Frustrated and need to vent LOL

[StlBluesFan72]

After weeks of contemplating and terrible experiences lately with S&W, I decided to get a Shield 9 for CC. Took it two the range, and 15th round failed to extract and the slide picked up the next round and jammed it into the feed ramp under the fired shell case. Cleared the jam then the 2nd shot, same thing. Called S&W ... "We have a new barrel protectant, that normal cleaners are not taking off, causing cases to stick in the chamber, so soak your barrel in Simply Green for a few hours, wipe it down, relube, and that should fix it." ... back to the range 4th round jam, 8 times through a 50 round box. Called S&W ... "sounds like a bad magazine, try another one", go to the store buy another magazine, go to the range ... 1st shot! Cleared it, called over the RSO, who is also a firearms instructor who carries a Shield, asked him to try .. and 3rd round FTE. It is back in Mass. now, but my frustrations stem from the fact that EVERY S&W firearm I own, or have owned has had to go back to S&W. I have never had to send in a weapon from any other company. The pistol was awesome and I was shooting fist sized groups at 7 yards right in the X ring, but the thing that irks me is that now I don't know if I can ever trust that pistol. I got it with the intention of CC and protecting myself and family, but I now I have my doubts. I just wish I could get a good S&W ... Sorry for crying on your shoulders guys .. just needed to vent!

 

[1hatchet]

Wow, I would not blame you for selling your Shield.

 

[tim c]

Sorry to hear about your luck with S&W i have had the opposite all the S&W's I own and have owned have never had to go back to them.

 

[Stratajema]

Just curioius... what brand of ammo were you using?

 

[snubbyfan]

There's always revolvers.

 

[StlBluesFan72]

Just curioius... what brand of ammo were you using?

Speer Lawman 115 and 124 gr.
Speer Blazer 124 gr.
Win White box 115 gr.
Hornady Critical Duty 135 gr.
and PMC Bronze 124 gr.

same results with all of them ..

 

[StlBluesFan72]

There's always revolvers.

I am almost to that point, buuuutt ... I am afraid of buying a S&W LOL

 

[hoc9sw]

I had exactly the situation you describe. They eventually replaced the barrel and extractor.

The CS folks worked hard to get things sorted out for me. I have just at 500 flawless rounds since the last intervention.

 

[allthumbs]

This is bound to happen with anything that is mass produced. I would just send it back and let them fix or replace it which they will. I just had to send in my 642 for a broken hammer stud and to be honest my 1st 2 guns were so good I have bought nothing but S&W and have never considered any other brand. I'm really sorry about your bad luck with them and I surely understand your frustration so go ahead and vent away.

 

[CaptRon956]

All I have to say is When I bought my Shield 9 it did that a couple times in the first couple hundred rounds fired. That was over 900 rounds ago and since then my Shield has been flawless....
Before ripping on the company & on the Shield. I say try to keep in mind that the machining tolerances are real tight on this pistol and that it's gonna take 400-500 rounds before it starts to loosen up... Shoot it, clean it and shoot it some more.

 

[StlBluesFan72]

I had exactly the situation you describe. They eventually replaced the barrel and extractor.

The CS folks worked hard to get things sorted out for me. I have just at 500 flawless rounds since the last intervention.

Well maybe there is hope, because I enjoyed shooting it, and I got in some great practice with malfunctions. Just wish my trust had not been broken with my CC pistol.

 

[StlBluesFan72]

All I have to say is When I bought my Shield 9 it did that a couple times in the first couple hundred rounds fired. That was over 900 rounds ago and since then my Shield has been flawless....
Before ripping on the company & on the Shield. I say try to keep in mind that the machining tolerances are real tight on this pistol and that it's gonna take 400-500 rounds before it starts to loosen up... Shoot it, clean it and shoot it some more.

Didn't "RIP" either. The pistol has 622 rounds through it with 97 instances of FTE. There was something wrong ..

 

[allthumbs]

All I have to say is When I bought my Shield 9 it did that a couple times in the first couple hundred rounds fired. That was over 900 rounds ago and since then my Shield has been flawless....
Before ripping on the company & on the Shield. I say try to keep in mind that the machining tolerances are real tight on this pistol and that it's gonna take 400-500 rounds before it starts to loosen up... Shoot it, clean it and shoot it some more.

That may be true but with all the people including myself that have taken a shield or any S&W and went right to the range after un-boxing it with no problems I can see how he could be very frustrated. To show an example I have had nothing but bad luck with GM cars and will never buy another but I don't knock anyone who does LOL

 

[mbliss57]

Didn't "RIP" either. The pistol has 622 rounds through it with 97 instances of FTE. There was something wrong ..

Unless you are buying a gun that specifically states that xx amount of rounds are needed to break it in, Like some Kimbers, you should be able to fire without issue any semi auto you buy straight from the box. I had the same problem with a new Ruger SR9C. I had countless forum members (not this forum) tell me it was my ammo, wrist, break in period...time of month
I sent it back to Ruger despite all the detractors that something could be wrong with a new "RUGER"pistol. Ruger changed the extractor and barrel. It has been flawless for 3 years since then. Just send it back. It happens with mass produced pistols.
Why 3 for you I can't answer. I have never owned one that needed to go back. Sorry for your anxiety.

 

[StlBluesFan72]

Unless you are buying a gun that specifically states that xx amount of rounds are needed to break it in, Like some Kimbers, you should be able to fire without issue any semi auto you buy straight from the box. I had the same problem with a new Ruger SR9C. I had countless forum members (not this forum) tell me it was my ammo, wrist, break in period...time of month
I sent it back to Ruger despite all the detractors that something could be wrong with a new "RUGER"pistol. Ruger changed the extractor and barrel. It has been flawless for 3 years since then. Just send it back. It happens with mass produced pistols.
Why 3 for you I can't answer. I have never owned one that needed to go back. Sorry for your anxiety.

Thanks. It is back at the factory now. I enjoy the M&P's very much, I just can't seem to get one that is problem free. My M&P 9 FS was spitting out bullets that were keyholing at 15 feet, and had its barrel replaced. Then the "contained" recoil rod on my M&P 40 came undone after 50 rounds and damaged the takedown lever, and now the Shield ... so just frustrated!

 

[Rastoff]

Yeah, that is frustrating. I wonder, did you ever look to see if the ejector is in there?

 

[rwsmith]

Lord have mercy....

That's terrible.

 

[StlBluesFan72]

Yeah, that is frustrating. I wonder, did you ever look to see if the ejector is in there?

Yeah everything was intact. I compared it internally to another at the dealer. The extractor was tight and there were no chips or pieces missing there either. I cleaned and lubed, and shot, and repeated that cycle for 622 rounds before I quit letting S&W talk me out of sending it in. I eliminated every factor I could think of, and nothing rectified it.

 

[hoc9sw]

The OP had what I would expect is a real problem. I saw it often. Took pictures, had the range armorer look at it. The CS guy at S&W even took it out, fired it, and got the same result, then sent it back for the second redo in one trip. We are now on first-name basis after a long call with me in the aisle of a Home Depot describing how to reproduce it. You should have seen the looks on the faces of those who heard bits of the call. Now I call to tell them about the good feedback as well.

They will get it right.

I trust / use mine for EDC now.

 

[JAMMAN]

Sometimes things just suck, but hang in there please. I took my wifes 22 compact for my CCW classes, and with less than 150 rounds through it the thing was shooting high to the right and keyholing something horrible.

The instructor wanted to shoot it and got the same results proving it wasn't me. He loaned me an identical pistol from the rentals and I have never seen anything so accurate, I aced every shot with it and tried to get them to trade LOL.

Sent mine back to smith, they replaced the barrel. Like someone else said this is bound to happen in production machines of any type, that is why smith fixed it and even paid shipping way after the warranty.

Don't get me started on GM cars LOL.

Anyhow from the small amount I have experienced renting at the range there doesn't seem to be any major design flaws in the M&P designs, give it another chance (I would throw away the winchester white box) and if it fails it wasn't meant to be.