Problems with new S&W M&P Shield 9mm

[Dikinalaska]

I'm not taking either side on the "there's been a lot of people not happy with s&w recently" debate, but I wanted to bring up a few points...

1)People are ever-increasingly using the internet and joining forums as these.

2)People are not as likely to talk about how happy they are with a gun as how unhappy they are with a gun.

3)With what's been going on overall in this country in the last few years, I would guess there's been a big increase in gun buying. I say guess because I'm pretty sure, but don't have the stats. Say 1 in 100 of a particular gun has problems, well when more 100's are sold more 1's are going to be sold.

So it could be a decline in quality, or an increase in numbers and hearing about it. Either way, only two issues I've had with any of my Smiths is losing a spring, and finding ammo.

 

[Ziemann]

As a self defense weapon, I cannot imagine anyone purchasing a Shield without having the intent of putting 500+ rounds through it to make sure you can use it effectively, instinctively, and reliably. Therein lies the break in process.

I experienced 3 Failures to extract in the first 150 rounds. SINCE THEN, I have not had one failure in the following 750+ rounds.

I think anyone that sends a gun back to the manufacturer without using it extensively is setting themselves up for disappointment when they get it back from S&W with "No Problem Found". I find that this usually occurs with inexperienced shooters.

This is not to say that S&W doesn't occasionally send out a gun with a defect- it is put together by humans, so errors do happen. Keep in mind that this is not an expensive gun by any stretch. But for what it was designed to do as a self defense weapon, it is an extreme value compared to its competitors.

 

[wlg]

First of all, I hate acronyms without an explanation first. You said you had several "FTEs" the first time you shot the gun. Were they Failure to Extract or Failure to Eject? There is a difference. Until we know which, we can't help diagnose the problem.

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it sounds like you think the M&P is expensive; it's not. In fact, it is at the lower end of the spectrum.

My Brown did not need a break in period, but maybe it is unique. Neither of my M&Ps needed a break in. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a gun, no matter the price, to work right out of the box.

He stated that he did. Look at the original post.

Sorry for not explaining my problem correctly. - Failure to Extract or Failure to Eject. I had 3 jam and would not let the live round load, is that Failure to Eject? I had one stay in the barrel and had to take it to gunsmith to get it out (he removed the live round from the barrel) is that Failure to Extract? He told me to shoot it on his range so he could watch me to make sure it was not me and was the gun. I had one jam while he watched he said it was the gun. And the rest is history. As for price of gun $450.00, I know other guns cost a lot more.
wlg

 

[wlg]

As a self defense weapon, I cannot imagine anyone purchasing a Shield without having the intent of putting 500+ rounds through it to make sure you can use it effectively, instinctively, and reliably. Therein lies the break in process.

I experienced 3 Failures to extract in the first 150 rounds. SINCE THEN, I have not had one failure in the following 750+ rounds.

I think anyone that sends a gun back to the manufacturer without using it extensively is setting themselves up for disappointment when they get it back from S&W with "No Problem Found". I find that this usually occurs with inexperienced shooters.

This is not to say that S&W doesn't occasionally send out a gun with a defect- it is put together by humans, so errors do happen. Keep in mind that this is not an expensive gun by any stretch. But for what it was designed to do as a self defense weapon, it is an extreme value compared to its competitors.

I am not a professional by any means, but I have been shooting pistols from age 14 I am now 67. I have an S&W 642 with about 900 rounds through it I use for self-defense now. I liked the Shield and think it will make a good cc gun? I always go to the range once a week and put 150 rounds through my cc gun. I would not normally be concerned but I thought the trouble my new Shield was having was unacceptable and so did the gunsmith. If S&W is going to advertise it as self-defense then I expect it to be reliable, no matter what the cost of the gun. With that said I believe S&W will take care of it. I do not believe it will come back "No Problem Found".
wlg

 

[Badquaker]

There seems to be confusion with terminology. Lets see if we can clear it up.

FTL - failure to load. Chamber is clear but round does not completely enter chamber.

FTE - failure to extract. Gun fires, but casing is left in chamber. It will probably try to load a new round, but will jam new round against blocked chambed.

Failure to eject. Gun fires, round is extracted, but does not clear the port before a new round is chambered. Often called a stovepipe because the open end of the case sticks out the side.



Aggressive hollow points can be problematic. The slightest burr on the feed ramp, breech face, magazine lips, or extractor can cause havoc until they are either worn in or removed.

Being able to identify how the gun malfunctions is 90 percent of making it right.

 

[Rastoff]

Badquaker posted an excellent list.

wlg,
The round that "stayed in the barrel", was it a live round you didn't fire that was stuck in the chamber or was it a bullet that didn't leave the bore (lands and grooves) after being fired?

If it was stuck in the chamber, considering you were using factory ammo, you could have an improperly sized chamber. It's unlikely, but it does happen. A chamber that is slightly tight could cause all the trouble you're having.

I do not agree with putting 500 rounds through the gun if an obvious problem can be discovered early. It would just be wasting rounds. An unfired round being stuck in the chamber is not something that will likely fix itself by shooting a few rounds.

 

[wlg]

Badquaker posted an excellent list.

wlg,
The round that "stayed in the barrel", was it a live round you didn't fire that was stuck in the chamber or was it a bullet that didn't leave the bore (lands and grooves) after being fired?

If it was stuck in the chamber, considering you were using factory ammo, you could have an improperly sized chamber. It's unlikely, but it does happen. A chamber that is slightly tight could cause all the trouble you're having.

I do not agree with putting 500 rounds through the gun if an obvious problem can be discovered early. It would just be wasting rounds. An unfired round being stuck in the chamber is not something that will likely fix itself by shooting a few rounds.

It was a live round that was stuck in the chamber, and the slide was stuck. That is why I took it to a gunsmith.

 

[Badquaker]

Closer.....

Live round stuck in the chamber, slide locked to round.


Did you try to fire it? Or was it out of battery?

Did you see the round after it was removed? Was the lip of the case rolled back?

If the case was rolled back, was it to the inside or outside?

I am leaning towards a tight chamber, but I have seen commercial ammo with defects that would lock up if loaded.

What ammo was used?

 

[wlg]

Closer.....

Live round stuck in the chamber, slide locked to round.


Did you try to fire it? Or was it out of battery?

Did you see the round after it was removed? Was the lip of the case rolled back?

If the case was rolled back, was it to the inside or outside?

I am leaning towards a tight chamber, but I have seen commercial ammo with defects that would lock up if loaded.

What ammo was used?

I was using Remington 115gr range ammo. It was out of battery. The lip of the case was rolled back and was on the outside.

 

[Badquaker]

We have a winner.....

Either a sharp edge (throat to chamber) peeled that back, or the ammo was the culprit.

Maybe the throat wasn't properly dressed at the factory. If so, it would explain all your issues. It's a 5 minute repair, or a couple hundred rounds of practice.

 

[wlg]

We have a winner.....

Either a sharp edge (throat to chamber) peeled that back, or the ammo was the culprit.

Maybe the throat wasn't properly dressed at the factory. If so, it would explain all your issues. It's a 5 minute repair, or a couple hundred rounds of practice.

Thanks for your help. When I get it back from S&W (the gunsmith called S&W and they wanted me to send it to them) I'll let you know what they found. I really like this gun and believe it will be my main cc. I know I should run a few hundred rounds through it before I put it in service. I am convinced it will be a good self-defense gun.
wlg

 

[Ziemann]

Outstanding detective work!

 

[Rastoff]

We have a winner.....

Either a sharp edge (throat to chamber) peeled that back, or the ammo was the culprit.

Maybe the throat wasn't properly dressed at the factory. If so, it would explain all your issues. It's a 5 minute repair, or a couple hundred rounds of practice.

This is my thought as well.

Please let us know what the factory says.

 

[wlg]

Got my M&P Shield back today. They replaced the extractor, polished the feed ramp, and other adjustments (whatever that means?) I put 50 rounds through it no problems yet. Hope all is well with it now? Keeping my fingers crossed.
wlg

 

[wlg]

This is my thought as well.

Please let us know what the factory says.

Got my M&P Shield back today. They replaced the extractor, polished the feed ramp, and other adjustments (whatever that means?) I put 50 rounds through it no problems yet. Hope all is well with it now? Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Don 73]

I have had 1 (one) problem with my 9c. It occurred when I used some old hand loads that my dad had. The round failed to completely enter the chamber and the slide was wedged out of battery. It took a bit of force to rack the mag and kick out the offending shell, but when all was said and done, it was a warped casing that caused the problem.I have not had a single issue with ANY factory loaded rounds.

 

[DeeBee]

Got my M&P Shield back today. They replaced the extractor, polished the feed ramp, and other adjustments (whatever that means?) I put 50 rounds through it no problems yet. Hope all is well with it now? Keeping my fingers crossed.

Put about 300 more through it , and get back to us.

I just sent mine in for failure to extract/eject , with phase 3 malfunction.
I can't wait to see what they come up with.

 

[checkmyswag]

Zero issues here.

 

[wlg]

Got my M&P Shield back today(09/9/2013). They replaced the extractor, polished the feed ramp, and other adjustments (whatever that means?) I put 50 rounds through it no problems yet. Hope all is well with it now? Keeping my fingers crossed.

New Range Report

09/9/2013 - 1st. Range trip. 50 rounds box of Target range ammo – No problem – Total 50 rounds.
09/10/2013 - 2nd. Range trip. 50 rounds Remington and 50 rounds of Federal range ammo – One Failed to extract, the fired casing failed to extract and the next round tried to load also one Fail to eject. - Total 100 rounds.
09/12/2013 - 3rd. Range trip. 50 rounds Winchester white box range ammo. And 50 rounds of Federal range ammo, one Fail to eject. - Total 100 rounds.
What do you think?

Total rounds through gun as of 09/12/2013 - 250 rounds.

1. Failed to extract and the next round tried to load.
2. Fail to eject.
3. Fail to eject.

 

[RobzGuns]

You didn't say Which brand got the FTE on trips 2 and 3? Remington? WWB?, or Federal? Federal is a common variable in all 3 trips (not used in trip one, where you had 0 problems, but used in trips 2 and 3)
... but USUALLY, Federal is considered a very reliable brand.

Could be ammo related, could be something else.
Take variables out of the equation to be sure.