Performance Center Shield Barrel Wear

[Vulcannut]

Hi everyone. New to the forum so hello.

Last weekend I purchased a new PC Shield in 9mm and took it the range yesterday and put about 75 rounds through it. No problems at the range. When I came home to clean I noticed what fealt to be a high amount of barrel wear around the ports for just shooting 75 rounds. I searched the forum some and found some threads saying they had seen similar results and some saying there shouldn't be much wear but I don't see if anyone called Smith.

The barrel looks like it has rough machine marks compared to my 40c. My 40c is several years old and has thousands of rounds through it it and shows little wear.

I plan on calling Smith and Wesson today to see what they say.

Just curios to see if others have seen this and have called Smith.

[Valistar]

What type and brand of ammo did you use?

There are several brands (IE: Blazer Brass and Federal) that have warning labels on the box stating "not to be fired using ported barrels" or words to that effect.

Per my discussion with CS reps they state that the copper coating is very thin and can sheer off when fired through a ported barrel.

Improper or "******" ammo could be a cause for excessive wear on the barrel.

Valistar

[Steved13]

Welcome to the Forum.

I've shot a few thousand rounds of the stuff you're not supposed to shoot, before I learned about it. I don't see any wear around the ports on either of my ported M&Ps?

Are you sure it is wear and not dirt? The gunk gets baked on pretty good, and is hard to clean off. Usually there is even a ring around the port, that looks like wear and even discoloring. The only way I can get all of it off is with a brass brush, and elbow grease.

[Vulcannut]

Thanks for the replies. I called Smith and Wesson who said it's perfectly normal. So time will tell.

I was running Winchester White Box and didn't look at the box so maybe that's on me as I didn't even think of it. I'll take a look at the boxes tonight.

The folks at smith and wesson said if there ever becomes an issue just let them know and they will take care of it.

Yes it sure get's dirty fast. Didn't take a brass brush to it but tonight I'll go round two with cleaning as even though I spent like 45 minutes on it it's still got dirty in the crevices. I didn't but it to EDC so going to keep it as clean as possible while not being used.

[Ranger17]

yeah mine gets dirtier as well; no big deal as I enjoy shooting it so much. I too contacted ammo manus awhile back once i learned about the Blazer Brass limitations. For the most part now i just pick up Remington UMC and Herters for my range ammo in any of my 9's. I still have some Blazer, but run that thru my non-ported full size MP.

The Federal rep said: "We suggest using the American Eagle 9mm ammo, do not use the Champion brand brass or aluminum in your ported S&W"

And the CCi rep told me their Speer Lawman was a step up and plated heavier, not to be an issue like the Blazer could be.

So yes some ammo out there is at least labeled not for ported barrels, but for range use there are enough ammo options to make it not be a problem and keep the cost down.

my .02 anyway

[Vulcannut]

Thanks for the reply Ranger17. I used Blazer Brass once in a Ruger American Pistol I have and after 100 rounds the grime was showing up all over the top of the slide. Dirty stuff. Yesterday I put about the same amount of Winchester through it and was nowhere near as dirty. Cleaned up quick and easy. Won't be buying that stuff again. For me is was some really dirty stuff.

The wear I had seen is not around the ports but on top of the barrel. In the end if it's cosmetic on a barrel no big deal. If I start seeing damage on the slide I'll be more concerned.

[xdmshooter59]

Originally Posted by Ranger17

The Federal rep said: "We suggest using the American Eagle 9mm ammo, do not use the Champion brand brass or aluminum in your ported

Good to know American Eagle is ok, was just about to pull the trigger on a 1000 round order.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Ranger17]

Originally Posted by xdmshooter59

Good to know American Eagle is ok, was just about to pull the trigger on a 1000 round order.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Directly from their cs dept just back in Nov:

We suggest using the American Eagle 9mm ammo, do not use the Champion brand brass or aluminum in your ported S&W.

Thanks
Federal
MS

I haven't tried Am Eagle ammo in my 9's yet but yes to have another option is good for range ammo. Hope that helps!

Edit: sorry for being redundant lol realized my trying to include more text didnt paste in. My bad.

[Vulcannut]

So I was confused in my original post - it happens - I just looked at my ammo and I was using American Eagle for my 9mm - Winchester white box was the 40SW.

I cleaned it again tonight and what I see is basically the finish coming off the barrel just slightly passed the ports. I am going with it's a port thing due to the flames and the way the wholes in the slide comes across it. No damage or anything.

[Bassyaks]

Brass dust all over the place, I noticed the same after firing 50 last night.

[Vulcannut]

Originally Posted by Bassyaks

Brass dust all over the place, I noticed the same after firing 50 last night.

Bassyaks - on yours does it look as if the black coating has worn away on the barrel some?

[Vulcannut]

Well after wondering all week if the wear to the finish of the barrel is normal I called S&W and the tech didn't think it was. He advised me to send it in. Boxed up and will b e shipped on Monday. Worst case is I get it back as am told no issue don't worry.

[Ranger17]

Originally Posted by Vulcannut

Well after wondering all week if the wear to the finish of the barrel is normal I called S&W and the tech didn't think it was. He advised me to send it in. Boxed up and will b e shipped on Monday. Worst case is I get it back as am told no issue don't worry.

Any pix to show "before" to help compare to after you get it back?

[Vulcannut]

Originally Posted by Ranger17

Any pix to show "before" to help compare to after you get it back?

Yes I have several. Here is one. I did clean again after taking the pic so some of the left over brown spots are gone but the wear around the ports is still there as in the pic.

[Ranger17]

Originally Posted by Vulcannut

Yes I have several. Here is one. I did clean again after taking the pic so some of the left over brown spots are gone but the wear around the ports is still there as in the pic.

Thanks for posting and please keep us updated. I have some patterns on mine as well but have 750+ rounds thru it. Figure i also may need to spend a little more time on the cleaning task vs my non-ported guns. .

[Vulcannut]

Originally Posted by Ranger17

Thanks for posting and please keep us updated. I have some patterns on mine as well but have 750+ rounds thru it. Figure i also may need to spend a little more time on the cleaning task vs my non-ported guns. .

I'll see what they do. That's only after 75 rounds. Shoots great but did get little concerned. I could only imagine what it would be after 750.

[Com 45acp]

Most of that looks like rust. And where the slide was moving over it causing like a sanding effect on the high spots

[GA_Sheepdog]

Originally Posted by Vulcannut

I'll see what they do. That's only after 75 rounds. Shoots great but did get little concerned. I could only imagine what it would be after 750.

I put 250 rounds through my new PC shield today. 50 rounds were +p. My barrel still looks for the most part new.


If the gun in the pic only has 75 rounds though it, then there is a problem. It might not even have anything to do with the porting.

[Steved13]

Originally Posted by Vulcannut

Yes I have several. Here is one. I did clean again after taking the pic so some of the left over brown spots are gone but the wear around the ports is still there as in the pic.

That looks like dirt to me. I would scrub it more, and I'd bet it cleans up like new. try a brass wire brush. I've had it look very similar, with dirty ammo. Your saying above that cleaning took some of it off, more cleaning will take more of it off.

[okiegtrider]

I'm not seeing anything in that pic that a little Hoppe's #9 won't cure.

[Ranger17]

Originally Posted by okiegtrider

I'm not seeing anything in that pic that a little Hoppe's #9 won't cure.

Good to know, figured in my Pc i need a little more than usual gun scrubber products to get the deposits, etc off

[Vulcannut]

I scrubbed the hell out of it after taking that picture. The wear near the ports is the finish missing. It's not rust or dirt. The brown spots in the pic were picked up by the flash when I took the picture. My second cleaning after taking the picture involved a bunch of Hoppe's #9, brushs, rags, about 30 q tips, and maglite looking over every bit of the gun. I had hoped it would come of but it's the finish. So now I wait for S&W.