They're not the fastestcreedmoor in the shed but they're very consistent lot to lot. When I buy from Buds, I continue to get a case of 400 with all the same lot number which is nice. Fast shipping, etc. Great price. As far as reviewing the ammo: it's just what my barrel likes. Most people can get away with the 140gr shooting amazing but my gun didn't like it as much. That said, the ELDm shoots well in competition AS WELL AS in the field. Killed many whitetail and Auodad with this bullet.
Rear sight adjustment is crude, small allen key is the only adjusting tool and nowhere on the rifle or in the sight rail to store it. Sight must be loosened on the side you wish to adjust for windage, and both sides must be loosened to thread the aperture up or down for elevation. I found this process tedious and hard to set where I thought would be zero. After setting my laser boresighter and very carefully adjusting this little assembly I had the sight as zeroed as it would get, gently torqued side allen screws and hit my local indoor range. At 25 yards with no bag, support, or sling I managed a two inch, ten shot group with mixed bag ammo from years ago. Trigger pull was good in my opinion for a stock 10/22 trigger, a tad heavy but a clean break with just the slightest creep and grit. I believe the rifle and I will come to terms and the potential is there to bring those groups significantly down in size. The weight and balance of the rifle feels good to me, function with the 10 round magazine was flawless, and I like the feel, contour, and structure of the Hogue stock. The short barrel seems to me to make the rifle quicker to get on target, not quite A2 to M4 different but significant enough over an 18 inch barrel to be noticeable. My only nitpick is that rear sight, a better adjustment was expected, and at least some manner of storage on the rifle would have been a simply engineered and executed thing of appreciation for the buyer for the small allen key, which I am bound to lose. As some have mentioned, the rear arpeture diameter is large, but brings the front ears and post into a well framed sight picture, this is not a match rifle, but even with these sights and good marksman technique should be plenty capable. I may have to order a set of Tech Sights to bring the rifle where I think it should be, which was what I had aimed to avoid by getting the rifle with a peep sight already installed.
After renting a Shield Plus at the range in order to get a feel for what the Shield X might be like, I was impressed enough to purchase the X model. The Shield X, seems like Smith & Wesson took the Shield Plus concept and modernized it. The biggest thing that jumps out is the capacity is now 13+1 or 15+1 (I only get 10+1 as I am in a controlled state). The weight with the 10 rounds is light and easy to carry and I'm assured by other that even the 15+1 is surprising non-brick like The extended grip and overall shape make it shoot much flatter than I expected compared to others I've tried. I like that S&W made the slide optics-ready out of the box, and the updated serrations allows my wife to be able to rack it with little trouble (it is stiff however before some break-in). The added accessory rail is also a welcome addition. Clearly it would be easy to conceal without it feeling like a toy when you are on the range. The grip texture is gritty without (as least for me) tough on the hands. The recoil control and the dot-mounting capability adds the many needed features for a small firearm. I find the wall and break very acceptable and the lighter pull weight (compared to full sized pistols) is a plus for us old folks. Of course, not everything is perfect. The redesigned grip feels good to me but not everyone, depending on hand size, may feel that way. The grip angle and the trigger reach feel a bit different from the Shield Plus I tested. I've also seen a few people say it's slightly less comfortable for very large hands compared with some of the competition. As of this writing you may have some problems finding holsters and some slight variation in triggers from gun to gun. If you really loved the slimmer, original Shield for deep concealment, this new one is a little bigger so keep that in mind. But overall, throughout the 2,000 rounds I have put through it at this time, it has been reliable, easy to clean, light weight, with an easy trigger pull as well as accurate. I was able to mount a red-dot on it in 20 minutes with no problems. The Shield X seems like a very practical, modern, and well-thought-out everyday carry option — especially if you want capacity and optics-readiness without jumping to a full-size or bulky compact.
I found that the M17 comes across as a full-size pistol that feels comfortable in my hand. The grip shape just works for me, and the longer barrel and sight radius definitely help with getting tighter groups even for an amateur like myself. I feel that it shoots smoothly and that the recoil is very controlled for a service-sized gun. I also really like that it comes optic-ready and includes night sights, so you don't have to spend more money just to modernize it. The modular design is a huge part of the P320 appeal for me. Being able to change grip modules or slide lengths without buying a whole new serialized frame is a big plus in my book, as I know my arthritic hands will eventually call for some changes. Field-stripping and cleaning is very straightforward, and I've shoot over 3,000 rounds with excellent reliability. As for the trigger, the wall is definitive and the break clean. It is however, impossible to ignore the elephant in the room: the history of lawsuits and reports about unintentional discharges. Whether any individual gun is affected or not, that reputation absolutely follows the brand around, and it's something anyone researching the gun keeps bumping into. On top of that, the M17 is a bit bulkier and heavier than what most people want for everyday concealed carry. I, for one, could not consider it for that function based on my body size, etc. It's also not the cheapest option, especially compared to smaller, more carry-designed pistols. And while the trigger is good as noted, many of my more experienced friends note that there are definitely guns with cleaner, shorter break and reset. In the end, in my opinion, though, if you want something reliable, accurate, optic-ready, and built for the military, the M17 should meet your needs. As for ll the rhetoric floating around, you'll just have to make up your own mind.
