On my new Shield, the slide release is stiff. Will it loosen up over time or anything I can do to loosen it up?

The more you shoot it, the easier to manipulate it will become. After the 300-500 round mark, you'll notice a marked difference.

Agree, it loosens up over time and becomes easier to use.

Thanks for the feedback...

Looser slide (read: weakened spring) will have the potential to also give you more felt recoil.

Edmo

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What you refer to as the "Slide Release" is actually called the Slide Stop by S&W and was never designed as a means to engage the slide from the locked open position. This has been discussed many times before and always leads to a "Yes it is / No, it isn't" argument.

M&P40 Armorer Manual

Agreed. Get in the habit of using the overhand slingshot to release your slide. Here is a good video on the reasons why you should use this method.

Pistol Malfunction Clearance - YouTube

Hmm that scribd version of the manual is actually missing a couple of important pages.

This really is the right answer.

He is an excelent instructor. Simple,fixed. It becomes second nature. No rocket science involved. Great person to learn from.

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I find that the slide release works easier with a full mag in the well. Useing it with an empty mag it seems to work a little hard, if not almost imposible to operate. Just my observation.

Technically speaking, the slide stop isn't hard to release. With the slide off, it will move freely. The new springs in the magazines make it very difficult to depress, using it as as slide release. The magazine springs, if kept loaded will eventually compress a bit and make depressing the slide stop much easier.

The slide stop is difficult to engage without an empty magazine in the weapon, due to the strength of the recoil spring/ guide rod assembly. That last 1/4" retracting the slight can be tight, while pushing up on the slide stop. It's much easier to yank the slide all the way back with an empty magazine in it.

Just got my 9 mm Shield...it too is VERY stiff. How has your Shield worked out since your post in May 2012?

Agreed it is a slide stop and it was not designed as a slide release. It was designed to hold the slide open after the last round is fired and to hold the slide open by manually pulling the slide back and pushing the stop up. It can be used as a slide release, but to get it to release requires much downward pressure on the lever. The magazine follower only contacts the stop after the last round is fired and the pressure of the magazine spring does cause extra pressure on the stop. The reason the stop is extra difficult to use as a release is when the slide is held back by the stop, the recoil springs are nearly completely compressed and are applying strong forward force to the slide, which rests against the stop. The slide stop and the slot in the frame interact with nearly a perfectly flat contact, creating a high friction area. The added slide pressure against the stop is causing the high force to move the stop down as a release.

Some have polished the surfaces, and some have slightly beveled the stop surface, to get it to work better as a release. They were trying to relieve as much friction as possible. You have to be careful in modifying the surface or you may cause the lever to not catch, and the slide will not hold open after the last round is fired.

Bob