Hello everyone, I'm having a bit of an issue with my 9mm Shield magazine release button. From sweat getting down in there, the metal button is starting to corrode a bit, and now the button is starting to stick. This is my primary carry weapon and is a bit disconcerting. Any ideas how to remedy this, and any without having to take the button out of the frame? Not a big deal if it has to come out, I just got a brand new rollpin punch set so I'm ready to roll if it has to come apart. Does anyone make an all polymer button or corrosion resistant metal one? I just don't know of any easy way that is not just going to mask the problem for a little bit instead of fixing it the right way.

I wasn't aware the shield had a metal mag release.

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Freedom isn't free.

Well, looking at the mag release button, I have rust streaks coming from the frame side of the button outwards. I'm wondering if it's a metal cover over a plastic button. But yeah, it's definitely rusting and causing me issues. I'll upload a pic in a minute, not the greatest pic but you can see what i'm talking about.

You can see the orange rust streaks to the left of the button.

OK, I see what you're talking about. Good pic.

Please take off the slide and look down the magwell at the mag release spring. That is the only part I can think of that might have any corrosion.

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Freedom isn't free.

The only rust I can see is on the button, not the spring. There's rust on both sides of the button.

I circled them to give a better idea as to where it is.

Ok, the spring is not corroding. I'm not convinced it is corrosion. Without holding it I just can't be sure.

So, try this. Remove the mag release. Thoroughly clean the mag release and the hole it goes in. Re-assemble and see if it comes back.

I know that's not much help, but it's all I can think of at the moment.

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Freedom isn't free.

Are there any guides to taking the button out? I don't think Apex covers that in their trigger install videosince it ddoesn't have to come out for that.

OK, I'm learning.

First, the removal insrructions are in the manual. It's there because the mag release is ambidextrous and can be switched to the other side.

However, I don't have a Shield, but I just took my mag release out. What I learned is that you are correct. It is indeed a steel part encased in plastic. So, that may be where the rust is coming from.

It may be easiest to replace the mag release. To prevent it from happening again, coat it in a thin layer of grease.

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I could have sworn the Shield doesn't have an ambi replaceable mag button. I'll have to double check the manual.

Nope, it is not able to be reversed for a left handed shooter, henceforth no instructions as to how to remove it. I'll have to do some Googling I think.

Yep, it's not reversible. I just skimmed through the Shield manual. Go on the S&W site and download the manual for the regular M&P. The directions are in there.

However, here it is in verbiage.

Look down the magwell. You can see the mag release spring. It's that straight bar. It is in a notch in the mag release. Just move it out of that notch and the mag release should just slide out.

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Freedom isn't free.

Hmm, sounds too easy. I'll have to give it a try later, i'm about to head out. thanks for hanging around and trying to help. i'll update tomorrow sometime and let you know how it went.

Mag releases and mags need to be the same material - either both polymer or both steel. S&W's premium polymer autos use steel inserts in polymer housings. Value line type guns sometimes do not, except upon special order or when provided upon LE contract. Naturally, a user should inspect and if the release is all polymer, a steel insert part should be obtained from S&W parts department. This was common practice on original SIGMAS, until the factory changed the part to the steel insert within polymer housing format.

Early Glock mags would be destroyed at the mag catch slot with Eagle and other after market steel mags. Later some after market mags were modified to address the issue.

In the same way, early S&W all plastic mag catches were chewed up by the steel mags. This was a big problem when LE used guns in the Value Line, such as the 915, 411 and 457. When supplied to LE or upon special order, the snap on plastic mag catch would be replaced with a steel part. S&W would supply the steel part for installation on any Value Line pistol upon order.

That said, I am surprised that steel insert is actually rusting. Preventing rust would be done in the usual manner. Apply a coating of oil.

I applied some S&W Oil on that turns corrosion back, if I keep having isssues I'll pull the button out and have to think of another way to prevent it from happening again.

Wow. Think I'll spray a little CLP in there from now on during regular cleaning.

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40c FS,9Shield(2)40,9Pro

Keep it lubed and u'll be fine. I have no rust on mine at all and i carry mine daily 12+hrs 6 days a week while at work. Mine has had sweat and lint all over it no telling how many times. I even wear mine outside doing yard work.

So i take it down and clean it once a week or so. Still no problems.

PS: After cleaning, i spray mine down a little with some spray lube that I have in my office. The lube dries and leaves a small teflon film behind. It takes awhile for this teflon film to burn or wear off. So this is likely what protects mine from so much stuff.

Just looked inside my M&Ps and the entire magazine release button assy. appears to polymer. Am I missing something?

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40c FS,9Shield(2)40,9Pro

Did u look at the firing pin or anything up in the general slide area? There are other small things inside the frame to worry about that actually can rust. Just saying

Yes, you are. Take the mag release out. Stick a magnet on it and you'll that there's steel in there. Also, if you look closely at the actual protrusion that catches the mag, you can see that it's metal.

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Freedom isn't free.

IMO, just going by knowledge and not claiming im 100% right either, lol.

I would think that since the mag is not polymer then the mag release also wouldnt be polymer. Because over time the polymer mag release would wear and then the mag would never stay in the weapon. It would seem to me the mag release would have to have something "hardened" somewhat or made of something harder than polymer or plastic. At least something hard to match the material the mag is made of.

I mean it only makes sense. But technically there is a bunch of parts within the Shield that can rust.

Smitty357,

What is this office spray/ teflon you speak of?

Now I'm worried about mine .....

DR

I understand. That's why I clean with CLP.

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40c FS,9Shield(2)40,9Pro

If you guys look at the pictures you can clearly see that the rust is not coming from anywhere else. You would see streaks inside the magwell.

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Freedom isn't free.

The mag button is a MIM steel part. Remove the button and clean with oil and apply a Teflon spray. Don't forget to clean the channel of all rust, apply oil in the channel with a Q-tip. Reassemble and enjoy.

It doesn't look like MIM to me, but I'm not a metallurgist. It is definitely a metal part encased in plastic.

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Freedom isn't free.

Pretty safe to assume this applies to my M&P40c too? Not just the Shield?
I'd imagine all M&P mag release button assemblies are made the same.

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40c FS,9Shield(2)40,9Pro

They seem to be made with the same process, but the Shield and regular M&P line are different shapes.

The Shield is not reversible where the regular M&P is.

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Freedom isn't free.

For those that dont believe it can rust.

Do us a favor and drop ur Shield into some salt water for a few minutes. Take it out and "maybe" blow dry it (dont clean it), cleaning would be cheating during this test.

In a day or so when u clean ur pistol, let us know how much rust u see inside.

This is just an example of how the weapon acts with human sweat. When u sweat on ur weapon, u dont always take it apart and clean it. U usually wear it a few days and never think about rust. Then oneday u clean it and u notice the rust........Well there u have it.

This is why its a good idea to clean ur weapon every week or so.

After all the above mentioned cleaning and oiling is complete try this out: N82Tactical.com This is one of the most comfortable IWB CC Holster I've ever seen. Not only that, it separates your body (hence sweat) completely from the gun...

Appreciate the info. Keep in mind though, the "combat cut" of the hybrid "Crossbreed type" IWB holsters serves two purposes. 1) Unobtrusive access to your grip 2) so your magazine release button is not directly pressing against the inside of holster material increasing the possibility of inadvertent mag release while carrying/sitting, etc... This latter point is probably why we're seeing some rust in this area.

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40c FS,9Shield(2)40,9Pro

I passed on one Shield before buying another because of the serial number appearance...

Number looked like it was electro-pencil engraved and very, very rough. On closer inspection the serial number plate was rusted badly and deep into the actual numbers (brand new in the box)!

Dealer was working on removing it with a brush and some type of solvent when I moved on....

Easy fix. Remove rust and purchase a Hybrid holster. Comfortable and keeps sweat of your pistol.

i use a dual clip leather/kydex iwb holster. i does have a combat cut in it. i'll deal with periodically checking my mag release for rust rather than having an obstructed grip without the combat cut. it's just more comfortable of a draw with it, so i'll deal with it.

I just took my mag release button out and it had little rust spots all over it. fairly simple to take out and put back in so it's worth doing that for a little maintenance every once in a while.

I had the same problem with mine. I took the release button out. Pry spring off button, push halfway through, pry over second area, push out. The release button looks like polymer, no magnet handy, but judging by it's weight, it is steel. Also if you look in the hole it came out of, on the trigger side there is some steel. I just pop the mag release button out when I clean my pistol (it's my EDC, so it doesn't go more than 2 weeks without it) and wipe it off good, put a drop or 2 of CLP on it and on the frame inside the hole and put it back in. Kind of a pain, but I'm very fond of the pistol and other than that, and the rear sight being almost welded on I'm very happy with my purchase

I am having the same problem to this apparently old issue. Just got off the phone with S&W and they don't sell the button as a replacement part. The lady said I would have to send the pistol in to get it fixed.

It is actually really easy to remove with a flat heat screwdriver. Watch a video on youtube showing how to do it and then just brush the part, apply some clp or something of the like and you are good to go.

The metal tip of the mag release can grind heavily against the magazine catch hole when a fully loaded magazine is inserted into the Shield. Some mags exhibit this behavior while others do not. That grinding/pressure is probably scraping off any protective coating on the metal tip, exposing it to sweat. I would use a light viscosity grease (e.g. Milcomm PTFE based TW25B) on it rather than an oil. Oil will just migrate away from the part.

Other known rust areas on the Shield are under the rear sight and the on edges of the striker block safety hole. That hole is drilled after the slide has been melonited. But do not use grease in those areas... just a drop of oil. Be fanatical about verifying your striker block safety is functioning correctly.

I ran into the same rust problem with my Shield...

Unfortunately, unless I hold the mag release in the "depressed" position, I can't see the rust prone area. If I didn't have an eye for details I would not have noticed this problem. To be honest I would have bet the part was made of polymer, but it guess it is MIM'd.

My Shield is the only S&W auto I own and the manual doesn't have any instructions on how to remove the mag release. It isn't hard to do, but obviously an oversight by S&W's manual writing shop. For the OP, Google or do a search on YouTube for instructions.

I am disappointed this part is made out of a rust prone material. It is constantly exposed to the elements, designed to be touched with sweaty fingers, while carried in a corrosive environment. Make it more corrosion resistant or at least warn me about the potential for rust in the manual and tell me how to remove it for cleaning.

When S&W boasts the barrel and slide are made out of stainless and then coated with a rust resistant melonite treatment, I would have thought the other exposed metal parts would be of similar material and treatment. I guess that would add another couple of dollars to the production costs.

OBTW, my other carry pistols don't have parts which require this level of maintenance attention... Just say in'.

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!

Wow! I just thought there was some discoloration from my holsters, on my Shield 9mm. I put cleaning it off on my ToDo list, but kinda blew it off.

This is my Every Day Carry. My mag release rusted shut.

Do I need to repeat that?

This is my Every Day Carry. My mag release rusted shut.

Obviously, that moved it up ahead of everything else on my ToDo list. Instantly.

I slid out the Mag Release (just retract the spring), and cleaned it all real good. Good as new now.

But guys (and girls) - this could be a serious problem. Like, to everyone who hasn't read this post.

not a spec of rust on them....

I had the same problem with mine. The magazine release is cast, not polymer. It will rust if exposed to sweat. I Ceracoted mine. I haven't had I problem with it since.

Although this is an old thread (previous post Oct 2014), I thought I'd share these two YouTube videos that deal with this issue:

Issue with Inserting Another Magazine (doesn't lock)

The Fix

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The mag release on my shield is doing the same thing.I have started putting just a touch of oil on it once a week of carrying.Wish someone made a stainless replacement .

Stainless Replacement would be a great money maker for someone considering all the Shields that are sold.

The mag release button on my Shield is plastic as is the one on my newly-purchased Bodyguard 380.

Interesting yours is plastic, because magnet sticks to mine so it's metal.

I have been using one for over a year now.