Brass in face

[PMW555]

I have a relatively new Shield 9 PC, from which I have fired about 400 rounds. At my most recent range session last week, it often (didn't count) threw brass back in my face or head. One actually lodged between my glasses frame and the corner of my eye. I didn't realize how hot ejected brass was. Anyway, I don't recall this happening in previous range sessions. Could this be ammo, grip, or mechanical?

 

[Ranger17]

Did it happen at an indoor range where brass could be bouncing back off the divider wall by chance? I have had that happen depending on where I was standing, but only a couple times in thousands of rounds so i put those on my location over a gun/ammo issue.
It may help others to offer feedback if you listed ammo type etc as well in case that could affect this.

 

[SiGfever]

My Shield v2.0 put a casing on top of my head the first day that I fired it. It might have been weak ammo but will keep a look-out for it happening. I thought only Glock did this?

 

[CB3]

Try three other types of ammo. It is most likely ammo/slide velocity related.

If it continues with all ammo, especially if you carry and have fighting ammo, then you probably need a gunsmith to adjust your extractor and ejector to throw cases away from you.

 

[pasound]

Two Fridays ago at a indoor range, had both my nines put a couple of cases onto or just under my ballcap bill. I think I bounced them off the booth walls. Outdoors, they go several yards away, past my shoulder.

 

[moosedog]

I always require shooters to have eyes, ears and a baseball cap with bill forward. The bill helps keep airborne brass from falling between your glasses and eyes.

 

[Univibe]

When I first shot my Shield 9mm, I used weak PPU 115 grain ammo. It failed to cycle a few times, and either dropped brass on the ground, or flopped it back towards me. Dumping that stuff and going with Federal AE or Win. NATO cured all that. Positive function, snappy ejection off to the side.

I'm betting an ammo change would help out.

 

[stansdds]

I always wear a baseball cap when shooting. Many years ago I did not, until one day, shooting a USPSA match, I had an ejected shell bounce off of a barricade and it managed to get beneath my glasses and lodged on my cheek. 45 ACP may not be a high pressure cartridge, but the ejected cases are still plenty hot on unprotected skin.

 

[ScaryWoody]

Having fired 400 rounds before you noticed any issue, I would suggest a good cleaning of the extractor. Sometimes they get grimey and don't completely grab the rim.

 

[PMW555]

Thanks for great info

I was shooting the remains of a 100 round box of Remington 115 fmj, which, aside from kicking brass in my face, worked fine. I didn't think about brass bouncing off the wall in my direction, but it seemed like it was coming straight back. Good idea about the cap. That will be required shooting gear from now on.

 

[gunny4053]

Take a look at your extractor and make sure it's good and clean. Any crud under there may create a situation where it doesn't hold the brass as tight as it should. This may cause it to tumble out toward you rather than being kicked out forcefully by the ejector.

 

[CB3]

I wear shirts with collar buttons when I shoot. I button them up so no brass can get down my shirt, from me or any other shooters. Always wear a ball cap too. And real shoes; never sandals. No hot brass for me. BTDT.

 

[Riverkilt]

What? No way! Glock has the patent on Brass to the face.

 

[stansdds]

What? No way! Glock has the patent on Brass to the face.

That is incorrect. Colt was the first to obtain a patent on the "brass to the face" feature in 1911. The patent expired and since then there have been many, many manufacturers to employ this lively feature.

 

[MJFlores]

This weekend I used a 500 round can of Win white box 115 gr and I have quite a few hit me in the forehead and top of head. No failures, but weak ejection. Last week I shot 2 boxes of Fiochhi 124 grain stuff and they all had a healthy ejection with none hitting me on the head or face. I bet your issue is ammo related.

 

[mike campbell]

That is incorrect. Colt was the first to obtain a patent on the "brass to the face" feature in 1911. The patent expired and since then there have been many, many manufacturers to employ this lively feature.

Not the first time Colt has been emulated.