Attempting to field strip the 9mm Shield

[swsig]

Man, what an ordeal. Using a mag in the gun really caused the slide to hang up on the way back so gave up on that. Always have been aware that the recoil spring should be in place and perfectly lined up so tried rotating the flat spring till the open end was pointing up. Finally got the slide lock to work. Whew!
May be a day or two before I try that again.
Should I still contact S&W for a new spring or does the fact I finally got it to work take care of that idea?

There have been a lot of complaints about new Shields being difficult lock back. I know because I was one of the complainers. (See http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-pistols/432397-shield-rsa-one-more-time.html)

There is a very fun way to solve this problem. Go to the range a few times and fire the heck out of your Shield. Somewhere around 500-700 rounds, my Shield became as easy to rack as my other semi-autos. You can ask S&W for a new RSA, and it's good to have a spare, but using your Shield is the best way to fix your problem.

 

[swsig]

I'll try it again in a day or so when my fingers get over the soreness from the slide. I should have quit sooner and posted my problem earlier but didn't want to sound like a ninny. Maybe for a time or two I need to be wearing my leather garden gloves on the slide racking hand.
Appreciate all the help, I flat didn't know what to do when the lock wouldn't catch on the slide

The Handi-Racker is great hand-saving product I used to rack my Shield's slide until its RSA loosened up. Here's the website: Safest way to rack your pistols Handi-Racker

 

[rwsmith]

There is an alternative method to rack....

There is an alternative method to rack slides that's easier than the 'slingshot' method.

Raise the gun to your side a little to the front, keeping close to the body.

Reach over with your off hand and grab the slide. Don't block the ejection port, especially if you are clearing a round you don't want to block the port so the bullet doesn't get trapped in the port.

Instead of pulling back the slide, PUSH the frame of the gun forward all the way, then release the slide.

I've gotten to where I use this method almost exclusively and you get better at not blocking the port with practice.

 

[rwsmith]

Hey, that's neat....

The Handi-Racker is great hand-saving product I used to rack my Shield's slide until its RSA loosened up. Here's the website: Safest way to rack your pistols Handi-Racker

I don't need it to rack the slide but it would be great for holding the action open and still having a free hand to do what's needed. That would help on some guns with difficult assembly/reassembly pins and stuff.

 

[Louchia]

there are some good YOU TUBE videos on how to.

 

[Wagonmaster]

there are some good YOU TUBE videos on how to.

From a computer Dummy, how do I get to those YOU TUBES for possible help with my new 9 Shield?

 

[gunfighter48]

Here's a link to a list of the videos on the Shield 9mm. Hope this helps. I had a bear of a time with mine the first time I field stripped it. But with perseverance and some muscle I got it back together. After a few times it was no problem.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=m&p+shield+9mm+disassembly+

 

[Wagonmaster]

Thanks Gunfighter, I've already bookmarked that site as it looks like lots of good watching. Aren't these small guns a handfull though. The second time re-assembling my 9mm Shield did go a little better than the first time especially after turning the large recoil spring so the cut end at the chamber end pointed up, and after a good cleaning with oiling at the suggested points and the take-down lever (first time or two I thought I was going to need a screwdriver to get that thing to move).
Reminds me of the first time several years ago with my Kahr CM9, and I think it's even worse than the Shield since going back everything has to line up just right so the take-down pin will go back in.

 

[harleygeorge]

Shield

Use an LED flashlight, and the yellow will plainly show. I stumbled on to this after purchasing my Shield 9. For some reason the yellow won't show with a regular flashlight or under ambient light, but it will glow under the LED light.

 

[alleycat7002]

Lock slide back..turn lever down...release slide lock ...pull trigger ir comes off...and for dummies hold on to slide and let it come off...too easy