First Shots With The New Shield

[shakyshoot]

Just picked up my new 9mm shield. Didn't clean it, barely glanced at the manual, and headed to the range. Pretty happy with the results for the first time out. Shot 50 rounds of UMC and 18 rounds of Critical Defense I had laying around. Was able to get decent accuracy all the way out to 75 ft. Not bad for an (almost) pocket pistol. I was pretty happy with the trigger, considering it's brand new. The only issue was the 2nd shot on the last magazine which went click but no pow. When I racked the slide I saw it hadn't stripped the round off the magazine. Hopefully it's "new mag" related or I just didn't have the mag locked in all the way. This was my 2nd target @30 ft. Won't qualify for Camp Perry, but it's not all that much worse than what I can do with my larger steel Springfield.

 

[dullh]

Cleaning your new gun before you take it to the range is always recommended.

Since you went to the range before you cleaned it, try...cleaning it and going back. See if removing the factory gunk eliminates that little feed problem.

 

[shakyshoot]

Cleaning your new gun before you take it to the range is always recommended.

Since you went to the range before you cleaned it, try...cleaning it and going back. See if removing the factory gunk eliminates that little feed problem.

Yes, I know you should clean it first. I was itching to go. Looked in the port with a flashlight and I didn't really see any evidence of factory gunk, so off to the range I went. Normally, I'm very good about cleaning after every use.

 

[Rastoff]

It's possible that you bumped the mag release on that last mag. Was the mag out a little?

 

[shakyshoot]

It's possible that you bumped the mag release on that last mag. Was the mag out a little?

Not that I noticed. I believe I pulled the mag out, racked the slide, saw that no round was chambered, then put the mag back. So I may not have noticed if it wasn't locked in. The bolt face is so close to the next round in the mag on this pistol, it's hard to imagine how it could miss. That mag release does kind of sit down in the way. The way I'm gripping, my thumb is actually above the mag release, and my middle finger below it.

 

[shakyshoot]

No, now that I think it through, I racked the slide, saw that the next round had been barely moved forward but not chambered, THEN I pulled out the mag and adjusted the round to where it belonged, then put it back in. Either way, I might not have noticed if the mag wasn't quote locked in.

 

[tblt44]

my shield came bone dry no oil nothing.
my only problem was shooting left 2 inches.

 

[Rastoff]

Definitely worth going back and putting some more rounds through it to check again. You wouldn't be the first to have a mag come out just a little and not notice.

 

[ItsGotMyBack]

Happend to my friend and his shield. His grip was causing him to bump the mag button from time to time leading to what you described. He has adjusted his grip and has not had any issues since

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[Old cop]

I'm a lefty and trained on Glocks before you could move the mag release. Now when I shoot a "lefty" gun I always knock the mag out so I'm guessing that is your problem too.

 

[ca survivor]

after making the mistake of buying a Walther PPS in .40 last month, I just picked up a Shield in 9mm, big difference in shooting, I'm starting to like the 9mm, most of my guns are in .40 or .45ACP

 

[shakyshoot]

2nd range trip with the Shield

Just had the new 9mm Shield to the range for the 2nd time, and not very happy with the results. 65 rounds fired and 4 cycling problems. (6 if you count the 2 times the slide failed to lock open on the last shot.) Had one where the round failed to strip off the magazine, like it did on the last trip. I checked the mag and it was properly locked in. Then I had an FTE that jammed in the door. Switched to the other mag and had 2 where the round slammed the top of the chamber and failed to feed. I had taken it down and cleaned it after the last trip, and oiled at the points shown in the manual. At home, looking at what's happening with a snap cap, it looks like all these problems are the result of the same thing: The slide isn't coming back that last 1/4" at times. Not sure if I should do anything or just hope for the recoil spring to soften up a bit. Do they use the same spring for the .40 and the 9? Seems REALLY tight. Would a little grease on the frame rails be better than oil? (Manual calls for 1 drop of oil) I noticed a pretty good scratch on one of the frame rails, but couldn't see any burr or anything on the slide that might be causing it. Any suggestions, or just keep shooting?

 

[jhc37013]

Clean it lube it really good and shoot it again, yes the Shield recoil spring is very tight when new but loosens up nicely and it is the same with the magazine springs. I noticed in your first post you was shooting UMC, I have read and seen many failures with that ammo. I bought a big box of UMC once and shot 100rds out of my trusty Glock 23 and the ammo was so weak the brass barely ejected, I gave the rest away. Be sure you try it with some quality ammo like American Eagle or Speer Lawman, that should rule out any ammo problems and S&W can't try and place any blame on poor quality ammo if in fact you do have to give them a call.

 

[tblt44]

Just had the new 9mm Shield to the range for the 2nd time, and not very happy with the results. 65 rounds fired and 4 cycling problems. (6 if you count the 2 times the slide failed to lock open on the last shot.) Had one where the round failed to strip off the magazine, like it did on the last trip. I checked the mag and it was properly locked in. Then I had an FTE that jammed in the door. Switched to the other mag and had 2 where the round slammed the top of the chamber and failed to feed. I had taken it down and cleaned it after the last trip, and oiled at the points shown in the manual. At home, looking at what's happening with a snap cap, it looks like all these problems are the result of the same thing: The slide isn't coming back that last 1/4" at times. Not sure if I should do anything or just hope for the recoil spring to soften up a bit. Do they use the same spring for the .40 and the 9? Seems REALLY tight. Would a little grease on the frame rails be better than oil? (Manual calls for 1 drop of oil) I noticed a pretty good scratch on one of the frame rails, but couldn't see any burr or anything on the slide that might be causing it. Any suggestions, or just keep shooting?

All I can say is sorry,looks lik you will have to send it back.
How many rounds ?
Make sure you try at least 3 kinds of ammo
After 200 and still problems contact Smith

 

[shakyshoot]

Thanks jhc37013--The UMC isn't my favorite, but for right now it's what I could get. A couple of months ago I was thinking the ammo shortage was over, and I could have bought thousands of rounds in one day at between my local Cabela's, Gander, and Fleet Farm. Now it's dried up again. The only 9mm I have left is a couple of boxes of UMC and a 100rd Winchester white box. I do already have 2 boxes of Speer Lawman coming to Cabela's, and some Herter's on backorder. The Herter's is cheap but it's worked very well in my other 9mm (Springfield P9C, a CZ75 clone)
Hopefully the recoil spring will soften up a bit. I've heard complaints about how stiff the magazine springs are, but I don't have any issue there. My Springfield is harder to load than the Shield, and I've had that for almost 20 years.

 

[shakyshoot]

All I can say is sorry,looks lik you will have to send it back.
How many rounds ?
Make sure you try at least 3 kinds of ammo
After 200 and still problems contact Smith

Only 115 rd of UMC and 18 rd of Critical Defense so far. All the problems have been with UMC. Got to try some different ammo, as I certainly don't expect to give it a steady diet of Hornady CD at almost a buck a shot.

 

[WOrchid]

Is the recoil spring aligned correctly? If so, its more then likely an AMO issue.

 

[shakyshoot]

Yes, I made triple sure to get the spring in right. Hoping I can pick up my order of Speer on the next trip to Cabela's. They had a Federal American Eagle ammo can deal yesterday, but it was no great bargain. I think it was $179 for 500 rd with a plastic dry box. Maybe I should have grabbed it.

 

[WOrchid]

.36 cent per round isn't horrible, should of grabbed it. Keep us posted.

 

[jhc37013]

.36 cent per round isn't horrible, should of grabbed it. Keep us posted.

Yes for sure I have seen American Eagle as high as $24.99 in some stores but for the most part if I can find it it is usually $20-$22 a box of 50 and that is for .40 S&W. What I like most about AE is it is so clean I can shoot a box of 50 and the gun hardly looks like it has been shot at all and I think that really contributes to it's reliability. I have also had really good luck with WWB but it is way dirtier than AE and only a dollar or two cheaper per box of 50 at most so I always try and hold out until I can find AE.

Right now in my area at every Walmart I have been to there is boxes and boxes of .40 WWB JHP 180gr for $20 a box of 50, there is no WWB FMJ like is usually the case. I know its not the best round but for $20 a box of JHP I'm buying it for SHTF ammo.