Husband vs Wife Showdown – S&W Shield vs Glock 43

Smith Wesson Shield vs Glock 43
S&W Shield, Glock 43, and Winchester 9mm Ammunition

My family plays a lot of board games. While the competition is friendly, it is still serious. In fact, we even keep a log of wins & losses. Our Scrabble log shows that I am experiencing a losing streak that has lasted for months. Does my family frequently remind me of this? Absolutely!

We also bring this competitive game playing to the shooting range. In fact, during our last trip to the range my wife challenged me to a quick 9mm showdown. She elected to use the S&W Shield, while I used the Glock 43.

The rules to this showdown were simple… we each got to fire 15 rounds of 9mm at our own Birchwood Casey Dirty Bird Splattering Target. We then added up our shots to determine the winner.

Glock 43 and Smith Wesson Shield - Birchwood Casey Dirty Bird Spattering Targets
Glock 43 and S&W Shield with Birchwood Casey Dirty Bird Spattering Targets

I would like to tell you that my win didn’t come with a little bragging. But, it most certainly did! Of course, in our house, that is part of the fun.

On a sidenote… The shooting range can be a great place to spend some quality family time. There is nothing wrong with serious training, but don’t forget to throw in some lighthearted competition that the whole family can enjoy!

Lucky Gunner

 

Cumulative Range/Function Test Results – Smith & Wesson Shield
Test # Ammunition # Rounds Results
1 Winchester 9mm 115gr FMJ 50 No Issues
2 HPR 9mm 115gr TMJ 50 No Issues
3 Sellier & Bellot 9mm 115gr FMJ 35 No Issues
4 Sig V-Crown 9mm 115gr JHP 40 No Issues
5 PolyCase Inceptor 74gr ARX 25 No Issues
6 Winchester 9mm 115gr FMJ 25 No Issues

Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm No Thumb Safety Specs:

  • SKU: 10035
  • Model: M&P9 Shield™
  • Frame Size: Compact
  • Caliber: 9mm
  • Action: Striker Fire
  • Capacity: 7 and 8 Round Magazines
  • Barrel Length: 3.1” (7.9 cm)
  • Front Sight: White Dot
  • Rear Sight: White 2-Dot
  • Trigger Pull: 6.5 lbs +/-
  • Overall Length: 6.1” (15.5 cm)
  • Frame Width: .95” (2.4 cm)
  • Overall Height: 4.6” (11.7 cm)
  • Grip: Polymer
  • Weight: 19.0 oz. (523.7 g)
  • Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
  • Slide Material: Stainless Steel
  • Frame Material: Polymer
  • Finish: Black/Durable Corrosion Resistant
  • More Info: Smith & Wesson

 

Cumulative Range/Function Test Results – Glock 43
Test # Ammunition # Rounds Results
1 Winchester 9mm 115gr FMJ 50 No Issues
2 HPR 9mm 115gr TMJ 50 1 Failure to Eject – Shooter Error
3 Sellier & Bellot 9mm 115gr FMJ 29 No Issues
4 Sig V-Crown 9mm 115gr JHP 40 No Issues
5 PolyCase Inceptor 74gr ARX 25 No Issues
6 Winchester 9mm 115gr FMJ 25 No Issues

Glock 43 Specs:

  • Caliber: 9×19
  • System: Safe Action
  • Length: 159 mm / 6.26 in
  • Width: 26 mm / 1.02 in
  • Length Between Sights: 132 mm / 5.20 in
  • Height: 108 mm / 4.25 in
  • Barrel Height: n/a
  • Barrel Length: 86 mm / 3.39 in
  • Weight:
    • Unloaded: 509 g / 17.95 oz
    • Loaded: 634 g / 22.36 oz
  • Trigger Pull: ~25 N / ~5.5 lbs
  • Trigger Travel: ~12.5 mm / ~0.49 in
  • Barrel Rifling: right hand, octagonal
  • Length of Twist: 250 mm / 9.84 in
  • Magazine Capacity:
    • Standard: 6
  • More Info: Glock