M&P 9 Shield EZ - Slide does not move forward

[tjg63]

I just purchased a M&P 9 Shield EZ and have a question.

The answer to this question may be "that is how it is supposed to operate" but I wanted to get feedback from other M&P 9 Shield EZ owners before I loaded live rounds.

When I have an empty magazine in the gun and pull the slide back the slide locks back and will not move forward after pulling the slide back again and releasing.

If I remove the magazine and the pull the slide back and release it moves fully forward.

Is this normal operation for this gun?

 

[pazzo]

Yes, completely normal.

All semi autos that have a slide lock will hold the slide open when the mag is empty.

 

[kbm6893]

Normal. The follower on the magazine hold the slide open so the shooter knows the mag is empty and to change it. You can press down on the slide lock if the mag is empty and the slide will go forward, but it’s not good to let the slide slam forward on an empty chamber.

You’re obviously a new gun owner. Welcome to the club, but sounds like a thorough reading of the manual is in order.

 

[stansdds]

I just purchased a M&P 9 Shield EZ and have a question.

The answer to this question may be "that is how it is supposed to operate" but I wanted to get feedback from other M&P 9 Shield EZ owners before I loaded live rounds.

When I have an empty magazine in the gun and pull the slide back the slide locks back and will not move forward after pulling the slide back again and releasing.

If I remove the magazine and the pull the slide back and release it moves fully forward.

Is this normal operation for this gun?

Welcome to the S&W Forums!
Your pistol is behaving normally. As previously stated, the magazine follower activates the slide stop. It sounds like you may not be familiar with pistols. If that is the case, I highly recommend taking a firearms training course to improve your knowledge of firearms and how to use them.

 

[Eric300]

^^^^THIS^^^^^ x Infinity.
Without a good working knowledge of the firearm you own/using, you can be a danger to yourself and others.

 

[CB3]

it’s not good to let the slide slam forward on an empty chamber.

This is not true. A modern pistol slide, including any EZ, can be closed on an empty chamber as many times as you want without damaging the gun. Nothing needs to be in the chamber.

In fact practicing gun manipulations without any ammo in the same room is a safe and recommended way to learn how to make your gun function, including keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction, pulling the trigger, using the magazine, etc.

If you want, you can try to find some “dummy rounds”, snap caps or other non-firing cartridges for such practice. They are hard to find right now. Helpful but not necessary.

Welcome to the world of lots of fun with a potentially dangerous instrument. Concentrate on learning about the latter and accompanying safety protocols, and the former will follow.

 

[stansdds]

You can press down on the slide lock if the mag is empty and the slide will go forward, but it’s not good to let the slide slam forward on an empty chamber.

Depends upon the design of the pistol. Single action pistols, especially those with tuned actions, this is true as the slide slamming home on an empty chamber can cause the hammer to bounce and pound the sear's engagement surface, which will peen that surface. Eventually, the sear surface will round off, which leads to the sear no longer catching the hammer and the hammer will follow the slide.

With striker fired and DAO pistols, this is usually not an issue.

 

[tjg63]

Thanks for all the feedback

Thanks for the feedback.

I am back to shooting after a very long layoff. I read through several other posts on this forum and believe this forum will be a great resource.

Been out with a couple of instructors over the past couple of months firing several different handguns including this one.

I may have worded my question incorrectly.

I understand that the slide will lock to the rear after firing and emptying the magazine. Also pulling back on the slide with an empty magazine in place will lock the slide to the rear.

My question was can the slide be released forward with an empty magazine in place? Short answer is no.

I could not find an answer in the manual after several readings and I wanted to get answers to my questions before using the weapon.

When I searched online the info ranged from complaints to modifications. I have no intention of modifying any weapon.

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[mckenney99]

tjg63,
"My question was can the slide be released forward with an empty magazine in place? Short answer is no."

In answer to this particular question, Yes you can. You will need to retract the slide enough to take the pressure off the slide stop and then you can depress the slide stop and guide the slide forward against the pressure of the recoil spring. Depressing the slide stop on your M&P9 Shield EZ will be difficult due to it's low profile and you will be working against the upward pressure of the magazine follower/spring but it can be done with practice.

 

[murphydog]

The answer is “it depends on the gun”. I don’t know specifically about the 9 EZ but I have used semi-auto pistols on which the slide will drop locked open on an empty magazine, if extra pressure is used on the slide stop. Why I did that, I can’t remember.

 

[kbm6893]

Striker fired or not, I was taught to never let a slide slam forward without chambering a round. When I want to let the slide go forward on an empty mag, I depress the slide lock and guide the slide forward with my hand. Don't see a reason to let it slam forward. Same if there is no mag in the gun.

OP, if you knew the slide will lock back when you retract the slide on an empty mag, why would you think you could pull the slide to the rear and let it go when there is an empty mag in the gun?

Try this, put an empty mag in and lock the slide to the rear. Look in the ejection port at the top of the magazine follower. Hold the slide with your non shooting hand and press the slide lock down with your shooting thumb. See the follower of the mag drop? The follower is what is activating the slide lock, holding the slide open. Pressing down on the slide lock moves the follower down and the slide is free to move forward.

It's your gun and maybe it won't hurt it but I see no benefit to letting the slide fly forward on an empty chamber. I have an EZ 9MM and enjoying it very much, by the way. Enjoy yours.

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

OK I will ask the question about the elephant in the room......I understand stansdds comment about a SA pistol with a tuned action and a very light trigger and the possibility of "hammer bounce" when releasing the slide but why does an empty chamber make a difference? I would think hammer bounce caused by a finely tuned hammer/sear engagement would occur either loaded or empty.

The other elephant is the slingshot vs slide stop debate. I have a 9EZ and know the slide stop is harder to operate to release the slide on an empty magazine but either way the slide is going to slam forward with the same force....that force which is a result of the recoil spring compression being released, which is the same if the chamber is loaded or empty.

Have I stirred the pot enough??