Shield RSA one more time

I bought a new Shield 9mm three days ago, immediately took it apart and found the dreaded bent recoil spring assembly retainer disc. I emailed S&W, and they are sending me a new RSA when they get them back in stock.

While this is all old stuff by now, what I haven't seen before is what S&W customer service wrote in their response to me. Quote: "...we will send a new one out, they will develop a bend with use." (Italics mine)

This problem has been going on ever since the Shield was introduced, and S&W's solution apparently is "live with it."

It seems to me that using a heavier gauge of steel in the disc would solve the problem, but I guess we'll just have to get used to Shield RSAs that "bend with use".

My Gen 4 Glock 22 RSA is all dinged up in this area. Glock says it is normal.

Just for the heck of it, when you get the replacement from S&W, keep using the 'bent' one (for range use anyway) and see how long it keeps on chuggin'.

RobzGuns said:

Just for the heck of it, when you get the replacement from S&W, keep using the 'bent' one (for range use anyway) and see how long it keeps on chuggin'.

Click to expand...

my guess is that it will probably keep on chugging for the next 20,000 rounds...

RobzGuns said:

Just for the heck of it, when you get the replacement from S&W, keep using the 'bent' one (for range use anyway) and see how long it keeps on chuggin'.

Click to expand...

Will do. And if it jams, I'll rely on the tons of jam-clearing experience I've had with my old Ruger Standard.

I took my new Shield to the range Thursday, bent RSA and all, and gave it a good workout. I fired 50 rounds each of Federal 115, Remington 124, and Winchester NATO 124. I also fired 8 rounds each of Hydra-Shok 135, and Winchester Defend 147. With the exception of two FTEs with the NATO rounds, it ran perfectly. Accuracy was great at 10 yards, but my grouping opened up considerably (ok, hideously) at 15. That's a good excuse for me to go to the range for more Shield practice. I really liked how it handles, and I was pleased by how little recoil I felt. I'm looking forward to putting in a lot more range time with it.

While firing the Shield is a delight, maintenance is another story. As soon as I got home, I attempted to disassemble it for inspection and cleaning, but after locking back the slide and lowering the sear disconnect lever, I couldn't get the takedown lever to move. I racked the slide a few times and the takedown lever did finally move. Once apart, on the plus side, I found no further damage to the RSA, so it might last 20,000 rounds after all. On the negative side was the slight groove I found carved in the left front slide support. I use TW25b as my lubricant in the Shield as well as in my other slide-operated pistols (SIG P320 & P250, and M&P 40c). The SIGs and the 40c all have 2000-3000 rounds through them, and none of them shows any significant wear or signs of grooving. I'll have to keep a close watch on this with the Shield.

My last adventure was my attempt to put the slide back on. Try as I might, I couldn't get it to go all the way back to the latch. Feeling decidedly un-macho, I grabbed my wife's Handi-Racker, inserted the Shield, and leaned on it with all of my 240 lbs. That did the job, but disassembly and reassembly were more work than they should have been.

I have to say that if I did not already own an excellent M&P 40c with 3000 flawless rounds through it and zero maintenance issues, I'd be having some serious doubts about S&W about now.

swsig said:

...S&W customer service wrote in their response to me. Quote: "...we will send a new one out, they will develop a bend with use." ...

Click to expand...

When you experienced great difficulty reassembling the slide on the pistol, you basically proved the S&W service rep to be wrong. The end retainer on the RSA became bent because the RSA is out of spec and needs to be replaced.

The S&W customer service rep probably thought you were talking about an arc that develops along the full length of the RSA, which is common. The problem with your RSA is different.

Stratajema said:

When you experienced great difficulty reassembling the slide on the pistol, you basically proved the S&W service rep to be wrong. The end retainer on the RSA became bent because the RSA is out of spec and needs to be replaced.

The S&W customer service rep probably thought you were talking about an arc that develops along the full length of the RSA, which is common. The problem with your RSA is different.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your support. I thought the service rep's answer was a bit off myself, because I sent in the attached photos of my RSA so there would be no confusion about what was bent. Call me picky, but opening up a brand-new gun and finding an RSA that looks like that does not appear "normal" to me. Apparently I'm not the only one, as S&W has run out of Shield RSAs. Mine is on backorder.

Sorry to hear of that problem that
Back order shouldn't be happening
It is a thin edge sux

Should i be concerned about this bend??

I've had my shield for over a year and half and with more than 2500 rounds down range. Mine looks nothing fine with no physical damage. Im wondering if this happens when the rsa is not seated correctly and is fired?

Smith Wesson said:

Should i be concerned about this bend??

Click to expand...

My customer service guy said that the RSA may develop a bend with use, so it may be ok. Hopefully some of the long term Shield owners on this site can help you with this one.

And some are against a more solid aftermarket option?

Wow, that damage is terrible, and a perfect excuse to look at an alternative to the factory part.

jagular said:

I've had my shield for over a year and half and with more than 2500 rounds down range. Mine looks nothing fine with no physical damage. Im wondering if this happens when the rsa is not seated correctly and is fired?

Click to expand...

That's a very plausible explanation. If not properly seated, the edge of the disc would absorb much of the force of the recoil, causing it to bend. Thus, it could be an assembly glitch as much as a material glitch. In any case, Shield buyers should ask the seller to show them the RSA prior to purchase.

My SS guide rod was shipped today, without having to send my assembly in. I will swap the spring myself. Sad that I can pry the end of the spring off the "retainer" with my fingernail.

swsig said:

SNIP

It seems to me that using a heavier gauge of steel in the disc would solve the problem, but I guess we'll just have to get used to Shield RSAs that "bend with use".

Click to expand...

http://smith-wessonforum.com/showthread.php?p=138595074

Update:
I now have fired 750 rounds through my Shield, and there is some good news and some bad news.

The good: The Shield is now easier to rack, and the disassembly-reassembly problems I experienced earlier have disappeared. There is no further grooving in my slide support.

The bad: I am averaging one failure to feed or failure to eject about every 100 rounds. While this is not terrible, I feel that it is still too high for a self-defense gun. I am therefore hesitant to use it as my carry weapon. Accordingly, I am learning to get comfortable with my M&P 40c (zero failures in over 3000 rounds) as my EDC. I have carried my 40c IWB in a Galco KingTuk (very comfortable), in a 5.11 Tactical undershirt holster (great for carrying on long drives), and even in my front pants pocket using a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster (works surprisingly well).

I'm hoping that a new undamaged recoil spring assembly will improve the Shield's FTF/FTE rate. However, it's been six weeks now, and I'm still waiting for S&W to send me one. I'll report again when (and if) that happens.

I waited for over two months for my replacement RSA I think. I asked for one because most times I field stripped my Shield I couldn't get it back together..the slide would stop before I could lock it open. I never fired it with the wonky RSA though so I have no idea if it would have bent if in the wrong position or caused me any failures. I can say with the new RSA that my slide cycles fine and I had 250 rounds without a hitch. It takes a long time to get the replacement RSA because they are always on backorder. Perhaps S&W should take note of this and upgrade? For such a great pistol the lack of quality in the RSA is a huge contrast. I have no doubt I'll be looking at an aftermarket replacement in the near future.

Smith Wesson said:

Should i be concerned about this bend??

Click to expand...

Thats not a bend, that is part of your spring...

swsig said:

Update:
I now have fired 750 rounds through my Shield, and there is some good news and some bad news.

The good: The Shield is now easier to rack, and the disassembly-reassembly problems I experienced earlier have disappeared. There is no further grooving in my slide support.
>Snip<
I'm hoping that a new undamaged recoil spring assembly will improve the Shield's FTF/FTE rate. However, it's been six weeks now, and I'm still waiting for S&W to send me one. I'll report again when (and if) that happens.

Click to expand...

So... This 750 rounds has been using the original "Bent/Damaged/Defective/Design-Flawed" RSA?

Sorry to hear about the occasional FTE problems. Has everyone who's shot your Shield had the same problems?

I now have well over 5K rounds through mine and looking into getting a replacement, but when I called CS, they say they have none to send/sell. Oh well.