As my prior post attest to, I really like this new Shield. I just started to notice this issue on this and other threads and it seems to be getting pretty emotional. So I thought I would post sections of my letter that is accompanying my Shield 9mm, which upon the advise of "Mark" customer service, is being shipped back to the factory.
"__________________
I noticed when my Shield was new, that (with an empty magazine and chamber) the slide seemed a little rough, just before complete battery condition,. However, in testing this gun with a few hundred rounds of everything, nothing could make it fail to feed or fire. (This condition seems to have greatly improved after several hundred rounds,)
SUMMARY OF CONCERNS:
• Gun can be out of battery when removed from a holster or pocket (with or without a fully loaded magazine).
• Gun failed to go into full battery with the second round of Hornady 135 grn "Critical Duty" ammo as mentioned below
• I experienced a light primer strike with the second round of S & B ball ammo (as mentioned below) possibly caused by gun failing to go into full battery. Later that round fired when tested.
I can manually get my Shield to fail to go into full battery (with my regular Hornandy carry CD ammo/non-+P) even with several rounds removed from the magazine. Finally, when you get down to about 4 or 5 rounds, you cannot manually get it to fail to go into full battery. (Note: this is with a round in the chamber.)
HOWEVER, THESE NEXT TWO ISSUES ARE SOMEWHAT MORE OF A CONCERN:
I had a fully loaded magazine inserted into the gun that had a round in the chamber. I fired the first round and then the gun failed to fire. Did the tap, and rack thing and all was well (ejected a live round/evidently the first round that had been in the loaded magazine). At that time, my theory was that the 135 grn Hornady round was rubbing the bottom of the slide and keeping it from going into full battery even when firing the gun. (I wasn't too concerned since I was not going to use that ammo anyway.)
(It should be noted that the gun did not fire when it was not in complete battery.)
Also, during my last session at the range, after firing the first chambered round, I did get one light primer strike with S & B ball ammo. I am now wondering whether or not this was a condition of not going completely into battery. (That same round did fire when I put it back in to try it by itself.)
If that is the case, then maybe the gun will not fire when not in full battery, but you may experience a light primer strike.
The concern with these last two issues listed is that both of these things happened when I was firing the gun after firing the first round (as in a fire fight). When I realized this, I decided to contact you and arrange to return the gun for inspection and or repair.
I just checked my Glock 36 which I keep fully loaded in the house. With my 7 round mag (stock mag with a Pierce 1 extender), I can get it to not fully go into battery sometimes. However when I tip the gun muzzle down, gravity seems to click it into full battery. I cannot get it to do this with the stock 6 round magazine. I cannot get my Glock 19 to do this even with a fully loaded 15 round magazine.
"_____________________
It should be noted that the first issue, finding the gun out of battery when removed from a holster or pocket carry, I can live with (I normally hit the back of the slide as a matter of some old time LEO training from years ago
).
However, the next two issues which occur while firing are a little more troublesome for me.
Just some thoughts,
Trooper Joe
"__________________
I noticed when my Shield was new, that (with an empty magazine and chamber) the slide seemed a little rough, just before complete battery condition,. However, in testing this gun with a few hundred rounds of everything, nothing could make it fail to feed or fire. (This condition seems to have greatly improved after several hundred rounds,)
SUMMARY OF CONCERNS:
• Gun can be out of battery when removed from a holster or pocket (with or without a fully loaded magazine).
• Gun failed to go into full battery with the second round of Hornady 135 grn "Critical Duty" ammo as mentioned below
• I experienced a light primer strike with the second round of S & B ball ammo (as mentioned below) possibly caused by gun failing to go into full battery. Later that round fired when tested.
I can manually get my Shield to fail to go into full battery (with my regular Hornandy carry CD ammo/non-+P) even with several rounds removed from the magazine. Finally, when you get down to about 4 or 5 rounds, you cannot manually get it to fail to go into full battery. (Note: this is with a round in the chamber.)
HOWEVER, THESE NEXT TWO ISSUES ARE SOMEWHAT MORE OF A CONCERN:
I had a fully loaded magazine inserted into the gun that had a round in the chamber. I fired the first round and then the gun failed to fire. Did the tap, and rack thing and all was well (ejected a live round/evidently the first round that had been in the loaded magazine). At that time, my theory was that the 135 grn Hornady round was rubbing the bottom of the slide and keeping it from going into full battery even when firing the gun. (I wasn't too concerned since I was not going to use that ammo anyway.)
(It should be noted that the gun did not fire when it was not in complete battery.)
Also, during my last session at the range, after firing the first chambered round, I did get one light primer strike with S & B ball ammo. I am now wondering whether or not this was a condition of not going completely into battery. (That same round did fire when I put it back in to try it by itself.)
If that is the case, then maybe the gun will not fire when not in full battery, but you may experience a light primer strike.
The concern with these last two issues listed is that both of these things happened when I was firing the gun after firing the first round (as in a fire fight). When I realized this, I decided to contact you and arrange to return the gun for inspection and or repair.
I just checked my Glock 36 which I keep fully loaded in the house. With my 7 round mag (stock mag with a Pierce 1 extender), I can get it to not fully go into battery sometimes. However when I tip the gun muzzle down, gravity seems to click it into full battery. I cannot get it to do this with the stock 6 round magazine. I cannot get my Glock 19 to do this even with a fully loaded 15 round magazine.
"_____________________
It should be noted that the first issue, finding the gun out of battery when removed from a holster or pocket carry, I can live with (I normally hit the back of the slide as a matter of some old time LEO training from years ago
).However, the next two issues which occur while firing are a little more troublesome for me.
Just some thoughts,
Trooper Joe
