ancient-one
US Veteran
Is there a lighter spring that will make the slide easier to jack but will not cause a functioning problem? Sure hope there is.
Lighter spring for Shield 9mm
- Thread starter ancient-one
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The conventional wisdom is that the spring will lighten up with use. That has been my experience, too. Maybe 500 cycles? Much easier now.
I would not replace this spring for fear of causing a failure during a deadly encounter. My Shield 9MM has had around 500 rounds down range but I cannot tell much difference in the stiffness of the slide, still pretty hard to rack compared to others. That said there are several ways to rack a slide and you may be able to get more info in a Youtube search.
Mine is still hard to get back to the slide stop manually and doubt it will ever get easier. I shoot full power defensive ammo and I need that heavy spring. You could get a lower pound spring and try it; they are cheap.
kthom
Member
These small short barreled semi autos have to be just about right as far as spring tensions are concerned for them to function properly. They won' tolerate much change! My suggestion for you is this: Lock the slide open on your Shield and put it on the shelf for about three days (or a week!). While you do this, load your magazines to full capacity and allow them to sit for the same period of time. This will accelerate the process of breaking in the springs just like shooting a few hundred rounds with the gun. It will make it easier to compress the springs to open the slide as well as to load the magazines.
Your Shield will never be as easy to rack the slide on as a larger semi auto. My wife can rack my full sized M&P just fine but she struggles with her Shield, even after several hundred rounds have been fired through it. The larger gun is easier to get a good grip on and the recoil spring does not stack up toward the end of the rearward movement. Plus, the distance between where the slide lock will catch the slide and hold it open and the place where the rearward movement of the slide stops completely is very short. Try leaving it locked open for a few days and see if that makes any difference. I'm betting it will! Good luck!
Your Shield will never be as easy to rack the slide on as a larger semi auto. My wife can rack my full sized M&P just fine but she struggles with her Shield, even after several hundred rounds have been fired through it. The larger gun is easier to get a good grip on and the recoil spring does not stack up toward the end of the rearward movement. Plus, the distance between where the slide lock will catch the slide and hold it open and the place where the rearward movement of the slide stops completely is very short. Try leaving it locked open for a few days and see if that makes any difference. I'm betting it will! Good luck!
Many people report that those stainless guiderods from ssguiderods.com make the slide easier to rack...but my concern is that if the gun is under-sprung, you might have malfunctions or the frame might end up being damaged.
You might want to look at the new pistol that S&W has out now...the 380EZ, I think it is...there are a couple of threads here on it. Supposedly it's much easier to rack the slide, and having a longer barrel than other small 380s the ballistics are better.
You might want to look at the new pistol that S&W has out now...the 380EZ, I think it is...there are a couple of threads here on it. Supposedly it's much easier to rack the slide, and having a longer barrel than other small 380s the ballistics are better.
OP
ancient-one
US Veteran
Thanks for all of your replies. I will lock the slide open and leave it for a week or so and will also load the mags. I gave my grandson and great grandson all of my guns except two and then I added the Shield.
One of the guns I parted with was a very nice 6906 and I know it was easier to rack than the Shield. If the Shield does not get a lot easier they are going to have a Shield and I will have a 6906. I have a snub nosed 38Spc. for carrying if it comes to that. My semi-auto carbine is 9mm and I really want a handgun in the same caliber.
One of the guns I parted with was a very nice 6906 and I know it was easier to rack than the Shield. If the Shield does not get a lot easier they are going to have a Shield and I will have a 6906. I have a snub nosed 38Spc. for carrying if it comes to that. My semi-auto carbine is 9mm and I really want a handgun in the same caliber.
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martybee
Member
I have the Shield 9 (1.0) and it is no longer difficult to rake or take down. It was for quite a long time! After 600-750 rds. it got a lot easier. I now have over 3,000 through it and it is soft to shoot, mags load without a mag loader and I like it so well, I bought a Shield 45! It too is a Gem. I'm 86, but 7-years your junior.
Happy Birthday on your 93rd.. (just two weeks away) And keep shooting!
I've got around 800 rounds in my 9 (1.0) and I still can't get a full 7 round mag to insert after chambering a round. The 8 round mag will go in though.
The last time I tried with the 7, I slammed it home a couple of times and then I pinched my hand and said screw it.
I know this is a different issue, but it seems these guns are tight in more ways than one.
The last time I tried with the 7, I slammed it home a couple of times and then I pinched my hand and said screw it.
I know this is a different issue, but it seems these guns are tight in more ways than one.
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As has been noted, when you shorten the slide assembly, the slide gets lighter, the travel gets shorter and the spring rates have to go up to keep slide velocity within the design envelope. If you reduce the spring rates, you risk frame damage in recoil and failures to feed.
There is one way to allow you to operate the slide with little difficulty. Find some surface on the slide (above the barrel at the muzzle, forward edge of the rear sight, back edge of the ejection port) that you can rest on a hard surface and use both hand to push the frame forward to rack the slide. In an emergency, the front sight can be used, but it's not a good idea on a regular basis.
Frankly, I've never understood why shortening the slide/barrel is the first thing done in making handguns more compact. Except for pocket pistols, the butt is usually the concealment issue.
There is one way to allow you to operate the slide with little difficulty. Find some surface on the slide (above the barrel at the muzzle, forward edge of the rear sight, back edge of the ejection port) that you can rest on a hard surface and use both hand to push the frame forward to rack the slide. In an emergency, the front sight can be used, but it's not a good idea on a regular basis.
Frankly, I've never understood why shortening the slide/barrel is the first thing done in making handguns more compact. Except for pocket pistols, the butt is usually the concealment issue.
OP
ancient-one
US Veteran
Thanks everyone. I worked with it last night and probably racked it about
twenty times. I am going keep working on it because I really want to keep it. It fits my small hand better than any gun that I have owned. I cannot get the slide locked though, I need another hand. I will have one tomorrow because my grandson is coming over.
twenty times. I am going keep working on it because I really want to keep it. It fits my small hand better than any gun that I have owned. I cannot get the slide locked though, I need another hand. I will have one tomorrow because my grandson is coming over.
martybee
Member
What I do is, I put an empty mag in the gun, then rake it. It will lock back! Then you can break it down if you want.
OP
ancient-one
US Veteran
Thank you very much. I will try that.
Horn
Member
Push Instead Of Pulling
Hold the Shield close to your body and instead of pulling the slide back push it quickly.
You might go to wrightshooting.com and look at his TacRack. It's
easy to install (replaces the plate rear of slide). I have one on my
Shield. $29.99
Looks like it came with the pistol.
Most suggestions about keeping tension on springs really don't do much. Spring steel is designed to hold it's tension. Now you might find some small amount after a thousand rounds. That's more expensive than a TacRack.
Maybe investing in it may allow you to be happier with your Shield.
Stay safe.
Poli Viejo
You might try this. You can push with your strong hand better than you can pull. Now this is more for racking than getting the slide back to engage the slide lock.
Hold the Shield close to your body and instead of pulling the slide back push it quickly.
You might go to wrightshooting.com and look at his TacRack. It's
easy to install (replaces the plate rear of slide). I have one on my
Shield. $29.99
Looks like it came with the pistol.
Most suggestions about keeping tension on springs really don't do much. Spring steel is designed to hold it's tension. Now you might find some small amount after a thousand rounds. That's more expensive than a TacRack.
Maybe investing in it may allow you to be happier with your Shield.
Stay safe.
Poli Viejo
Dvan34
Member
I installed a DPM recoil reducer spring system in my S&W MP Shield .40 . This consists of actually three springs. The spring is much stronger in order to reduce the recoil and allow fast shots. The slide doesn't seem to be any more difficult to rack even though the system reduces the recoil.
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Dvan34
Member
Double tap is significantly more rapid.
tnfan
Member
I also had problems racking the slide on my Shield PC 9mm. I purchased some GT-5000 Grip Tape for guns. Placed a strip on both sides of the slide over the serrations. Solved my problem and I am now able to get a firm grip on the slide and easily rack it. I had actually stopped carrying the gun because I could not rack it. Now it is my daily carry.
