Just bought this new m&p shield 45, haven't even fired it yet. Stripped it to clean and lube before I went to the range. Removed the guide rod assembly and springs and parts went everywhere. It appears that a plug that isn't really threaded, but has some steep spiral grooves in it released, allowing springs to fly out. Lucky I had my glasses on, because one of the parts struck me in the face, right next to my eye. My question is does anyone know anyone making replacements guide rod assemblies for these? I thought there may be someone making one that doesn't come unglued like this one did.

Problem is due to the 45 model being fairly new there is not a whole lot of choices out there as of yet.

I'd call Smith tomorrow and see if they can't just mail you a new one to get you running. Unless you can reassemble with all the parts.

Welcome to the forum. Too bad about your Recoil Spring Assembly (RSA). Call S&W Customer Service and explain your problem, and they will send you a new one, no questions asked.

There is a company that makes a solid rod replacement for RSA's for the 9mm. Maybe someone can tell you if the 45 is now available.

This seems to happen with all Shields. Not just the.45. It's such a simple thing. You would think S&W could have sorted it out by now.


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Thanks guys for the suggestions. I have tried to re-assemble the guide assembly (as I was able to find all the parts), but I spent about 3 hrs. trying, and the outer guide spring is uncontrollable (there must be a tool to hold the assembly) to hold and try and insert the pin that locks it together. Then again I'd rather have a guide that won't explode in my face again, like I said before damn thing would have taken my eye out if I hadn't had my eye glasses on. Again Thanks, I'll still call S&W to let them know, you can't fix it if no-one tells about it.

Did what bigwheelzip suggested, called S&W Customer Service explained what happened and the rep said no problem we'll get one out to you, expect it within 7 days.

I'm glad they had them in stock for you. When my 9mm RSA failed, it took them 4 months to get one to me.

After yours arrives, and everything is working to factory spec, you might consider seeing if the aftermarket company that makes the solid replacement has 45's. Some here feel it instills more confidence.

Good luck and come back with a range report.

Picked up a new 45 Shield yesterday, field stripped it before going to the range, and same thing happened to me. Parts everywhere. Called customer service and was promised a new recoil spring assembly in 7-10 days.

My daily carry is a 9mm Shield with a couple thousand rounds down range without a problem.

You would think that they would relay some info to QC that the assemblies are un-assembling.

It's been going on ever since the Shield came out. You can read about it in my own tale of woe from two years ago:

Shield RSA one more time

Apparently S&W has determined that the cost of fixing the Shield recoil spring assembly quality problems is not worth the benefits that would be achieved. Thus RSA problems continue to carry on to the aggravation of a small number of Shield buyers year after year.

As our President would say, "Sad".

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What, me worry?

Got home from work today and as S&W promised my replacement guide-rod had been delivered (BTW, in less than the 7 days they estimated). However when I talked with S&W, the rep said you couldn't reassemble old guide rod. Well while perusing one of the on line catalogs I notice that Glock has a guiderod tool (GRT). As I looked at it I realized how it worked. Said to myself, self you can make that tool to work with the S&W. So I found a scrap piece of Delron from one of my motorcycle projects. I took it over to the lathe and formed up my own guide rod tool, which worked perfectly. Old guiderod is back together. I did use some green Loc-Tite on the retaining pin, to help keep it from coming apart again.51697976651__47042294-BD0E-49B8-B627-D878F34A1DD9[127].JPG I liked the Delron for this project because it is a nylon material that doesn't scratch the metal parts.

Amazing. A couple of years ago you could have sold a whole bunch of your guide rod tools to those of us who were in the throes of a 3 to 4 month wait for our replacement RSAs.

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What, me worry?

mburcham,

I just picked up a Shield .45 myself, but have not shot it yet.

At what point exactly did your guide rod assembly self-destruct?

During field stripping, on page 24 / Figure 30 of the owner's manual, or did you attempt something beyond what is shown in the owner's manual?

Anyway, it sounds like a good idea to obtain at least one (or two) of these assemblies to keep handy in my gun-parts tool kit.

Thanks and Regards,

Rob

Cookster, it came apart just after I released the guide-rod from its position. I didn't realize the energy that was pent up. Seems like a lot more than on my 1911 A1. I'd recommend wearing some safety glasses when removing the assembly anytime your field stripping. I wear glasses all the time anyway, I'm sure if I hadn't had them on I'd be tending to an eye injury. Of course I can't see anything w/o my glasses anyway.

Mburcham, I received my new Shield 45 on April 17. Field stripped it and cleaned it, no problem. Even field stripped it a couple more times, just for the heck of it, no problem. I took it on it's maiden voyage to the range on April 22 and fired 216 rounds through it. When I got home and field stripped it for cleaning, I removed the RSA and about 2 seconds later, it popped apart in my hand. Not violently tho, just a gentle "pop". I immediately contacted S&W CS and in two weeks had a new RSA in the mailbox.

I tried in vain to reassemble the original during those two weeks. Also tried in vain to find an after market replacement. As soon as they become available, I'm going to buy one. Kudos to you for making a tool to reassemble the original.

My 9mm Shield is a different story. Over 2200 rounds in 3½ years and not a single problem.

Hmm. I'll be the guy that has one fall apart. I just picked up a Shield 45 yesterday.

Has anyone tried to purchase the RSA from S&W just to have as a backup? I wouldn't do that unless it was relatively inexpensive.

FYI, SSguiderods,com has stainless steel guide rods for the 45 M&P Shield available today.

ok, as a recent Shield.45 buyer in waiting, I'm hearing that when you remove the recoil spring from the guide rod it may disassemble on you?
If so, when S&W sends you a new one, what prevents it from doing the same thing at a later date?
should you just get an after market solid guide rod?
And S&W has no fix for this known problem?

Only happened to a select few... An odd problem to be sure.

People will come here for their problems. For all the threads in this forum there are actually very few problems and just as many "attaboys"

Yea EDIT: The recoil spring and the guide rod are a one piece assembly. It shouldnt come apart.

Jessie, The recoil spring is captive on the guide rod, you are not to remove the recoil spring from the guide rod. When I removed the guide rod assembly from the slide, is when it came apart. The recoil spring is held in place by a retainer that is pressed in. The fix isn't rocket science, simply using a threaded retainer, ie. a screw to hold the spring in place would take care of the issue.

The probability of one falling apart on you is pretty low, maybe about 1%. If you've already field stripped your Shield and your RSA hasn't come apart, it's probably going to last 5000 rounds or more. It's a very stout design. Its self-destruction problem is due to faulty assembly, not design. If it's intact when you take it out, you'll likely never need a backup.

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What, me worry?

Except for Bozz10mm ( post #15 ). If I counted right, it happened on his 4th field strip.
I hope you're right.

Our Shield9 RSA failed after about 500 rounds and several cleanings.


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This place just came out with SS guide rods for the .45
New Smith & Wesson Guide Rods Available - Stainless Steel Guide Rods

Pursuant to their note at the bottom of the product page -

"NOT recommended for use with +P ammo."