M&P9 Shield Binding Magazine Follower

[gsparesa]

I decided to clean all four of my Shield magazines. This was the first time I decided to clean the magazines for the shield after owning it for almost a year. Three of the magazines cleaned without any unusual notations. One of the magazines was different than the rest because the follower did not free fall all the way down the magazine tube after it was cleaned. The follower stopped approximately where two rounds are left in the magazine. The binding was not great enough to stop the magazine spring from pushing the follower down the tube when I reassembled the magazine. I have noticed more pronounced magazine forming marks on this magazine tube as compared to the other magazines. If the binding is great enough (higher friction) does the round timing get affected? This is the first magazine in all the pistols that I own which has a binding follower in the magazine. Have any of you experienced followers binding in your magazines?

 

[Ballistic147]

Since the follower slides smoothly down most of the length of the magazine I would suspect that at the point of friction there is a tight spot due to a dent or ding in tube in that area. I would look really closely at the tube to see if you can spot the problem. Either way, that mag would be clearly marked and kept for range use only.

 

[Shield9mm]

have you had any malfunction or issue with it? if not just leave it alone and don't worry about it.

 

[Saudade]

If it ain't broke.......

If you see evidence of rub marks, you can gently sand down the follower. Sometimes there some flashing left from the mold. As Ballistic147 suggests, look for dings on the mag body.

Otherwise, just shoot with it. Any slight binding will likely cure itself.

 

[gsparesa]

I decided to give it a thorough cleaning because it has a FTE problem. The spent round is horizontally stove piping. If Photobucket was operational, I would post pictures. The photo I have shows the spent case hung in the ejection port as though I have a double barrel pistol. The problem has always been lurking with the pistol, with a failure rate of 1 or 2 rounds out of 100. On the last range outing with my wife, the FTE intensity increased to 4 rounds and my wife had two rounds that hit her in the face. So, I decided to detail strip the pistol and magazines and re-test before contacting S&W. The detail strip included disassembling the firing pin assembly and the extractor. I did notice that the extractor spring was not a smooth coil of wire but rather a coil of wire with penning marks on the wire. I also scrubbed and polished the chamber but did not touch the feed ramp. I believe the extractor is letting loose of the spent case before it has a chance to strike the ejector. The ejector is loose with an up/down and forwarded/reverse movement. This is probably the reason for the spent cases in my wife's face. Oddly though, when the FTE happens, I shoot another two magazines and the FTE problem and cases to the face does not materialize. Give the little pistol back to her and sooner or later, BAM an FTE.

 

[Bish1309]

One way to troubleshoot the problem is you could swap the follower with one from a different mag and see if the problem stays with the mag or stays with the follower. That way you can isolate the problem to one or the other item.

 

[Ballistic147]

This is probably the reason for the spent cases in my wife's face. Oddly though, when the FTE happens, I shoot another two magazines and the FTE problem and cases to the face does not materialize. Give the little pistol back to her and sooner or later, BAM an FTE.

IMO what you are describing tells me your wife is limp wristing it. If the problem is persistent with her but not with you that normally indicates shooter error and not a gun issue. The Shield is known to have FTE's when the shooter limp wrists it.

 

[gsparesa]

One way to troubleshoot the problem is you could swap the follower with one from a different mag and see if the problem stays with the mag or stays with the follower. That way you can isolate the problem to one or the other item.

Already did that and the problem follows the mag tube. Thanks.

 

[gsparesa]

Here are the pics: (postimage.org)

Follower Stoppage

Magazine Form Marks

Stove Pipe FTE

 

[gsparesa]

IMO what you are describing tells me your wife is limp wristing it. If the problem is persistent with her but not with you that normally indicates shooter error and not a gun issue. The Shield is known to have FTE's when the shooter limp wrists it.

The next time I shoot the pistol, I'm holding it "girly-man" style and see it that triggers the problem. I'm just not sure what limp wrist looks like? But "girly-man" looks like this: