Newbie needs advice with M&P SHIELD...

[mrmichael]

I'm looking for some advice from seasoned veterans that have owned a lot of semi-auto pistols and someone to settle the score on this issue. I just got a new M&P Shield 3 days ago, and although I haven't had a chance to fire it yet, I'm loving everything else about it. Now the issue/non-issue that many different forums have discussed but never directly answered my question....

When either magazine (full or not) is in the pistol, the gun can find itself out of battery one of two ways:1) when manually put out of battery by me and doesn't return on its own and 2) when chambering a round and oh-so-slightly riding the slide. (If I properly pull the slide all the way back and let her rip, it chambers fine and perfectly into battery).

Only other pistol I have is a Glock 17 and it NEVER does either of these. So my million dollar question is: Is it not a big deal, and congrats to me for busting a bad slide-riding habit, or no matter it's still a concern with the shield that the sucker won't return to battery on its own?

Like I said, the only thing I have to compare it to is my Glock 17 which led me to believe there was a problem with my Shield, but I wanted to get some opinions before I call S&W...

 

[kf4jzy]

No worries...I did this as well when I first got mine. Don't baby it and shoot the snot out of it. As you get used to the pistol and it breaks in, you will find that it is sweet...at least that's been my experience. The more I shot it the better it felt and the better I shot with it.

Have fun, be safe, and shoot a lot.

 

[mlapaglia]

DON'T RIDE THE SLIDE. Don't go looking for troubles. Its a great firearm, enjoy it.

 

[dfhawkins]

MrMichael, surely you have (in the three days you have had your Shield) disassembled, cleaned and reassembled it. Surely you have dry fired it, and assembled at least a few boxes of ammo, some targets, and range gear in preparation for your initial range day where, as kf4jzy put it you should... "shoot the snot out of it". Frankly, I'd use a tissue for the snot. Out of battery issues usually take care of themselves as you enjoy your Shield.

 

[Lost Lake]

My shield is coming tomorrow, and if mine does this I will sell it or send it back until they fix it.

I have maybe 2 dozen pistols and NONE of them will NOT return to battery if pulled back 1/4".

I consider that a safety hazard. I don't want an inadvertent bump to put my gun out of commission.

So many guys will tell you that you may only have a half a second to produce your gun and commence to firing. Yet some of these same guys will tell you it is perfectly okay, or even NORMAL for the gun to be easily bumped out of battery, which in a panic situation you would draw your gun, perhaps from under a shirt or through a seat belt and if you knock it out of battery you will point and pull the trigger and nothing will happen. You will spend a half a second not believing the gun isn't firing, maybe check the safety, then rack the slide and trying again.

Nope. Not one of my guns. My brand new 4513 doesn't stay out of battery. And it sure isn't broke in yet. I say it's unacceptable. I have many more excellent guns to chose from, I won't put up with it.

You have to make your own decision.

 

[rraisley]

DON'T RIDE THE SLIDE.

True enough. In fact, my Kahr PM9's instructions say to ALWAYS release the slide with the slide stop, rather than pulling back on the slide, so you might try that as well. As others have said: Shoot and enjoy it!

 

[PHPistols]

RIDE? RACK THE SLIDE! Don't use the slide stop as a slide release, and do a thorough cleaning and then lube before use. [I'm being controversial now...]

 

[rkilosky]

My shield is coming tomorrow, and if mine does this I will sell it or send it back until they fix it.

I have maybe 2 dozen pistols and NONE of them will NOT return to battery if pulled back 1/4".

I consider that a safety hazard. I don't want an inadvertent bump to put my gun out of commission.

So many guys will tell you that you may only have a half a second to produce your gun and commence to firing. Yet some of these same guys will tell you it is perfectly okay, or even NORMAL for the gun to be easily bumped out of battery, which in a panic situation you would draw your gun, perhaps from under a shirt or through a seat belt and if you knock it out of battery you will point and pull the trigger and nothing will happen. You will spend a half a second not believing the gun isn't firing, maybe check the safety, then rack the slide and trying again.

Nope. Not one of my guns. My brand new 4513 doesn't stay out of battery. And it sure isn't broke in yet. I say it's unacceptable. I have many more excellent guns to chose from, I won't put up with it.

You have to make your own decision.

It takes more than just a "bump" to bring the gun out of battery, especially since it hasn't been broken in (very stiff recoil spring). It takes quite a bit of constant pressure to presscheck my Shield every morning but I'm pulling it back less that 1/4. Before I had put a few hundred rounds through it, when I would presscheck it and put it out of battery, it wouldn't fully return to battery like described above. But I had absolutely NO worries that my gun would get "bumped" out of battery and not return, it just takes too much pressure; to much pressure to be generated by any normal or abnormal movement throughout the day. And even if it could get "bumped" and be put out of battery during the day, a good holster would keep that from happening. Now, since I have broken it in (250 rounds), it returns to battery just fine in the described situation.

As far as riding the slide, DON'T! In the words of Mr. Tom Gresham, "Rack a round into the chamber the same way the gun does. Rip that slide back and let it go! Don't baby it!"

Hang in there. You have nothing to be concerned about. Don't go getting crazy and calling S&W before you've even shot it. Take her out to the range and give her a little lovin. I think you'll see that she'll come around for you.

 

[mr2r6]

True enough. In fact, my Kahr PM9's instructions say to ALWAYS release the slide with the slide stop, rather than pulling back on the slide, so you might try that as well. As others have said: Shoot and enjoy it!

Have you read the instructions for your shield?

 

[robkarrob]

Not to worry man. This has been discussed many times. People thinking something was wrong with their gun. You think you can knock or bump the slide back out of battery. It is not likely but it COULD happen. The reason this happens is the slide reset bump hangs up on the trigger bar reset tab, in the underside of the slide.Try getting your gun into that "out of battery" position. The easiest way to test for this is to put a spent casing (or snap cap) into the chamber. You did put an empty casing into the chamber and not a live round. Let the slide slam closed and then pull the slide back (rearward) a 1/4 inch and release it gently. If your slide will hang out of battery, this will show it. Then just slowly pull the trigger. You will find that just before the trigger hits the break point, the slide will move forward and go back into full battery. What's happening is when pulling the trigger, just before reaching the break point, the trigger bar reset tab will bypass the reset bump and the slide will move forward into battery. It works, try it

Whenever first loading a round in the chamber, whether dropping one in the chamber, or loading from the magazine, you must pull the slide FULLY back and release it (let go), allowing the recoil spring to drive the slide forward into battery. Do not try to help it move forward. The recoil spring can do a better job than you can.

So again I say, not to worry, no problems man.

Bob

 

[RobsTV]

While reloading some cast bullets, found they were sized a little too large for the Shield 40 at .4025. This caused most to not fully chamber, slide not fully forward, out of battery. After testing a few dozen this way, safe to say that they will not fire if even slightly out of battery, with only light primer strikes at best. Had to smack the slide forward a few times to get the round fully into chamber before it would fire. Now I use those extra oversize rounds in a hi-point 40 that eats anything, and use a different sizing die for the Shield, which again chambers every round perfectly.

 

[gnystrom]

My shield is coming tomorrow, and if mine does this I will sell it or send it back until they fix it.

I have maybe 2 dozen pistols and NONE of them will NOT return to battery if pulled back 1/4".

I consider that a safety hazard. I don't want an inadvertent bump to put my gun out of commission.

So many guys will tell you that you may only have a half a second to produce your gun and commence to firing. Yet some of these same guys will tell you it is perfectly okay, or even NORMAL for the gun to be easily bumped out of battery, which in a panic situation you would draw your gun, perhaps from under a shirt or through a seat belt and if you knock it out of battery you will point and pull the trigger and nothing will happen. You will spend a half a second not believing the gun isn't firing, maybe check the safety, then rack the slide and trying again.

Nope. Not one of my guns. My brand new 4513 doesn't stay out of battery. And it sure isn't broke in yet. I say it's unacceptable. I have many more excellent guns to chose from, I won't put up with it.

You have to make your own decision.

If you are at the LGS picking up your Shield today, please test it to your satisfaction BEFORE you fill out the paperwork and bring it home. My guess is, there is a LOOONG list of people that would be very happy to take that gun home with them. A new firearm that has yet to have any rounds through it will not bother them in the least.

 

[rraisley]

Have you read the instructions for your shield?

I don't have a Shield. I read the instructions for my Kahr PM9, and suggested that as a possibility as well.

 

[Lost Lake]

If you are at the LGS picking up your Shield today, please test it to your satisfaction BEFORE you fill out the paperwork and bring it home. My guess is, there is a LOOONG list of people that would be very happy to take that gun home with them. A new firearm that has yet to have any rounds through it will not bother them in the least.

Oh, it's coming home with me, make no mistake about that. I'm into it for $355 after my FFL fees, and the way they are selling on GB I could turn an easy $100 by dumping it, so it's coming home for sure.

It's very reassuring to hear the trigger press will get it back into battery. I will give it a thorough go-through. My life may depend on it.

Right now a 3913 is on my hip and it's going to take a heck of a super-gun to get that off of there.

 

[BBS1]

Oh, it's coming home with me, make no mistake about that. I'm into it for $355 after my FFL fees, and the way they are selling on GB I could turn an easy $100 by dumping it, so it's coming home for sure.

It's very reassuring to hear the trigger press will get it back into battery. I will give it a thorough go-through. My life may depend on it.

Right now a 3913 is on my hip and it's going to take a heck of a super-gun to get that off of there.

Have no worries, sir! I had the exact same concern as you and did some testing with snapcaps. loaded everything, chambered a cap and pulled the slide out of battery about half an inch. It goes right back into battery as you pull the trigger and all my qualms were relieved.

 

[catcus-jack]

It takes more than just a "bump" to bring the gun out of battery, especially since it hasn't been broken in (very stiff recoil spring). It takes quite a bit of constant pressure to presscheck my Shield every morning but I'm pulling it back less that 1/4. Before I had put a few hundred rounds through it, when I would presscheck it and put it out of battery, it wouldn't fully return to battery like described above. But I had absolutely NO worries that my gun would get "bumped" out of battery and not return, it just takes too much pressure; to much pressure to be generated by any normal or abnormal movement throughout the day. And even if it could get "bumped" and be put out of battery during the day, a good holster would keep that from happening. Now, since I have broken it in (250 rounds), it returns to battery just fine in the described situation.

As far as riding the slide, DON'T! In the words of Mr. Tom Gresham, "Rack a round into the chamber the same way the gun does. Rip that slide back and let it go! Don't baby it!"

Hang in there. You have nothing to be concerned about. Don't go getting crazy and calling S&W before you've even shot it. Take her out to the range and give her a little lovin. I think you'll see that she'll come around for you.

You press check it every morning?Do the gremlins sneak in at night when you are asleep and unload it?

 

[Smitty357]

I always carry my Shield hot. So at any given moment, mines ready to roll. They dont have a problem cycling during operation.

 

[gnystrom]

You press check it every morning?Do the gremlins sneak in at night when you are asleep and unload it?

Good practice is to press check your gun every morning before you holster it for the day. Necessary, maybe not, good idea, yep. My XDm has an LCI that sticks up when a round is in the chamber. Cleaning the gun one day with the barrel out of the gun and the slide in my hand, the LCI was sticking up like a honeymoon groom. Dirt got in there and total dis-assembly was required to clean it out. Trust nothing. Press check takes no time at all.

 

[BBS1]

I press check any and every handgun every single time i hold one. I dont care if I know that its loaded/unloaded or sat on my bedside all night.

 

[bearfoot]

depending on the holster, if it is out of battery, you can feel it w/ your thumb. when i get out of the car i usually adjust the holster to where i want it, only slightly. and i can slide my thumb over the slide to make sure it is in battery. i`m still like a bear in a china shop. so checking the position of the OWB, usually at the 3 oclock position when in crowds or a area i`m not sure about. just checked, and even trying to make it stay out of battery, w/ a snap cap in the chamber, it won`t. so as the above persons have posted, shoot it. but maybe some clearing and loading the mag. drills will ease your out of battery considerations. my 2 cents, no one should every carry a weapon they do not trust. never had a laser on a pistol. bought one, wouldn`t adjust out of the box, it did shoot good groups at 15 yd. but to trust your life on an addon that might fail, when your life depends on it, i found out the sights and continued practice point shooting is something i trust more.