M&P9 SHEILD M2 Safety and Slide Release "stiff"

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ptf18

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Purchased my 1st ever S&W semi, the M&P9 SHIELD M2.

Have a couple questions.

The Safety is very hard to release. To the point were I need take the gun out of my grip, use the end of my thumb to release the safety and then regrip the gun. Is this "normal" for this model S&W? I shoot other manufactures semi's and their safety's are much easier to disengage.

I'd prefer a lever that protrudes a bit more than this model and see that on some other S&W semi's (maybe the EZ) that their lever protrudes. Can one of those levers be fitted onto the model I have?

The slide release lever is next to impossible to disengage from the notch in the slide. I need to pull the slide rearward a bit in order to release the lever. Again is this "normal" for this model S&W?

Thanks
 
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Interesting. Others have "complained" the safety is too loose. Perhaps you can swap with one of them. ;)

All kidding aside, perhaps just work the safety back and forth a bunch of time to loosen it up.

If you're mechanically inclined, remove the sear housing then safety lever and detent and lightly polish it to debur any edges.

You didn't say but I'll add, many also complain about how hard it is to rack. This too will ease with use.
 
The slide release is not a release but a stop. The recommended way to release the slide is to sling shot it forward.


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Keep exercising the Slide Release. I used an empty mag to engage the slide, drop the mag down slightly, then exercise the Slide Release. It will smooth out over time....just needs to be broken in.
 
The dual spring recoil spring assembly (RSA) is pretty stout to support shooting fairly "brisk" defense rounds. As markmeila says, the "textbook" method is to pull the slide back (slingshot/overhand). This is normal.

Again, with use (shoot the snot out of it) this will make it easier.
 
Saudade said:
Interesting. Others have "complained" the safety is too loose. Perhaps you can swap with one of them. ;)

All kidding aside, perhaps just work the safety back and forth a bunch of time to loosen it up.

If you're mechanically inclined, remove the sear housing then safety lever and detent and lightly polish it to debur any edges.

You didn't say but I'll add, many also complain about how hard it is to rack. This too will ease with use.
Click to expand...

Actually, the comment was about the safety on a full-size M & P 9 being too easy to move. The Shield is the opposite - more like a "oh, if you insist on having a manual safety but we won't make it easy for you" feature. :)
 
Hate to say it, but I haven't carried, or shot, either of my Shields since getting my Sig P365 in May of 2018.

I once drank the Kool-Aid, but now, there are many much better carry guns.
 
Yup, all Shields are built like yours. I have two Shields, a 9 and a 45 with 13,000 combined rounds. Every magazine I have shot has been inserted with the safety on so I can practice swiping it off with my thumb as I raise the Shield to fire. It's now easy to do. I'm not sure it's because of the practice, or because the safety has loosened up a bit, but it's probably both. Your Shield's safety will never become really loose, and that's a good thing. Just practice, and you'll learn to appreciate it.

As to the "slide stop" (S&W's official name for it), it was not intended to be used as a release, but it will loosen up somewhat with use. With with thumb-strengthening exercises you might become able to use it as a release, but myself, I just slingshot the slide.
 
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It sounds like you are trying to use the slide stop to release the slide with an empty mag inserted, is that correct?

For the safety, try using the joint of your thumb to operate it.
 
The Shield safety is somewhat unique but I found it could be managed. The idea presented above, of working it to wear the thumb safety in is very good. HOWEVER, to make the thumb safety work for me I had to learn to try and snap it down quickly. As long as I try to move the thumb safety quickly it works very well. Now I can use the side of my thumb to quickly disengage the safety.

The thumb safety is too small but with practice it becomes quite manageable.
 
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