New Shield .40 will not feed rounds consistently.

[George9]

I had some guns with tight or to long extractors that do cause that issue. Why I'm not 100% sure other then the spent case is getting hit by the fresh round it may be to slow getting out of the way?. In most cases I trim the extractor just a tad because it seems to grip the rounrs case rim to tight. I also have found that a slight cut with a stone or file to the ejector so it has a very little slant from bottom to the top helps. This will get the spent round out of the way a bit faster. Weak recoil springs are another place to look as is a tight frame to slide fit as this will also slow down the slide but to throw brass 10' sounds like weak recoil springs to me Maybe try a wolf set. One more thing to look at is the barrel ramp. Make sure it's clean free of factory tool marks and polished or broke in with FMJ ammo.. Have a good grip on the gun at all times. Oh I have also seen some chambers that needed polishing. This can also slow things down some. You can look at 20 new guns and none will be the same but they S&W try, and make them all function off the line they test fire then box. No there not going to all function the same.The idea is that they all should run better as there run some! I hope this helps. I didn't go over the mag as most people would have gone over this already. A lot of 1911's when there new with a full mag with RNFMJ will nose dive the first round even with slinshoting the slide but this will clear up with a little use.Tooling marks on the feed ramp will clean up some with use.I tried to cover some of the things I would be looking for I hope some of the info will be helpful! George

 

[b2busy]

My shield was returned from the 4th trip to S&W stating that the problem could not be reproduced.
So, I wrapped handlebar tape around the handle to improve my grip. I also spotted what I believe to be a flaw in the design of the magazine. If you disassemble the magazine you will see that the follower is floppy on the spring and the main pressure is on the center of the follower where the spring locks into it. I noticed on magazines for some of my other guns the spring is bent upward slightly to put the pressure on the projectile end of the follower, so I bent the spring on my magazines so that it no longer pivoted on the center of the follower, but now has increased pressure on the projectile end as my other magazines have.
Right now our BLM land is closed to target shooting due to fire danger, so I won't be able to test it with enough rounds to be completely comfortable after the modifications, but I fired a few rounds in my basement which is fairly soundproof from neighbors into a dirt pile which happens to be there. The failure has always happened within the first 3 shots of a full magazine, so I loaded up 3 mags of Winchester Silvertip 155gr and 3 mags with Winchester PDX1 165gr and shot the first 3 of each. The 18 rounds that I tested were hot rounds that previously failed, and with the two modifications I was able to fire all 18 rounds without a FTF. hopefully that will be verified when I am able to get to BLM land to fully test it.

 

[lizardking419]

This is my first post here. And not what I had expected as my first post. I shot my brand new Shield .40 at the range today and after having multiple FTF, decided to Google search the issue. I was using Remington ammo and it happened with both magazines. Did anyone find a final fix to this issue? It seems hit or miss. I cleaned the gun and oiled it, so I don't think that is an issue. The magazines are beastly to load.

Good thing I had my Ruger LCR with so I had some fun shooting.

 

[Jesslikesher9]

So was it the mag or the shield? I didnt have issues with my factory mags or shield. I just bought a batch of the new promag shield mags(waited a year for these) Anyone have any issues with the promags? I got mine from https://tacticalvantage.com/category.php?id_category=211
so im not sure if theyre the first batch or what.

 

[DaleT]

I just picked up a shield 40 and have feed issues as well but not like most of the ones encountered. With my FTF , the rounds are hanging up as they enter the chamber. I have noticed little lateral dings in the cases up close to the mouth. I emailed customer service and hopefully hear from them soon. Could it be that it just needs polishing? Whatever the issue, its totally unacceptable for a ccw and I hope it can be resolved as this would make an awful expensive paperweight.

 

[danfor50]

Loading mags properly

Are you loading the mags properly? Are you seating the rounds to the back of the magazine? Load mags then slap the back of the mag against the palm of your hand to seat. Hope this helps.

 

[DaleT]

I reckon my issue has resolved itself after about 60-70 rounds . Perhaps the magazines needed a little breaking in period or the ramp may have needed some "polishing". I have never experienced a pistol needing a break in but I guess its possible.

 

[S&WForty]

I reckon my issue has resolved itself after about 60-70 rounds . Perhaps the magazines needed a little breaking in period or the ramp may have needed some "polishing". I have never experienced a pistol needing a break in but I guess its possible.

What type and brand of ammo have you used? Was that FMJ or some of the better name JHP? I've only had a few malfunctions with Speer Gold Dot and none with Federal Hydra Shoks or any brand FMJ.

If your posted experience has been with FMJ, be sure to see how it performs with good hollow points.

 

[lizardking419]

I had the same issue as DaleT and I think ammo was my problem. I was using Remington UMC and I had multiple FTF in my first 40 rounds.

I have since used Herters, Blazer, and Winchester. The only FTF was with the Remington ammo.

I shot 50 rounds of Blazer today with no issues. Then tried 13 rounds of Remington with one FTF. No more Remington ammo in my .40 Shield.

 

[lcallday]

I had FTF with my 40 too. I marked my mags and found it only happened with one of them. Ammo was HST HP.

 

[richjim]

I am having the same issue as the original poster. I have about 500 rounds through my .40 Shield and have had the issue happen about 15-20 times. It ONLY happens with the extended mag and only on the second or third round. It has never FTF after the third round or on the 6 round mag. Here is a short video.

Just to clarify it is not getting caught up on the ramp. In the video it is not touching the ramp. Has anyone been able to fix the issue without having to send it in?

 

[Lexoromicon]

Same issues

I am having the same FTF issues with my 40 shield.
Has anyone found anything that helps?

Ive fired over 600 rds through it and have had the issue in EVERY SINGLE MAG. 3 factory extended and one 6 rounder.
Winchester target fmj in both 165 and 180 grain
Remington (i think gold saber but i could be wrong) 165 grain
Blazer aluminum cased 165
Federal 180 grain aluminium cased

I bought Corso inc magguts on a recommendation and it seemed to help a little but am still having problems.

I hope i didnt over invest in the wrong gun

 

[richjim]

I am having the same FTF issues with my 40 shield.
Has anyone found anything that helps?

Ive fired over 600 rds through it and have had the issue in EVERY SINGLE MAG. 3 factory extended and one 6 rounder.
Winchester target fmj in both 165 and 180 grain
Remington (i think gold saber but i could be wrong) 165 grain
Blazer aluminum cased 165
Federal 180 grain aluminium cased

I bought Corso inc magguts on a recommendation and it seemed to help a little but am still having problems.

I hope i didnt over invest in the wrong gun

I was having the issue with the extended mag only. I ended up purchasing a new mag which completely solved the problem for me. Hopefully this helps you out.

 

[BamaDon]

Hey all, FYI I purchased a 40 shield a few months ago and am having the same problem. I *think* it may be a combination of Hornady crit defense ammo and the extended mag. I just, two hours ago, cleaned mine and loaded up an extended mag. I put it into the gun,racked the slide, and *jam* right away, not even at the range, just wouldn't feed H-CD ammo. I've never had this problem with WWB.

Any new wisdom from the front lines?

 

[gboling]

No new wisdom, but old wisdom is that racking the slide by hand can't be considered a reliable test.

 

[BostonBill]

Another One !

Having the same problem.
Never the first, forth, fifth, sixth or seventh round.
Always rounds two and three.
Nose down against the front of the magazine.
Thought I was limp wristing it, (small semi-autos are more sensitive to this), but even a death grip doesn't seam to help.
Had another shooter at the range try it, NO FTF.
Only thing I can explain that was different is that he was left handed.?
I tried it again same results four times.
I'm wish you people were having success with S&W Customer Service, because that is my next step.

 

[rennub47]

S&W service dept is the worst.

I, and others, have this problem as well. The problem is not an unpolished barrel ramp. It is the junk magazines S&W has provided. The rounds are stopping on the front edge of the magazine. When this occurs, jiggle the barrel and you will see that it is properly loose and not "bound" up by the cartridge. If you pull back on the slide slightly, the round will pop up and feed. This happens to me about every 3rd magazine on my 40cal shield. Very upsetting! I called S&W and talked to a "so called" technician. I think I woke him up from a nap. The guy was rude, disconcerned and showed no interest in my problem. He basically denied that there were any problems with this gun and it must be something I was doing wrong. The followers in these mags are too loose, they can "rock" forward and back allowing rounds to tip-down on to the front edge of the magazine. I'm very disappointed in the gun, I was counting on S&W's reputation that I've always relied on with their revolvers. I know, I know...some of you are going to say, "I've never had a problem with mine, it works perfectly, etc. etc." Well, that information doesn't help those of us who do. As for the technician I spoke to, I'm writing a letter to the Customer Service Manager Kate Fredette, 2100 Roosevelt ave., Springfield, Mass. 01102

Same problem with the gun and the service dept. They are rude and completely disconcerned. The guy denied that there is any problem with the gun and magazine. He's "never heard of the problem." A lie. I could tell he just wanted to get off the phone. The gun is unreliable and I'm pissed. Very disappointed in S&W.

 

[ROB94045]

I recently acquired a Performance Center Ported Shield .40 M2.0 and I have had no failures at all with it. I've only been to the range with it twice so far and have fired just 480 rounds through it. I've used a couple of brands of target FMJ (no steel case but a mix of brass and nickel plated brass, 165gr & 180gr), Hornady Critical Duty 175gr, Sig Sauer V-Crown 180gr JHP, and Colt Solid Copper Hollow Point (SCHP) 155gr. I only have the original two magazines, one flush and one extended, so I've been using both consistently. I'm not positive but I've read somewhere that the magazines are the same as those used with the previous Shields.

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