SHIELD MAG DROP - S&W REPLY

[robkarrob]

I sent an email on August 28 to all top S&W executives. It asked why not issue a recall or at least notify all Shield 40 owners what could happen with the possibility of the magazine drop issue. It also asked if there were repairs other than the "bump" on the magazines. I asked why we all had to send the guns back for repair if the repair was only new magazines. I stated that this issue had tarnished the S&W reputation and questions the reliability of their guns.

This is a synopsis of the reply I received today. Remember the letters were sent to the top executives at S&W. Since I do not know the legality of copying word for word and posting the reply, I will write the basics of the reply and not list the writer’s name. The reply was from someone in their legal division. This was a nine paragraph, one and a half page formal letter, in a very small font size.

S&W Engineers with many years of experience do not believe that a problem exists in the Shield. The Shields have been highly tested and the design is sound. S&W takes issue that there is a large problem of mag drops. S&W requires the return of the gun so they can fully check it out, as there may be other factors, such as "shooting techniques" that may be causing the issue. Those Shield 40's that S&W did find were having a mag drop issue, due to parts variation and fit issues, were repaired under warranty. There is a very small number of Shields affected. S&W has used this information to enhance the fit of the magazine and magazine catch.

So there you have it. There might be a problem but if there is a problem it only affected a small number of owners. And if there was a problem S&W made some changes to fix the problem. Now that I think about it, the mags on my Shield 40 weren’t really dropping out, it was just a bad dream. And all those posts in the ten page mag drop thread are just a few guys with a minor problem, if a problem really exists. Even with all those threads and posts regarding the Shield 40 mag drops, S&W's highly trained Engineers with years of firearms design "do not believe that any problem exists with the design, safety, or performance of the M&P Shield." It might just be a parts variation and fit issue, "ya think?"

Bob

 

[Lost Lake]

A manufacturer wil NEVER admit something is wrong with one of their products. That just creates a flood of warranty work and opens them up to liability claims. Just imagine if they admitted the Shield drops mags and it was their fault, and then some decorated cop is in a life or death shootout when his mag drops and he is killed....

They'll NEVER admit it is a problem.

 

[OpsMgr]

A manufacturer wil NEVER admit something is wrong with one of their products. That just creates a flood of warranty work and opens them up to liability claims. Just imagine if they admitted the Shield drops mags and it was their fault, and then some decorated cop is in a life or death shootout when his mag drops and he is killed....

They'll NEVER admit it is a problem.

So true - It is all about liability and the litigious times in which we all live...

 

[firecontrol123]

S&W QC department has been sleeping on the job lately. I just picked up my 9mm Sheild , took it home to clean it and the barrel is in terrible shape. There's a chip on the feed ramp and someone forgot to polish the ramp. The ramp has all waves and grooves that anyone could see. I used to work production so I understand the need for speed in production especially when an item is in high demand, but these are pistols not shoes and someone's life my depend on these weapons, so the QC dept must stay sharp. Now I have to send it back for repairs after waiting for 2 months . Before I buy another pistol I will make the time to check everything, inside and out, especially if it's a S&W.

 

[Shielded]

S&W QC department has been sleeping on the job lately. I just picked up my 9mm Sheild , took it home to clean it and the barrel is in terrible shape. There's a chip on the feed ramp and someone forgot to polish the ramp. The ramp has all waves and grooves that anyone could see. I used to work production so I understand the need for speed in production especially when an item is in high demand, but these are pistols not shoes and someone's life my depend on these weapons, so the QC dept must stay sharp. Now I have to send it back for repairs after waiting for 2 months . Before I buy another pistol I will make the time to check everything, inside and out, especially if it's a S&W.

I would be highly perturbed to put it mildly. I would be sure to tell them of my displeasure, and let them know that your spreading the word. If they can't do better than that then they need to stop production, fix the flaws & then go at a sensible pace. I will no longer recommend them if this it what to expect.

 

[bonjorno2]

i know i didn't touch the mag release and the mag would drop under recoil... There is a video on youtube showing it also... I had someone else shoot it and it dropped the mag. We both happened to be very experience when it comes to pistols and i don't have this issue with my glock 27 or kahr pm40. I guess it's my fault like the OP mentioned... I can fix that when I get it back from repair in the classified section.

 

[windviking]

This is why I sold my shield 40. Yes they "fixed" it by working around the problem by putting a bump n the mag. Now they have taken this information and "enhanced" (read corrected) the design. Why did they not replace my pistol instead of patching it? I am fed up with S&W. Will never buy another of their products and I will discourage everyone I know from buying their products..

 

[jepkr]

SELL ALL S+W M+P, SHEILDS

I SURE WISH I LIVED WHERE ALL THESE S+W MPs, AND SHEILDS ARE BEING SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I live near Charlotte NC and you cannot find a well used or slightly used S+W GUN AT ALL!!!!!! so someone is keeping those junk S+W GUNS, revolvers, big or small, M+P pistols, bodyguards, sheilds at several gun shops around here.

 

[pazzo]

S&W QC department has been sleeping on the job lately. I just picked up my 9mm Sheild , took it home to clean it and the barrel is in terrible shape. There's a chip on the feed ramp and someone forgot to polish the ramp. The ramp has all waves and grooves that anyone could see. I used to work production so I understand the need for speed in production especially when an item is in high demand, but these are pistols not shoes and someone's life my depend on these weapons, so the QC dept must stay sharp. Now I have to send it back for repairs after waiting for 2 months . Before I buy another pistol I will make the time to check everything, inside and out, especially if it's a S&W.

I'm not sure I understand why the pistol wasn't inspected before purchasing it. Even guns I get from Buds, I inspect before finishing the transaction.

I didn't hear any functioning problems in your thread either??

I've got a Shield in 9mm and have in excess of 2k through the gun and not had a single problem. I got it a week after 4/12 when they were announced.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I'm not sure I understand why the pistol wasn't inspected before purchasing it. Even guns I get from Buds, I inspect before finishing the transaction.

I didn't hear any functioning problems in your thread either??

I've got a Shield in 9mm and have in excess of 2k through the gun and not had a single problem. I got it a week after 4/12 when they were announced.

You don't think a magazine dropping out (assuming no shooter error) is a "functioning problem?"

 

[pazzo]

You don't think a magazine dropping out (assuming no shooter error) is a "functioning problem?"

Firecontrol123 has a 9mm and did not mention anything about a mag dropping.

Suggest you go back and re-read

 

[RIDavid]

I never had a mag drop with my Shield 9.

 

[Shielded]

I never had a mag drop with my Shield 9.

Same here, but I do think the QC is falling since the first ones, at least thats what were hearing. The first batch or two were no doubt made at a slower pace.

 

[firecontrol123]

I'm not sure I understand why the pistol wasn't inspected before purchasing it. Even guns I get from Buds, I inspect before finishing the transaction.

I didn't hear any functioning problems in your thread either??

I've got a Shield in 9mm and have in excess of 2k through the gun and not had a single problem. I got it a week after 4/12 when they were announced.

I have never needed to check a new pistol before. Why should I ? Isn't that why they have a QC department ? All I have ever done with a new pistol is clean and shoot it. And since 1978 I have purchased more than 20 new pistols without any problems. Now if it was a used pistol that would be different. The problem is in order to compete with other gun companies S&W is moving too fast. They need to slow down and focus on quality not quantity. Last year a friend of mine bought an M&P 9mm and the sights were so far off that he could not hit a fullsized target at 21 feet. The good news is S&W has taught me a lesson, never buy any pistol, even a new one without first checking it inside and out.

 

[bighat]

Really sorry to hear about these problems. Sounds a lot like the discussions being held on the Glock forums (my G19 has been a lemon). I suspect that the high demand for guns over the last few years has encouraged some manufacturers to cut corners, but I'm really surprised to see this with S&W. I have been a satisfied customer of theirs for decades. I'm currently looking for a good single stack 9mm and have held off on the Shield because of its newness. Maybe one of the other quality guns with less demand would be better? Walther? Kahr?

 

[team sidewinder]

Really sorry to hear about these problems. Sounds a lot like the discussions being held on the Glock forums (my G19 has been a lemon). I suspect that the high demand for guns over the last few years has encouraged some manufacturers to cut corners, but I'm really surprised to see this with S&W. I have been a satisfied customer of theirs for decades. I'm currently looking for a good single stack 9mm and have held off on the Shield because of its newness. Maybe one of the other quality guns with less demand would be better? Walther? Kahr?

I would still get the S&W shield. The Shield 9 ( mine ) has never given me a problem in the 2 month ( and 1K rounds ) I have owned it. Now maybe the Shield 40 is finally getting attention from S&W to correct the mag drop problem. I think the newer production 40s aren't haven't the mag drop problems and the 9mm no problems at all. The shield is just a excellent gun.

 

[pazzo]

I have never needed to check a new pistol before. Why should I ? Isn't that why they have a QC department ?

Alot like not test driving a car before driving it off the lot IMO.
Always inspect. All manufacturers let things slip once in awhile.
And not just gun manufacturers. Expecting a manufacturer to catch 100% of issues in QC is unreasonable.

 

[Robinett_11B]

I'm currently looking for a good single stack 9mm and have held off on the Shield because of its newness. Maybe one of the other quality guns with less demand would be better? Walther? Kahr?

Get a 3913

 

[Maddmax]

I'm not sure I understand why the pistol wasn't inspected before purchasing it. Even guns I get from Buds, I inspect before finishing the transaction.

I didn't hear any functioning problems in your thread either??

I've got a Shield in 9mm and have in excess of 2k through the gun and not had a single problem. I got it a week after 4/12 when they were announced.

Same here. I inspect everything before I make the purchase old or new. I field strip it and look at every nook and crannie,function test everything. Any flaws and I want a different weapon period. No sale is final until I say it is. Dealer don't like it,I walk. I also bought my 9 Shield as soon as they were released and have had ZERO problems. I also know a boat load of people with 40 Shields and ZERO problems.

Funny how you always hear about the people with their problems and they ALL act like they have the same problem and WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER S&W. I have 7 M&P handguns with NO problems and also have M&P AR's with ZERO problems. I also wonder how many people ACTUALLY OWN the handgun they are complaining about or are just jumping on the bandwagon...

 

[robkarrob]

For those with the Shield 9mm, the problem was with the Shield 40's. Those that suggest we should first inspect the gun. How are you going to inspect a condition that happens only when the gun is fired. How many LGS are going to let you take a new gun to the range and test it out? It's no longer a new gun when you put 50 rounds through it. I have read a few reports of 9mm mags drops, but the vast majority of mag drops are with the Shield 40.

I sent my gun into S&W for the fix. It was there seven weeks, which included their two weeks shutdown for vacations. I got it back with the fix, which was putting "bumps" in the mags, at the mag catch area so they won't drop out. Seven weeks and all S&W did was return the gun with new magazines, nothing else in the gun was touched. I did get two free mags as I did not send in my original mags in with the gun. S&W sent the gun back with the two new mags with the bumps. I was able to duplicate the bumps on the two original mags, so I now have four good mags and I no longer have the mag drop problem.

Even though the mag drop was an initial problem, my Shield 40 is now fixed and works perfectly. I am super happy with my Shield. I have highly modified the trigger action and added an OT stop. I am even happier since I have learned that the 9mm Shield barrel shoots fine in the 40 slide. The swap of 40 barrel into the 9mm slide does not work with the stock barrel. Now we just have to wait for S&W to release the barrels to distributors like Brownells and Midway. Then we'll be able to use less expensive target ammo with less recoil. And yes we will still have to practice with the 40 ammo, so we can be prepared for the difference in recoil and ability to get back on target with the higher power ammunition.

Bob