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Old 06-02-2020, 04:01 PM
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Why are Shield magazines so hard to load to capacity? Do I have to buy a loader or is there a trick.
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Old 06-02-2020, 04:15 PM
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Personally I never have any problems loading them to capacity. I do have to tap them to seat it in the gun though, unless you load with an open slide, still have to if you carry one in the chamber with a full magazine.
I was going to suggest maybe try a different technique to loadlike pushing down on the round on top of the mag with your nondominant thumb, and using your dominant thumb to push the next round on top, down, and back. It takes a little pressure off when using this technique. Maybe thats what youre doing? Maybe its a hand strength issue (which is fine). Some people prefer using a loader tool.

Try a loader if you have trouble that will assist you loading them. Upula is one popular brand. Try it?
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Old 06-02-2020, 05:15 PM
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There's no "trick". I can load all of my Shield mags (8s and 7s) by hand if I need to do so. I prefer using my Uplula since loading multiple 17/15/10/8/7 round mags get tiring.

Yes, Shield mags are pretty stiff when new. They will get easier with use.
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Old 06-02-2020, 06:09 PM
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There's no "trick". I can load all of my Shield mags (8s and 7s) by hand if I need to do so. I prefer using my Uplula since loading multiple 17/15/10/8/7 round mags get tiring.

Yes, Shield mags are pretty stiff when new. They will get easier with use.

Agree that when new they are very stiff. More use will lessen the stiffness. I use an Uplula as well.
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Old 06-02-2020, 06:22 PM
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The evil stiff mag springs have sprung again! After five years can load all but last 2 rounds by hand, Uplula is great
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Old 06-02-2020, 08:27 PM
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I have a lot of arthritis in my hands, so loading the stiff shield mags is a problem. Uplula solved the issue.
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Old 06-02-2020, 09:35 PM
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I have a Shield in 45, so 6 and 7 round mags. Brand new, they were a bear to load. What I did was leave them loaded for a few days, unload and rinse and repeat over a few weeks. This seemed to loosen them up.
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Old 06-02-2020, 09:40 PM
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I can load my Shield mags by hand but I prefer not to. I usually put a hundred rounds through it on a range trip. The one time I forgot my Uplula, I had to quit after 50 rounds. Thumbs just couldn't take it.
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Old 06-02-2020, 10:23 PM
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The last couple of rounds with the Shield 9 are a PITA. I don't have a loader but I can see the advantage of one.
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Old 06-02-2020, 10:53 PM
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My 45 Shield mags were a lead up to injury until I got a 10$ orange plastic loader off ebay. I keep them full constantly and in just a few weeks they mellowed out to where I don't use the device any longer. I don't even know were it is now.
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Old 06-03-2020, 12:54 AM
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What a bunch of sissies.


Kidding
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Old 06-03-2020, 10:09 AM
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What a bunch of sissies.


Kidding
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Old 06-03-2020, 10:51 AM
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Shield9 7-round mags have been a bear to get that 7th round into, dating all the way back to Spring 2012. Along the same line, a fully loaded/topped off mag has always been tough to lock into the magwell (with the slide closed/+1).

If using a loader/UpLula is not preferred, the only 'trick' would be to get a couple sets of MagGuts springs. They work, they won't 'void warranties' or trigger a 'modified gun' legal issue... They work.
There were a few that had problems with the Gen1 2-piece set, but it usually ended up being User Induced assembly problems.

If a spring kit, or UpLula are both unacceptable answers, then the only thing I can say is...
Suck it up, buttercup!

Last edited by RobzGuns; 06-03-2020 at 10:55 AM.
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Old 06-03-2020, 03:32 PM
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What a bunch of sissies.


Kidding
Yes I'm a sissy especially when elderly man at LGS loaded up 7 rounder no problem grinned then sold me a Uplula
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Old 06-03-2020, 11:54 PM
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so I took my wife and son to the range today and purchased a uplula for her to use. It helped tremendously with the her shield mags. Never did use it for the 59 or 39 series or Beretta 92 series mags, must still have strength in the old thumbs
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Old 06-04-2020, 08:43 AM
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I'm an old guy and Uplula is the answer. Shield mags are a piece of cake with it. The only mag I have that's still a bit of a struggle to get the last round in with it is my .45 Compact, but it's a new gun and will break in with time.

I usually go through a few hundred rounds on a range day and even though I could probably load all my mags without the Uplula I certainly wouldn't want to. It's nice that you only need one Uplula to load both 9mm and .45 ACP. It's $30 well spent.
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Old 06-04-2020, 09:06 AM
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Never had a problem with 9mm mags. 45's, different story. Now that I've had them a while, it's a little easier, but still use the Uplula.
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Old 06-04-2020, 11:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxer9 View Post
What a bunch of sissies.


Kidding
Thanks for that momentary blood pressure spike lol
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Old 06-06-2020, 08:19 PM
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I just find it strange that after 100 years of self loading handguns the manufacturers can't make a magazine that can be loaded by hand!! Most people must BUY a special tool!
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Old 06-07-2020, 09:43 AM
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I just find it strange that after 100 years of self loading handguns the manufacturers can't make a magazine that can be loaded by hand!! Most people must BUY a special tool!
You could always buy a revolver.

It's not that the mags can't be loaded by hand, it's just so much easier with the tool, which should last a lifetime for $30, barely the price of a couple boxes of ammo.

I want to think that as I've gotten older I've gotten smarter. That may not be true, but I tell myself it is.
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Old 06-08-2020, 12:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pantannojack View Post
My 45 Shield mags were a lead up to injury until I got a 10$ orange plastic loader off ebay. I keep them full constantly and in just a few weeks they mellowed out to where I don't use the device any longer. I don't even know were it is now.
Same here, I had a few cheap Range Tray loaders for the 9mm/40 and the .45 Shield. That's all that was needed to get that last round in when the mags were new.
Now that the mags have had some use, I don't need the loading tools anymore.
(Until I buy some more new mags or a new gun !)
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Old 06-08-2020, 10:14 AM
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Quote:
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I just find it strange that after 100 years of self loading handguns the manufacturers can't make a magazine that can be loaded by hand!! Most people must BUY a special tool!
Most people load by hand. Some like or need the convenience of a loading tool.
If handgun designers weren't in a race to cram more rounds in a tiny pistol, they probably wouldn't be quite so difficult to load.
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Old 06-08-2020, 11:39 AM
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The shield mags are stiff for sure, but I’ve had a couple new mags for different guns bought recently that I had to take apart and reassemble because everything wasn’t seated right. Might be something to check if they are super hard to get the last round in.
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Old 06-20-2020, 11:09 PM
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I just picked up a new Shield 9mm and neither of the magazines are nearly as hard as my new Glock magazines have been, the new M&P magazines were a joy to load to capacity compared to the new Glock magazines.

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Old 06-30-2020, 10:06 PM
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Never had a problem loading any magazine until the 9MM Shield. Some were tight but not this tight. I bought 2 Uplula, one for the range bag and one for the gun bench. It was a great idea after losing a small chunk on the side of my thumb
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