PROnSHIELD
Member
Umm, read the whole thread before you post, it's already been back to S&W and fixed...
Frustrated and need to vent LOL
- Thread starter StlBluesFan72
- Start date
I totally agree with the above statements. Even if it goes back to the manufacturer to be made right, the confidence is broken and will always be in the back of your mind.
With all due reasect, I DID read the entire thread. I count less than 100 rounds documented specifically, though the OP mentions using enough various ammo brands that there's a good chance more than 100 total rounds were fired before sending the gun back. That said, I retract the suggestion that the extra 150 I mentioned be used to "finish the break-in" and simply suggest another 150 or so to add confidence the repairs have fixed the problems (and to finish the break-in if needed.)
How ever you slice it, I would shoot it some more to make sure I felt good about carrying, but I wouldn't give up on the little gun at this point.
Weak extractor or off spec ejector would've been my first guess, not some barrel coating or magazine.
I have a feeling S&W customer service reps aren't as much gun people as they are CS trouble shooting tree flow chart prescripted answer type people.
I have a feeling S&W customer service reps aren't as much gun people as they are CS trouble shooting tree flow chart prescripted answer type people.
I wonder if the investors know of all these returns, or do they only care about the check in the pocket!!
I would hate to see this company go the way of Harley Davidson when AMF the bowling pin company bought them...
I would hate to see this company go the way of Harley Davidson when AMF the bowling pin company bought them...
uechikid
Member
I'm sorry that you had an issue with your Shield but I'm equally as happy that the problem was resolved.
Decipher
Member
I've never had anything but amazing success with both of my Shield 9s. They have ran flawless from day one. I expect issues early in production but this late in the game, S&W should have things sorted out. Either way, I'm sure they will take care of you.
I understand your apprehension about carrying the gun now. Let them fix it and run it hard. I never carry anything until it can run no less than 500 rounds flawlessly. My Shield has ran several thousand rounds now without even a hiccup. I'm sure that will be your experience once its sorted out.
I understand your apprehension about carrying the gun now. Let them fix it and run it hard. I never carry anything until it can run no less than 500 rounds flawlessly. My Shield has ran several thousand rounds now without even a hiccup. I'm sure that will be your experience once its sorted out.
ca survivor
Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2013
- Messages
- 330
- Reaction score
- 85
in your, case stop buying S&W firearms.
all my S&W revolvers have never failed to fire and there has been no need to send any of them back to S&W for repair..
however, the newest one I have was manufactured in 1994..........
CaptRon956
Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2014
- Messages
- 646
- Reaction score
- 548
You do realize that all new pistols require a "break in period"? In addition, the Shield is a sub compact semi auto pistol. Sub compact pistols will have tighter tolerances & much stiffer springs in order for them to function correctly & to provide longevity.
To think otherwise is to be utterly naive with firearms... Just sayin'.
marine6680
Member
Reading things like this always reminds me about how poorly most people are at statistics, probability, and information availability bias.
If the pistol is working now, and you can put a few hundred rounds through it trouble free, then in all likelihood the pistol is fine.
If you have one failure when shooting a 1000rds, the cause is most likely simple probability and the small matters of randomness inherent in every system. No system is 100%
A few problem pistols on occasion does not mean the semi auto concept is flawed, and that revolvers are so much better.
The OP has a functional pistol now. If after he puts a few hundred more rounds through it, if he thinks it's good to go, then by all means he should feel good about carrying it.
If the pistol is working now, and you can put a few hundred rounds through it trouble free, then in all likelihood the pistol is fine.
If you have one failure when shooting a 1000rds, the cause is most likely simple probability and the small matters of randomness inherent in every system. No system is 100%
A few problem pistols on occasion does not mean the semi auto concept is flawed, and that revolvers are so much better.
The OP has a functional pistol now. If after he puts a few hundred more rounds through it, if he thinks it's good to go, then by all means he should feel good about carrying it.
CaptRon956
Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2014
- Messages
- 646
- Reaction score
- 548
I dont understand your logic dude.... You bought a $400 pistol, ok....and? your not going to shoot it or what? Thats like saying you bought a new car and you're complaining about the amount of fuel you spent on the first 500 miles during the engine break in period... You bought a new pistol, good for you, you bought ammo, your gonna need it... but dude, its gonna take a few hundred rounds for that pistol to break in before considered to be ready for edc.... Just sayin''''. Now go to the range & enjoy it..
lhump1961
US Veteran
"all these returns"...and none of us know how many are built or how many are returned. 2 or 3 people post and all of the sudden it's "all these returns". We have no idea of the hard numbers.
How many other companies offer a lifetime warranty on their products? In this life nothing is perfect...nothing. At least Smith will stand behind their stuff.
Last edited:
CW291
Member
Occasionally every complicated mechanical device has it issues. Of my 4 M&Ps, they have all worked fine right out of the box. Just luck? WFKs?
I just got 2 Walther PPQs and one of those has been great, and the other, a real pain, went back to the factory to have the whole trgger assembly replaced and the extractor replaced, but it seems fine now after 300 rds. I'm still not confident enough to shoot it competitively, like I am with my M&P! Good Luck with yours! I'm sure S&W will get it straightened out, but I know it is frustrating!!!
I just got 2 Walther PPQs and one of those has been great, and the other, a real pain, went back to the factory to have the whole trgger assembly replaced and the extractor replaced, but it seems fine now after 300 rds. I'm still not confident enough to shoot it competitively, like I am with my M&P! Good Luck with yours! I'm sure S&W will get it straightened out, but I know it is frustrating!!!
Last edited:
ggibson511960
Member
What's Going On During Break-In??
All the pronouncements, pro and con, about "break in" got me to thinking about what could possibly be happening to help the gun's reliability during "break in". These modern S&W polymer framed guns run with very few surfaces sliding against each other. Looking at my only two examples of S&W poly guns, a Sigma and a M&P 40C, I can only see a very few surfaces that could possibly wear smoother and help the functioning of the gun. The trigger rubs the striker block, but no reasonable amount of shooting is ever going to smooth the trigger bar and block pin to smooth out the trigger pull, let alone make it more reliable. Same with the sear. The slide runs on four small metal clips embedded in the polymer frame. Mine got shiny very quickly in both guns from racking the slide a few times. That leaves the barrel camming surfaces and the cam wedge. If these were grossly rough they could pull enough energy out of the recoiling slide/barrel assembly to impair extraction and ejection, but looking at my well worn guns doesn't reveal any deep wear patterns that would smooth up the cycle. In short, I believe all this stuff about break in is a holdover from older designs that depended on loose tolerances to work. Think of the multiple locking lugs on a 1911's barrel and slide as opposed to the Browning barrel lug/ejection port lock used on M&P's. If nothing is mis-assembled or bent in the original assembly, the thing should shoot. I wish S&W would reveal more about replaced components than a simple "we replaced the barrel and ejector". Those barrels are churned out by the thousands on CNC machines and ejectors are stamped by the zillion from dies. There must be more to the story than "breaking in".
All the pronouncements, pro and con, about "break in" got me to thinking about what could possibly be happening to help the gun's reliability during "break in". These modern S&W polymer framed guns run with very few surfaces sliding against each other. Looking at my only two examples of S&W poly guns, a Sigma and a M&P 40C, I can only see a very few surfaces that could possibly wear smoother and help the functioning of the gun. The trigger rubs the striker block, but no reasonable amount of shooting is ever going to smooth the trigger bar and block pin to smooth out the trigger pull, let alone make it more reliable. Same with the sear. The slide runs on four small metal clips embedded in the polymer frame. Mine got shiny very quickly in both guns from racking the slide a few times. That leaves the barrel camming surfaces and the cam wedge. If these were grossly rough they could pull enough energy out of the recoiling slide/barrel assembly to impair extraction and ejection, but looking at my well worn guns doesn't reveal any deep wear patterns that would smooth up the cycle. In short, I believe all this stuff about break in is a holdover from older designs that depended on loose tolerances to work. Think of the multiple locking lugs on a 1911's barrel and slide as opposed to the Browning barrel lug/ejection port lock used on M&P's. If nothing is mis-assembled or bent in the original assembly, the thing should shoot. I wish S&W would reveal more about replaced components than a simple "we replaced the barrel and ejector". Those barrels are churned out by the thousands on CNC machines and ejectors are stamped by the zillion from dies. There must be more to the story than "breaking in".
Rastoff
US Veteran
This is funny. There are thousands of folks on this forum alone that say otherwise.
Just start a thread about installing a new trigger. You'll get at least 5 guys who'll tell you to do the 1,000 round trigger job. This is where you shoot 1,000 rounds and the trigger 'wears' in and becomes smooth.
ggibson511960
Member
I totally agree that shooting a bunch of rounds eventually smooths the sear/striker interface. This happens on any double action trigger mechanism. Dry firing would do it as well. What will never smooth out is the striker block button that gets pushed up by the trigger bar. Smoothing and rounding the contact surface of this pin must happen to get a smooth, non-staged pull. Apex's replacement does it by introducing a smoother, rounder engagement surface, as well as a lighter spring. Polishing out the blind hole the striker block pin rides in also helps. You could shoot till the rifling wore out and never get this button re-contoured and working smoothly in its hole. The pistol would be safe and reliable, just not tuned and smoothed.
FloridaFlier
Member
No, I don't think so. On his second trip to the range, to experience 8 malfunctions out of 50 round? That gun was defective. It needed to go back to S&W, who (to their credit) also agreed that it needed to go back to the shop. We are all happy that it is working properly now, but the OP's documented problems were more significant than an insufficient break in period.
Similar threads
