I'm going to install a new rear sight on my Shield 45 as soon as the new sight gets here. To get a jump on the install I went ahead and removed the stock rear sight, using the JMT pusher it just pushed right out.

While I was at it I figured I'd remove the striker to clean out any oil or other particles that were in the plastic tube. I was also going to polish the striker block and check for any machining burrs inside of the slide and clean those up too.

I know how everything is supposed to disassemble and had already done all of this before to my Shield 9 without any problems at all, none. It wasn't complicated.

For the life of me I can't get the plate on the back of the slide to release. Yes, I've pushed in on the little white plastic tube that surrounds the striker/spring to relieve the pressure from the plate. I'm pushing it toward the muzzle, it moves and clears the plate but the plate won't budge.

Any ideas of something that I'm over looking?

Thanks

it is supposed to comes off they way you are doing it, but since you already removed the rear sight you can try taking out the SB out of the slide first, my guess is since you removed the rear sight first the spring that hold down the sb is not compressed anymore.

__________________
M&P 9, Shield9.

Thanks for the reply.

I got it out. It was stuck pretty tight and needed a few taps with the plastic handle of a screwdriver. It must have been pressed in there.
Glad I got it out because everything was really gummy inside.

Got the striker and plastic tube clean/dry. I also polished the striker block and the hole it rides in since it was rough. They're both slick as a baby's butt now.

The rear slide plate on mine is still a pain to get off. I've had to use a pair of pliers to pull it off every time. Never had a problem with the rear plates on my 2 Shield 9s, 2 FS45s, 9c or 2 FS9s.

Wow....Glad i found this thread..I actually got a Shield 45 about a month ago and my Rear slid plate was a pain in the butt to get off....I had to use pliers and ended up screwing it up. Contacted S&W and had another one sent to me. Replaced with the new one and it snapped into place. But now guess what. It's so tight again i can't take off unless i use pliers and I don't want to jack it up. Maybe the 45's have very tight tolerances. My Shield 9 rear plate is easy to take off.

If you release the tension from the striker spring it shouldn't be hard to remove, no need for plier either. Why you need to remove the plate so often? how many round have you shot? That's not a serviceable part of the gun it shouldn't be removed unless the striker needs to be replaced or the striker channel is full of debris..that causes issues.

__________________
M&P 9, Shield9.

Same problem here on my Shield 45. I haven't had the guts to strong-arm it off based on the risk of damaging it, so it has stayed in place thus far.

Very different from my other M&P's for sure...

I released the tension. I have done it many times before with different firearms. Glock, Shield 9mm, Shield 40, but the one on the 45 is very tight... Actually i have only tried it once to get to the striker block after removing rear sights. Also if i want to later put in an Apex kit, i will need to get in there to put the USB (Ultimate Striker Block). Or if they ever make rear plates (aftermarket). Definitely shouldn't be that hard/tight.

you don't need to remove the plate to release the striker block.

Wow, I am glad to see there are some others who have had to address the back plate on their Shield 45.

It has been annoying to say the least, in cleaning. OCD a bit on my firearms.

Anyhow, my first forum group and glad to be posting in the group.


Good to be here.

I have had a Shield 9 for 2 years and love it! Few mods: Apex duty trigger with "Thin Blue Line" trigger shoe, Talon granulated grips, Tru Glo Tritium NS. I do have Magguts spring kits in 3 mags that take my 8 rd to 9rd; it is my EDC.

My Shield 45 Has Tru Glo tritium NS, Apex duty trigger kit with the "Thin Blue Line" trigger safety.

Pretty straight forward and just love the Shields. Will probably get the Shield 40 just because of the rebate, I really do not need it. $75 helps that purchase out a lot.

Stay safe.

It is much simpler than that. It is just on so tight is requires serious effort to get it off... even Brand New out of the box. (mine)

I was just wanting to wipe it down and lubricate it. Took it to our gun smith at the range to get it off, and ordered a replacement.

Pretty straight forward and simple.

I don't know how you got them to send you a new slide plate for your Shield 45...they told me I have to send them the entire firearm. I would gladly PayPal you funds to help me in obtaining a new slide plate for my Shield 45...
I recently got out of the Walther(terrible service)game and into Smith & Wesson. Born and raised in Boston, so it's nice to have a little piece of home on my hip. The Shield 45 is my concealed carry with a 6 round magazine and the 7 round on me for backup. Glad I found this thread via a google search. I'm looking forward to some S&W convo.
Anyway, I'll gladly send funds if someone can get me and send a new factory oem slide plate for my Shield 45.
Having used Glock and Walther in the past, it was very easy to purchase replacement OEM parts for those firearms. I was unpleasantly surprised when I called S&W and they told me I couldn't buy a barrel, or told me via email that they couldn't sell me a slide plate. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I've had the best luck getting parts by using CHAT and being brief and concise.

Awesome. I'll try that, thanks.

Well, I spoke to S&W customer customer service via chat and the person apparently placed an order for me, to receive a new slide plate and striker assembly. Thanks for the tip.

I have been trying for two days to remove the backplate from my Shield .45 and it was really on stuck in there. I bought an NDZ backplate and wanted to switch it out. I finally got up the nerve to use a set of cushioned needle nose pliers and it did the trick without any damage to the original. I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one having issues. Thanks for the tips everyone.

The back plate on my 9mm Shield is pretty tight as well.

I tried once to get the back plate off on my Shield 45, I gave up since I was afraid I would damage it, I will try again soon after reading how others have succeeded here. On my 9mm M&P 2.0 Compact it came off easily and even though I had put several thousand rounds through that gun, it really wasn't very dirty in there.

They are sending you a striker assembly? That's unusual...there's been an ongoing thread in the SDVE pistol section about how S&W won't send out striker assemblies. I know I asked them a couple of years ago to send me one, or sell me one, and they said they'd send me a shipping label to send the gun in for them to replace it.

They did just send me a new recoil spring assembly, for free, for my Shield 45.