Shield.45recoil spring issue

[Nelson69]

Recently purchased my new shield .45 and I have my first issue ever with a m&p product but after firing under twenty rounds thru it I broke it down to clean. Recoil spring and barrel hit the floor there is absolutely no tension whatsoever I called smith and there sent new spring but problem is still there it just sits there and will fall out untouched. I plan to call back Monday morning but was wondering if anyone else has had this issue and how did you correct problem

[Hillbilly77]

Let me ask a dumb question.

Are you sure that you are installing the spring correctly?
It only goes in one way and there is a notch under the barrel that it sits in.

I've had 4 different M&Ps and have never run across this.

Here are some pictures of the spring on my Shield 45.
In the top picture you can see the notch that the spring rides in.






Also, welcome to the forum.

[Nelson69]

Thanks for your reply to my post .i am certain the spring is in correct I have shield 40,full size 40 and shield 45 along with a glock 30. In all of these u have to press a little to put spring in bed this one you don't it just lays there seams to short but new spring does the same thing requires no pressure at all sits in there turn it over and it falls out seams like 15 or 20 thousandths longer and it will sit in notch. Idk never had a problem with any of these pistols and this one shoots fine just afraid it's gonna hang up. With my 40 you have to press to get it in and out with this one you don't. Once again thanks for your response

[Coastie762]

OP, I have a .45 Shield that I purchased last fall. The RSA has very little tension when placed in the barrel's take-down notch. Like yours, it will barely hold the RSA in place when set into the notch.

When the slide assembly is installed, the RSA does not ride in the take-down notch. The plate on the end of the RSA contacts the take down lever and has more than sufficient tension to function correctly. The barrel's take-down notch is only used to facilitate disassembly/reassembly. My pistol has functioned properly through several hundred rounds.

Assuming your pistol fires and functions correctly I don't think you have a problem with your RSA.

[gqllc007]

I agree with above poster. Same with my .45 Shield

[Nelson69]

Thank you to members who have taken the time to respond to my spring issue. I appreciate the information. I have three m&p pistols and none have this issue , but if this is the way it should be I will load this fella up and continue to carry,I was just concerned of a hang up in time of need heaven forbid. Thank you all and anyone else that may have this issue please let me know

[Com 45acp]

Wander if this is related to the other shield rsa issues. Sounds like it might not be completely decompressed.Hanging up just enough to keep fully resetting.

[FLS&W]

I just looked at mine and I'm going to agree and disagree. It is correct that the RSA is not under the same amount of tension as on my Glocks and other guns, but there is some slight tension that keeps it in place. But unlike the OP's situation, the RSA and barrel don't fall out by turning it over. I agree that it isn't an RSA issue, so my thinking takes me to the milling of the two lugs/extensions on top of the barrel or the slot where the RSA goes into on the slide. These may be a couple of thousands off which would make the RSA not tension appropriately. Just thinking out loud and not providing a cause for the issue.

[artmcl]

I also have 30 or 40 simi's no problem? shield 45 no tension on rsa when field strip . Customer service says not normal also sending new rsa

[swsig]

I wonder if you have the correct RSA. The Shield .45 cal RSA has a red small spring, and is about 1/4 inch longer than the 9mm one. The attached photo shows the two.