9mm Shield Slide Locking Difficulty

[Rdgallo]

I have a new Shield that I have not shot yet. I disassembled it to give it a cleaning and had a heck of a time locking the slide back to reassemble. Is there a trick to doing this?

 

[Hillbilly77]

Is it difficult to pull the slide back fully, like there is a "catch" or it "hangs up"?

If so, it's probably the recoil spring.
A couple drops of oil on the spring & shooting the gun should smooth things right out.

 

[skip4309]

I had the same problem....it will 'loosen' up some and be easier to lock back during re-assembly when you get a couple hundred rounds thru it....

 

[Bozz10mm]

Oh, its a bugger when its new. You have to rack it as far as you can, and then give it an extra push the last 1/8th inch while pushing up on the slide lock.

After about 500 rounds, mine is a bit easier now.

 

[Jaysq]

Double check the recoil spring and make sure it is straight horizontally and vertically before reassemble.

 

[Kadonny]

Double check the recoil spring and make sure it is straight horizontally and vertically before reassemble.

This is the right answer.

 

[Rdgallo]

This is the right answer.

Amen to the right answer. I just took mine down again and put the recoil spring in what I call a best fit (if you look at the end of the spring, there is a flat washer type face that is not exactly perpendicular to the spring). This made it so much easier to lock the slide back. Thanks for your input!

 

[scott9mm]

Assuming the recoil spring is in right, stick an empty magazine in the gun and rack the slide with a 4-finger overhand grip at the BACK of the slide. You may be tempted to grip the front of the slide so you can see the slide stop lever and notch: DON"T or you can end up with bloody, lacerated fingers. Compared to other pistols, the Shield slide locks much further aft than you'd expect.