I have had a lot of trigger time with everything you mentioned. My personal favorite "pocket" semi is a PM9 but I have done modifications to make it more reliable (mag follower modifications) and it does fit my hand and it's unbelievably smooth trigger is like the Kimber K6s revolver on my hip much of the time. Of your choices I would rank them (even though I am not a fan of the Glock's grip angle) 1. Glock 43 2. Shield (not really a pocket gun) I sold my Apex trigger equiped Shield and kept my Kahr PM9 due to size. 3. XDs (not really a pocket gun) 4. Walther whose company has had a number of different owners over the years and although a nice gun, it would not have ever been on my list. Now to the small Sig 1911 style guns. Great products that nearly everyone shoots well. My personal problem with them is the fact they need to be carried cocked and locked which invites a number of potential issues into the equation. Lint and debris, hammer snagging while drawing from a pocket, not to mention the potential for a ND due to a single action trigger. (yes I know there is a safety but lots of controls like a backstrap safety and thump safety's rely on the shooter to have 100% full control of the gun. Not always the case in a flight or fight situation. Sorry for the long rant but if I was starting over, and was not so conditioned to DA triggers, I would learn to like the Glock 43 and call it a day.
I've always been a fan of the S&W autos. I have a 469 that has seen a lot of miles carried as a backup firearm. I love the short trigger reset of the S&W's and I shoot them well. I'm also a big guy, so the concealment of even a larger pistol is not difficult for me; I carried a 4516 as a pocket pistol for a year before gifting it to a friend of mine because he was so enamored of it. Guns like the Glock 43 don't work because they are just too small in my hand for me to get a proper firing grip. I don't like the XD series because the ergonomics also don't work for me. You might be interested in something like this: http://blog.suarezinternational.com/2016/08/the-guttersnipe-glock-43.html
I just got a Springfield XD-S in .40 cal in the mail today, just by coincidence. If you get one by the end of the month they will throw in 4 extra mags and a holster in a free rebate. I was going to originally get it in 9mm, but I'd rather hit a potential attacker first with a .40 round.---as these little guns will lose 50 fps over a full sized one. Springfield Armory's leaders did make a stupid mistake last year making some deals with gun control nuts in Illinois. However, they have recanted. If it blows up or has a failure of some kind, I'll let you know.
I did not know that. TY very much. There's nothing like a deal to make a deal. S&W is also making deals with significant rebates on the Shield.
I didn't know Gabe was still in the biz considering all his legal troubles. Still I heard that he was set up for payback a few years back. Too bad. I've chosen my carry weapons carefully and have put a lot of thought into them. You've heard of dressing for success? Well I dress and carry for defense while I'm out and about. It's a different scenario for home. You have to really look at the threat and carry accordingly. A single stack 9 bridges the gap between the Ruger LCR and the G26 with the extended magazine. Reliability, size and weight are the true deciding factors for me. It's still an anti-ambush weapon that is going to be used for speed at short range. With the current trend of attacks in the US, I also want something I can carry anywhere and provides me with a bit more firepower than the snub. I'm still debating the laser which is another topic. For the old 3913 despite its weight I'll miss the ability to pocket carry it.
Shield +1 Magguts makes a +2 extension, giving you 10+1 in the 8 round mags. Not shabby for a single stack. Plus, it's reliable as all get out.
Here's the problem I have with the XD's. Fine gun, don't get me wrong. Two main things I don't trust: the grip safety and the easily broken FO front sight.
Gabe was indeed put through the wringer, unfortunately; but I think it's a testament to him that he dealt with the efforts to destroy him with grit and determination and managed to put all that behind him. His business is now growing exponentially. He instructs internationally, and has been a real innovator in the industry over the last ten years. I trained with him originally in 2007, and a couple of times since then.
I have the M&P Shield in .40 with an el-cheapo laser that I'm gonna take off and give away (want it?). It's a fine all around carry, and my EDC. I have the Springfield XD-m, also in .40, and it's the nicest pistol I own. Not the one you specified, but if it is representative of the brand the XD-s is probably just as nice. As far a "gun control" goes, the Shield is a little snappy in .40, as you might imagine, and if I had it to buy over again would probably get the 9mm version, which might be a little easier to control. I have read that a 9mm barrel will slide right into the .40, with just the tiniest bit of side to side play. I may try that one day.
As of late, I buy ammo. I finished my gun purchasing for my Grandchildren last year. Ammo ammo ammo. Most will vote Glock.....
Ha, a perfect response, but it doesn't make the choice any answer. The woman's answer would be to buy all three.
Woman's answer... well, with gun owners like me, guns are like shoes for them; different occasions require different wear, but there is that constant search for the one outfit that works for any occasion... just haven't found it. I like the HK45c I have have for many reasons, including flawless reliability, but it's a bit more challenging to CC than my PM9. Just had the chance to fondle two relatively new HKs... the P30SK and the VP9SK compacts, both 9mm, one hammer fired and the other striker fired. I haven't shot either, but they both fit my hand nearly perfectly and are about the same dimensions as my G26 with a far more comfortable grip and, like the G26, they both can interchange mags with their larger capacity brethren. Once the owner makes them available to me to shoot, I will test them... anxious to see how well they perform. Both should offer better concealability than my G26. So many guns, so little time.
You've heard of dress for success. Well it's really arm for defense. You and I have the same opinion of the H&K 45 c, of which I carried for years. The single stack 9's make a lot of sense, especially when they're small enough and light enough. More firepower than a light weight snub and more concealable than the double stack compact. They're also more convenient. Something like a G 43 tucked into a Remora 3 in 1 is very easy to grab and carry. They are after all anti-ambush weapons.
I freely admit to still being enamored of my little S&W 469. Thinner and trimmer than a 5 shot revolver, with a 12+1 capacity, and I've always shot it exceedingly well.
I often carry a larger gun, but on a warm day like today, I will have my PM9. I have carry options that make it disappear and it weighs almost nothing. As I have previously indicated, I like it's DA trigger and mine is a better than most because I figured how to improve it. Mine was flawless out of the box, digests everything, requiring no break in period, and no nose diving as reported by others. I have a techna clip mounted (works great) and a CT. I also have a Remora holster (also works great) and a tuckable holster of my own make (deep conceal). But, I do have others depending on my attire and the weather, Glock 26, HK45c, and others, each with various mods and carry options and I train with them all, but my Kahr is my usual casual carry piece. BTW, any carry piece I have must convince me it is perfectly reliable and accurate... all my choices are.
