I have the .45 Shield 1.0 I changed the mag followers a while back to the newer version followers which were said to be improved. Now I noticed today after not shooting it much that the slide won't lock back after the last round is fired and won't lock back when I install an empty mag. If I push up on the bottom of the mag it will lock back. Are my mag springs weak or could it be something else? also, I don't use the release to drop the slide closed. Thanks! If I jerk the slide back hard on an empty 7 round mag it catches sometimes but, the 6 round mag won't lock the slide back ever, unless I push up on the bottom of mag while jerking it back. I've put the upgraded followers back in my mags and now, they are locking back better just pulling the slide back haven't shot it yet. It seems, the material the slide lock catch is fairly soft and showed signs of uneven wear so I took a very fine file and touched it up and it seems to catch better but, if I can order a new slide lock assembly I think I'll go ahead and do that.

Do you have any magazines with the original followers that you could try and see if it's an issue with the new followers? Or if you still have the old followers try and put them back in and see how they function...just my thoughts

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I have the old ones I'll try switching one out tomorrow it feeds and fires just fine but, it's my carry gun so I want to get it working properly. Thanks!

Maybe the replacement follower in that 6 round mag is not as good as the original follower?

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I wonder if this problem is more common in the .45 caliber M&P's. I have a Shield 9mm and it always functions as it should, locking the slide back after the last round.

I have two M&P Compacts, one in 9mm and one in .45, and the 9mm also always locks the slide back after the last round but the .45 never does. The .45 functions perfectly in every other way and never jams, it just doesn't go to slide lock after the last round, but it will lock the slide back with an empty mag inserted if you rack it by hand. It's been that way since new and hasn't changed after hundreds of rounds through it. I don't see it as a problem I'll go out of my way to fix, I just think it's curious and perhaps somehow only happens with the .45 models.

I doubt the problem is the new followers. They have a small cut out in the front corner to help them rise up, but that shouldn't prevent the slide from locking back.
I converted my mags over to the new followers and had no issues.

I would bet it is the mag springs, but it wouldn't hurt to try the old followers as suggested.
I know the mag springs on the 7 round mags are a whole lot stiffer than the ones on the 6 rounders.

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U. S. Army Veteran

I replaced the original followers with the new followers about 3 years ago. Have not had any problem with them. Slide locks back like it always did.

Well, it's quite puzzling to me because I put the old followers back in and both 7 and, the 6 round mags lock back just fine Thanks for all the input folks!

I would try the newer ones again, could be that they, or the mag accumulated enough crud, that they where not moving as freely as needed, especially, if you lube your mags.

If you have pushed in your mags fully, so they are securely locked in place, you should not be able to push up on the bottom of your mags and have them move up even more to allow the slide to lock back. This suggests two possibilities: 1. You're not fully seating your mags. 2. Your magazine latch is faulty.

Push in each mag hard and then pull down on it on it. It should not move at all. If it comes out, you haven't seated it. If you've pushed them in firmly as far as they will go and they stay put when you pull on them, then you're seating them OK. However, if they slip back enough so you still need to push them up to have the slide lock back, it you probably have a bad magazine latch. Then a call to S&W customer service is in order.

With my Shield 45, the improved followers were the perfect solution to eliminating the many failures to feed I had that were caused by the original followers. I have never had a failure to lock back in over 4,000 rounds with the improved followers. I suggest sticking with the improved followers. Failure to feed is a much worse problem than failure to lock back, IMHO.

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What, me worry?

My friend has a similar problem with his Shield .45.

The 7 round magazine works fine, but his 6 round quit locking the slide back if he gently retracted it on the empty magazine...unless he pushed up on the floorplate.

I think he is still using the original followers, and he seems satisfied that the slide still locks back when he actually fires the 6th round.

Had this issue with 45 shield it was me thumb riding slide enough to cause used to shooting my full-size 45 changed thumb placement and fixed!

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Take it easy. Chris

Can we see some close up pics of your new followers out of the magazine? Left side and right side.

And maybe a pic with it in an empty mag?
Make sure you’re putting the mag spring in correctly.

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“Look life in its iron face”