymer sights out of the box I can't stand I always want to switch those out they do have some other options it raises the price a little bit but it's nice that they have some other options I like these Amerigo sites right here and then as far as triggers go the Glock stock triggers they're okay they're fine but I love the idea of dialing it in a little bit more than that tactical pontoon trigger definitely does it you also do get the ten rounds two magazines which is great the only problem is there's a little bit less flexibility there now when I think about the shield 2.0 Smith & Wesson got a lot of things right I love the enhanced grip texture it really allows you to get a firm grip on this thing even with the seven round magazine and you might have that pinky that tucks under it really doesn't matter with this because that grip texture is almost like sandpaper really locks you right in there I love the slide serrations those fists fish-scale serrations I think they look absolutely fantastic and I love the idea that it comes with steel white dot sights right out of the box you get decent sights you don't have to worry about it especially if you're not building new sights into your budget like a lot of people do with Glocks I think that's absolutely fantastic now I also like the magazine flexibility 7 rounds and 8 rounds out of the box I know it's not ten with the Glock but I like the idea of that flexibility because a seven around magazine allows it to be a little bit more concealable especially with the t-shirts something like that whereas with the Glock you're kind of stuck with what you've got now a couple of things about both of them both of them have good aftermarket support the Glock arguably is a little bit better I'll admit however the Smith & Wesson is no slouch either there lots of holster and sight and trigger options all that kind of good stuff magazine base plates kind of the whole nine yards a lot of the things that you want to do Glock does take it a little bit further with some other little parts that you can switch out that sort of thing but either way you can dial either one of these things in to your liking but then when we talk about price there is gonna be a little bit of a difference now the Glock people are starting to find them around the 450 and maybe a little bit more price be sure to tell me down below if you've found a better deal than that but sometimes these Smith & Wesson's can be in the 350 dollar mark perhaps even a little bit less depending on where you look so you're saving a little bit of money as well now over time Glock might drop the price a little bit but I highly doubt it too much so again there's a little bit of an advantage in terms of price with the Smith & Wesson so guys at the end of the day if can only have one you're probably seeing this coming it would be the Smith & Wesson shield 2.0 to me it's just more shootable there's a little bit more flexibility I think Smith & Wesson did a fantastic job with this so guys be sure to leave a comment down below let me know if you agree or disagree I'm always interested in hearing all this and love carrying on a conversation with you otherwise thanks so much for joining me and I will see you next time

Channel: KSGunGuy

Views: 229,168

Rating: 4.7617145 out of 5

Keywords: Glock, Smith and Wesson, Sig Sauer, HK, Walther, Springfield Armory, CZ, Beretta, FN, P365, P320, 19x, M&P 2.0, Shield, P-10 C, VP9, VP9SK, P-07, P-01, APX, upgrade, custom, comparison, competition, vortex, Glock 19, Glock 19 Gen 5, Glock 17, FN 509, Sig Sauer P365, Glock 43x, Glock 48, CZ P-10 S, P10S, Arex Delta, CZ P10, Budget AR, Taurus G2C, XCarry, XCompact, Sig Sauer MPX, Glock 43X, X Carry, X Compact

Id: veBMIAi6OTY

Length: 20min 42sec (1242 seconds)

Published: Sat Feb 23 2019