Well, I picked it up from jail on Weds after thee longest 10 days I've ever spent and ran to the range yesterday!

This gun is amazing, it feels natural in your hands and it shoots like a charm!

Trigger pull feels alot lighter than the what is posted on the spec sheet at S&W's website!

Put 200 rds of Sellior and Bellot, 115gn RN through it with only a handful of hiccups (FTF's and 2 stove pipes) that I attribute to the magazines. I've never seen a magazine with such strong springs before. It was literally harder to load the bullets into the mags than it's ever been on any my 1911 mags.

I think I might've found the feeding issue. While cleaning the gun, I kept running through my head what other possibilities could lead to the my FTF's and stove pipes other than not breaking in the mags properly? I was told today that you should take new mags and load them and let them sit for a week or two to break them in.....never heard that before but I'm willing to try it!

So I decided to look at the ammo to see if there was any differences between the two manufacturer's and sure enough...the S&B was longer, even to the naked eye....so I got out the micrometer to measure the COAL of the Sellier and Bellot rounds vs the Remington UMC rounds vs what the Speer #14 reloading manual says and this is what I found...

S&B = 1.158"

Remy UMC = 1.124"

Speer Manual = 1.135"

I'm no Einstein, but .034" is huge..see pic



So that's telling me that the S&B's are too long and more than likely the cause for the issues.

I've got both mag's fully loaded to compress the springs and will take the Shield back out next week and run only Remy through it and see if the problems persist.

Here are some pics of the Shield and of my handiwork. As you can see as the day progressed and the greater the distance, my groupings started to diminish. That's o.k., I don't plan on using the Shield as a home defense weapon and there are no 15 yd straight line of sights in my house anyway....nuk, nuk, nuk!

Think I'm going to go back to my LGS and see about getting a full size M&P 9mm to go along with this one!

Congrats on the purchase. I have well over 500 rounds through my 9mm Shield with zero issues. Ive shot walmart federal ammo, whinchester white box and hornady critical rounds. It was prob the ammo you were having issues with. Stick with a ammo that you know is good and enjoy. O and I have 5 mags none have given me problems so I doubt its the mags.

I'm about to do the paperwork for my purchase of a Shield 9mm tomorrow; living in Maryland, I have a 7-day waiting period, but I am SO STOKED my gun has finally arrived!

mr2r6-thank you for the heads up about not having issues with yours!!! I can't wait to get back to the range to run different ammo...now I know why the guy who sold me the S&B sold it so cheap...500 for $100, he probably had issues with it also!!!

M&P Man-Congrats to you for getting one too!

Glad you finally got your Shield. In Texas we don't have to wait on gun purchases like that. My two have been flawless so far. I did order two extended mags and loaded them up for a week before I used them just to be sure. The two that came with the gun haven't been any problem. Get some WWB ammo and try that. Most all I've shot through mine are my own loads and they function fine.

Shoot your Shield and enjoy it. They are hard to find right now and from what I have noticed lately, the price may be going up a little.

I'm also in South TX....where are you? Been looking for some extra mags too but can't find any...where did you get yours? Tnx

Try a heavier bullet during break in. 124 gr. should help.

You just purchased the Gun of the Year.

I have shot 500 rounds with zero failures including S&B 115.

Russ

Ordered my mags from Cabela's. They had some of the short ones at Carter's in Houston last week.

Victoria:

Congrats on your purchase.
Other than a fully loaded (topped off to +1) 7 round mag needing a hard whack to properly seat, mine's also been flawless using WalMart Federal FMJ, Speer Gold Dot and WalMart Remington (green & white) JHP.

Good luck with your next outing!

Looks like she will serve you well. Congrats.

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Lt. Dan, what R U doing here?

I just shot my 9mm Shield for the first time today, LOVE IT. I shot 150 rounds of 115 gr remington and federal target rounds. No issues with mag drops, FTFs, nothing at all. The trigger felt real smooth, recoil not noticeable, and target acquisition was a breeze. I shot a fairly tight group. I can't wait for my IWB holster to arrive in the mail. The Shield is one awesome gun, all for $390. I have no complaints what so ever.

Went back to the range today and had zero problems with 100 rds of WWB 115 gr rn. I loaded the mags and let them set this past week and I'm now thinking that was the culprit to my feeding issues.

Will return to the range next week to shoot some more of the Sellior and Bellot ammo to see if the feeding issues return. I hope they won't.

Sure do love this gun!

Over the course of 2 range trips, I've put maybe 250 rounds through my Shield 9mm without any problems. Used Federal ammo from Walmart and about 16 rounds of Speer Gold Dots 124 and 10 rounds of Speer Gold Dots 124+p hollow points. Cleaned gun after both range trips.

just picked up my shield 40 today and hit the range. not sure but seem to think that i have some issues. would like your opinions before i contact s&w. i had two on layaway one a 9mm and the other the 40. got the 40 first. no malfunctions what so ever. only 100 rounds plus about 20 pdx1s. not alot i know but it throws brass everywhere in front back side and at all angles. not accurate at all. i shot about 50 rounds threw a friends 9mm and at 21 ft less than two inches. with my 40 we are talking 12 to 18 inch groups. im not a great shot but thats not good. other issue i have is when the firing pin strikes the primer it seems to hit then it slides over and then sinks in. i shot some other guns and didnt see this issue. what do you all think????

I currently have a M&P. 40 on layaway and after that the Shield will be next.

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Common sense is not common