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9mm Sheild Magazines, Hard loading

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ptf18

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Fellows. Had the 9mm Shield out to a indoor range to continue getting use to shooting this handgun.

The first time I had it to a range I was only loading the 8 round magazine with 5 rounds. No issue loading the magazine.

Today I was loading 8 rounds into the magazine....and having a heck of a time doing so.

Did a search on this web-site and found that others have the same problem. Some recommend a "assisting loading device" to ease magazine loading. Well IMHO, one shouldn't need a tool to load magazines.

Is there a "fix" for this issue? Are other 9mm S&W magazines of this "family of handguns this hard to load?

When I returned home I dissembled both the 7 and 8 round magazines that came with my Shield. Found them to be of the same length. I cut off 2 full coils of the 7 round magazine and installed it into the 8 round magazine. Loading 8 rounds into the magazines was easier but still alot harder that loading my Sig 9mm and my 45ACP magazines. The rounds in the cut spring magazine fed the 8 dumby rounds into the gun without issues. Will have to see how the gun runs when I return to the range.

I thought I ran across a outfit that was modifying springs and followers to allow 1 or 2 additional rounds into the S&W magazines. Has anyone heard/saw this?
 
This can be quite normal on Shield mags; my Shield (they are single stack) was sprung heavy and was harder than my full size (double stack) MP is to load by hand.
I would say many of us use the Uplula mag loader, definitely saves time and is easier than manual. My loader works with both single and double stack mags.
I personally wouldn't cut spring coils or use aftermarket guts but thats just my .02; I would defer to others on that end.
 
Very common with the Shield, hard to load and hard to rack.

I would rather use an Uplula to make life a lot easier at the range vs cutting springs in a self defense gun. To each their own though.

I do use Magguts +2 kits in factory 8 round mags. Adds just a 1/4 inch and gives me 10+1. No issues whatsoever.
 
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Magguts and Hyve as well as others offer +1 & +2 kits.
Rob613 beat me to the answer.
 
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If you have some dummy rounds load and unload the mags as many times as you can when you have some free time, after a few days the mag springs will loosen up without cutting anything.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
 
Uplula's are nice, and one won't break the bank, but buying several starts to get expensive.
You don't need much to assist in loading, all you need is a simple tool to push down the round on top so you can get another started.

I bought several of these Range Tray loaders, at $5 or so each I can leave one in the truck console, one in the reloading room, a couple in the range bag, well, you get the idea. They are gun and caliber specific, and I get them in different colors so as to differentiate between calibers quickly.
My 9/40 ones are orange, and the ones for the .45 Shield are green.
These Range Tray tools are compact, inexpensive and rugged.
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One of the reasons the magazine springs in a Shield are so strong is that that magazine spring puts upward pressure on the rounds in the magazine which then puts pressure on the recoiling slide, helping to reduce the slide velocity. On little lightweight guns the "balance" of the magazine spring, recoil spring and the hammer spring (if equipped), can be critical to controlling slide velocity, feed reliability and longevity of the firearm. Cutting coils off of a magazine spring is not a good idea. Buy the loader of choice, put rounds through the gun and the springs will get easier.
 
before i knew about Uplulas i contacted S&W about cutting mag springs. they said "Don't". a little research lead me to Uplulas.
 
oldiegoldie said:
i cannot imagine trying to load a couple of hundred rounds on a range trip without an Uplula.
Click to expand...

That's the truth! And it's nice that the same Uplula works with my single stack Shield as well as my double stack Compact and Ruger Security 9.

With all the money we spend on our guns and ammo I can't think of any reason not to spend $35 to make loading mags so much easier.
 
Magazine Loading

Thanks Fellows for your input. I ordered a 9mm EZ. I understand that the magazines are easier to load. :)
 
ptf18 said:
Thanks Fellows for your input. I ordered a 9mm EZ. I understand that the magazines are easier to load. :)
Click to expand...

The EZ mags are very easy to load; I just picked up an EZ 9 myself (posted elsewhere on it). Loading those mags is similar to my various 22’s, slide the button down and load away.

My initial thoughts on the Shield EZ 9 is that it is a really nice option regardless if one has arthritis or not. I think SW really hit on a model that could do quite well for them.
 
I think, like slide racking issues, this is mostly a technique issue. I'd be interested in knowing what method you are using that is giving you difficulty. Though its a bit tricky I can load shield mags to capacity using only one hand, without use of any special tools.
 
I have many mags.....

...and I use the Uplula on all of them. Sometimes I do the first rounds by hand but it's just easier with the loader. I have a 33 round mag that is just wearisome to load. I loaded all my mags, including the Shield by hand but after a while my fingers were very sore. I like the Uplula and have no philosophical qualms about using it.
 
tough springs

I had gen 1 shield 9 and it was the toughest pistol to rack and load I've ever owned.
In contrast, my Bodyguard 380 has the weakest springs ever, so I thought, ...........but I guess the 380EZ has the weakest?
 
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