Shield 45: Cannot Rack Slide with Full Mag

[xcutter]

I was at the range yesterday and put 7 rounds in the extended magazine. With the slide closed, I put the magazine in place. I could not pull the slide back. It was jamming about 1/4 of the way back. The same happened with the 6 round mag. Once I removed one round there was no problem with either mag. Also, if I locked the slide open and put a full magazine into the gun, there was no problem at all. It seems like the magazine is too full and has no give to pull the slide back. What is also weird, is both the 6 and the 7 round magazines say 6+1. Looks like the same mag, but one has an extended base plate.

[ScaryWoody]

They are the same magazines. Only the base plate is changed. On the slide issue, I would fully load the magazines and let them sit a few days. They are very tight when new. It should loosen a bit and allow the top cartridge to compress when you load the magazine. Right now it's not retracting easily.

[Ray1970]

Funny how different people do things differently. For all I know, my Shield may do the same thing. But, since I don't load mine the same way you do I just haven't noticed. I typically have the slide locked open, insert a full magazine, drop the slide, pull the magazine and top it off and reinsert it.

Hope it works itself out and isn't an issue.

[eahicks]

There is a whole thread about this. Yes it is abnormal to insert a loaded mag with the slide not pulled back. If you have it open, pop a mag and slingshot the slide, there is no issue. But insert the mag with it closed, then rack the slide to chamber a round, and there is lots of resistance. The mags really force the top round against the slide. When you are practicing at the range, you are typically inserting a mag when the slide is back.


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[Granddad]

I never had that problem. But, I will speculate that after a few hundred rounds to loosen things up you will no longer have that issue.

[Bleek Gilliam]

Eat more spinach...it helps

Yeah mine is tight but it can be seated on a closed slide, however it's much easier to do it on an open slide which is a non issue for me.

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[epj]

Originally Posted by Ray1970

Funny how different people do things differently. For all I know, my Shield may do the same thing. But, since I don't load mine the same way you do I just haven't noticed. I typically have the slide locked open, insert a full magazine, drop the slide, pull the magazine and top it off and reinsert it.

Hope it works itself out and isn't an issue.

This is how I load every single semi automatic pistol that I have. Well, except for my wife's Beretta 25 with the tip up barrel.

[yep380]

Originally Posted by xcutter

I was at the range yesterday and put 7 rounds in the extended magazine. With the slide closed, I put the magazine in place. I could not pull the slide back. It was jamming about 1/4 of the way back. The same happened with the 6 round mag. Once I removed one round there was no problem with either mag. Also, if I locked the slide open and put a full magazine into the gun, there was no problem at all. It seems like the magazine is too full and has no give to pull the slide back. What is also weird, is both the 6 and the 7 round magazines say 6+1. Looks like the same mag, but one has an extended base plate.

I don't know anyone who fully loads a mag and then inserts it on a closed slide and attempts to load from there. Maybe people do? I was never trained like that. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but I wasn't shown how to load like that.

Load the mag full.

Lock the slide back.

Point gun in safe direction.

Insert mag, pull back slide slightly and release freely (slingshot). The gun is now loaded.

Remove mag and top off if desired. Or, keep 6 round mag loaded, load +1 from the 7 round mag as above, eject mag, then insert the full 6 round mag.

What I'd be interested in knowing is if your gun can load the NEXT round when firing after being loaded 6+1 as above.

[Saudade]

It's a common problem and not unique to the Shield 45 or any specific Semi Auto.

There just isn't enough room to compress the stack to allow the slide to rack manually. Most people have to smack the mag pretty sharply to get it to seat.

There are a few workarounds. Try your friendly neighborhood search engine.

[Funflyer]

Originally Posted by Bleek Gilliam

Eat more spinach...it helps

Yeah mine is tight but it can be seated on a closed slide, however it's much easier to do it on an open slide which is a non issue for me.

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I agree, eat more spinach or get to the gym more often.

My new, never fired, 45 is this way but only with the 7 round mag and only on the first round, but it does rack and chamber just fine.

[InsideWaist]

Originally Posted by yep380

I don't know anyone who fully loads a mag and then inserts it on a closed slide and attempts to load from there

I (and many others) do it all the time. In fact, it's the recommended way to carry with a full mag and one in the pipe. Of course the chamber is occupied whenever I slide a loaded mag into a closed-slide firearm.