New to me Shield 9

[Brasso4]

500 rounds is barely broken in.

If a gun has a manual safety, use the manual safety. Even if you don't want to use it, use it. It can accidentally be engaged and if you don't practice, train, and expect to have to disengage it, it could ***** you at the wrong time.

No safety is better imo. But if it has one, use it.

 

[MarkL_01]

500 rounds is barely broken in.

If a gun has a manual safety, use the manual safety. Even if you don't want to use it, use it. It can accidentally be engaged and if you don't practice, train, and expect to have to disengage it, it could ***** you at the wrong time.

No safety is better imo. But if it has one, use it.

That's a good point, and one I hadn't thought about.
-Mark

 

[kilyung]

After 3yrs and some 3500 rounds, I love my Shield 40/9 (bought it as a 40 but also shoot it as a 9mm). It's been a very accurate firearm out to 10 yards despite its short barrel. Beyond that I prefer my full size pistols. I didn't have much choice about the safety as that's what was available back then. I'm fine with it as I've been practicing condition 1 carry for years so it's second nature to me.

 

[Mark IV]

I realize the non-safety versions are considerably more popular, and I understand why and don't dismiss the argument, but I personally really like having the option, especially in a striker-fired pistol (I particularly like DA/SA pistols with a hammer and decocker, like the CZ75BD, gen3 Smiths,etc.).
I find the safety on the Shield to be very intuitively placed, and disengages quickly and easily with a very natural sweep of the thumb. Also, I haven't found it to be prone to being accidentaly engaged (and I generally pocket carry).
I think with these discussions folks often tend to get carried away with the perceived likelyhood of finding themsleves in a running gun battle with multiple ninja-assasins, but tend to forget that the odds are vastly more likely the pistol will spend it's entire (non shooting-range) existence just being carried, transported, holstered and unholstered, and stored, with the possibilty of an accidental discharge during all this being much more likely than ever needing to draw and start firing, much less in a fraction of a second.

 

[MarkL_01]

slide not locking back, problem identified

maybe too simplistic...but my "anal military" training has me thinking a good cleaning MIGHT fix the locking back issue......

Well, I figured this out, but it didn't make me feel smart.

Simple pilot error.

I was letting my thumb ride too high on the side of the gun and it was bumping the release lever. If I keep my thumb low, there is no problem. I fired 100 rounds last night, mostly with 3-5 in the mag and a few full mags, and the slide locked back every time.

I repainted the white dot on the front sight, which was missing when I got the gun. That seems to have corrected my former issue with shooting slightly low. The dot arrangement doesn't seem as precise as black sights, but it's visible in a wider variety of lighting conditions.

Also, in roughly 300 rounds so far, there have been no failures to feed or fire.

-Mark

 

[old-school]

500 rounds is barely broken in.

If a gun has a manual safety, use the manual safety. Even if you don't want to use it, use it. It can accidentally be engaged and if you don't practice, train, and expect to have to disengage it, it could ***** you at the wrong time.

No safety is better imo. But if it has one, use it.

I would say " leave the manual safety off, but just in-case drill knocking the safety off (down) anyway.

 

[Amcfar1974]

I recently purchased a Performance Center ported 9mm Shield. With the slide locked to the rear and with a empty magazine, the slide release is very difficult to engage. With the magazine out the slide release is a bit easier. Is this a break in issue or something else?

 

[southerncomfort]

Simple pilot error...

Mark, I've spent various parts of my career in aircraft maintenance, in one capacity or another. It's amazing how many maintenance "squawks" turn out to be pilot error. And how hard it is to convince them of it.

 

[packnrat]

just picked up my m&p shild today.
sad in ca the loaded chamber indicator has wording on it.
(loaded when up)
do all states that have "LCI" have this or are some just black?
if black who sells one so i can get the ugly words off the gun.
not just a sticker. letters are dimpled in and side of the indicator are red.
and i hope not a problem as the slide release does not release (empty mag) under load. have to pull the slide back to take pressure off of it. hard with ammo in the mag.
new gun? not even been to the range yet. so needs to "worn it" if nothing else.

 

[JAREDSHS]

packrat: wecome and congrats on the new shield. sorry that you have to endure the humiliation of the loaded chamber indicator. we here in the free state of Tennessee get to have the slide with a tiny little half hole that allows one to peep into and see a loaded round. So look at the bright side---at least you can still own a handgun. on to the other mater---the "slide release". There are some who will say it is not a slide release , it is a "slide stop" I do not want to flame an argument here about the issue. I would recommend that you alter your manner of operating the Shield to "slingshotting the slide with the off hand when needing to drop the slide, you will find that it is actually faster and more positive. I believe that using the lever to drop the slide will put more wear on the two surfaces that are engaged.The device is DESIGNED to lock open the slide when the mag becomes empty.(a very much needed feature) again sorry about California.....

 

[packnrat]

yes it (). but with luck i will be out of here in a short number of years.
looking for a good place to store all my legally owned property now.
at 57 hard to start over, at the bottom. and to young to retire.


.

 

[N4KVE]

There are some who will say it is not a slide release , it is a "slide stop" I would recommend that you alter your manner of operating the Shield to "slingshotting the slide with the off hand when needing to drop the slide, you will find that it is actually faster and more positive. I believe that using the lever to drop the slide will put more wear on the two surfaces that are engaged.The device is DESIGNED to lock open the slide when the mag becomes empty.

Exactly. After you insert the new mag, if you are a righty, use the left hand to rack the slide all the way back, & let go. That's the proper way to "drop the slide". GARY

 

[packnrat]

i call that a fail on safety.
as when you insert a fresh mag one should be able to just flip a lever and go into battery. not have to use so much valuable time racking a slide.
bad ju-ju getting caught with a empty chamber, full mag in the gun, and the slide locked back.

but as i work with this gun will see how it works out on this point.


.

 

[uthornfan]

Well, I figured this out, but it didn't make me feel smart.

Simple pilot error.

I was letting my thumb ride too high on the side of the gun and it was bumping the release lever. If I keep my thumb low, there is no problem. I fired 100 rounds last night, mostly with 3-5 in the mag and a few full mags, and the slide locked back every time.

I repainted the white dot on the front sight, which was missing when I got the gun. That seems to have corrected my former issue with shooting slightly low. The dot arrangement doesn't seem as precise as black sights, but it's visible in a wider variety of lighting conditions.

Also, in roughly 300 rounds so far, there have been no failures to feed or fire.

-Mark

Don't feel bad Mark. I use the thumbs forward grip and initially was occasionally letting my thumb come in contact with the slide lock lever and caused the same problem that you experienced. Once I realized I was doing that I had to correct my thumb placement and it hasn't happened to me again.