Shield - broken slide stop spring

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DexterGSP

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I bought this pistol in April of 2017. I probably have 500 rounds through it. Anyway, I went to field strip the pistol last night to clean it. I had planned to head out and shoot it this morning. When I attempted to remove the slide, it wouldn’t move forward. I played around with it for about 20 minutes and finally managed to get the slide off the frame. After looking at the slide and the frame I found the problem. The slide stop spring had slipped out of its channel and hung up on the relief cutout on the slide for the slide stop. The spring then folded up when I attempted to move the slide forward.

I took out the forward block (whatever it’s called) that's in the frame to examine the spring. I attempted to straighten the spring out enough to try and get it back into the slot it’s supposed to ride in, but part of the spring’s leg broke off. I put the spring, what was left of it, back in the block and thought I may have fixed the issue. I went shooting this morning and fired two rounds. I then looked into the cutout on the slide for the slide release and could see the spring. The spring jumped out of the slot on the block again. I then attempted to field strip the pistol and the slide would not come off the frame. When I returned home I used a dental pick and small flat head screw driver to move the leg of the spring back in the slot. Now I was able to field strip the pistol successfully.

This spring must be replaced. I’m competent enough to do it myself. Has anyone else experienced a failure with this spring? Will S&W ship me the spring or will I need to ship the whole damn pistol back to them? Does anyone know if I can buy this spring from a third-party? I really don’t want to send this pistol back to them.

Thanks!

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There have been several of those springs coming out of their channels showing up here lately. If you contact S&W customer service, they will e-mail you a prepaid shipping label. Probably have it back in three weeks or so if they are done with their summer shutdown. Good luck

Here is another photo of the same problem that someone posted recently.

Locking_Block_Spring3.jpg


Comparison of good and bad springs.
Shield_Prob_2.jpg
 
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I just got off the phone with S&W. The rep was really cool about this. He said he would ship me a couple of springs at no charge and I should have them in 7-10 days. So far, that's awesome customer service!
 
DexterGSP said:
I just got off the phone with S&W. The rep was really cool about this. He said he would ship me a couple of springs at no charge and I should have them in 7-10 days. So far, that's awesome customer service!
Click to expand...

That's good to know, that they will ship you loose springs instead of require a return to fix it. If you can figure out why the spring came unseated, let us know.
 
I shipped a 9mm Shield back to SW three weeks ago for the same problem. Called yesterday and they told me three or four weeks.
 
After seeing these posts here, I am starting to think Smith has a significant problem with this failure mode. Same thing happened to me with a new Shield I purchased in July. Field stripped the new gun to clean storage oil off it, lubed it, went to range.... put about 100 rounds through it (which it shot well and 100% reliably, fortunately).... When I tried to field strip it to clean it, the slide was "jammed/locked" and I could see that spring in the cut out. I am wondering if they have made so many of these Shields that the tooling is getting worn out and things like this are happening. I am a Smith & Wesson fan, but this was disappointing. Not what I would expect from Smith. Sent it in to the factory and they also told me 4 to 6 weeks. Not what you want to hear after dropping several hundred dollars for a new gun. My gut feeling is that they HAVE to be aware of this and hopefully, have a mod to prevent it from re-occurring. ....time will tell. Biggest problem with something like this is that it hurts your confidence in the gun.....not good. If it happens again, it is "Bye Bye, Shield...."
 
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After 1000+ flawless rounds, I now have this very same problem. I've tried everything short of a blowtorch to get the slide off.....no can do. It's obviously no longer going to be my EDC. I'll be calling S&W in the morning for return shipping label. Meanwhile, it's back to my trusty old-faithful Glock for EDC....I guess I shoulda bought the 9C as originally planned, but I let that rebate sucker me in. Live & learn.

UPDATE: This morning, after a good night's rest, I used a dental tool, small punch, etc., and managed to get the spring back in out of the way far enough to get the slide off. Slide stop removed and a new spring coming.
Once repaired, I'll put another 300 rounds thru it again to "re-certify" it for EDC and give it another chance.
Like MotoGPfan said above: IF it happens again, it's goodbye, and I'll get the 9C as originally planned.
 
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I had the same issue first time I took my 9mm Shield out this summer. When I got home to clean the gun (had done so initially before I took it out) I made sure it was safe and followed the instructions (not my first semi pistol) to take it down. The slide would move forward about 1/8", but wouldn't come off. I tried several times, making sure the magazine was out and sear activation lever and take down lever were down. Pulling the trigger while trying to take the slide off. Same result every time. I could rack the slide back and forth on the frame, just couldn't get it to come off when following all directions.

Called S&W and talked to a customer service rep about the issues. First he had me take the gun and go through some procedures to take the slide off. Tried a couple of different methods as directed from him to no avail. I told him the spring looked like it had come loose and wasn't black and flush like it was when I first got it. He said something wasn't working correctly and told me he would send me a return label (which he did.)

Six weeks later I got it back. The Repair Order Completion document indicated they evaluated and repaired the Shield by replacing the slide stop. Took it out and everything about the gun worked just as it should have.
 
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Follow up from my 16 Aug. post.....

Got the gun back yesterday. They turned it around in 5 weeks; I guess that is not too bad in the world of gunsmiths. Paperwork accompanying the gun said they replaced the "Barrel Lock Block". No description of HOW it failed or what the problem was, but will give Smith points for identifying what was replaced; lot of companies in this day and age, just return stuff noted as "overhauled" or "repaired". What I did note at the time I sent it in was that a very small, what appeared to be a captive leaf spring that is held in a small groove in the Lock Block (you can see it directly above the take down lever) had come loose among whatever else could have been wrong. Anyway.....

I field stripped it....and the slide came right off, exactly as it should (which was the original problem: I could NOT remove the slide). Cleaned and lubed it; went to range. Put about 70 rounds through it. Functioned perfectly; zero issues of any kind. Good (small) groups for a small gun and the sights were pretty much zeroed. I was a happy camper...
Cleaned & lubed it again, and put another 70 rounds through it today and, again, perfect functioning and operation with 4 brands and types of ammo (i.e. what I have experienced from Smith & Wesson products over the years.). Their repair center got it fixed; happy about that, as I find the ergonomics on this little gun to be excellent and I "want" to like it. Now to put a few hundred more rounds through it to reach the point I feel I can "trust it" prior to every day carry. Smith did pay the shipping both ways, so you gotta give them credit for fully honoring their Warranty and taking care of the customer.
 
After re-reading all the above posts, it appears to me (I am not a gunsmith) that maybe there is an excessive clearance problem between the slide stop and lock block.

LGJHN: if you are repairing it yourself, you may want to inspect to make sure the channel that spring leaf is supposed to reside in is, in fact, deep enough to retain it. Obviously, if that channel is not deep enough the spring will pop out again, likely under firing conditions. At least we know what to keep an eye on now.... sure hope these STAY fixed!! I like the gun, but will not tolerate a reliability issue.

"Your results may vary."
 
I received two slide stop springs in the mail from S&W yesterday. I took me about 20 minutes to install a spring in the block. The spring has a kink in it about half way across the straight leg. This kink helps secure the spring in the slot on the block. I had to gently tap the spring into the slot with a punch. I was going to stone the forward leading outside edge of the spring thinking it would help the slide not to catch on it, but I forgot to do that. If the spring comes out again then I'll put the second spring in and stone that corner. So far it works, but the real test will be putting a bunch of rounds through it. It will be a while before I can do that.
 
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