How the 30SC Shield Plus Ruined Other Guns

I’ve carried, trained and competed with, a variety of handguns over the past decade plus. While I cut my teeth on DA/SA autos, the majority of my shooting has been with Glocks. Every Rangemaster certification I’ve received has been with one of a handful of full size Glock pistols in my hands. I made the podium at a regional GSSF match using a G34 back in 2023. I certainly shoot other guns, and carry a snub nose revolver fairly regularly as well, both as a primary and backup gun. However, Glock is without a doubt my go-to gun over the years. That is, until recently.

Enter 30 Super Carry

Prior to SHOT Show 2022 I was alerted to a leak that had made its way to a forum. Federal ammunition was bringing a new caliber to market, with support from Smith & Wesson, and Nighthawk Custom. This new caliber was 30 Super Carry, and as far as I know, Primer Peak was the one to break the story. I immediately was interested, as I’d been petitioning for a modern .32 caliber cartridge to replicate 9×19 performance, while providing improved capacity. 30SC is basically my dream come true. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read my primer on the caliber >>HERE<<.

Of course there were potential shortcomings to 30 Super Carry, such as ammunition price and availability, a general lack of support, and more. Despite this, I sang the praises of 30SC online for well over a year. Eventually I realized I was being a little hypocritical; telling people to support a caliber I liked without owning anything in it myself. This led to me picking up a Smith & Wesson Shield Plus in 30 Super Carry in late 2023.

The Smith & Wesson Shield Plus in 30 Super Carry

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably seen my extensive writing on the caliber, and the gun itself. In short, it’s been a great experience. For those unfamiliar, this is essentially S&W’s answer to the extremely popular P365 series of pistols from SIG Sauer. These guns are small, but pack a ton of firepower. The 30SC Shield Plus offers 13+1 or 16+1 depending on magazine, shoots just like a 9mm, and is reliable to boot. It’s smaller than a G19 in every dimension but holds a few more rounds, when chambered in 30 Super Carry. For reference, capacity on the 9mm Shield Plus sits at 10+1 and 13+1.

It was hard for me to believe, but I kept shooting this gun comparably well to full size pistols. I put up a few best-ever scores, or at least held the line against my G34 and G17. During the Rangemaster Professional Trainer’s Symposium in 2024 I walked away tied for Top Shot using the Shield Plus against folks like Wayne Dobbs, Karl Rehn, and other stellar shooters. This led to a conundrum.

Shattered Glass

Earlier this year I had a pistol arrive for purposes of a review. It was a G19-ish sized, polymer frame 9mm pistol that was lovingly worked over by a renowned shop. I eagerly awaited it’s arrival, excited to put some rounds down range and see how it compared to my stock handguns. Once I had the gun in hand, I felt deflated. For a few weeks images danced in my head of making this my new carry gun when things went well. It was cool, it shot well, and carried nicely. But something just wasn’t right in my gut. Then it hit me.

This new pistol was bigger, heavier, harder to shoot, lower capacity, and more difficult to conceal than my 30SC Shield Plus. Why would I transition to a gun that was more of a challenge in virtually every way when I already had something I’d invested so much time and money into? Then I began thinking about my other guns. Glocks first came to mind, then my 1911, and everything else. What was the point if they really weren’t offering much over my Shield Plus? It felt like someone had thrown a sledgehammer through a mirror.

Reality Check

I’m not a collector, but I certainly have a list of pistols I’d like to own and shoot. As a new dad of one, with another on the way, my already limited time and money is disappearing before my eyes. The economy and ammunition supplies aren’t looking too good either. Maintaining proficiency with guns I actually use is about to get tougher, and those dwindling resources should be spent practically more often than not. Is this the end of those gun guy dreams? What about reviews, as those take a substantial amount of time and money?

Sure, I can still spend some time having fun every now and then, but much of that is likely being put to rest. At least for now. Moving forward, it looks like the Shield Plus and my 632UC will be center stage on range days. Of course 30 Super Carry and 32H&R Magnum aren’t the most cost effective rounds. Equivalent 9×19 and 38 Special guns may become my training tools, with the higher capacity options being my carry guns. Those are thoughts I’ve been tossing around before all of this internal strife started swirling about.

One Gun to Rule them All

The S&W Shield Plus in 30SC is my first foray into the world of P365 equivalents, and I finally understand why they’ve taken the world by storm. It’s a lot of punch in a small package, and they’re daisies on the range. I don’t see myself carrying anything bigger any time soon. You could say that the Shield Plus has ruined other guns for me. It may not be the bell of the ball, but it’s quickly become the apple of my eye. Maybe this isn’t so bad after all….

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If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Writing isn’t my full-time profession, and nearly everything I do comes out of my own pocket. Between ammunition, tuition, range fees and more, expenses add up fast. If you like what I have to offer, consider making a donation to my Patreon.

Every bit helps bring more work like this to you, and contributes to shortened timelines or more in-depth work on my part. You’ll also have more direct access to me, offering suggestions for future projects, looking behind the scenes, and getting early access to some content. You can find my Patreon >>HERE<<