Need Shield help quick!

[Captain Skippy]

Customer just brought in a shield 40 NTS with a locked slide. Closer inspection revealed a very small hex screw stuck under the barrel lug when looking through the small gap under the barrel breech between the frame. I've tried to budge it with a dental probe but the screw has no where to go. Is there a way to get the slide disassembled without removing it from the slide?

 

[Hillbilly77]

Where did a small hex screw come from? Out of the rear sight? I don't know of any other screws on the gun.

You do need the slide to move to strip the gun. I don't think there is any other way to take it apart.

Can you post a picture?

 

[Captain Skippy]

,I think the screw is a foreign item. The gun was in a box with other items. It is a shiny screw not blackened. I have a pic but can't figure out how to attach it. But if you hold the pistol pointed to the right look under the barrel breech between the slide and the frame right where the word "Firing" on the warning is. The screw is there at the barrel lug.

 

[Hillbilly77]

,I think the screw is a foreign item. The gun was in a box with other items. It is a shiny screw not blackened. I have a pic but can't figure out how to attach it. But if you hold the pistol pointed to the right look under the barrel breech between the slide and the frame right where the word "Firing" on the warning is. The screw is there at the barrel lug.

1) Can you email the pic if I PM you my address?

2) Is the screw in there in such a way that you could simply back it out with a screwdriver?

 

[Captain Skippy]

Sure I'll ema it to you. There is not enough room to get the screw out between the slide and frame. The screw is loose and will move around.

 

[Hillbilly77]

I got the email.
Can you send a clearer picture?

I'm thinking you may have to get aggressive with the screw.
If you get it to move just 1/4" it should drop out of the way and fall down through the magazine well.

 

[Captain Skippy]

I'm at work (a gun shop, not really work!) and all I have is an iPhone camera. The screw is able to move around. But using dental picks it moves but I can't seem to get it to fall out.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Usually iPhone cameras take nice pictures.

Do you have an extra set of hands there?
Maybe one person jiggle the screw around and the other gently try to rack the slide.

 

[Rastoff]

Hillbilly77, post the pic here so we can all see it. If you don't know how, email it to me at [email protected] and I'll post it for you.

 

[Hillbilly77]

 

[Captain Skippy]

Thanks Hillbilly77. For you guys looking the screw is directly above the word "firing". The screw is not from the gun. It somehow got into the gun. It's basically under the barrel lug and prevents the barrel from moving downward and the slide won't come back. We've used dental picks and can move the screw around but there is no place for it to go. Darnedest thing Ive ever seen.

 

[RaginRog]

Whoa...that's a head scratcher.

 

[Rastoff]

If you could get these three pins out, the slide would come off by removing the sear and trigger blocks. Unfortunately, the green arrow is pointing to a pin that is blocked by the take down lever on the other side. So, I don't think you'll be able to get that pin out and consequently the trigger block won't move.

However, if you get the rear pin out, it might allow the rear of the slide to come up a bit. This might allow enough room to push the screw out toward the back.

 

[OldLawman]

First, I am assuming that at least the gun is unloaded. Even thinking about fooling around trying to fix a loaded gun gives me the shakes.

Second, your default choice may be to send it back to S&W. Not the easiest or cheapest, and I am not in favor of sending guns back for every little thing, but in this case, it may be your only option instead of damaging the gun while trying to fix it.

Good luck.

 

[Captain Skippy]

Yes, the gun is unloaded. The mag wasn't in either which is how we higured the screw got inside the gun. We're going to spen a little more time with it and if no luck we'll send it back. Just hate to be defeated and don't want this lady to be without her EDC during Christmas shopping. Thanks all.

 

[Rastoff]

This is really just a puzzle. The screw got in there without being forced. It's not wedged in based on what you said about moving it. Therefore, it should be able to be removed without any force. You just have to find the right path.

Man, I wish you were here. I love puzzles like this and I'm sure we could figure it out.

 

[Captain Skippy]

We spent a long time on it today again to no avail. So it's going back to S&W Monday. Oh well, we tried. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Rastoff]

Sorry to hear that, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[Deadeye Dick]

That's a head scratcher. Was the action open when the screw initially found it's way in their? If not, and since it does not seem to be trapped solidly in there I would think that it would eventually find it's way out with enough shaking and turning.

 

[harley0711]

UPDATE please