Fix Your Shield Before It Fails!!!

[ccssid]

Hey, Worm Raper (name brings up a really nice visual), please re-read what I posted:

"In my example, as in other related examples, when the shooter goes to disassemble his Shield, which popped its slide lock spring, and he can't remove the slide because the spring prevents it (a rather common occurrence), it's at that point that he realizes that the failures to eject or feed properly were most likely the result of the slide lock spring impinging on the slide, causing the malfunctions."

The translation for the reading-challenged is: when the spring pops, it is a common occurrence for the spring to prevent slide removal.

I apologize for writing so clearly and, thereby, causing some to be confused. [emoji14]

In summary, I'm done with this thread. It's not my thread, it's the forum's thread.
I had hoped it would be a contribution to all Shield owners to perform a very simple fix to prevent a possible serious future failure.
Sorry to have offended the S&W Kool-Aid drinkers; the word-parsers; the politically-correct thread critics; the reading-challenged; and the I-never-had-a-problem-with-mine denial crowd.
I sincerely do hope that no Shield owner has to contend with a popped slide lock spring problem.
Best Regards!

I for one am extremely happy with this thread. My spring was out and a bit shined up. I popped it back in...have since fired off several hundred rounds and no issues. My shield is a keeper...especially since my wife put one dead nuts bullseye this afternoon.......her first outing with the shield......in fact her first real range day.

Posts on a forum have no statistical predictability whatsoever. There is no base control. Posts are skewed toward problems by the very nature of people seeking help. The number of people posting on a particular problem, even in multiple threads over time, compared to the total number of units in the market is infinitesimally small.

I enjoy gun forums for identification of potential problems and their suggested fixes. I allot very little significance to the quality of a gun based on the opinions and experiences of a very few, often unqualified, people. Much of the time the problems are not described accurately, and often they are caused by ignorance or operator error. Such information is completely unscientific and uncontrolled. I still use it, but with a shaker of salt sitting next to my work.

In this case, NoN posted a helpful maintenance tip that relates to a small percentage of the total number of Shields sold, with a significantly smaller percentage of units actually experiencing a functional problem caused because of the slide lock lever return spring. As I posted before, I believe this is good info explained in an OVERLY DRAMATIC FASHION !!! (See what I did there?)

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[Teleman1952]

Seems like some people got overly passionate over this thread. This something that is good to know when cleaning your gun. I have a 45 Shield so I don't know if I would have this problem (as the OP made reference to many posts ago), but since I clean my pistol after every range visit I'll start checking for it.

 

[gostovp]

just checked my Shield.
Spring was not fully seated but didn't show any signs of wear.
Was able to seat using instructions in this thread.
Haven't shot it yet, but will keep an eye on it after every range session.

 

[greeenteeee]

Anyone who did find the spring loose-- was the Shield relatively new?

I had issues with my PC Shield early on and this spring was likely the culprit. 900 rounds later I have never had to press it back into place again.

My first Shield never had this issue.

Just wondering if it was a matter of it not being seated correctly as it left the factory.

 

[Bamabred]

Seems like some people got overly passionate over this thread. This something that is good to know when cleaning your gun. I have a 45 Shield so I don't know if I would have this problem (as the OP made reference to many posts ago), but since I clean my pistol after every range visit I'll start checking for it.

I think some people interpreted "Fix your Shield before it fails" as the OP saying "The Shield is a crappy gun that will give you problems." I don't know if it was S&W fanboyism or general crankiness that took it down that path. However, I found the post to be helpful and informative. I had wondering about that spring for a while.

 

[oloung1]

In summary, I'm done with this thread. It's not my thread, it's the forum's thread.
I had hoped it would be a contribution to all Shield owners to perform a very simple fix to prevent a possible serious future failure.
Sorry to have offended the S&W Kool-Aid drinkers; the word-parsers; the politically-correct thread critics; the reading-challenged; and the I-never-had-a-problem-with-mine denial crowd.
I sincerely do hope that no Shield owner has to contend with a popped slide lock spring problem.
Best Regards!

thanks for starting this PSA and taking all the debates this thread with stride

. in the grand scheme of things, being aware and checking, punching back in the spring is cheap insurance and at the most 10 minutes of out one's day. clickbait title or not, if the title was worded any other way, i would have moved on to something else. there are forums members that spent more time shedding unicorn tears on word semantics than it takes for any person to check their spring, i wish i was so fortunate. but that's what makes this forum so good, everyone contributes lol

Anyone who did find the spring loose-- was the Shield relatively new?

i just checked my 2/17/17 build date with approximately 500 rounds through, it was halfway out and wearing slight silver on the side (tip) facing the grip.

 

[VictorLouis]

NN, thanks for this post! I will check-out my friend's to see if it is prone to this. I posted a few months back on keeping up with cleaning/lube of the mag release button. RUST caused his to become sticky, and failing to keep a mag securely in place.

 

[texasjohnboy]

I checked mine the other night before I had an account on the forum. I've had it probably close to 2 years, and it's got probably close to 1000 rounds through it -- spring was seated fully and showed no wear.

I'll keep watching it though, good thing to watch out for. Thanks

 

[greeenteeee]

i just checked my 2/17/17 build date with approximately 500 rounds through, it was halfway out and wearing slight silver on the side (tip) facing the grip.

I checked mine the other night before I had an account on the forum. I've had it probably close to 2 years, and it's got probably close to 1000 rounds through it -- spring was seated fully and showed no wear.

I'll keep watching it though, good thing to watch out for. Thanks

It's a very small sample, but I am leaning towards that the problem is only on recent/new Shields. Doesn't hurt to keep an eye on it, but to me it seems the issue is from it not being fully seated from the factory.

 

[loutent]

I know that this is an older thread but just today I was trying to do a field strip on my relatively new 9mm Shield and could not remove the slide - did a search and this thread popped up - my spring was not broken and I used a punch to tap it flush as suggested. I have about 450 rounds through it - thanks for all the information. Definitely have to keep an eye on it from now on.

 

[oldmainer]

Both my brother & I bought 9mm Shields in August this year & have both had this spring pop out enough that we couldn't remove the slide. It happened to me twice and him once. From reading all the posts, it certainly does seem to be a familiar problem with the more recent builds. My spring shows quite a lot of wear and will be sending it back for repair.

 

[bigbob76]

for some reason i can't understand where this spring is. I am a shooter, not someone who knows all the parts of the gun. I looked on youtube and its funny no one has detailed this problem. Usually by now there would be 100 video complaints on this problem. I haven't had the problem and carry the shield every day. Sorry, just can't figure out where this is located or how to fix from these pics. Does anyone have a before and after pic?

I'm right there with you on this!

 

[bigwheelzip]

I'm right there with you on this!

Above the takedown lever as shown in post #16.

 

[Bamabred]

I'm right there with you on this!

Look at post #42. Spring isn't probably the best terminology. Don't look for a cylindrical coil. That might be what is confusing you.

 

[smoke33]

I have approximately 500 rounds through mine and just checked mine after reading through this thread. Mine is in place, no issue.


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[Wingincamera]

Well I just had to check my Shield that I've had over two years now with probably 2,000 rounds through it. No problem found. At first I couldn't see the spring your talking about until I wiped the film of oil off of the area. Mine is flush,

 

[RedPointGS]

Or maybe trade it for a ...

Hi Point? LOL!

QUOTE=Telecaster;139791676]1000 perfect rounds through my 9mm Shield. I guess I should throw it in the trash and buy a Glock before it’s too late.

Or maybe I’ll trade it for a Keltec.[/QUOTE]

 

[RedPointGS]

Or maybe trade it for a ...

Hi Point? LOL!

QUOTE=Telecaster;139791676]1000 perfect rounds through my 9mm Shield. I guess I should throw it in the trash and buy a Glock before it’s too late.

Or maybe I’ll trade it for a Keltec.[/QUOTE]

 

[RedPointGS]

Although I've never had this problem that doesn't mean it won't rear its ugly head. Great advice Brother, thanks! Perhaps being patient is its own reward. Good luck to you all.

 

[ladder13]

BTW folks, I was just told that the company is either approaching 3 million Shields sold, or has passed it. It's broken every sales record for S&W firearms ever set in the company's history.

Wow, imagine that.