SW Shield Slide Cracked

[droshi]

I just bought a Shield in 9mm (no safety model). Inside the slide the metal looks like it has been milled very thin and has cracked and broken away. You can see the white underneath which is the firing pin housing inside.

I've sent an email to S&W, I'm sure they'll fix it under warranty, but it is a bit concerning as it looks like a problem of milling specs. Has anyone else seen this?

The white threads in the picture are from Q-Tip fibers that got stuck while cleaning in the gap. A bit hard to see since it's such a contrast between black and white, but here is the best image I could get.

 

[hoc9sw]

Yeah, that would be leaving about the time I got the return authorization. I'd be calling about that instead of wasting time on emails. It doesn't look like a "crack". Much worse than that.

 

[Ranger17]

please forgive the newb question, but this makes me curious should it ever happen to me. If something like this occurs with a new gun does it still go directly to the manufacturer for repair/replace or are there instances where it could/would be instead returned to the dealer for a replacement.

again just curious and thanks

 

[Jiman]

It'd go to S&W.

OP: At least you'll get a new slide. Out of curiosity what does the breech face look like and what kind of ammo where you shooting?

 

[VictorLouis]

That depends upon the level of service provided by your dealer. Some LGS's will do all the work for you, and some tell you it's between you and Smith.

 

[AGoyette]

Even being a Shield, which there have been issues with (mainly the 40 S&W), this is bad. Send it back. It should not look like that. Do not shoot it.

 

[Jaymo]

Damn.
And, I was wanting a Shield 9.

Hopefully, it's an isolated incident.
One of those things that can happen when demand outstrips supply.

 

[Mountain Walker]

please forgive the newb question, but this makes me curious should it ever happen to me. If something like this occurs with a new gun does it still go directly to the manufacturer for repair/replace or are there instances where it could/would be instead returned to the dealer for a replacement.

again just curious and thanks

Ranger: Very logical question. If the new owner contacts S&W customer service (CS), most likely after hearing his story, CS will e-mail a free UPS return label. The owner would box it up and put the label on it. Then the owner would take the package to UPS local hub, who will ship the gun to S&W for repair. A week or two later, S&W will ship the repaired gun back to the owner at his residence.

If you want to take to dealer, sometimes the factory is not so generous to dealers and you may have to do a transfer too in addition to paying a small shipping fee. Last year I had a problem with brand spanking new Ruger SR9c and the factory sent me a label and had the gun back to me in a week. My dealer recommended that I contact Ruger CS and the dealer was right, it was easier and faster. I guess there are variables and you will just have to see which works best for you at the time.

 

[hoc9sw]

My LGS has sent guns back for me, but when they come back I have to do a new transfer form. If I send them back on the factory label, they come back to me directly without paperwork

 

[Bozz10mm]

I've seen this same thing on another forum. I think it was the M&P Pistol forum. Just wondering if this is the same gun, or if two different guns had this problem.

 

[HeavyDuty Ken]

I've seen this same thing on another forum. I think it was the M&P Pistol forum. Just wondering if this is the same gun, or if two different guns had this problem.

That's what I was hoping to ask.

 

[JKOwens]

That is the second one I've seen in two weeks. Someone on another forum posted the same problem. Best of luck with that. I wonder when that was produced. Would you mind posting your build/purchase date?

 

[Bozz10mm]

I went back and checked on the other forum. This one actually looks worse than the other one. Probably two different guns, the other fella said S&W sent him a shipping label on 20 August.

 

[Stratajema]

...One of those things that can happen when demand outstrips supply.

No it doesn't. It has everything to do with faulty quality control.

 

[ScrapmasterFlex]

Very surprising, I have to admit, I opened this thread expecting to see something normal that was being called a "cracked slide".

That is no joke right there.

Anyway yeah, what everyone else said, it needs to go to S&W to get fixed or replaced. And fixed = new slide, replaced = new everything.

 

[78Staff]

Damn, it came out of the box that way? Shines a new light on the "breakdown/no breakown at LGS" thread... .

 

[droshi]

It'd go to S&W.

OP: At least you'll get a new slide. Out of curiosity what does the breech face look like and what kind of ammo where you shooting?

this is brand new from the factory...no rounds shot by me, just took it apart for cleaning

 

[droshi]

I've seen this same thing on another forum. I think it was the M&P Pistol forum. Just wondering if this is the same gun, or if two different guns had this problem.

I just purchased this gun and received it 2 days ago. I've never posted it anywhere else.

 

[droshi]

That is the second one I've seen in two weeks. Someone on another forum posted the same problem. Best of luck with that. I wonder when that was produced. Would you mind posting your build/purchase date?

As mentioned in a previous post, I received it only a couple days ago. How would I find out it's build date?

 

[droshi]

I'll update this thread once I get a resolution, but as mentioned, it is a bit concerning to me that it even happened. To me it means that part is generally milled very thin, so even if it doesn't come cracked, I would assume it's not so strong.

Then again, it probably doesn't need to be that strong as the metal is a lot thicker on the other side and should always hold the firing pin assembly in place, still it seems like a bit of a poor design. I guess small guns always give up something in the way of tolerances to shrink the dimensions.