New Shield 9, new box!

[tedburns3]

i just picked my Shield up today, standard with safety. Tried to field strip and the slide will not come off. Thoughts? Moved sear deactivation lever down, rotated slide lever down, but the slide will not budge off the frame. Cannot re-insert the mag to move the lever back up either. Very bummed.....

I wouldn't touch the magazine now.

If you read the manual, from a locked-back slide, pull slide back a bit first to disengage the slide stop then it should go forward (Manual, page 22, Figure 25). Hope this helps. If it doesn't, hope you are able to otherwise rectify.

 

[Gary33031]

Did your new Shield come with the safety? I understand they are now making a version without the safety.

 

[Sgt461]

New Shield

I hope you enjoy your new purchase. I've had mine from when they first came out and have enjoyed every minute with it. I do shoot a lot and after many thousands of rounds not one issue. I wish you the same. Great pistols!

 

[zoom2x]

Got my second Shield yesterday

Mahoney's (LGS) has a sale ($70 off MSRP) going on so I got another Shield yesterday. I plan to get several more over time and stash them all over the house, just in case....

 

[johnnyk71]

Did your new Shield come with the safety? I understand they are now making a version without the safety.

I got the one without the thumb safety. Since I'm left handed, and it's only made on the left side, it wasn't of much use to me, so I opted not to have one. Same price as te ones with safeties.

 

[Lycan]

Mine has the mag safety and I field strip it by pulling the trigger all of the time. Pull back and lock slide, safety check, put an empty mag in, rotate the take down lever on the side (or whatever it is called), pull the slide back to release the lock and move it forward, depress the trigger, drop the empty mag, and take the slide off. It really is very easy and safe.

But, it comes down to personal preference. If you want to use the sear lever, use it.

 

[Enzo]

just put some of the Talon rubberized grips on my Shield. man, those things are great. semi-aggressive grip (but not sandpaper-harsh), and only took a few minutes to put on. super easy too. and they add virtually no width to the grip. still REALLY thin. I can tell the grip is vastly improved just holding it.

maybe i'll actually get to shoot the darn thing soon! hurry up, weekend.

I did the same upgrade to the grips on my a Shield as well. The Talons are cut perfectly and easy to install, superb upgrade, IMO.

 

[tedburns3]

Mine has the mag safety and I field strip it by pulling the trigger all of the time. Pull back and lock slide, safety check, put an empty mag in, rotate the take down lever on the side (or whatever it is called), pull the slide back to release the lock and move it forward, depress the trigger, drop the empty mag, and take the slide off. It really is very easy and safe.

But, it comes down to personal preference. If you want to use the sear lever, use it.

Gosh, the more steps, the easier to foul up, and less safe. Personal preference to pull the trigger is not even mentioned in the manual, and manufacturers are starting to eliminate the less safe method of field strip via trigger pull. It will be a thing of the past...that 'empty' mag may not be empty when one places it back in the frame. Asking for trouble IMO.

 

[tedburns3]

just put some of the Talon rubberized grips on my Shield. man, those things are great. semi-aggressive grip (but not sandpaper-harsh), and only took a few minutes to put on. super easy too. and they add virtually no width to the grip. still REALLY thin. I can tell the grip is vastly improved just holding it.

maybe i'll actually get to shoot the darn thing soon! hurry up, weekend.

Just ordered mine direct from Talon.

Also went with the rubberized ones for the Shield.

Thanks,

 

[tedburns3]

I got the one without the thumb safety. Since I'm left handed, and it's only made on the left side, it wasn't of much use to me, so I opted not to have one. Same price as te ones with safeties.

I am also southpaw, but to my knowledge, that option is not available in my State.

OTOH, I like to chamber first round with the safety ON, same with clearing procedures and field strip. But that darn safety is on the wrong side!!!

 

[Lisa M]

Great choice!

Smart people choose S&W

 

[bootman]

I did have an M & P 9C but didn't like it and sold it. I now have an M & P Shield and have held on to it for about a year. Have only recently started to carry it. Today I got some Talon grips for it and now I like it. The really thin grips are a bit too slick and yes too thin also. I don't like the sharp edge on the back of the sights. It is dangerous and could cut a hand. I would like to replace it. I took the safety off and put a dab of fiberglass on it to give it a little knob and to cover up the sharp edge at the top. The gun is reliable and I haven't had any failures of any kind. I did break my thumbnail off into the quick loading the magazine. I may fix that by removing a coil from the magazine. The trigger needs some work because it is about 6 lbs. now. All in all I like it but have too more carry guns that beat it for carry an LC9 and CM9 but I like the feel of the Shield. But small it isn't. It is a thin G 26 with improvements of course. I sold the G 26 too. Goodbye Glock you don't need me any more. They are utterly reliable but lack a lot in the engineering dept. Yes I am very picky and I haven't found a gun yet that beats the 1911 on all points of comfort.

 

[happy]

i just picked my Shield up today, standard with safety. Tried to field strip and the slide will not come off. Thoughts? Moved sear deactivation lever down, rotated slide lever down, but the slide will not budge off the frame. Cannot re-insert the mag to move the lever back up either. Very bummed.....

I bought a new Shield 9 several months ago, and COULD NOT get the slide off to field strip it. Took it back to the local dealer and their expert worked with it for about 20 minutes and failed (he did get it off once, but then not again). Said to call S&W Customer Service. They sent me a mailing label electronically and it went back to the factory. The little insert in the back of the slide was catching on the frame. S&W fixed it (I suspect put on a new slide) and I had it back in a few day. Excellent Customer Service. Hasn't failed since.

 

[tedburns3]

I am still awaiting receipt of my Shield as there's a 10-day waiting period here.

What insert on back of the slide was catching on the frame? Could you be a bit more specific?

 

[1hatchet]

Just ordered mine direct from Talon.

Also went with the rubberized ones for the Shield.

Thanks,

Thanks to all of the positive posts here I also have ordered a Talon Rubberized Grip setup for my Shield 9.
The free shipping is a plus when ordered from the Talon web site.

 

[hokiefyd]

What insert on back of the slide was catching on the frame? Could you be a bit more specific?

He's probably talking about the plastic striker pin cover at the back of the slide. This design is common to most striker-fired guns. Shown here in orange:

(Image from Ghost Triggers)

 

[tedburns3]

hokiefyd- Thanks for taking the time to post a photo and respond.

Well, if that is what he's referring to ('slide end cap'/slide end cap assembly'?), I just don't understand. Those things are under spring pressure and set in well-defined 'rails' aren't they?

It appears that most people who have problems with their firearms are due to user-error or misdiagnosis, and the manufacturer's don't really help in identifying the exact problem remedied, probably for PR or liability reasons.

 

[bimmerland]

Picked up my brand new Shield 9 today. Very excited to get it! Came in a new style box. Black with silver lettering instead of the old familiar blue. Fired cartridge date was 7/28/14, so this thing is brand spanking new. I see what people have been saying about new parts being stiff. Lord have mercy, those brand new mag springs are tight! It was darn near impossible to load the last round, especially in the 7 round mag. My thumbs are sore, haha!

Got all the factory goop wiped off pretty good. A few judicious swabs of good oil, and I can't wait to give it a go. Very impressed with how small and light it is, especially compared to my all steel model 410.

Same shield but no safety. Is that correct.

 

[mafbloggerdanny]

hokiefyd- Thanks for taking the time to post a photo and respond.

Well, if that is what he's referring to ('slide end cap'/slide end cap assembly'?), I just don't understand. Those things are under spring pressure and set in well-defined 'rails' aren't they?

yes but remember they are cut very distinctly at the bottom to provide clearance. For example have you ever been putting your slide back on and the ejector sticks up just a little and catches on that 'slide end cap'? This happens to me all the time and I just kinda jiggle it a little and it clears, but it just demonstrates that it's already a tight fit.

If that plate/cover was just a milimeter out of spec who knows what kind of problems it might cause

 

[johnnyk71]

Same shield but no safety. Is that correct.

100% correct.