Interesting post. I just sort of "went through this".
In a nutshell - I'm older and a "revolver guy". My favorite carry has been a Smith Model 36 snub - 5 shots. I owned one "plastic semi auto" - a SR9 that I'e had for about 8 to 9 years - a great shooter. I wanted something "in between" - a single stack 9mm - something compact and easy to carry.
This past week, I went to the LGS. I've done a lot of reading on a number of brands. I kept reading a lot on the Shield but I still wanted to "see what was out there". I decided not to look at the price tags as I don't equate "price with quality".
The salesman was kind enough to lay out three different small 9s that he felt would possible answer my needs and which they had had good customer feedback on. A Kimber Talo, a XDs and a Shield. I looked each over very well - all three are well built. The Kimber just didn't feel right - too small for my liking, but a nice handgun The XDs was also nice - felt good in my hands but I didn't like the grip safety. The Shield? I liked it the minute I picked it up. Well built and it answered all my wants and needs.
The salesman then asked if I had looked at a Glock 43 - they had just one and it was in back, sold and waiting to be picked up. He brought the box out. I had never handled a Glock before - was kind of "anti Glock" (don't ask me why). When he opened the box, checked it and handed it to me, I liked it . . . just as much as i did the Shield. Yes . . there is a difference in size but not really that much - at least for my purposes. My choice instantly narrowed to the Glock and the Shield. Two things held me back on the Glock 43. First - unknown delivery time. Second . . . the Glock rifling. I reload and shoot cast 99% of the time. Yes, I know that some shoot cast out of Glocks with no problems but Glockk doesn't recommend it and according to the salesman, replacement barrels with conventional rifling are really not available for the 43 yet.
Of the 4 "small" 9s, price ran from highest to lowest - Kimber, Glock, XDs and Shield. I bought the Shield and am very happy with it. I purchased it based on "features" . . . not price.
Some will argue that one has better trigger than the other, etc. . . but in the end, a hand gun is a "personal choice" and the heck with what others think - it's your gun, your choice and you have to live with it. Had one of the other three been better for what I wanted, I would have paid the higher price . . . but they didn't. All of them had different features and I'm sure different production costs, etc. One feature I wanted was an external safety . . that too is a personal thing. The Shield that I purchased had it . . that doesn't mean that I "have" to use it but it's there if I do want to. In the end, all 9mms of similar size and different makes could be priced at the same exact price . . . but the features are what will end up "selling it". Not too much different than cars . . . you can buy a Ford or you can buy a Mercedes . . . both different prices. It doesn't mean that both aren't good cars . . . they both will get you where you want to go but they do have different "features". For that . . you have to expect a "price difference".
