Shields

Is the Shield the new J-Frame?

The pistol regular Joe's (and Josephina's) get when they need a pistol?

"Well, I don't need to shoot 18 rounds, I'm not a cop.  30 years ago I'd get a small revolvers.  But now...  Everyone is semi-auto, and they are about as easy to operate as revolvers... Hey, this one is thinner and all and hold just 7.  They call it a Shield.  I'll get that.  Smith and Wesson is also 'Merikin.  Austria?  Weren't that Hitler fella from there?"

Or are gunstore clerks finally shamed by us bloogers to stop default steering n00bs to the J-Frames and the Shield is now the go-to?

Confession:  I missed the debut of the Shield when it happened.  I had no idea what it was.  I knew what a modern M&P was, but what is an M&P Shield?  And I didn't bother to fix my ignorance for some time because I wasn't in the market for any new pistols, especially plastic pistols, at the time.

I got better.

But I am still a NEW Jovian Thunderbolt.  I don't know all the tiny details despite all my exposure. 

Hey, Shield are kosher in Maryland!  In that, they don't need their magazine nerfed to sell.  I have no idea if it is on the 'accepted' list, but Maryland's allowable pistols are pretty generous compared to other states with similar restrictions. 

M&P 1.0 sales...  That might be a reason for uptick in volumes, partly.  Some folks want the deal, while other want to lay their hands on new-hotness 2.0, so rising tide and all that.