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Old 05-01-2017, 02:09 PM
1sailor 1sailor is offline
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Default Shield .45 and cartridge O.A.L.

I'm putting this here instead of in the reloading section because I will be asking about some filing/clearancing on my Shield 45. I may be a little off on my parts names but I think I can get the issue across. With the slide back looking down into the mag well you can see the loading ramp that's part of the barrel. Just below this the groove continues into a part of the locking block. At the very bottom of that guide groove there is a very slight ridge. I noticed my last time out that a couple of my reloads caught on that ridge. I'm sure it's just the cartridge OAL being a little too much although that length worked great in any other .45's I've owned. Watching my OAL will cure any problems but that still doesn't look like a good place to have a sharp protruding ridge like that. I'm not sure if it's left over from the casting process or what. Anyway, has anyone else encountered this and has anyone else cleaned up that ridge.
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Old 05-01-2017, 10:42 PM
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I didn't have any feed problems with 5 different brands of ammo using 5 different magazines. 216 rounds total.

Last edited by Bozz10mm; 05-01-2017 at 10:48 PM.
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Old 05-01-2017, 11:47 PM
LAA LAA is offline
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Originally Posted by Major Assburn View Post

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S&W has laid a big goose egg with this 45 Shield and we're the ones suffering. Months later you get one back from the factory and it still hangs. They either say "no problem found" or they change the locking block with no improvement in feeding.
I've heard it's the other way around. Quite a major success actually! I have one for proof!
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Old 05-01-2017, 11:51 PM
LAA LAA is offline
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Originally Posted by Major Assburn View Post
Don't file the ridge off the lower ramp. It will worsen the problem because it will shorten and raise that portion of the feed ramp causing even more hang-ups.

The real problem seems to be the magazines...They just do not feed reliably in many 45 Shields.

The followers are too short (vertically) so they tilt and stutter in the mag tube as they try to raise the front of the cartridge to clear that lower feed ramp lip... too late in the recoil cycle.

The follower material is "sticky" cheap, soft plastic and it doesn't slide inside the mag tube very well, at all.

The slide cycles too fast for the magazine to reliably present the next round for feeding and the guns jam with the rear of the next cartridge properly engaged by the breech face but the bullet is nose-dived and stuck on that lip on the bottom feed ramp's lower edge until you "slingshot" the slide about 1/8" and let it go again. That feeds the round properly.

I have talked to the factory until I'm blue in the face and they all play a dead hand like they never heard of this problem. Yet, this forum is full of these exact same reports all the way back to last summer.

I no longer trust anything S&W makes or says because I have this problem with all FOUR of my new 45 Shields. They were made (according to the dates on the box labels) in November and December and they all do the exact same hang-up thing.

Ammo doesn't seem to matter much. They do it on round ball 230 grain, HST, Gold Dot, Hornady, etc. Plus P ammo is even worse. The hotter the ammo, the more they hang up and jam, probably because the slide cycles even faster, ahead of the mag popping up the next round in time to feed properly.

S&W has laid a big goose egg with this 45 Shield and we're the ones suffering. Months later you get one back from the factory and it still hangs. They either say "no problem found" or they change the locking block with no improvement in feeding.

I'm gonna trade mine in on some new Glock 30sf's...At least they always work, unlike Smith & Wesson's failed 45 Shield experiments!

Hey, it's a "marketing company" now...They don't seem to care about the long tradition of quality and reliability anymore. The Shield 45's prove it.

And, I was a S&W believer for 35 years!!! Fool...
Baloney!

My Shield just won't fail, no matter how hard I've tried. Six plus mags (lost count), well over a thousand of rounds (because I re-load), and it just hasn't had a hiccup. This includes numerous types of powder, bullets, and at least five different brands of factory ammo. It's a success story PERIOD!

Edit P.S. --- I'm well aware, that many, many Shield 45 owners feel the same as I do....
It's been all over the internet for many months now.

Last edited by LAA; 05-01-2017 at 11:53 PM.
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Old 05-02-2017, 12:15 PM
1sailor 1sailor is offline
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I have not had that issue with over 300 rounds of factory ammo or any of my 200gr reloads. I'll see if I can't isolate the issue for sure and correct it. Right now I feel like OAL is the biggest factor.
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Old 05-02-2017, 01:01 PM
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MajorAssburn is certainly in a minority based on my reading of new owner comments on their Shield 45. I'm in the "I've become a big fan of this little pistol" majority. 1k rounds, four different mags (6&7 round) and never a bobble. I think S&W hit it out of the park with this Shield offering.

1sailor, I shoot a lot of reloads; mainly 200 gr SWC (hi-tek coated) and haven't had an OAL issue. You didn't specify what bullet weight or design was giving you an issue, so there isn't much I can offer except that I'm loading 200 gr SWC at 1.245 to 1.255" (depending on the bullet mfg), 230 gr FMJ at around 1.255 to 1.26" and some JHP at about 1.22". Good luck solving the feed issue.

Last edited by Granddad; 05-02-2017 at 01:07 PM.
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Old 05-02-2017, 03:14 PM
iouri iouri is offline
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I load mine (230 RN) to 1.260" OAL and I've had about 300 of my reloads w/o any hiccup; also I've had a box of HST and box of Gold Dot on my 1st outing - no problems. What OAL are you loading ?
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Old 05-02-2017, 04:46 PM
ontargetagain ontargetagain is offline
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It is the profile of the actual bullet that will cause some restrictions to chamber properly. I experienced this with some Berry's 200gr HP Target bullets. I suggest whatever you are going to shoot that you first do a 'plunk' test in your barrel on the 45 Shield. You can adjust the OAL until it sits good but then you will need to evaluate where you end up to compensate for a particular bullet profile and determine if you had to set it too deep to be safe on pressure build up.
I have shot successfully 200gr SWC plated with no issues though once again seating depth may be issue depending on your barrel.

I will also add that I couldn't be happier with my Shield 45! The recoil is 'likable' in my opinion, not harsh and not a lot of muzzle rise. The accuracy amazes me, it just keeps on going
Karl
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Old 05-02-2017, 10:54 PM
1sailor 1sailor is offline
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I was loading some SNS 230gr RN's and some Hornady 230gr XTP HP's both to an OAL of 1.234. Out of 100 of each I had maybe 3 of the cast RN bullets hang up and 1 of the hornady's. Bullets drop right into the chamber no problem. When they hung up they never even cleared the magazine. They tended to nosedive after catching on that lip.
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Old 05-02-2017, 11:21 PM
LAA LAA is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1sailor View Post
I was loading some SNS 230gr RN's and some Hornady 230gr XTP HP's both to an OAL of 1.234. Out of 100 of each I had maybe 3 of the cast RN bullets hang up and 1 of the hornady's. Bullets drop right into the chamber no problem. When they hung up they never even cleared the magazine. They tended to nosedive after catching on that lip.
All of my Hornady 230gr XTP HPs were set at 1.210 as per the Hornady manual. Others include Sierra, Berry's, as well as HSM.
I reload all of these in large batches, usually on the Dillon 650, and some specialty loads on the single press. All, have always been checked with the Dillon gauge, as well as the barrels once & a while. However, none have hung up or mis-fired in my 45 Shield.
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Old 05-07-2017, 08:35 PM
1sailor 1sailor is offline
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Yep, that was it. I have been loading to 1.234 in all my other 45's with good success but it is a little long. Loaded to an OAL of 1.21 I was able to run through a total of 240 rounds including 3 different styles of bullet and not a single hitch.
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