New Shield, question on mag spring

[potpot821]

So I brought home a new Shield. First thing I did was to field strip, and gave it a good look around for anything that maybe out of the ordinary. Loaded both 7 & 8 round mag, and I noticed that there's some hesitation loading the first two rounds on the 8 round mag, and once I got the 3rd round in, the rest went smoothly in, save for the last round which is a bear to get in for both mags.
So decided to strip the mag, and I noticed that both 7 & 8 round mag spring are the same length, even the smaller coils from the follower down has the same length and coils.
So is S&W using the same spring for both mags? If that would be the case, would you recommend cutting a couple of coils on the 7 round mag, to make it a little bearable to load the 7th round?
I know maglula is the solution, but my curiosity is about the the spring length being the same for both mags. Why is that?
Im thinking of emailing S&W. but I figured I ask here first.

Thank you.

 

[RobzGuns]

Yes, the springs are the same for the 7 round and 8 round mags.
No, I wouldn't recommend trimming coils off the 7 round mag spring.

It WILL get a bit easier with time, but the UpLula is great to have on hand.

 

[ATF]

There are vids on YT about cutting the spring on 7 round mags to make them 8 rounders and 8's to 9's. MagGuts also sell conversion kits. Your gun your responsibility.

 

[CaptRon956]

I suggest buying some snap caps & loading up the mags & let them sit like that until you go back to the range. They will loosen up in time.. Just go shootin'

 

[PROnSHIELD]

Don't trim the springs...
Load and let sit between range trips...
Go shoot your new gun...
Everything will get better!

 

[jimmys04]

7-Round Magazine

Here is what the 7-rd does after less than a year. S&W did replace with the same spring......I would think they will do a recall eventually for the 7-rd spring.

 

[PirateJim]

....
I know maglula is the solution...,

Once you own it, you'll wonder why you ever even hesitated.

 

[PROnSHIELD]

Here is what the 7-rd does after less than a year. S&W did replace with the same spring......I would think they will do a recall eventually for the 7-rd spring.

Well...it's what happened to your 7-rd magazine in less than a year.

 

[Maddmax]

DON'T trim the springs. Us the maglula. They will ease up in time.

 

[Magload]

I fired the 400 round through my 40 Shield yesterday. When I got it it was very hard to get the second round in either mag and impossible after the second round. Lucky I had a Maglula now I can load all but the last two with out it. I let the mags sit full since a got the gun just over a week ago that helps. Don

 

[RobzGuns]

Here is what the 7-rd does after less than a year. S&W did replace with the same spring......I would think they will do a recall eventually for the 7-rd spring.

View attachment 198323

I dunno what caused YOUR mag to do that in less than 1 year. While all my mags are now (within the last Month or 2) switched over to MagGuts internals, I have 5 springs that have been well used for over 3 years and they still look like new (just a mm or two shorter).

OP: Exercise (run many rounds) through your mags and leave them fully loaded between range trips.

 

[rsrocket1]

It's the same with the full size guns. They use the normal capacity magazine springs in the shortened 10 round Kommifornia "safe" mags and they are very stiff to load but you get used to it and they work.

This is how a mag spring looks like after about 1000 cycles. The left one is an unused low cap/normal cap spring, the center is a 3 year old spring and the right is a new replacement spring. Don't cut any coils.

 

[CaptRon956]

I dont know what or how you guys maintain your guns but I've owned my Shield 9mm for 8 months now and with over 5k rounds fired thru it and EDC in a IWB holster it hardly shows any external wear, smoothed out very nicely and oh, I also disassemble the mags for cleaning after each shoot at the range (once a week IDPA defensive shooting compeition) and my mag springs are just as straight as the day they were new.. Just sayin'.

 

[PROnSHIELD]

...I also disassemble the mags for cleaning after each shoot at the range once a week...Just sayin'.

O.C.D.

Just sayin'...LOL

 

[RobzGuns]

Originally Posted by CaptRon956
...I also disassemble the mags for cleaning after each shoot at the range once a week...Just sayin'.

O.C.D.
Just sayin'...LOL

I was thinkin' it, but wasn't gonna say it.

 

[potpot821]

Yes, I've kept both mags loaded, and have been loading/unloading it alternately while resting my trigger finger after dry firing. As I've mentioned, the 8 round mag is easier to load after the first 2 rounds, kinda like the 3-5th round slides in like butter, then gets stiffer from the 6 and especially the 8th round. I was also able to get the 7 rounder to slide in the 2nd to 5th round a little easier now but the 7th is still a pain. This was after I cleaned the inside mag body.
I know that oil should not be used. But I was thinking, what about a little Tetra grease on the sides of the follower that contacts the mag body?

Another thing I noticed, the trigger seems a little too hard to pull, Im not sure if its 6 or 7 lbs, but the FP block seems to be okay, like no feeling of any burrs when I slowly pull the trigger. So would polishing the FP block, sear and trigger bar really reduces trigger pull weight, or does it just do a clean/crisp pull? I'm not planning on doing any replacement upgrade parts just yet. Want to keep it stack.

 

[NCavi8tor]

Stop taking **** apart and shoot the damn thing! Just saying....

NC

 

[pushpullpete]

potpot821, congrats on the new addition to your family. Polishing the internals will (probably) make a difference in the felt trigger pull of your pistol. If you are somewhat mechanically inclined there are multiple youtube videos you can check out to see what others have done. You can also go to Dan Burwells website to look at his tutorial. Then, work slowly & test fit often as it is hard to put back material if you get anxious & remove too much . Have fun.

 

[potpot821]

Pete, yes sir I've read the Dan Burwells tutorial and some YT vids on how to reduced trigger pull with OEM parts.
I just finished polishing the sear, trigger bar and Striker stem. And the dang trigger pull did lighten up a bit, really like how it feels now. On my next day off, I'll try the FP block mod. That'll probably reduced the trigger pull weight some more.

 

[RobzGuns]

Good to hear that the DIY Trigger job worked for you. I often recommend it, over immediately dumping $$ into trigger kits.