Just picked up my second Shield 9. While my slide does not look like the OP's, my frame rails have the same wear pattern. Maybe, they test fire with more rounds than we know of. Other than the wearing off of the melanite coating on the rails, mine was absolutely NIB. My older Shield 9 has the same wear and has NOT gotten worse with use.
Okay, there hasn't been a dumb question asked lately, so I'll ask mine......
If that actually a crack, or the coating that is applied over the stainless steel slide? In some of the photos it looks like paint or whatever that is peeling off. I'd rightly be concerned about that also, as it should not happen, especially with a new gun.
BTW, this reinforces the thought that new guns always need to be just about totally stripped down and inspected before actually doing the FFL transfer....until that point the gun is still owned by the factory, and refusing that one and getting another is a smart thing to do. I've never had to do that in all my many purchases, but then on many guns I did not do a thorough inspection and just lucked out I suppose.
......... I am sure it does have to do with supply and demand, AND the fact that the CNC and mold machines are running around the clock. More demand then supply, and QC fails.
Try to get any specific model of firearm you want from KelTec(if you buy their stuff. I do not.). They are so slammed that anything they build is in short supply, and still they have poor QC, too. .......They did try to take care of me, but in my case... Well, anyhow, QC is important, if not paramount. I realize it cost money to implement more, but I would pay it......
S&W, are you listening? Ramp up the QC, dang it! The "Devil is in the details!"
and... seems like a great waste of their money to have you ship the entire pistol, when you could have just done a slide swap via USPS Priority Mail for $5-$8 (each way).Overall, I guess it's what I expected, but it seems like quite a long turn-around just to get a slide replaced.
Just received the pistol back this morning. Repair slip just mentions that slide was replaced.
I could post pictures...but now it looks like a relatively new slide.
Overall, I guess it's what I expected, but it seems like quite a long turn-around just to get a slide replaced.
and... seems like a great waste of their money to have you ship the entire pistol, when you could have just done a slide swap via USPS Priority Mail for $5-$8 (each way).
Glad they took care of it for you.
Happy shooting!