M&P SHIELD 0.40 CALIBER MAGAZINE DROP PROBLEM POLL

[CJWig]

Got my three mags back from S&W today. They had the bump outdent, which was measured at a 0.010 to 0.015" outdent. I shot 200 rounds today and the small mags did well. The large mag started dropping after about 4 or 5 mag loads. BTW, I have already replaced mag release. Trying to decide whether to bump out further myself or just send this mag to them out of principle.

 

[RobsTV]

Received my DXY3xxx today and did thorough cleaning and inspection. Mags fit tight with a noticeable hard snap in place. Great! To the range.

Shot 150 rounds. Poorly aligned sights and groups. I usually take 5 handguns when I shoot, and 3" to 4"" groups at 25 yards is normal, even from $150 Hi-Point 9's and 40. Had to go to ten yard range and then did get 3" groups, but all were about 4" high and 4" left.

Recoil was nothing, but this replaces a Radom P64 9x18 mak9 with a snappy recoil, and I also regularly shoot a S&W 500, so probably not a good judge of lower recoil.

After about 60 rounds, the magazines no longer snapped in tight and barely seemed to lock in place, which of course led to the mag drop. Both mags dropping almost every shot. I might have done the dimple thing, but with sights also needing work, back it will go.

In today's Internet world, I was well aware of a possible mag drop problem with the 40, so it does not bother me that it needs to go back. I expected as much. The accuracy thing does surprise me though. With mass production there will always be a few bad ones that get through. I'm sure they will correct that as well.

 

[CJWig]

Hey Rob - good review of mag catch measurements. I couldn't help but notice the number "2" embossed on your mag catch. When I first called S&W, they sent me a new mag catch. The old one was embossed "1" and the new was "2". Both mag catches measured identically and as predicted mag catch "2" also failed and I got dropped mags. I couldn't figure out was different about series "2" catches. My problem is now partially solved with the outdented mags modified by S&W. I shot 200 rounds and the short mags worked fine but the longer mag started dropping on mag load 4 or 5. I measured the outdent vs base and it seems to be outdented about 0.015". I agree with your assessment and am going to rework these mags another 0.015" to get a total outdent of about 0.030". You'd think someone that designs guns could get the easy part right.

 

[Gunmeisters]

More problems with Mag drop!!! PRE-DETONATION DANGEROUS BEAWARE

The shield .40 cal is in my opinion a nice semi-auto pistol. I swear by the MP line. However since my initial issues with the magazine falling out during cycling another customer began having the same issues. I sent both firearms back to S&W they stated they had no knowledge of this issue? At any rate last Sunday a customer called me an told me he had a big problem. He advised me that his shield exploded in his hand while firing. He explained that near the 2nd or 3rd last rounds the mag began to slip/fall. He pushed it back up and went to fire. He stated he pulled the trigger and the slide came back to eject spent case. At that time the magazine came out a short distance causing the next live round to center up with the bullet ram. Causing pre mature ignition of the bullet between the upper frame and lower resulting in a massive explosion. The man that was shooting the firearm is scared to death to shoot again,.He is 68 years old and has owned many firearms over the years and has had not a single accident up until this point.

 

[Bierliebhaber]

I kind of figured, since no gun stores in my area were receiving .40 Shields, that they had probably halted production of that specific gun. At least until the issue is resolved, and new tooling acquired for further production. NTM everyone working on getting caught up repairing/altering all the erroneous .40's sold. -Conjecture, but possible.

 

[team sidewinder]

Glad I own the shield 9 but S&W better get their heads out of their ___ on this one before they have some real legal problems.

 

[805moparkid]

Got my three mags back from S&W today. They had the bump outdent, which was measured at a 0.010 to 0.015" outdent. I shot 200 rounds today and the small mags did well. The large mag started dropping after about 4 or 5 mag loads. BTW, I have already replaced mag release. Trying to decide whether to bump out further myself or just send this mag to them out of principle.

put a peice of electrical tape on the back side so that the mag cant move back and out of contact...

 

[Krs123]

Mag dropper back from S&W

I sent my Shield 40 in a few weeks ago (Serial # DXX), as it dropped mags. I just recived it back from smith and wesson today. The packing slip stated:

Customer complaint: Magazine catch

Repaired: Replace Mag
Repaired: Range tested/Meets Spec

I marked my mags and they are the same ones i sent in, but my mags do have the new dimple in each of the mags. I will be going to the range to test fire in the near future to test the gun out.

Why they didn't say "fixed magazines" rather than "replaced magazines" is what gets me. They werent replaced.

 

[805moparkid]

The shield .40 cal is in my opinion a nice semi-auto pistol. I swear by the MP line. However since my initial issues with the magazine falling out during cycling another customer began having the same issues. I sent both firearms back to S&W they stated they had no knowledge of this issue? At any rate last Sunday a customer called me an told me he had a big problem. He advised me that his shield exploded in his hand while firing. He explained that near the 2nd or 3rd last rounds the mag began to slip/fall. He pushed it back up and went to fire. He stated he pulled the trigger and the slide came back to eject spent case. At that time the magazine came out a short distance causing the next live round to center up with the bullet ram. Causing pre mature ignition of the bullet between the upper frame and lower resulting in a massive explosion. The man that was shooting the firearm is scared to death to shoot again,.He is 68 years old and has owned many firearms over the years and has had not a single accident up until this point.

ive been thinking about a good answer for this all day and this is what i came up with...

Everyone will agree that the shield is an AWESOME gun when i full working order...

issues that seem to happen are FTF, Mag Drops, and Explosions...

so with that its ALL CENTERED AROUND THE MAGS... this is a new gun that were working the bugs out on... not a big deal... but instead of everyone crying about it try to fix it. ive spent a couple hours at least playing will tape on the mags for the best fit, waiting for the mag springs to come into stock so i can play with length and tension (which i think is the issue besides the bump)...

As i said before this not some big mystery... lets all put down the tissues and figure this out...

(not directed at Quoted poster)

 

[CJWig]

New wrinkle from Dave at S&W customer service. I called about my new long dimpled mag that is dropping and my two shorties are fine. I explained that the mag release was changed about a month ago. He wants the gun back because he says there is a new mag release that requires the hole to be bored out. My original mag release was embossed "1" and the new one is "2".

Does anyone know anything about a larger mag release that is being added? My original and second one are the same size. Is there really a third mag release or am I getting some BS. I really am tempted to outdent the long mag another .015, which will probably solve the problem.

 

[bonjorno2]

DXY serial number almost 100 rds no magazine drop in either magazine... test fired from the factory on the 31st of Aug. Also no dimple on my magazines

 

[805moparkid]

something that got lost in the breeze was the new mag catch. i took a look and was unable to find if the #1 cast catches were different than #2 or #4.

another thing that was mentioned was a sharp feed ramp. has anybody played with that yet? does it need shaping or just a polish?

 

[COD49]

TARNISHED REPUTATION

Well here we go again! My shield is at the factory for the magazine scourge. The Chinese fire drill continues. Instead of doing the right thing and issue a recall, the defective 40 Cal. pistol is still being sold buy the dealers knowing full well of the magazine problem. While the dealers are silent just like S&W, I am sure they will be quick to tell you why they are offering a low ball price when you attempt to trade it . I mean if you wanted to sell it today, would it come with a hammer,punch,and a roll of electrical tape? I mean S&W, this is not a NASA project. They at least from they most recent posts are still working on the solution. Standard magazine, dimpled magazine, new magazine, new magazine release, now a larger magazine release that requires drilling. I have been purchasing S&W pistols for over 40 years and this will be my last.

 

[bonjorno2]

how much did they offer you for a trade 200? When was your's test fired?

 

[805moparkid]

picked up a white box 180 grain ball and Magtech 180 Grain ball, see if it likes those... will report wensday...

would be tomorrow but waiting for my new mags for my officers 45 to come in...

 

[COD49]

how much did they offer you for a trade 200? When was your's test fired?

My .40 Shield lot number DXV, was test fired on 6/19/12. I did not have it appraised, but I would think $200-$250 would be in the ball park on a dealer trade. The problem being with this .40 cal. Model, would you even want to get involved with this pistol and have it disappoint one of your customers if you took it in on a trade? With over 15,000 hits on this site, knowledge of the problem is quite apparent now and I anticipate it will affect private sales also.

 

[Lost Lake]

Is the Shield still gun of the year material?

 

[KidTwist]

Is it me or does it seem like everytime you call smith and wesson customer service the person you speak to sounds like they don't give a sh*t? I have to say thus far i am not too impressed with their CS.

 

[Gaelicdog]

Ok, Now I am really confused.
I absolutely agree, WTH?
So is the problem with the magazines or the releases, or what?

Didn't mark my original magazines and the new one's have the dimple.

50 round through it and NO DROPS.

Now another question to muddy the waters further. What if I were to switch clips with someone who's had the mag catch replaced and their gun uses the smooth clips? Would those clips drop out of mine. I used to be a police officer and our weapons were required to be identical in case we needed to exchange ammo/clips. This could be a horrible issue somewhere down the road.

 

[robkarrob]

Just and update to my post around three weeks ago. I has posted that I got a reply from the S&W executive and his reply was that he would investigate the issue and get back with me.

Since I had not heard back from him, I sent a reply back to him a few day ago. I asked what he had found out regarding the mag drop issue? Will keep you posted.

Bob

 

[Prometriclives]

.40 cal with 600 rounds no problems till. Last week. The gun now drops mag on every round. The issue is to me is the mags, they are undersized and rotate inside the mag well. What I did is measure with calipers the top and bottom opening 1.206 inches. I machined a piece of steel to fit inside the mag. Then took another 20 thousands off the top. I inserted the piece of steel and hammered out the mag to fatten up the sides to take out the twisting action. This worked but still. A few drops, and still a little twist. I then took scotch tape to theback side of the mag. I first put 1 piece the entire length then a shorter piece and so on. I used a total of 6 pieces of tape to create a wedge from the bottom up. I insert the map and guess what... No twist in the mag. I went to the range and ran 50 rds of PPU 180gr and 50 rds of mag tech 165 gr and absolutely no issues. If you think about it the mag is sloppy to begin with. Now when you wrap your finger around the bottom of the extended mag you tend to rotate the mag to the left. When you do this you are rotating the mag off of the catch release. I truly believe the problem is the sloppy magazine.

 

[RobsTV]

put a peice of electrical tape on the back side so that the mag cant move back and out of contact...

I have seen you suggest this a few times, so while waiting for my return shipping label, I will give your fix a try tonight and post back with results. It does feel a tad tighter, but not holding out much hope.

 

[TMAXXII]

are you saying that you can't buy a gun and give it to a friend as a gift?

When you purchase a gun in Louisiana the first question on the form is: Are you purchasing this gun for yourself. If you answer no, the sale will never go through. However, when I bought my first Glock, I had a friend that was a cop and he purchased it for me with his discount. We then transferrred ownership to me legally using the form off the State Police website. I was worried that he would get trouble and he said that all he has to say is that he did not like the gun and in Louisiana there no gun returns.

 

[TMAXXII]

.40 cal with 600 rounds no problems till. Last week. The gun now drops mag on every round. The issue is to me is the mags, they are undersized and rotate inside the mag well. What I did is measure with calipers the top and bottom opening 1.206 inches. I machined a piece of steel to fit inside the mag. Then took another 20 thousands off the top. I inserted the piece of steel and hammered out the mag to fatten up the sides to take out the twisting action. This worked but still. A few drops, and still a little twist. I then took scotch tape to theback side of the mag. I first put 1 piece the entire length then a shorter piece and so on. I used a total of 6 pieces of tape to create a wedge from the bottom up. I insert the map and guess what... No twist in the mag. I went to the range and ran 50 rds of PPU 180gr and 50 rds of mag tech 165 gr and absolutely no issues. If you think about it the mag is sloppy to begin with. Now when you wrap your finger around the bottom of the extended mag you tend to rotate the mag to the left. When you do this you are rotating the mag off of the catch release. I truly believe the problem is the sloppy magazine.

I put my own bump on my long mag and 600 rounds later no drops. But, I still thought the mag was too loose compared say my Glocks, so I took the magazine apart soaked it in oil, I then cleaned the outside of mag with alcohol, then wire brushed it with my dremel to rough up the mag finish. I then sprayed the outside with liquid plastic. It added about .020" to the mag. I cleaned the inside of the mag, reassembled it and took it to the range. the mag fit great and 300 rounds later the coating held up okay, still no drops. I then removed the plastic coating and repeated everything I did the first time except, this time I dipped it in liquid Polystyrene Copolymer, back to the range and 400 rounds later, perfection. If I did not mention it before I am the V.P. of a plastic custom parts shop. Anyways it worked. I emailed Glock and seeing I know their repair department fairly well I asked what the coating was on their mags. No answer yet. I am toying with putting on a baked finish, I am just waiting on another extended mag I got off Ebay. I also coated the short mag as well. When I have perfected the finish I going to post it on Youtube and send one to Smith & Wesson and see if they are interested in getting their mags coated or at least steal my idea. I also fixed the feed problem and the HST ammo feeds great now. Don't you just love having to build your own gun after spending $ 400.00?

 

[805moparkid]

I put my own bump on my long mag and 600 rounds later no drops. But, I still thought the mag was too loose compared say my Glocks, so I took the magazine apart soaked it in oil, I then cleaned the outside of mag with alcohol, then wire brushed it with my dremel to rough up the mag finish. I then sprayed the outside with liquid plastic. It added about .020" to the mag. I cleaned the inside of the mag, reassembled it and took it to the range. the mag fit great and 300 rounds later the coating held up okay, still no drops. I then removed the plastic coating and repeated everything I did the first time except, this time I dipped it in liquid Polystyrene Copolymer, back to the range and 400 rounds later, perfection. If I did not mention it before I am the V.P. of a plastic custom parts shop. Anyways it worked. I emailed Glock and seeing I know their repair department fairly well I asked what the coating was on their mags. No answer yet. I am toying with putting on a baked finish, I am just waiting on another extended mag I got off Ebay. I also coated the short mag as well. When I have perfected the finish I going to post it on Youtube and send one to Smith & Wesson and see if they are interested in getting their mags coated or at least steal my idea. I also fixed the feed problem and the HST ammo feeds great now. Don't you just love having to build your own gun after spending $ 400.00?

do tell on the feed issue!

 

[COD49]

SHIELD 40

I received notification that my .40 Shield has been shipped from S&W repair. I anticipate that it will function reliably. With all of the discussion on the magazines and magazine release being the problem, is that the only reason for the problem. Could it be that certain lots of the Shield 40 had a magazine well in the frame that is out of spec. This would cause the loose fitting magazines and the failure of the magazine release to properly engage the magazine?

 

[Julianpruitt]

You can't accurately say 2/3 of the general public are having the issue based on this forum (I know you stated "in this forum"). Statistics show that people that are having a problem with a product are more likely to "review" or "rate" it... or in this case, come on a forum and complain. If you are not experiencing a problem, you are a less likey to come on here and post that everything is fine.

I am sure of lot of people having the issue come on these forums for the first time in search of a solution.

That being sad, there is clearly a problem, and it is not uncommon. S&W has really dropped the ball on this and needs to put forth a full on effort to resolve the issue as soon as possible. There are a lot of unhappy customers out there because of this...

The best way to get a more accurate count would be to poll Shield owners at the LSR.

I see what you mean about first having the problem then finding the forum. However, quite a few posts I've read suggest some potential Shield buyers have come to this forum and are not getting a Shield because of the problem reports.

 

[Julianpruitt]

Same problem

I noticed the problem with my Shield 40 from day 1. I thought it was my thumb hitting the mag release while firing. So I made an effort to keep my thumb out of the way. It still happened. I called S&W and they sent me a shipping label to send it back for repair.
I think this is a quality issue. Maybe the demand for the pistol could not be met quickly enough and some corners were cut. Scary thought, but other problems I noticed with my Shield suggest this to me. The front sight was noticeably too far to the left. And also, the right white dot on the front sight actually fell out after about 200 - 250 rounds.
I sent it to S&W 2days ago, I'll post the results when I get it back.

 

[805moparkid]

another range day!

so far no mag drops and this is 100 rounds...

so here is what we had... #,#,# means out of each mag

Both 180grain ball

on the 7 round Mag FTF FTE
Magtech Ammo 0 0
Winchester Ammo 1,0 0

on the 6 round Mag FTF FTE
MagTech 1,0,0,0 0
Winchester 0

so notes...

the slide release is really loosening up, FTF went from 1 or 2 on every mag to 2 for 50 rounds, which is a Very big improvement... i think before i mess with the mags more i will just have to throw more rounds down range, just needs to be broke in... Also i thought the Magtech ammo was more accurate, but the Winchester had more kick so it might have more punch behind it...

 

[espresso junky]

I was hoping my Shield 40 was not a dropper but it wasn't so . Took it out to the range today for the 1st time and it ran flawless with the shorter mag. Didn't have any problems with the longer mag until after about 50 rounds. Then the extended mag would drop every shot with occasional FTE and FTF. Swap back to shorter magazine with out any problem. It is obvious that the problem is with the magazine since there is SO much wiggle/movement when inserted. I figured let Smith and Wesson deal with it instead of trying to bump out magazine myself. Seems logical if more people sent in their gun instead of trying to fix it themselves, Smith and Wesson might realize this is a wide spread problem. Mine is a DXX--- series with test shot in 6/12 so it might just be a quality control problem with later production. So disappointed that I want to get the Shield 9mm but only if I could find one!!