Difficult to rack slide.

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Corderbo

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I have a fairly new M&P 9 Shield and have put about 100 rounds through it. I was trying to clean it this morning and it was all I could do to rack the slide back far enough to check and see if there was a round in it. I cleaned the gun and lubed it up with some Ballistol. Again, it was a fight to get it reassembled. BTW, I am not a small guy at 5'10" and 210 pounds with not a lot of fat on me so I am just wondering if anyone else is having this problem and if so, what was the fix. Thanks all..
 
It has a real thin slide and a very stout Recoil Spring Assembly (RSA) which makes it harder to rack the slide. The thin slide is what caused me problems racking it at first, but now that I've gotten used to it I can rack it easily.

Some will say the spring will break-in/loosen up with use and become easier to rack. I used to think that too, until I put a brand new RSA in mine and I could still rack the slide as easily as I could with the old RSA.

Again, I think it's just a matter of getting used to racking the small gun.

ymmv
 
Corderbo said:
I have a fairly new M&P 9 Shield and have put about 100 rounds through it. I was trying to clean it this morning and it was all I could do to rack the slide back far enough to check and see if there was a round in it. I cleaned the gun and lubed it up with some Ballistol. Again, it was a fight to get it reassembled. BTW, I am not a small guy at 5'10" and 210 pounds with not a lot of fat on me so I am just wondering if anyone else is having this problem and if so, what was the fix. Thanks all..
Click to expand...



My 65 years old SO can rack hers although she had some minor difficulty at first. I think the “fix” is to practice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Corderbo said:
... so I am just wondering if anyone else is having this problem and if so, what was the fix. Thanks all..
Click to expand...
Yup... A hard to rack slide is something that's been posted about at least Monthly since it came out in 2012, so you're not alone. :) Thousands have had the same difficulty.

The 'fix'? Some have sworn by the Stainless Steel guide rod (do a forum search about it), while others (like me) feel it's a waste of money, when (as others mentioned) practice will make it easier.

Some say that as with other pistols that have strong RSAs (Recoil Spring Assembly), letting it sit overnight with the slide retracted may help the RSA 'settle in'.

Of course, shooting a few hundred rounds at each range outing (exercising the RSA) will accomplish the same thing. :)
 
I have seven semi-autos, and my Shield 9 is by far the hardest to rack, especially when re-assembling it. The recoil spring assembly in my Shield 9 has 3,000 rounds on it, and it has not loosened up very much at all. I hold my Shield close to my body, get a firm grasp on the slide, and rack it by pushing the grip as violently as I can while retaining control. But that can be painful and exasperating. Therefore, I have found two effective solutions to this problem:

1. The Handi-Racker. It's great invention for Shield 9 owners because it allows you to rack your Shield instantly and easily. It's a block of plastic with a cut-out for your slide. Insert the slide, and push the block against any hard surface, engage the slide lock, and presto, your slide is racked.

2. The Shield 45. Not only is it much easier to rack than the Shield 9, it is more accurate. It has replaced my Shield 9 as my back-up every day carry.
 
Try a different technique. Instead of pushing the gun away w/ one hand and and pulling the slide toward you w/ the other hand..hold the gun as close to your chest as possible, (right hand shooter) push the gun to the left w/ your right hand, while pushing the slide to the right w/ your left hand. Be aware where the muzzle is pointing. Often it's a good idea, at a typical range for instance, (again right hand shooter) to rotate your body 90 degrees to the right so the gun is pointing toward the target and not at the person in the lane to your left.
 
The way I lock mine back is this. Grab the gun as if you're going to shoot it with your right hand. With your left, grab the rear serrations. With your right hand thumb, apply pressure to the slide stop. Push to the left with your right hand while pushing the slide with your left hand to the right. When the slide is back enough the pressure from your thumb will lock the slide open.

Hold gun parallel to your chest so it's like you're trying to shoot at a left target from your chest.
 
They are more difficult to rack than most other brands, but should be pretty easy for a big guy with some strength. Could be the technique you're using. Take a look at this guy's video.


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7luzERTcTV0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7luzERTcTV0[/ame]
 
I'm 5'10" 190lbs and I have a lot of fat. So, if I can do it, you can do it. Here's a shorter video on racking the Shield:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shmUlBvdvjw[/ame]
 
I can rack mine, but I'm 70 with arthritis. I know a day will come...

I will order a Handi-Rack, which should ensure the future.
In a SHTF situation, I'm sure I'll rack it if I need to.
Of course, after 9 rounds expended, I could be in trouble.


My Shield 9 is M01, and I have resisted upgrading to M02.
If Smith borrows from the 380 Shield EZ for M03, I'll definitely buy it.
 
To keep it open use an empty mag and then rack it. It will automatically lock open. The push rather than the pull described above certainly helps. It will loosen up over time
 
CBStuard said:
Try a different technique. Instead of pushing the gun away w/ one hand and and pulling the slide toward you w/ the other hand..hold the gun as close to your chest as possible, (right hand shooter) push the gun to the left w/ your right hand, while pushing the slide to the right w/ your left hand. Be aware where the muzzle is pointing. Often it's a good idea, at a typical range for instance, (again right hand shooter) to rotate your body 90 degrees to the right so the gun is pointing toward the target and not at the person in the lane to your left.
Click to expand...
^^^^^suggestion, practice this procedure. you can also lock the slide back w/ this procedure.
 
another suggestion. PT.com. on this http:, videos, skill set.
 
Nearly impossible at first, lock it back with an empty mag. Leave it sit that way for a few days. It will help.
 
I know that if I couldn't rack the slide easily it would worry me some but, how often do you need to do it? When I go to the range the answer is once, right at the start. From then on, it locks back on an empty mag, I load a full mag, and slingshot the slide closed. I could also use the slide release lever.
 
tacrack

There is a device that can be added to the shield to assist racking for those with weak hands or due to age and arthritis. It's called TacRack. Was originally only available for Glocks but there is one now available for Shields. I'm 73 with arthritis in both hands. I have a new Shield 2.0 which thus far I can manage to rack but there are days when gripping anything is impossible. I will probably get one of these devices. Video on you tube shows installation. Does not look to be difficult.
 
Mine is stiff as well...but my challenge is the slide release on both the 9 and .45.

With the slide all the way back it takes a lot of effort, and two hands to trip it on the 9, which has been shot with maybe 500 rounds; on the new .45 (less than 100 rounds) it's impossible. To release the slide I have to drop the mag and rack it.

Now on both guns if there are rounds in the mag, it's not a problem, I always rack by hand and hardly ever, on any of my guns, use the slide release. But still...shouldn't it be easier?
 
the hardest one I've found is the kahr PM9. The shield comes in 2nd place. You need strong fingers!
 
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