Hello everyone, I am new here, I have to admit I joined out of frustration.
I recently purchased a 9mm Shield. I was very excited about this gun, I am also retired and on a fixed income. I took my new pride and joy out to do some shooting. The first 80 rounds were great, nice trigger and sights I was consistently hitting a coffee can at 15 yards, which is pretty good for me!
Then I notice a small gun part laying on the table...it was the disk at the end of the guide rod that retains the spring assembly. So I took the slide off to get a look. Cupping my hand as much as I could I caught the assembly just as it came apart.
So I call SW and told them about the problem. They were very concerned and said they would get me a new assembly as soon as they could. The only problem is there were none available.. nor did they know when there would be. It seems that this is not a new problem. This is a pistol that I bought purposely for concealed carry. I have to admit my confidence in this weapon has dwindled and I am in limbo for a replacement part. It has been two weeks now , has anyone else had this problem? As of right now no one makes an aftermarket guide. Thanks for letting me vent...

Do you still have the main recoil spring? If you're interested, I can send you free of charge a stainless steel guide rod that will get you back into business quickly.

I sold my Shield last week to help fund a nice 1911. Just let me know.





https://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-pistols/293449-ultra-tight-recoil-spring-shield-post138594630.html

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MSP - Retired

I had the same thing happen to me. Got my new spring yesterday after a 3 week wait and the disk has already worked loose on it after 100rds. The first one went 250. I ordered the SS guide rod this morning to try. Its a shame!

Sorry to hear of your problem, and welcome to the clubs.

Club #1: The Smith & Wesson Forum, a great club.
Club #2: The Shield Messed-Up Recoil Spring Assembly Club, a not-so-great club.

I, too, am a member of both clubs. My Shield came with a badly bent RSA retainer disc, which I discovered before I'd fired one shot. S&W promised me a new one, but had none to send. I've been waiting seven weeks now. Fortunately for me, the assembly has held together and my Shield has continued to function well enough for me to have put 900 rounds through it.

Cheers to Bob O for offering you a replacement guide rod. I hope you're up and running soon!

I would like to thank Bob O for his help, that was really unexpected. This is a great forum and thanks for the replies and help!!

I had ~ 500 rounds through my Shield and the spring "left" the guide rod while I was cleaning it with a toothbrush. I'm on week #5 since I called the service dept. about the problem. I'm now told I should get a replacement next week. Do I understand that there is a better alternative than the spring and rod "assembly" that comes standard with the pistol? ... maybe a separate guide rod and spring like other semi-autos I own. As a side note - on my original call they didn't even want the gun's serial number when I called. I assume this problem is common enough they aren't even interested in identifying the # range of pistols affected.

Jerry

No problem., glad to help. Hate seeing people have problems like this.

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MSP - Retired

I never had the kinds of issues listed here but I had an RSA that would bind up my slide and prevent it from being cycled all the way back. This would cause no end of problems in trying to reassemble after cleaning, etc. I called S&W and the initial response was "shoot it a bunch". After explaining that I didn't feel comfortable with an RSA that would cause the slide to hit a hard stop before fully cycling they offered to send me a replacement RSA. Took over a couple of months I think.

Similarly, they didn't ask for s/n or any proof that I was the original owner, etc. The replacement RSA looks exactly like the original but does not cause the issue I had so I'm pretty happy.

I've said several times that the RSA is the weak link in this design. A properly advertised after market replacement should be an incredibly popular item I would think. I'm def going to pick one up soon.

Are you sure you guys are seating it correctly when putting it back together?

Just a question.

I'm excruciatingly careful about seating the RSA, but since mine came damaged out of the box, someone at S&W wasn't.

Who makes an aftermarket guide rod? Springs available at Wolff?

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Saved by the grace of God

Another example of why autos are a passing fad.

Same here. Really like the gun but have the same issue with the recoil spring. I called Smith & Wesson and they said they would send a replacement, but that I should be patient because they are on back order.

Does any company sell replacement springs for the Shield?

http://ssguiderods.com/product-categ...th-and-wesson/

The link doesn't work. Takes me to a page that says not available.
Had to change browsers, won't work in Chrome, just fine in Explorer. I thought the days of browser compatibility problems was gone.

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Saved by the grace of God

Don,

Tracking shows delivered! I sent you a PM with link to a vid that might guide you with the install.

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MSP - Retired

LOL!!!! I'd love to get a nice large caliber revolver some day, but semi-auto pistols are the cats @ss!

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MSP - Retired

Bob, got the guide, the video was very helpful. After a comedy of errors which included an intensive search around my cellar for the little washer and spring that got launched twice, I finally managed to get it together! Took the gun out to the range and it performed flawlessly! I only put 50 rds through it but it worked great, the felt recoil was no different.
I don't understand why SW didn't use this system in the first place. Again thank you for your help!!

Good to hear, Don...I'm glad to help anyone I can.

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MSP - Retired

I have a few hundred rounds through my Shield with no problems so far.

The RSA is pretty fussy about reassembly. Sorry yours exploded. Hat's off to Bob O for stepping up.

Original recoil assembly is dual captured spring.

The stainless one for sale is just the one main spring.

I'm wondering how this would effect function, reliability, and more importantly, durability.

If I was actually worried about this, I'd source some longer or heavier springs and try it out. There have got to be some springs out there with the same O.D. as the factory one that can be used or cut down to a custom size.

I don't have the Shield anymore so someone else will have to give it a try if there's enough concern over it.

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MSP - Retired

I don't think I would be experimenting with recoil springs in the Shield. You get it to heavy you would just have feed problems but to light and you are going to be beating the gun to a early death. I I had to do it I would start heavy and work down. You can sort of tell by how far it brass gets tossed. BTW there is a reason for the dual spring. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

Sooooo . . . if those who have had problems with the RSA and they have been "particular" about getting it backi in place correctly and it has failed . . . is this or does this seem to be inherent in a particular production range of serial numbers of the Shield? Not being "critical" of Smith but it seems like they may know there is a problem and should be addressing it? Just asking . . . .

I've put a few rounds through my new Shield with no issues so far and really like it a lot.

Same problem here Been waiting two months for the replacement.

And the reason why I won't buy a shield. Well the main reason is the name-every time I hear it I think maximum female protection
BTW-because of this thread,I just field stripped my M&P380 and it does not have a captive spring on the recoil rod-WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Forum consigliere

Recoil Spring Assembly, Main Spring, Extractor, Firing Pin, Sear, Barrel, etc. are "all wear parts." All of these parts named, and more, in any semi-automatic pistol which is fired much, will require replacement from time to time. And frequently use in the real world will show a problem in a newly introduced product which extensive pre-production testing had not detected.
I am not an engineer and I have no manufacturing experience. It is possible that a Recoil Spring Assembly for the S&W Shield, that has the durability and functionality that we associate with the Smith & Wesson brand, simply can't be manufactured for the cost planned for the present part. It is also possible that some details of the rest of the pistol need to be redesigned to accommodate a proper Recoil Spring Assembly, possibly increasing the total production cost.
The apparent failure of Smith & Wesson's management to allow solution of this long-running problem hints that Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation is treating the Smith & Wesson Company the same way Colt, Holley Carburetor and Fairbanks Morse, to name only three examples, were treated by their owners from 1945 forward: run the company as a cash cow, with no regard for the customers or for the company's longevity.
As a the owner of several Smith & Wesson revolvers and semi-automatic pistols, I hope that my suspicions are totally incorrect!

Hello; new to the forum as well. I am also on the waiting list for the RSA from S&W. Ordered it last night after mine came apart during disassembly. Current round count is 650 with no malfunctions. Have read hundreds of post here in search of a plan b while waiting. Question; I did get the pistol back together with the spring in place; would you continue to fire it in this condition as it was functioning before disassembly? Thanks

Smith and Wesson Shield Guide Rod - Stainless Steel Guide Rods

Took 4 days turn around. $25. Off to the range tomorrow.

I recently put a Sheild on layaway at my LGS. I hope I didn't make a mistake here. I'm basically a GLOCK fan boy but I wanted to try something different in a single stack. The lack of recoil spring assemblies not being available kind of blows my mind. I recently replace the RSA on my G26. I ordered it online from Cheaper Tan Dirt & had the part in 2 days. Seems like this may be a market niche where somebody can make some money. I've never owned an S&W & Obviously if I have an issue with my new Sheild it'll be my last S & W

@Smooth1... Did you read PURCHASE A SHIELD ?
If so, you saw that this is NOT an epidemic sized problem.
Over the last (First) 3yrs of production, a VERY small percentage of Shield owners have had this problem. I'm guessing, but since this seems to be the most active S&W forum of them, it very possible that every single one of them having an RSA issue have posted here.
So Scan/Search for 'Shield Recoil Spring' and count the members saying they've had the problem and it MAY total 15 different members (meh... MAYBE a few more).

While this IS a hot topic, it's also relatively rare (considering how many Flawless Shields are out there).

Of course... Since you ARE a Glock Fan, if you feel uncomfortable that you MIGHT have an RSA issue with your Shield, there seem to be a good number of G43 owners that will trade you (I know several).
I'm betting though, that you'll love your new Shield and won't have an RSA issue, just like most of us here.

Yeah I know what you mean. Sometimes the internet blows things out of proportion. I am excited about it. Even though I'm a Glock fan I just want to try something different. It's like restaurants. Even though you have your favorite it's good to try a different 1 sometimes.

I probably put about 30 rds thru mine before I noticed the problem, it shot o.k.

YAY!!! Finally got my new spring! Six weeks. that ain't bad is it?......

I Received my replacement Wed. after 4 weeks. I was concerned as to no modification/improvement in the new RSA. Could just be a low number of failures does not substantiate a redesign. You can be sure I pay close attention as to how I put in back in. LOL