Smith and Wesson Shield Plus Optics Ready 30 Super Carry 3.1" Barrel 16-Round Thumb Safety - $299.99 ($249.99 after $50 MIR) ($9.99 S/H on Firearms / $12.99 Flat Rate S/H on ammo)

Fair, the PPK might produce a better shooting effect/experience due to pistol wt alone.

But as for the 40SW vs 30SC availabilty is somewhat an disproportionate justification. 40 has over 2 decades of use/(debatable populuarity) in LE & subsquent civilian clamour for the rounds once they were adopted by LE. I would expect availbilty in a scare of 30SC (which is the revival of an old obscure round) to not have anywhere near close to availibilty in future scares since its only been reintroduced to the market in early 2022, just 21 months ago at the time of this posting.

Precisely.

Rented this and the 9mm version at a local range.

Shot 50 rounds thru the 9, then 30 rounds thru the 30SC and that 30rounds in 30SC was enuff for me to spend the rest of my time shooting another 50 rounds in 9mm.

The grouping difference between the 9mm & 30SC were not even close. 9mm produce 1 ragged hole on multiple 5 yard targets and 1/2”-1” group at 10 yards. 30SC looked more “shotgun blast-like”
groupings at 5 yards were 2-3” and 4-6” at 10 yards.

For me the 30SC was a less repeatable POI from what was definitely a sharper recoil impulse, YMMV. I did end up really bearing down on the snappier 30SC version and shot the last 20 rounds in the box of 50 (in an attempt to tame recoil and tighten my groups) Literally produced similar results as the first 30 rounds. I did tried both the flush fit & extended mag with neglible difference in controllability.

The only thing I was certain after shooting both guns side by side was I needed no further investigation in to the Shield+ in 30SC. The recoil impulse, ballistically inferior performance, lack of repeatability and likely more costly/less available ammo ensured I was good on this (likely to fade in to) wildcat territory round. A heavier gun may change that, but the whole intention of the round is meant to be used in a CCW (ie smaller framed gun).

In my experience, the only benefits you will gain from buying the 30SC version is the better capacity (both the 9 & 30SC suffer from less rounds than advertised without extensive spring break-in) as well as with the going with the OR version.

The OR 30SC is the only model guaranteed not to need extra slide milling to remove 2 of the 4 rear bosses, to make it HS 407/507k compatiable, which is arugably the most popular MRDS.

If you want to stock yet another round in your armory or simply try sumpin new then get it. However, outside of those excuses, this version of the Shield+ pales in comparion to the shootabilty/comfortability/familiarity of the classic 9mm Shield family of pistols.

*Sidebar; The capcity argument for me losses steam due to the wide groupings results and “Hellcat-like” shooting experience.