M&P 9 Shield Slide Stop Difficult

[M&P_313]

I have the same problem with my M&P-9c.. the problem with trying to "break it in" is that it feels too brutal to do it in the first place. I've considered getting a fine gun smithing stone (that I plan on using for my trigger job) and maybe polishing on the catch a little.. But then again, Ive never used one in the first place, just seems convenient since it's there. This is only my 2nd pistol to have an external slide-stop

 

[Sarg88]

As mentioned in numerous posts above, its not wrong to use the stop as the release nor will it hurt the gun. All the posts I've read and my gun included say the same thing about how hard it is to use as a release but after time and if you wish some careful polishing, it will lighten up some... If you choose to lighten it up yourself I recommend using a dremel with a polishing wheel and some metal polishing compound. Only hit the sides of the locking bar and slide itself. Do not round any edges or shorten up the tab on the locking bar...
I've polished all the metal to metal surfaces on the inside of my Shield and keep them lightly oiled. Apex Duty/Carry trigger job and polishing made this gun smooth as silk with a trigger pull of around 4.5lbs.

 

[Rastoff]

This is only my 2nd pistol to have an external slide-stop

What pistol has an internal slide stop?

 

[Bkreutz]

I think your idea about a stone for the slide lock is good, I don't like using power tools to "tune" a firearm. I've attached a couple of pictures of my 9c to show the wear areas on the slide lock. Mine was so stiff that I couldn't release it with my right thumb and the thumb from my other hand. I found that there was a little nub of steel from when the part was stamped out. I stoned that nub off. Neither of my FS 9's had that nub so I'm chalking that up to manufacturing error. I wouldn't recommend trying to polish your own trigger unless you are very experienced in doing this. Getting the Apex kit is easier and safer. I didn't change the trigger in my 9c and it's fine for a carry gun. I put the Apex kit into my CORE almost immediately but for reasons other than trigger pull or smoothness. The triggers do smooth out the more you shoot them. And the same could probably be said of the slide lock although I think it would have taken a long time to wear the extra nub off the 9c.

 

[Johnny Dollar]

Its best to use the same method for every gun in case you are forced to use an unfamiliar gun.

+1

I use the pull back and release with my off hand method. I shoot a variety of semi automatic pistols. Their slide locks vary from very easy to release to having to be prepared to use quite a bit of force. Better to get used to using the manual pull back with all of them than fumbling with slide locks that release differently.

 

[fhlail]

9MM Shield

Just got a new M&P 9 Shield. I've put 100 rounds through it.
The Slide Stop is extremely difficult to pull down to release the Slide. I actually have to use both hands.

Anyone else experience this issue?
Is it possible it will become better with more use?

I also have a full size M&P 9, it does not have this issue.

I have the same problem with my Shield. It takes two fingers to release the slide.

 

[ScrapmasterFlex]

So I have "the same problem" with my Shield and incidentially my new M&P22C as well- however this thread details the very important simple fact: it is NOT designed to be used as a "release" lever it is the "Stop" lever - you should be pulling the slide back with your hand and releasing it to chamber the round.

I got the Shield first and noticed it was next to impossible to release the slide with the lever, took two hands, tilted, with the thumbs of both pressing hard and harder. I assumed it was that stiff stiff recoil assembly spring/guide rod etc. Then the same thing is happening with the M&P 22 Compact, which obviously has a much different guide rod assembly. S&W is not making them to be charged by this manner.

I will say, I have had a Glock 23 for coming up on 5 years, and it's simple to use the slide stop to release the slide for charging. Just think about pressing down and you're all good. But this is not a Glock, obviously. As long as you know it needs to be done a certain way, I don't see it as an issue.

Remember the boy who broke his arm and tells the doctor, but doctor it hurts when I raise my arm!!! Doctor says, DONT RRRRAAISE UR ARM Boi!!!

 

[Bud33]

I do NOT recommend fileing, sanding or polishing he slide STOP. This could cause this function to fail and release the slide prematurely!
It is true that the instructions do not say not to use the slide STOP to release the slide but the recommended method is sling shot!

 

[hoc9sw]

Never occurs to me to use the stop to release the slide. My training was to pull back & release. Guess that bit of training sunk in.

 

[shupe13]

Never, really?!?! Where is this pearl of wisdom carved in stone? You may want to tell some of the best competitive and military shooters they are doing it wrong. I have taken classes from several HSLD guys and they all say their preferred method it to use the slide catch. At the same time, they all acknowledged that the sling shot method works fine, it's just slightly slower. In the end, you should use what works best for you, after trying both methods.

True there are prominent slide releases on some autos. S&W M&Ps aren't one of them.

I also spent 23 years in the military (Marines/Army) and pistol instruction was one of many hats. As a part of Primary Marksmanship Instruction you are taught to "release the slide" both during loading and during a functions check. But to specifically release the slide using a slide release? I don't remember that.
I personally taught to "rack" the slide which included "with your weapon pointed safely down range and the slide to the rear, insert one loaded magazine (rounds TBD), pull the slide to the rear and release".

 

[Mountain Walker]

Damn seems like this non-issue gets brought up once a week. First off congrats on the Shield, it's a great gun you'll love it!. With a little search there's probably 10 different threads with the same exact question, also this is covered in the owners manual. The slide lock is not a release and S&W does not recommend using it as a release. Power stoke the slide to get it into battery. Definitely don't polish anything.

This is very good advice! The pressure of the recoil spring on the Shield is extreme. Pay special attention to keep fingers clear of ejection port. If that slide were to release with a finger inside or partially inside the port, a person would be sure to lose a finger or part of a finger.

 

[TacMedic0709]

Felt the same way with mine , was surprising how stout it was. Do the overhand to battery like the other guy said , and keep on shooting it'll losen up some.

 

[SmithMarine]

Rather than ruining your thumbs just grab the slide either sling shot or overhand & pull it back a bit then let it go. I use my slide stop every once in awhile but was taught to do it the way I described. There's a lot of pressure against the stop - the whole recoil spring.

Don't let your slide slam forward unless you're charging the chamber. It's made to go forward with force on a round & not empty space.

+1. This is the best way. Additionally, when doing a reload under pressure with adrenaline flowing, fine motor skills and little levers do not mix. Whole hand pulling back a slide is faster and more sure. Train like you will fight. Assailant's are not slow stationary paper targets either.

 

[SoCalDep]

+1. This is the best way. Additionally, when doing a reload under pressure with adrenaline flowing, fine motor skills and little levers do not mix. Whole hand pulling back a slide is faster and more sure. Train like you will fight. Assailant's are not slow stationary paper targets either.

The trigger is a little lever. It requires fine motor skills.

Landing a fighter plane on an aircraft carrier requires fine motor skills and is kinda life and death...So does landing an airliner full of people in the Hudson river.

Stress can affect fine motor skills...but proper training and inoculation can overcome this. Lack of training doesn't invalidate efficiency...it means you lack training. Utilization of the slide lock/slide release/whatever you want to call it is faster than the overhand rack/powerstroke method in the hands of a trained individual.

Is the overhand method invalid? Nope. It works well across a wide range of handguns and requires far less training to accomplish. If you want to train for maximum speed and efficiency the slide stop/release/whatever is a better way.

 

[1hatchet]

Is the overhand method invalid? Nope. It works well across a wide range of handguns and requires far less training to accomplish. If you want to train for maximum speed and efficiency the slide stop/release/whatever is a better way.[/QUOTE

The Slide Stop Lever is only a Stop and is not a Release on the S&W Shield. This is not to be used as a Release for the slide! Only pulling back on the Slide and releasing it is to be used to Release the Slide.
(By using the Slide Stop Lever as a Release will cause ware on the lever and possible malfunctions in future use.)

 

[SkagSig40]

It is a very bad idea to use the slide stop as a release. For one it slowly rounds out the 2 square edges that mate up in the slide notch and slide stop. And also the "over hand method" is a much more reliable technique to use that is much more intuitive to execute and is much more of a gross motor skill. Here is a very good video that explains this much better then I can:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTt_rq7ikZ4

 

[SoCalDep]

Is the overhand method invalid? Nope. It works well across a wide range of handguns and requires far less training to accomplish. If you want to train for maximum speed and efficiency the slide stop/release/whatever is a better way.[/QUOTE

The Slide Stop Lever is only a Stop and is not a Release on the S&W Shield. This is not to be used as a Release for the slide! Only pulling back on the Slide and releasing it is to be used to Release the Slide.
(By using the Slide Stop Lever as a Release will cause ware on the lever and possible malfunctions in future use.)

It is a slide release...Look at it... There are serrations on the TOP to assist in pushing it down...if it was only a stop it wouldn't have those serrations. Firing the gun will cause wear. Should we not fire it because it might wear out? Maybe we should only use very low powered ammo because those nasty self-defense rounds will wear out the gun.

It is a very bad idea to use the slide stop as a release. For one it slowly rounds out the 2 square edges that mate up in the slide notch and slide stop. And also the "over hand method" is a much more reliable technique to use that is much more intuitive to execute and is much more of a gross motor skill. Here is a very good video that explains this much better then I can:

The browning tilt-barrel locking system slowly rounds out two square edges. So firing the gun will wear it out. Driving a car will wear it out. How many rounds will wear out a slide stop/release? I can tell you I broke the lever (not the actual slide stop which is actually an internal part of the firearm) and it was well over 15,000 rounds on an M&P that was very abused. I have partners with close to 100,000 rounds through their M&Ps with no breakage and we use the slide stop/release constantly. Competitors use the slide stop/release and they shoot thousands of rounds each year.

As for the video... I'll just say I'm not a fan of Pincus for several reasons...After watching the video I will say there are numerous things on which I completely disagree with him.

I have many years experience in law enforcement. I've trained thousands of deputies, officers from participating agencies, state agents, cross trained with the USMC, Army, numerous SWAT/Special Weapons teams, and have trained with some of the top instructors in the industry.

I'm frankly sick and tired of the "just plain wrong" information that's thrown around many forums, and for some reason, this one in particular. Because I'm getting tired of repeating myself, I'm going to simply post a copy of one of my previous posts on this same subject;


S&W reps have stated the slide was designed to automatically go forward when inserting a mag with force...and that the front sight was designed to be lined up with the dots and not the metal outline of the notch/post sights... and the manual says nothing about a perfectly functional and appropriate way to disassemble the firearm because the manufacturer doesn't want to encourage people to do something that would hurt its LE market share.

Anyone who believes a manufacturer's customer service rep can't be wrong has little experience with firearms and with customer service reps.

And I'd like to see S&W tell my agency, one of it's biggest contracts, that we're doing it wrong.

On top of it all, it would be extremely simple to design the part to prohibit the operation as a slide release...if it is in fact inappropriate to release the slide via the slide release/stop, it is a MAJOR flaw in the design of the pistol that an inappropriate act is so easy to accomplish.

Frank Proctor...18yr Army Special Forces and USPSA Grand Master...Doing it wrong?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bV3Qri0RR0

Larry Vickers class...He's a Delta Veteran, one of the best 1911 gunsmiths around (he knows guns), and I don't hear him yelling that they did this wrong...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om0h162TwqE

Here's Travis Haley, a very combat experienced former Force Recon Marine... Is he doing it wrong?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJDp6x3FHsQ

Kyle Defoor, a former Navy SEAL, even puts an extended slide release (it's only serrated on top so if you tell me it's a slide stop you're just dumb and I'll disregard anything else you have to say) on his carry gun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_AccnRORfg

Here's Rob Leatham...Check out about 1:35 if you don't want to watch the whole thing...though you should...but I guess he's doing it wrong too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9F7_8rxJrQ

I'd continue but I think I've made my point.

So...Who do we believe... these guys above or some un-named S&W rep?

If you want to learn to drive a car, do you call a Ford customer service rep or go to a driving school?

I'd say be very wary of what you see on the net...And in fact I'd recommend (it'll do you good) not believing anything you see in the above videos....Go train with THEM...the top people in competition and tactical shooting...and there's more where they came from. I've trained with three of the people in the above videos, so it's not just internet video kung fu.


Train. Make your own decision.

 

[1hatchet]

SoCal read the S&W Shield Manual

 

[SoCalDep]

SoCal read the S&W Shield Manual

Did you learn to drive a car by reading the manual?

 

[1hatchet]

Slow night there deputy?