Shield magazine release carrying IWB

I recently purchased the 9mm version of the Shield for the purpose of concealed carry. I carry IWB at about the 4:00 position in an Alien Gear 2.0 holster. It's probably worth while to mention I've only been carrying for just over 1 week.

With that said, I've noticed a few times now when I either remove my gun from the holster, or remove the holster/gun from my pants that my magazine has released. This worries me for several reasons, dropping a mag in the middle of my office, not having more than 1 shot without re engaging the magazine etc.

I'm posting here to get the opinions of those with a good amount of carry experience, which I basically have none of. I'm curious if this is an issue with the gun, my holster, or user error? It's worth mentioning my holster is combat cut, and the mag release is exposed to my back/undershirt.

Any comments/advice are much appreciated! Thanks!

I would have to say it has to do with your holster or your grip while removing it from the holster. I've carried mine since May and have never dropped a mag.

I agree with PHolster, it seems to me it would be the holster rather than the gun. I have carried mine in an OWB leather holster for almost a year with no problems. Have you considered OWB carry? The Shield is so easy to conceal, I see no reason to carry mine IWB.

I'm sure you've noticed that if you load the 7 round mag with the slide closed that you really have to seat it hard or it will fall out. Are you getting it truly seated?

Had the same thing happen with a different holster. I noticed the holster was touching the mag release. Simple cut away on that part of holster fixed the problem once and for all.

Thanks for the comments and advice...

I know it's not my grip when unholstering as I've noticed it a couple times when removing the entire holster and gun from my pants.

As for carrying OWB, I'm a pretty slender guy, and I work in Seattle, WA where carrying a gun isn't a popular decision. I would have a tough time carrying at my office and around the city without being made.

I've definitely noticed that the mag seating tends to be a bit tougher, I'm gonna keep an eye on that. I carry with the extended 8 round mag, since I have big hands, 1 in the chamber and 8 in the mag so I'm thinking it's gonna require more of a pop than I'm used to when shooting at the range.

Thanks again all! I'm still learning and want to make sure I'm being as safe as possible here. Your advice is much appreciated.

One test is to make sure the mag is "fully" seated. Then slowly push the mag button in, to see how far it must move before the mag releases. If you hardly have to push it in to get the mag to release, you might have a bad mag catch. Call S&W and advise of the problem. If it takes 1/16 inch or more of mag button movement, to release the mag, it is likely being released somehow through the holster/body movement.

Bob

I carry a Shield in an AG holster and have never had this problem. Make sure your mag is in all the way to start with. Good luck.

I carry my shield in an aliengear IWB holster at the 4 o'clock position. I have had no issues with the mag dropping. I have spent time doing one shot draws over the last week or so. Not one single mag dropped when I drew from the holster. I carry this pistol everyday with no issues. I would be interested in hearing the resolution to this.

I have noted that on my own Shield 9mm the short mag takes a VERY firm push get fully seated when "topped off" , not so much if I just fill the mag and then chamber a round from the mag.... It's gotten better with use.

I carry IWB and have had zero problems with inadvertent mag releases. I use both a Galco Tuc and a Hidden Hybrid. No troubles.
You should maybe take a good look at how your gun fits your holster to see if an adjustment is needed, and take a good look at your pistol to see if the mag release is in fact not fully latching....

I imagine you will maybe put pressure on your holster differently with a more rearward holster position when sitting for instance, so a given holster may push against the mag release I dunno .... I happen to carry much further forward .

As the others have said, it really takes a good effort to seat a fully loaded mag into a Shield with the slide closed, and with both of mine if I don't get a real definite audible "click" when I seat it, then it only takes the slightest pressure on the mag release to release the mag.

Have had the same problem with a full size M&P40, its been back to the motherland twice for this problem and last week I called the CS at S&W and they sent out a new mag catch which was no better then the last one they installed. Part of the problem is that a much stronger spring should have been used and second the mag wells are so over sized that the magazines flop around and the mag catch just will not keep it in. It takes just .042 thousands of movement to drop the mag on the floor and that ain't cool and I don't care who you are! Don't get me wrong I love this gun and it's one gun that can be shot fast and well it's just not a gun that I would carry for self defense, I carry a Sig because the magazines stay put and I got a whole lot better things to do then to try and tell S&W that they need to address some of their short comings.

Bricketts said:

I recently purchased the 9mm version of the Shield for the purpose of concealed carry. I carry IWB at about the 4:00 position in an Alien Gear 2.0 holster. It's probably worth while to mention I've only been carrying for just over 1 week.

It's worth mentioning my holster is combat cut, and the mag release is exposed to my back/undershirt.

Any comments/advice are much appreciated! Thanks!

Click to expand...

Tried to find your Alien Holster with the combat cut with no success, but if the holster is indeed open as stated on the inner side this very well could be your problem.

Finding a holster that you like and that works well for you is a personal thing and one with many options and opinions, For myself my IWB holster for my Shield is the,
Kestrel Holsters | IWB 1 Piece with thumb belt clip

I have carried my Shield every day for the last six months in an Aliengear iwb holster and have never had a problem with the magazine falling out. I use the eight round magazine as I too have wide hands. When I insert a full mag I always make sure to give it a good firm rap on the bottom to be sure it is fully seated. So far I have put around 1000 rounds through it without a problem. Hope this helps.

Randyp1234 said:

I'm sure you've noticed that if you load the 7 round mag with the slide closed that you really have to seat it hard or it will fall out. Are you getting it truly seated?

Click to expand...

I have a 9mm Shield coming.....
Can you explain how that might happen? Also, you said the 7 round magazine; does this not happen with the 8 round magazine. I wonder why not? My usual drill is to really slap any magazine into a pistol to be sure it actually locks in place....but I assume those having that "falling out" are doing it with the 7 rounder as well as the 8 rounder.

Does that "falling out" happen only with the slide closed? I have sometimes noticed that some magazines with some pistols don't "feel right" when inserted with the slide closed.....must be related. But why not the 8 rounder......

Bricketts said:

Thanks for the comments and advice...

I know it's not my grip when unholstering as I've noticed it a couple times when removing the entire holster and gun from my pants.

As for carrying OWB, I'm a pretty slender guy, and I work in Seattle, WA where carrying a gun isn't a popular decision. I would have a tough time carrying at my office and around the city without being made.

I've definitely noticed that the mag seating tends to be a bit tougher, I'm gonna keep an eye on that. I carry with the extended 8 round mag, since I have big hands, 1 in the chamber and 8 in the mag so I'm thinking it's gonna require more of a pop than I'm used to when shooting at the range.

Thanks again all! I'm still learning and want to make sure I'm being as safe as possible here. Your advice is much appreciated.

Click to expand...

When seating the magazines, was the slide open or closed when you loaded then put the Shield in the holster? You might give the magazine an extra firm slap to be sure it's actually locked in the grip....and if you are inserting the magazine with the slide closed, change things to insert the mag with the slide back. Might help.

Let us know how this turns out for you. I'd think it rare that the holster would somehow activate the slide release.....but then.......

So I am and was in very similar positions.

I have an Alien Gear Cloak Tuck for my Glock 23. I had ordered it but it took nearly 8 weeks to come. During that time I had realized I needed an every day carry pistol dedicated for that task and started my search and research etc. and decided on the Shield. The Alien Gear came in, and I tried it out for a week w/ the Glock 23 but decided it was the smart thing to do to buy the Shield and commit to it for EDC. I spent all I had on it and ammo to break it in and had to wait a month to buy accessories including a proper IWB holster.

While I appreciated the Cloak Tuck holster it really bothered me they made no mention of any wait when I bought it; that is, until I got a confirmation email saying they charged my card, they then said , "There will be a 4-6 week wait" which was nearly 8 weeks. Plus I had several contacts with them during the wait and it was all brush-offs and Who Mes? Oops! We'll try to do better next time! Better luck next year! So I went with a Galco King Tuk for my Shield.

I have been carrying it in the King Tuk for about 1.5 months now. I could never get comfortable with it at 4'clock (I am a small guy w/ a small frame etc.) and therefore I moved it to 5, 5'30, nearly 6 oclock and it was much more comfortable but I always felt it wasn't right. ALSO- To your point, I frequently would get out of the car after driving or out of a chair etc. and realize my magazine had come unseated. Lastly, I had some trouble initially trying to alter the ride hide and cant... one side had no problem but the other size, one screw would NOT get unscrewed. Everytime I tried , the gold washer thing would just spin and spin. I ruined the screws and gouged the leather trying to I just gave up. I lowered the ride height but increased the cant by leaving one side normal and adjusting the other.


Last week I decided this is it, I am going to get this freaking thing right. I basically used needle nose pliers to grab the washer, gashing the leather a nice bit but getting it done. I finally lowered the ride height the way I wanted it but while putting it on, I accidentally moved it to the proper 4-4:30 position. And I said, let me try this the way they said its supposed to be. And actually it worked!

Now I still feel like the butt of the pistol sticks out a bit but it seems to conform to my back like its supposed to. PLUS, what really makes a difference is the gun is on my hip now, not my back. So it carries, and feels, a lot better. The weight is more distributed properly and the gun seems to stay glued to my body whereas when it was near the center of my back, it was more like it was along for the ride. Furthermore I have not had a release-of-mag yet.

I do think I will need another month or two to get used to this since the last (and first) 1.5 months, it has been slowly conforming to a different part of my body. But I believe in the long run, it will be a lot better.

I read initially someone say about hybrid Leather/Kydex IWB holsters (Like the Alien Gear and the King Tuk) that it's all about finding where you need to put the clips, when you find the proper position of the holster it's all gravy from there. I think it's pretty accurate.

1hatchet said:

Tried to find your Alien Holster with the combat cut with no success, but if the holster is indeed open as stated on the inner side this very well could be your problem.

Finding a holster that you like and that works well for you is a personal thing and one with many options and opinions, For myself my IWB holster for my Shield is the,
Kestrel Holsters | IWB 1 Piece with thumb belt clip

Click to expand...

Cooks Holsters actually have kydex over the top of the magazine release making released magazine impossible. My Krestrell holster covers half of the mag release, working just as well to prevent accidental release. Krestrell is cheaper at $30, but quality is excellent and they are pretty quick too.

Concealed carry gun holsters | Alien Gear Holsters

Alien Gear Holsters have two IWB hybird, the Cloak Tuck and the newer Cloak Tuck 2.0 - I have the original Cloak Tuck which is made from a piece of leather; the Cloak Tuck 2.0 was announced right after I ordered mine and apparently does away with leather in favor of a neoprene sandwich type piece of material. Anyway the Combat Cut is standard on their IWB holsters, they don't believe you should have to pay more like Crossbreed etc.




You just have to wait a lot more to get it for free lol.

ScrapmasterFlex said:

until I got a confirmation email saying they charged my card, they then said , "There will be a 4-6 week wait" which was nearly 8 weeks.

Click to expand...

I thought it was illegal or against FTC regulations or whatever to charge before a product is shipped. Maybe that's a state to state thing.