re: Best Single Stack 9mm?

First of all, it's hard to say which one is "best" since one may be better than others at other things. I carry a Kahr CM9 which is one of the smallest carry 9mms out there. It's very reliable and a great gun but I can tell you without a doubt that the recoil impulse of something slightly heavier (Shield, XDs) beats up your hands less.

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It would be nice to switch it up if I can find something reliable.

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Of all the guns you listed, with the exception of the G43 since it's still new, all of them will be reliable. It's hard to find an unreliable gun from a quality manufacturer these days. The processes are streamlined and very precise for them to spit out tons of reliable handguns. I'm sure the Glock 43 will end up being a home run but we won't know until the market saturates a bit and they are truly tested.

I think the "best" all-around single stack 9mm is probably the M&P Shield and these are my reasons compared to the others (only my opinion):

1. Can be purchased without a thumb safety - The Sig P938 requires deactivating the safety on the draw, every. single. time. If you forget it can cost you your life.

2. It isn't overly large but not overly small. It is an ideal carry piece for inside the waistband carry. My Kahr is great in my waistband too but the tad bit of extra weight and capacity would not make it uncomfortable to carry. If the Shield had been out when I purchased my CM9, I would probably be the owner of one.

3. It has no grip safety to worry about. Even though the grip safety on the XDs is considered a "passive" safety it's still an extra speed bump that could be disastrous when you really need it. Have I seen them have issues before? No, but Mr. Murphy is always right around the corner.

4. The Shield has metal sights. That makes it beat out the CM9 (plastic front) and the G43 (plastic rear).

5. It may show my bias as a S&W man but the ergonomics on the Shield are tops when it comes to single stack 9mms.

6. The trigger on the Shield is considerably better than its full sized counterparts. I don't know why but I've compared it to tons of full sized ones and it's true.

7. Track record - the Shield took the single stack 9mm market by storm and continues to sell very well. The "recall" it had wasn't even a functional issue and was moreso a precautionary warning to cover their asses.

Hopefully this wasn't too long-winded. Obviously I think the Shield is the best overall option but all the guns you listed are reliable so that should not be a concern when making your purchase.