M&P 9 Shield Slide Stop Difficult

[strose22]

Just got a new M&P 9 Shield. I've put 100 rounds through it.
The Slide Stop is extremely difficult to pull down to release the Slide. I actually have to use both hands.

Anyone else experience this issue?
Is it possible it will become better with more use?

I also have a full size M&P 9, it does not have this issue.

 

[Capt_Destro]

You could do some very careful polishing/sanding with hi grit sand paper. I did this and I can do it with one thumb now if I ever had to. You don't want to take too much material away for obvious reasons. So polish, and try it, and keep going until it's desirable. Mine still takes some force, but it no longer takes 2 thumbs.

 

[Smitty357]

100 rounds!!!!!!!!!!

Keep shooting, it gets easier and easier. Many people around here jump conclusions way too soon.

 

[MSG Glenn]

Rather than ruining your thumbs just grab the slide either sling shot or overhand & pull it back a bit then let it go. I use my slide stop every once in awhile but was taught to do it the way I described. There's a lot of pressure against the stop - the whole recoil spring.

Don't let your slide slam forward unless you're charging the chamber. It's made to go forward with force on a round & not empty space.

 

[mr2r6]

Damn seems like this non-issue gets brought up once a week. First off congrats on the Shield, it's a great gun you'll love it!. With a little search there's probably 10 different threads with the same exact question, also this is covered in the owners manual. The slide lock is not a release and S&W does not recommend using it as a release. Power stoke the slide to get it into battery. Definitely don't polish anything.

 

[strose22]

Thanks everyone, Glad this forum is available. I plan on using the pull back (good info there) and putting a few hundred more rounds through it.
I would have not thought twice about it, if it wasn't for being my full size M&P released much easier.

 

[Danno_man]

Damn seems like this non-issue gets brought up once a week. First off congrats on the Shield, it's a great gun you'll love it!. With a little search there's probably 10 different threads with the same exact question, also this is covered in the owners manual. The slide lock is not a release and S&W does not recommend using it as a release. Power stoke the slide to get it into battery. Definitely don't polish anything.

exactly, that's why it's called a slide STOP and not a slide RELEASE.

 

[NACHOM22SHIELD]

i had the same problem with mine the first few hundred rounds, it will eventually loosen up. i would give the gun a good clean and lube and see what happens after that. works great now.

 

[AdamSean]

Remember, it is a slide stop, not a slide release. It is never advised to use it to release the slide. After time, it can fail to hold open. It is best to come over the top of the slide and release the slide with the other hand.

 

[Rastoff]

You can release the slide with the slide stop. It won't damage the gun. The owner's manual does not say it's wrong to release the slide with the slide stop. At least I can't find anything in the manual stating that.

 

[JumpinJack]

Really?!? It was taught when I went through the Police Academy but that was pre Glock. The Glock didn't work reliably and after it became popular the slide release got renamed as a slide lock. I carried a Sig for 25 yrs and never used anything but the slide release on a reload. Dito my Gen 3 S&W autos and 1911's.

 

[Rastoff]

Allow me to add something to what I said earlier.

I use the overhand slingshot method. It's the most reliable. It's universal and will work on any gun. So, you can't go wrong with that method.

Some guns, most notably the Glock, have slide locks that are very difficult to use to release the slide. Nevertheless, it won't hurt the gun to use the slide lock to release the slide. It is faster after all.

 

[AdamSean]

Allow me to add something to what I said earlier.

I use the overhand slingshot method. It's the most reliable. It's universal and will work on any gun. So, you can't go wrong with that method.

Some guns, most notably the Glock, have slide locks that are very difficult to use to release the slide. Nevertheless, it won't hurt the gun to use the slide lock to release the slide. It is faster after all.

I agree with this statement. My old Beretta Nano had no slide lock. Nor do a lot of others. Its best to use the same method for every gun in case you are forced to use an unfamiliar gun.

 

[drinva]

It's my understanding that when using the slide lock on any gun as a slide release you SHOULD be chambering a round, if not, damage over time could occur.

DR

 

[rsrocket1]

I just got my M&P 40 back from Smith and Wesson. After about 600 cycles of using the slide stop as a slide release, the tab on the left side (the tab used by right-hand shooters) flew off in the middle of shooting. I was told by folks here that it can still be used as a slide release, but I'm simply going to change my routine by cambering the first round with the slingshot method.

A couple of times I got back into the routine and tried to use my right thumb to close the slide, but caught myself when I noticed the much greater force required to close the slide compared to the old slide stop. So My feeling is that the "difficulty" comes from a new slide stop and not the slide itself.

From what I can see, the new slide stop is no more rugged than the old one. The part that snapped looks like the same simple 90 degree bent metal with no added reinforcement or treatment.

 

[shield]

It's my understanding that when using the slide lock on any gun as a slide release you SHOULD be chambering a round, if not, damage over time could occur.

DR

What kind of damage? I don't understand why chambering a round would make a difference.

 

[Handyandy]

Remember, it is a slide stop, not a slide release. It is never advised to use it to release the slide. After time, it can fail to hold open. It is best to come over the top of the slide and release the slide with the other hand.

Never, really?!?! Where is this pearl of wisdom carved in stone? You may want to tell some of the best competitive and military shooters they are doing it wrong. I have taken classes from several HSLD guys and they all say their preferred method it to use the slide catch. At the same time, they all acknowledged that the sling shot method works fine, it's just slightly slower. In the end, you should use what works best for you, after trying both methods.

 

[drinva]

What kind of damage? I don't understand why chambering a round would make a difference.

The gun is designed to be slammed shut with a round in tow, shutting down onto/against the round. No round: bad for gun. Read this in a firearms book somewhere, may have been "the perfect pistol shot"? not sure.....right or wrong....

DR

 

[N4KVE]

Page 17 of the owners booklet clearly states to pull the slide to the rear, & allow it to move fully forward to load the round into the chamber. Of course, we can do anything we want with our personal property. Just like if I wanted I could drive my car in 1st gear all day long. GARY

 

[Rastoff]

Page 17 of the owners booklet clearly states to pull the slide to the rear, & allow it to move fully forward to load the round into the chamber.

Yes, that is correct. However, it is incorrect to read into this and say that it is telling you not to use the slide stop. There is nothing in the book that says it's wrong to use the slide stop.