New Shield Issue ?

[Radco]

Fairly new to Autos , I am a wheel gunner so this may be a dumb question, Gun shoots fine, When I have a empty magazine in I can not close the slide till I remove the magazine! It will close normal with ammo in it! What am I doing wrong? Am I missing something? I am sure it is simple so sorry for a Brain cramp moment!


Thanks

 

[Mike2244]

Slide release on the left side pull it down.

 

[Pef]

Slide lock. Designed to keep the slide open after the last shot. After the last shot the empty mag will push the slide lock up.

You need to press down on the slide release on an empty mag to close the slide.

Common feature in many guns.

No worries about asking. Now you know.

 

[USAF385]

Make sure to check out your owners manual.

I still go through the manual when I buy a new gun I've never owned.

 

[Radco]

know about the slide release and it works fine if I remove the empty mag. Problem is I can not move the release button when a empty mag is in the gun ! I am assuming the tension between the mag and the release is tight ? Sorry I did not explain it well!

 

[kthom]

There is very little rearward movement of the slide on the Shield to "stop" when it is locked back by the slide release. Add to that, the recoil spring(s) on the Shield are very stiff, especially at first. Some struggle to lock the slide back manually. For me it was (is) necessary to move the slide to the rear to easily move the slide release down to release it.

I always suggest that it is a good idea, especially with the Shield and other small or short barreled semi autos to lock the slide back and park the gun for two or three days and just let it sit if you are not going to fire a couple hundred or so rounds through it immediately. I also recommend filling each magazine completely full and parking them next to the gun for the same period of time. Doing this with any new semi auto, and again especially with the Shield, will allow the recoil spring and the magazine springs to begin to take their initial set and be a bit easier to manipulate.

Hold your unloaded Shield when the slide is locked back (with an empty magazine in place or not) firmly in two hands, one on the slide and the other on the frame (grip), press the slide back hard to its full travel, hold that, and then press down on the slide release and see what happens. The more you use it, the better it will get!

 

[ckcc]

pull back on the slide then depress the slide lock. the pressure of the recoil spring holding the slide against the lock combined with the mag spring pressure pushing up on it makes it difficult to release.

 

[Radco]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I figured it out! I have the 2 mags that came with the Shield + grabbed another 8 rounder. Ejected all 3 mags by hand no problem. Tried each mag . 2 gave me the problem 1 worked every time. I pushed the mag feed ramp ( sorry not sure the real name) up and down a few times. Tried the Slide and it worked. once! so I assume the new mag spring is real strong and pushing the ramp up alittle too much. SO Ill keep the mags loaded for awhile..

 

[marine6680]

The plastic piece in the magazine is called the follower... It follows the rounds up as they feed.

But yeah, stiff Springs make for a difficult slide stop release on an empty mag.

 

[ChiefStealth]

Yes. Magazine spring is very strong. Usually more so with a 7 round mag. So, other things you will see because of this. When loading rounds into the mag, it will be difficult to push down the rounds that are already in the mag, to get more rounds into the mag. The last round can get quite tough to get in. Get an UpLula. And, when you try to lock a full magazine into the gun, when the slide is forward, you will need to give that mag a good push to get it locked. These things are common with the Shield 9. But, now you know, so it won't be a problem.

 

[Radco]

The plastic piece in the magazine is called the follower... It follows the rounds up as they feed.

But yeah, stiff Springs make for a difficult slide stop release on an empty mag.

The follower thankyou. I had a Major brain cramp and could not remember that lol..

 

[Radco]

Yes. Magazine spring is very strong. Usually more so with a 7 round mag. So, other things you will see because of this. When loading rounds into the mag, it will be difficult to push down the rounds that are already in the mag, to get more rounds into the mag. The last round can get quite tough to get in. Get an UpLula. And, when you try to lock a full magazine into the gun, when the slide is forward, you will need to give that mag a good push to get it locked. These things are common with the Shield 9. But, now you know, so it won't be a problem.

Thanks the Uplula is in the mail and on the way Man loading the Shield Mags by hand kills your fingers lol . But yea I am sure now the mags are the issue and will break in after a few more rounds

 

[NCavi8tor]

Technically speaking the slide lock on the Shield is not designed to be a slide release. You must pull back the slide to release tension before manually deactivating the slide lock. Enjoy!

NC

 

[Saudade]

My Shield was very difficult to rack and manually lock back when new. I used an empty mag to assist locking the slide back and would partially release the mag in order to release the slide.

It will loosen up a bit with use. A bit of "technique" will help too. For example, I push up on the slide lock with my strong thumb, then rack the slide. Once it hits the notch, it's in! Just takes some practice.

 

[Radco]

Technically speaking the slide lock on the Shield is not designed to be a slide release. You must pull back the slide to release tension before manually deactivating the slide lock. Enjoy!

NC

I have been trying that, It does help Thanks.. With 2 mags the 7 and 1 8 I have the a problem with releasing the slide. Narrowed it down to the strong spring on 2 of the mags. I am keeping those fully loaded for a week or so to see id they soften up a bit... No problem closing the slide with a full mag. Thanks again

 

[Radco]

My Shield was very difficult to rack and manually lock back when new. I used an empty mag to assist locking the slide back and would partially release the mag in order to release the slide.

It will loosen up a bit with use. A bit of "technique" will help too. For example, I push up on the slide lock with my strong thumb, then rack the slide. Once it hits the notch, it's in! Just takes some practice.

n my case racking the slide and locking in place works well. Narrowed down to Strong springs in 2 of the mags.. I will also practice technique im racking and release of the slide

Thanks

 

[fixitfred]

Hey Radco You Old Dog

Yea looks like you figured it out yourself. New guns sometimes need a little breaking in and for you to get used to it. The follower does put extra pressure on the latch but it shouldn't be a big issue as releasing the slide on an empty mag isn't something I routinely do.

Be careful -- shooting factory 9 should be okay. Don't blow yourself up like I did.

 

[Radco]

Yea looks like you figured it out yourself. New guns sometimes need a little breaking in and for you to get used to it. The follower does put extra pressure on the latch but it shouldn't be a big issue as releasing the slide on an empty mag isn't something I routinely do.

Be careful -- shooting factory 9 should be okay. Don't blow yourself up like I did.

Fred What happened when you had the malfunction ?

 

[fixitfred]

40 Shield Go Boom

Fred What happened when you had the malfunction ?

As far as I could tell it was a hot load in a weak case and an unsupported chamber.

I haven't shot my 40 shield since.

 

[Radco]

As far as I could tell it was a hot load in a weak case and an unsupported chamber.

I haven't shot my 40 shield since.

Wow glad you did not get hurt! I would not shoot it again either if it happened to me