M&Piece of Shield

[M&Petey]

I just sent my 9mm shield back for the fourth time. (Correction= 5th time)
It has had issues with failure to extract since day one . No matter the type of ammo it will at some point fail be it the first shot of the day or number 250 .

I have read of this issue going back to 2013 and wish to know if anyone experiencing this issue has had it resolved.


The worst thing about this whole issue is , I really like this pistol. It points well . I shoot it very well and simply enjoy it right up to the moment it fails.

It was intended to be my EDC but for obvious reasons this pistol is worthless to me.

Additionally: I am quite disappointed in S&W . Both their inability to resolve this matter and the lack of integrity their staff has exhibited in dealing with his issue.
Example: The last time my Shield failed. It both had an FTExtract and the trigger mechanism locked up = pistol rendered completely inoperable .

S&W simply shipped it back without telling me what was done and what had gone wrong. After calling and speaking to the CSR I was told they replaced the slide assembly but still no explanation as to why the trigger group locked up.... Not exactly confidence inspiring.

I own many pistols of various makes .
Never have I had a pistol give me so much trouble.

This is my seventh S&W and likely my last. (Correction= 6th)

Yes this has turned into a micro rant, but I wish to know if anyone has had this issue resolved and how.

Thank you & Happy Shootin!
M&Petey

 

[Colonel]

Sorry you are having these issues.
Sometimes you just get a lemon and need to dump it. There have been many reports of perfect Shields in all calibers from day one and onward. Problem firearms are frustrating and can be expensive running ammo through it making sure it's reliable and shipping it back and forth to the manufacture. Not often, but over the decades, I got a lemon, but cut my loses and moved on.
Hopefully it all works out for you.

 

[clarkg1124]

If this pistol were mine,I would have insisted on a replacement by now.That may be the only way to set things right.
Clark

 

[M&Petey]

If this pistol were mine,I would have insisted on a replacement by now.That may be the only way to set things right.
Clark

Although not stated in the first part of my post , Didn't want to get too lengthy, I had requested a replacement. I believe that is the reason for S&W not contacting me prior to any repairs as promised by Kate F the CSR supervisor. A later phone conversation with her , I was told if the issue persisted to contact her and she would have it replaced. Now she tells me , the lead tech will inspect it and if the firearm is found to be "in SPEC" no repairs will be made. All very underhanded to me. I have emailed the Pres of S&W regarding this matter and all that has transpired= Crickets.

Yes indeed , it is time to cut my loses . I have a problem selling a pistol that has issues..Yet I'm not in a position ,financially, to just throw it the back of the safe and forget about it. That's what S&W would like me to do.....Life time warranty = Ok
A lifetime of warranty = Not OK.

Problem is what next? in CA we have few choices for compact 9mm pistols .
Another S&W is out of the question.

Still , I would like to know if anyone else experiencing this problem has had it resolved and what was done.

HAppy SHootin!
Petey

 

[swsig]

In the first 3800 rounds with my Shield 9, I had 27 failures to eject or feed. Some were due to a defective recoil spring assembly, but they continued after that was fixed. During this period, I noticed my ejector had a wobble to it, and sent my Shield back to S&W to check it out. They pronounced my wobble to be in spec , and sent it back without repair. I continued to have failures after that, but eventually, I got my Shield to run 1000 rounds without an issue. However, I had yet another FTE, which motivated me to rent a Shield .45. It was so obviously superior to the 9 in every way, that I bought one, tossed my 9 onto the shelf, and haven't looked back.

My advice: Ask S&W if they could substitute a Shield .45 for your lemon 9.

 

[M&Petey]

In the first 3800 rounds with my Shield 9, I had 27 failures to eject or feed. Some were due to a defective recoil spring assembly, but they continued after that was fixed. During this period, I noticed my ejector had a wobble to it, and sent my Shield back to S&W to check it out. They pronounced my wobble to be in spec , and sent it back without repair. I continued to have failures after that, but eventually, I got my Shield to run 1000 rounds without an issue. However, I had yet another FTE, which motivated me to rent a Shield .45. It was so obviously superior to the 9 in every way, that I bought one, tossed my 9 onto the shelf, and haven't looked back.

My advice: Ask S&W if they could substitute a Shield .45 for your lemon 9.[/QUOTE]

Happy to hear your swap worked out for ya... At this point I don't think S&W is going to do anything . As for a .45 , I don't want anything new that I don't already have ammo for....and guess what , I have never owned a .45....maybe I should.

Thanks for the thought.

Happy SHootin!
Petey

 

[Groundhog34]

Best advice I can give is keep blasting them on all the gun forums until they relent and give you a replacement pistol. It seems to me that it would have been cheaper for S&W to have done that rather than spending the tech's time and freight but what do I know.

 

[ontargetagain]

You seem to be very understanding and very patient, S&W can't ask for a better customer than that considering the issues you have experienced and delays in using your Shield.
Since you own other brands as well as seven Smiths no doubt you have experienced a few issues with some of the others that likely worked themselves out yet you have one 'problem child' that is yet to be right.
I don't know the logistics of issuing you a new gun, might be a bunch of red tape to go through on that? Perhaps you can find the right person at S&W to hear out your story as well as your loyalty and perhaps they can offer a 'loyalty voucher' that basically equates to most of the cost of new gun and they can keep your loyalty and allow you to purchase another Smith?

Other alternative since you really like the gun as most of us do that own Shields ( I own a Shield 45) is to take it to a legitimate gunsmith to evaluate. And if he/she can determine the cause for failure and fix it for an acceptable amount you could have that completed and then attempt to get a reimbursement from S&W or simply enjoy your gun and move on though I realize it would be difficult for S&W to earn your business again unfortunately.

There isn't a whole lot of complexity to gun like the Shield to a true gunsmith............I bet it is fixable or at least diagnosable Could it be as simple as faulty magazines?
Already mentioned but you might like to try the 45 LOL
Karl

 

[swsig]

...At this point I don't think S&W is going to do anything . As for a .45 , I don't want anything new that I don't already have ammo for. ...
Petey

I hope they will do something for you. If you want to stick with a 9mm, maybe they'll give you credit toward an M&P 9 compact. I have a M&P 40 compact with nearly 10,000 rounds through it, and it has been exceedingly reliable (and accurate). It has been my EDC for the past 2 1/2 years. If the 9 compact is anything like the 40, you'll really like it. It is only slightly larger than the Shield 9, but it carries 50% more rounds.

Good Luck!

 

[M&Petey]

Karl,
I must be the luckiest pistol owner in the world sans this shield. All my pistols have performed as well as any one could wish. Never a hitch...each and everyone will digest any ammo I feed it and not so much as hiccup.
( never tried steel stuff nor will) I have a great preference for the XD in .40 and love my XDS . oh wait , I don't have an xds any longer = the wife fired it and well...the rest is history.

As for the real issue with the gun . I have told S&W several times , I feel there is too much tension on the extractor . This is causing the rim to be smashed as the slide comes forward and little if anything to grab so it can extract and eject. Just a thought.

Oh Ya , as for my being patient...I was . Up until the CSR said something .....then I told her a thing or two about lacking integrity. Probably didn't score any points there. But Hey , I'm the one they're pooping on.

We'll see what happens.

Happy Shootin To ALL!
Petey

 

[ThrowinRocks]

S&W's way of saying it's the owner not the gun? LOL

 

[SATX]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear her that. Have had two 9 Shields for years with many trouble free rounds down range over several years. I like mine so much, I just picked up the 40 and 45.

 

[BigDog48]

Wow. You must've a dark cloud over your head.

Frankly, it is hard for me to understand how you could have all those problems. I have a Shield 9 and a Shield 45, and both have been flawless, except for the 45's tendency to have an occasional round "nose dive" if I don't pack the magazines tight by slamming them on my palm before shooting, but I do that 99 times out of 100 with a pistol.

Sorry for your pain, that's unbelievable. You said you had 7 S&Ws. What are the others and what is your experience with them?

 

[bigfutz]

Life time warranty = Ok
A lifetime of warranty = Not OK.

Classic! I will quote you on that one.

 

[ontargetagain]

As for the real issue with the gun . I have told S&W several times , I feel there is too much tension on the extractor . This is causing the rim to be smashed as the slide comes forward and little if anything to grab so it can extract and eject. Just a thought.

Maybe you could find someone to exchange slides with just to try?
I have nothing at all against Springfield its just I don't do well with grip safeties and the Shield just seems to be made for my hand grip style in a semi as I am more a dedicated revolver guy

Since I love to tinker and a challenge it would be great to figure out your issue but I am not a gunsmith and I don't imagine you live anywhere near me?
Karl

 

[Funflyer]

As for the real issue with the gun . I have told S&W several times , I feel there is too much tension on the extractor . This is causing the rim to be smashed as the slide comes forward and little if anything to grab so it can extract and eject. Just a thought.

Smashed rim? You're going to have to post a pic of one of these casings so we can see what you're seeing.

 

[M&Petey]

Smashed rim? You're going to have to post a pic of one of these casings so we can see what you're seeing.

Here you go... Sorry for the poor quality... I sent it to S&W with the pistol last time it failed.

 

[M&Petey]

Here you go... Sorry for the poor quality... I sent it to S&W with the pistol last time it failed.

Last time I sent it back , it was locked up , had multiple FTE's and Busting primers ....all thanks to the wonderful techs at S&W. Best thing about that failure is , It didn't happen while I was shooting = The RSO was giving it a go and I was standing right beside him when it happened.

See left side of rim where the 9mm stamp is= Gone.

 

[ontargetagain]

Assumptions:
You are shooting factory ammo?
You have tried more than one brand of ammo?

Curious, with the barrel out, taking multiple rounds will they easily plunk down in the chamber with the rim flush or slightly below the hood of the barrel?? These are not +P rounds are they??
Karl

 

[mtnwinds]

I'm also curious. Is that a reload? If so, it could be a hot load kept the brass expanded against the chamber walls and forced the extractor to rip the rim off.

If not a reload, does it do the same with other factory ammo?