My thumb joint slaps the Shield mag release button.

[SpringGunTunes]

No matter what I try, my thumb joint slaps the mag release button on my Shield. This causes the magazine to move downward slightly causing the front of the bullet of the next round to get caught on the bottom edge of the feed ramp. The magazine doesn't drop out, it just drops a little.
No matter how I hold the pistol (except one handed) my thumb slaps the button during flip. I thought at first I had ammo the pistol didn't like so I tried many types, but after several trips to the range I found out today what was causing the FTF. I could feel my thumb hit the button every time it jammed.
I love this pistol, but if I can't bet my life on it then it's useless. It's not the pistol, it's the way my hands are made.
What a shame, Ameriglo night sights, Apex prototype sear, (which is the reason I went to the range today to try that out. Awesome!) and five magazines.
Makes me sick to my stomach actually.
I'll be putting it up for sale here soon.
Rob

 

[kodiakpb]

Whoa...hold on man. Are you shooting thumbs up or using a tea cup grip or something? I'm sure this issue could be taken care of with a grip adjustment.

 

[SpringGunTunes]

Thumbs forward, thumbs up (Hickock45 method) thumbs down, thumbs off and thumbs crossed. The ball of my right thumb joint hits the little un-stippled point of the release button that points back toward the back of the slide. Not the oval stippled part of the button.
This happens during flip up. Not while the pistol is at rest or pulling on the trigger.
Can't stop it from happening. It's been happening since I first got the pistol. I just didn't know what it was until today.
Rob

 

[kodiakpb]

Ok, I understand what you are saying. I still maintain it is a grip issue. By that I mean the gun should not be flipping out of your support hand like that. Have you tried some Talon grips or something similar?

 

[SpringGunTunes]

I had some Talon grips. Sandpaper and rubber. Loved them both. Didn't know about this problem until this morning. It happened while I had the rubber grips on a few weeks ago as well. The sandpaper grips are tough to carry under a t-shirt and against my bare skin with an IWB holster.
I'm going to take the pistol apart now for cleaning. I'm looking at using a Dermel tool to remove some of the protruding mag release button where I think my thumb is striking it. I'll have to study this before I alter anything.
Thanks for the input,
Rob

 

[SpringGunTunes]

And the Shield in .40 is a handful to say the least.
Rob

 

[kodiakpb]

Since you are a Smith. Can you get your hands on a 9mm barrel and drop it in?

 

[gnystrom]

Before I would grind on the gun I would decide it this was the gun I wanted to carry. Contact S&W as they had a fix for guns that had a mag release issue. I think it was centered on the 40 cal. guns, and my guess is they just substituted a stronger mag release spring.

 

[SpringGunTunes]

Since you are a Smith. Can you get your hands on a 9mm barrel and drop it in?

Not interested in 9MM.

Before I would grind on the gun I would decide it this was the gun I wanted to carry. Contact S&W as they had a fix for guns that had a mag release issue. I think it was centered on the 40 cal. guns, and my guess is they just substituted a stronger mag release spring.

The mag release button is a replacement part. Besides, I already ground it down. It's metal. I polished and reblued (blacked) it. It now sits below the frame about a millimeter where I was hitting it with my thumb.
Back to the range tomorrow. I'll report my findings.
Thanks everyone for your input,
Rob

 

[SpringGunTunes]

Botton modification.

Here is the modification I did to the magazine release button. It now sits below the frame about a millimeter. I hope this stops the FTF. The range opens at 10:00am.
If not it's going back to S&W.

 

[George9]

SpringGunTunes,
Glad your fix worked for you for the range! But your grip is still wrong if it's not in fact a recalled mag issue. But you should not have had to resorted to changing grinding that as a change in your grip would have fixed the issue.. Unless of cores that the .40 is a bit to much for you to handle.. Not being sarcastic or flaming on you at all.. Just that if you can't find a grip to control that gun that works 100% of the time you really need another gun or caliber as you will never be able to rely on that gun if you need it. I never liked .40's 9mm is fine but my true love is the .45, slower recoil bigger heaver bullet makes the gun push your hand back in a slower way without the snap or flip of a .40 or a 9mm IMO... I still would not trust that gun under stress and in the heat of the moment of a gun fight.. Get something you can control without issue.. George

 

[SpringGunTunes]

It's always the gun, right?

I'm sure this issue could be taken care of with a grip adjustment.

I still maintain it is a grip issue.

But your grip is still wrong if it's not in fact a recalled mag issue.

Are you kidding? Do you know who I am?
"I was born with a gun in my hand".
Why, I was holding a pistol before I could hold a spoon. I had my S&W armorer's license before I could read.
I'm a GUNSMITH for Pete's sake.

GRIP??? GRIP!!!

It was my grip.

I was up late last night thinking about all the times this thing jammed and it dawned on me that most of the time it happened when I was checking accuracy. You see, with a spring powered pellet rifle you always want a loose grip to let the rifle move. That results in more accuracy.
But that couldn't be it. A loose grip results in stovepipe every single time. Right? I mean I read it on the Internet man!

So, here's what happened today at the range...
I loaded the first mag and just let 'er rip. No jams. I stapled a target to the cardboard and sent it out 20 feet. If you notice the front sight in my picture I used a silver pencil to mark where my front sight was in case I wanted to adjust it. Zeroed in on the target and "BAM JAM". See the picture.
Curse words, foot stomping, fit of rage, tears and grief. Head down.
Then the light bulb came on over my head. I reloaded all my mags and held a rock solid grip. 35 rounds and not one FTF. Loaded them all again. 35 rounds and not one FTF.
Loaded them all again and held the pistol looser...JAM! Almost every time...JAM.
Loaded 300 rounds and with a firm grip not one single failure. And I'm shooting Federal HST 180 grain aggressive hollow points. Not one single failure with a firm grip. Even with my thumb right against the mag release button.

So, I stand corrected. Let this be a lesson to everyone... Don't believe everything you read on the Internet and listen to people who are trying to help you.

Thank you everyone for your help.

...Now, about FrogLube..........

 

[George9]

Are you kidding? Do you know who I am?
My dad used a .38 Special round on my mom as a french tickler the night I was conceived. He lost it in there and as I developed in my mom so did the bullet and when I was born, "I was born with a gun in my hand".
Why, I was holding a pistol before I could hold a spoon. I had my S&W armorer's license before I could read.
I'm a GUNSMITH for Pete's sake.

GRIP??? GRIP!!!

It was my grip.

I was up late last night thinking about all the times this thing jammed and it dawned on me that most of the time it happened when I was checking accuracy. You see, with a spring powered pellet rifle you always want a loose grip to let the rifle move. That results in more accuracy.
But that couldn't be it. A loose grip results in stovepipe every single time. Right? I mean I read it on the Internet man!

So, here's what happened today at the range...
I loaded the first mag and just let 'er rip. No jams. I stapled a target to the cardboard and sent it out 20 feet. If you notice the front sight in my picture I used a silver pencil to mark where my front sight was in case I wanted to adjust it. Zeroed in on the target and "BAM JAM". See the picture.
Curse words, foot stomping, fit of rage, tears and grief. Head down.
Then the light bulb came on over my head. I reloaded all my mags and held a rock solid grip. 35 rounds and not one FTF. Loaded them all again. 35 rounds and not one FTF.
Loaded them all again and held the pistol looser...JAM! Almost every time...JAM.
Loaded 300 rounds and with a firm grip not one single failure. And I'm shooting Federal HST 180 grain aggressive hollow points. Not one single failure with a firm grip. Even with my thumb right against the mag release button.

So, I stand corrected. Let this be a lesson to everyone... Don't believe everything you read on the Internet and listen to people who are trying to help you.

Thank you everyone for your help.

...Now, about FrogLube..........

Guessing Mr. T "for tickler" ? Man who in there right mind would post such a thing? Well glad it worked out for you! G

 

[Nakanokalronin]

I'm not sure about recently production models, but my 9mm Shield mag release button was very sensitive, too sensitive really. I never dropped mags, but it was definitely too light to the touch.

 

[SpringGunTunes]

I'm just giddy over the fact that I don't have to send my Shield back to S&W. I was like a silly kid when I found out what the problem really was.
I'm cleaning it right now. Tried Frog Lube. This is the third cleaning since I started using Frog Lube. I have seasoned the pistol each time but this will be the last.
The first time I completely stripped all the petroleum out with automobile Mass Air Flow Sensor Spray Cleaner by CRC from my local auto parts store. Harmless to all plastics. Spray then blow out with compressed air and repeat until no oil comes out of the action. I preheat my wife's oven to 170 degrees F. Then I use a clean Teflon coated square pan to put the parts in. 170 degrees isn't going to hurt any plastic. That stuff is injection molded at many hundreds of degrees.
Then I heat the gun parts then coat everything with Frog Lube CLP paste and put it back in the oven for fifteen minutes. Then take it back out and wipe everything down with a microfiber cloth. I use medical Q-Tips that don't leave any lint and wipe out every nook and cranny. I use the liquid CLP to get into the hinge points of the sear and trigger. A little is plenty. I put a little liquid CLP on the points recommended in the Shield owner's manual.
The cleanup after shooting is fairly easy. First wipe everything you can with the microfiber cloth. The Frog Lube liquid CLP is a fantastic cleaner if nothing else. An old clean tooth brush works great to get in the corners and is good to scrub with. I get everything completely clean.
Then I heat the pistol in the oven again. I take it out and cover everything with the paste CLP using a clean toothbrush. Then it goes back into the oven for about fifteen minutes. Then wipe down as before.
I think three seasonings is more than enough. I called Frog Lube customer service and the guy assured me once was plenty.
Anyway, I have noticed absolutely no significant wear on the pistol other than what is normal. My main concern with Frog Lube was its lubricating properties. It appears to have them as much as any oil or grease I have used including Valvoline 10W-30 motor oil, Break Free CLP and all the others on the gun store shelves.
Hope that helped,
Rob

 

[kodiakpb]

Awesome Rob!

 

[DocSunShine]

I'm glad you figured it out, I'm still perplexed as to why your support hand thumb would be anywhere near the mag release, but I digress. Good lesson as well, always be humble and never make assumptions about what can't be wrong.

 

[SpringGunTunes]

I'm still perplexed as to why your support hand thumb would be anywhere near the mag release,

I felt my thumb slap the mag release button during the crest of the flip. Or I thought so.
One thing I've learned is to do your range time to break in a new weapon, see if there are any problems with the weapon, see if the ammo you want to use is reliable and see if there are any problems with the shooter.
This has been very expensive but as a concealed carry permit holder, if I ever need to use it, I want to know it works before that ever happens. And I hope it never does.
Rob