I haven't had a mag drop yet, but I've only shot 50 rounds.
I looked at my followers, and they appear to be the "old" style without the notch.
Think I'm going to be proactive and try to order me a set just in case.

If you are handy, just sand it. I laid 220 grit flat and held the follower at an angle for the desired area. I then used the wife's manicure bar to make it smooth. Same result as the "new" follower without the wait. Clean the inside of the magazine while you have it open.

I still haven't received the 4 followers that customer service said they were shipping to me. I live only 1 1/2 hours away. Hopefully they will arrive soon. I did remove one follower and attempted to make some modifications to that. Haven't had a chance to get it to the range yet.

gqllc007 - As I said earlier I was sent my new followers in less than a week and it definitely solved my problem, no mag drops since on all my mags, I am confident that the followers were my problem. Seems as though you have been waiting far longer than me which makes me think that maybe they were not sent out. It should only take 3 or 4 days to get to you.

This is not rocket science here - the original mag design was hitting the metal nub that holds the mag in place, so once I was about 1/2 through my mag it hit the nub and mag would drop- an absolutely unacceptable issue for a carry gun that S&W should be held accountable for.

I would suggest yet another call to S&W to make you right?

Again here is pic of new Follower

Attached Images

IMG_4408 (1).JPG (61.4 KB, 1226 views)

Thanks I called today and he refused to look into it. Got kind of testy and said we told you 7-10 business days. I said I understood but I only live 1 1/2 hours away and it should only take one day in the mail. He said call next week nd that there was no way for him to be able to look it up...I agree with you and call it B.S.

Range Update: Brought my gun out to the range, fired 150 rounds of ball and JHP with no issues. S&W did not give me new followers like other people received. The order sheet says they just replaced the mag retention spring. If any further issues arise ill just file down the followers.

Interesting! I thought the spring for the magazine release was molded into the frame. Hopefully, it holds up at 100%. On the magazine I popped the top of the slot out to make a bit of a lip. More real estate to hang on too. As my carry gun, I don't want to drop a mag when I need it.

The 1st time mine fell out I sent the mag and another gun to S&W for repair. The sent me the same mag with new internals. The 2nd time it fell I sent the gun back. Took S&W between 3-4 weeks to get it back to me. They sent 2 new followers with the flatter sides. I had already done this to my other 3 mags with some 40 micron sandpaper on a precision milled steel plate.

__________________
Shield 45

I got the new followers and tested them yesterday. I used FMJ and JHP 185
Everything functioned flawlessly

After seeing the threads of mag drops I took my new 45 mags apart to have a look. The followers do make contact with the mag release and move it just about flush with the inside of the mag. This is my new never fired Shield so I decided to be proactive and mill a slot in the follower of just the 6 round mag so it doesn't touch the release. I left the 7 round mag alone to see if it ever has a drop issue.

I bet S&W will eventually incorporate this mod to all the mags.

Brought my new shield to the range this past week and had it happen with my friend shooting it. Will look at the followers on my mags before shooting it anymore. Looks like a simple fix.

None of my mags have the updated follower with the groove in it. I haven't experienced the mags dropping out yet. So, I'm not worried about it too much. I'll make the mods to the mags if it starts happening.


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Yep, it's a simple fix and the groove doesn't need to be too big, .020" deep and about .100" wide. I milled the slot but a fingernail file would work just as well.

I used a dremel with a grinding stone and a flat file to clean it up. Going to take it to the range this week and see if works. I couldn't figger out how to remove the base plate on the 7rd mag. I pushed down on the access hole like with every other magazine made and for whatever reason, I couldn't slide the base plate off the mag body.

By design, the 7 round mag needs a longer tool to release the base. A nail or thick paper clip would work.

Ya think?



.....and for the mag...

747, are you saying that you replaced the followers and it didn't fix the problem?

^^Did they replace followers with the ones with the groove cut?

I would suggest popping the top lip of the magazine slot out a bit. You can feel a much more positive engagement.

I ordered 3 of the updated followers (free) just for the heck of it. I got them in and they didn't come with the metal inserts that hit the slide lock. I had to remove them from my followers so I could put them in the new ones. Kind of odd....

You know I am glad I found this thread.


I purchased a 45 shield right after it released. It was solid reliable, but buldged cases almost to the point of failure. After two trips to smith and wesson to fix that without success I sold it.

I purchased another one where the ramp wasnt cut so deep since there was the rebate on it. This one drops mags like none other, and does not have the cut in the follower.

I wonder why my original didnt do this, but the second one did.

Someone said they replaced theirs free did you just call up smith and wesson and ask for updated followers?

Yep, just call them, tell them you need the new followers with the relief cut and how many magazines you have. If they tell you they know nothing of any new followers, insist they exist like I had to. You may also have to use the metal insert from your current followers in the new ones.

Strange I just got my 45 shield about a month ago. When I was in the FFL SHOP picking it up, I was looking it over. I inserted the empty mag firmly and fully and it popped loose like it barely caught the mag catch. This happened a few times. After the first time I made sure I seated the magazines well.

I have fired just over 50 rounds from it so far. Without a single malfunction. It shoots great.

First I would like to thank the members on this forum. I also had mag dropping issue after 3rd or 4th round. I sent it to S&W before I saw this thread. S&W was great (not a fan boy). It came back in about 6 weeks with 2 new modified followers. I e mailed them that I had 4 additional magazines that needed new followers and I would purchase if needed. I was sent 4 more for free (without steel insert) in 10 days. With the help of this forum, changing them out was really a snap. I took it to the range yesterday. About 100 rounds between the 6 mags. No issues. Thanks again.

I took my Shield to the range this afternoon, after making the funflyer mod on my 6rd mag. Success! No mag drops and although I didn't do the mod to my 7rd, that mag performed flawlessly except for one failure to feed. funflyer's mod works and you can do it yourself.

I just e-mail them about the followers. Got a reply the same day, got em a week later, which was last week.
224 rounds without a hiccup of any kind though with old ones.
Also looked at the new followers they sent, and they have the metal insert.

Just got a response from them for my request for the new followers, they should be here next week. They seem pretty responsive to this issue so that's a plus.

Jumped on "chat" just now....guess who picked up?




......Rachel

Couldnt be easier...2251957 is your order number. Allow 7-10 business days before you see it.

I checked in on S&W Chat also and Rachel was still there. She offered to send the followers at no charge as soon as I told her the problem. Very easy and painless. She indicated current stock depleted but followers should be shipped in a couple of weeks. I think that Rachel is a good C.S. representative.

Rachel was good to me. My three followers came in about five days from her ordering them at no cost to me. I have nothing bad to say about Smith and Wesson CS.

All is well in our little world

If you need the new followers because of the mag dropping issue, be sure you have them order new "follower assemblies" instead of just "followers" for you. The "follower assemblies" have the little metal tabs already installed so you won't have to take the tabs out of your old ones and reinstall them into the new ones.

Ok, thanks for info

Just bought a new Shield 45 from Palmetto State Armory and first time to the range with it having the same problem; mag drops on recoil when shooting with left hand -- not good!

Thinking that my lefty grip/finger was the problem, my first plan was to simply swap the mag release to right side and experiment; but then I was surprised to learn that the mag release is NOT REVERSIBLE on the Shield models.

So based on this thread it sounds like maybe the mag design is the issue. I guess I will call S&W and see if they can send me some new mags, or followers or whatever. Last resort maybe they will trade me for a new Shield 9mm model. Kinda sucks because this gun is super accurate and I prefer the 45. Actually very happy with it except the stippling is just a little too aggressive for me; oh yeah and did I mention that it drops mags...

Memo to PSA and any other retailer selling these DEFECTIVE MAGS; please read this thread!
Memo to S&W: why are you shipping these if they are defective, and where is your recall notice?

Try a Hogue Handall rubber grip sleeve. I haven't had a single mag drop since putting one on mine plus working on improving my grip technique. It also has the bonus of covering up the aggressive stock grip texture.

I hear ya brother, but if those mags are truly defective, all it takes is "one" time and you could be dead. Do you have the "old" mag followers or the new ones?

I never had this issue with my full size M&P 45, after nearly 1,000 rounds thru it has never dropped a single mag ever. The general gun ownership should not have to practice grip technique in order to avoid a mag drop on recoil, agreed?

I have a friend who just sanded down his 2.0 stippling; he said it's much better. But I do appreciate the Hogue grip idea and will consider it.

I still have the old type followers, but plan to get the new ones because it makes sense to avoid that problem even if I'm not experiencing it right now.

I think correct grip technique and sufficient grip strength are important for proper use of a handgun, but especially for a small, light weight 45, but I may send the gun in just to make sure there isn't something else going on. I have not had limp wrist issues with any other guns.

The Hogue grip fits this gun very well and fattens the grip which made it feel better in my hands. I didn't mind the stippling in my hand, but didn't like it much on my back. The rubber is nice and soft.

So you were dropping mags too, and the Hogue solved it. Interesting. Were you shooting left handed or right?

Right-handed.

Did she send u followers or the full assembly?
I'm still waiting for mine. She told me they were on back order.

I just did Chat with S&W. Got Brett. Rachel was gone for the day. He said still no followers in stock and no Idea when they will be. I could send the mags in for repair or replacement with a 2 to 4 week turn around. Also be aware he said they will be shut down July 24th to Aug 4 so nothing goes in or out during that time. So I won't get followers until Mid August at the earliest.

Maybe I would consider a revolver as future purchase but no more pistols from them. There quality is ****. Had a 1911 PC 45 that broke and had to send in for repair. I see other peoples stories about poor quality. I've had it with them.

I checked mine again. I actually got the new followers with the Shield 45 I purchased in April. It's the ones I ordered later from Quantico Tactical that have the old followers. I put another 100 rounds through my Shield and 3 different mags today and didn't have any problems with the old or new followers.

I tried the chat today and got a page saying everyone was busy, so I sent a message. Within an hour I had a reply from S&W saying they’d mail 3 followers to me if I gave them my address. So they are on the way. Excellent customer service.


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I love when some people go out of their way to make others look totally stupid when in fact all roads lead to either of two things, the mag followers or the mag catch itself in my opinion. Don't talk to me about grip, paper stuck in your gun, how to insert a mag, punching holes in your mags. This is a factory parts issue and the very early M&Ps had the same problem. To the self proclaimed all-knowing, please don't insult our intelligence.

Then pay twice as much and buy an H&K but please stop your whining. Best to just leave quietly in the night and be done with it.

Got my new followers yesterday and already dropped them into the magazines. I plan on running the gun again this weekend and will report on the results. Hats off to Bigmaxdog, Funflyer and Dad_Roman for the images and video.

I love it when a plan comes together

I did that 3 weeks ago, and have yet to hear anything back. Maybe I'll try it again. sounds like they have the followers back in stock.

Have 4 mags all 7 rds.
1 is the oem came with firearm. Sold 6 rd and bought 3 more 7 rd. All look like this and all have been 100% reliable.



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Just an update. My new followers arrived in yesterday’s mail. I’ll be able to try them out this weekend, I think.


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I put 100 rounds through it today with no mag drops. BTW my new followers came with the metal inserts.