I just got my shield 9 yesterday. And oh my gosh. It takes all I have to release the slide when it is locked back. Just about takes both hands. Does anybody else have this problem? Or do I need to send it back. I really think it is a problem. Thoughts and or solution? Thanks
Release of shield 9 slide
- Thread starter Billyc525
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jeepmcd
Member
It will loosen up as you shoot it, buy you really shouldn't use the slide lock lever to release the slide by itself. Try pulling the locked slide back with one hand and you should be able to disengage the lock with the flick of your thumb.
Read the manual.
Read the manual.
The Shield has a pretty stout recoil spring. If locked back and trying to chamber a round, just grab the back of the slide, pull it back and release. It'll go forward into battery. If you're trying to let the slide go into battery on an empty chamber, pull back and release the slide lock lever. Then ease the slide forward. It's not a good idea to let the slide "slam" forward on an empty chamber.
Pistol Pedro
Member
Umm, why???
Delos
Member
When steel hits steel?
Scroll about half way down for scary picture of metal hitting metal damage. In this case it was allegedly dry fire damage to glock.
Dry firing - Glock Forum
Scroll about half way down for scary picture of metal hitting metal damage. In this case it was allegedly dry fire damage to glock.
Dry firing - Glock Forum
Pistol Pedro
Member
That is from dry firing not letting the slide slam on an empty chamber. There is a difference.
How do you know he didn't ride the slide closed gently before each of those dry fires? The results would have been the same.
How do you know he didn't ride the slide closed gently before each of those dry fires? The results would have been the same.
Smitty357
Member
You have to pull the slide back a bit while pressing the slide lock down. It works perfect every time, if u do it correctly.
IMO, it sounds as though u are trying to use the slide "lock" as a slide button. You're thinking it was designed to just push down so the slide could fly forward and load the next round. In reality, it was never designed to do such a thing. It was designed as a slide lock, in which it locks the slide into the open position for performing a strip down and as well as letting the user know the gun has spent the last round in the magazine (time to reload).
IMO, it sounds as though u are trying to use the slide "lock" as a slide button. You're thinking it was designed to just push down so the slide could fly forward and load the next round. In reality, it was never designed to do such a thing. It was designed as a slide lock, in which it locks the slide into the open position for performing a strip down and as well as letting the user know the gun has spent the last round in the magazine (time to reload).
ColumbusJBR
Member
If you are talking about trying to release the slide with an empty mag inserted, then yes it will naturally be harder due to the mag follower pushing up on the slide lock. That is normal. It should be much easier with a loaded mag or no mag at all to release the slide using the slide lock button
N4KVE
Member
This is the correct way to chamber a round, but I think it's abused as much as the term "clip". GARY
kaikane0812
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If you're right-handed, you will use your left hand and pull the slide straight back with the palm of your left hand on top of the slide pulling it backwards (towards your body) if you are left-handed.........god bless ya ahahaha. Vice versa. You do not need to push the slide release lever at all and in fact, you shouldn't if you are loading a round into the chamber. Enjoy your shield, it's an excellent weapon. It will loosen up after a hundred or so rounds also.
Auto pistols are designed to strip a round from the mag and chamber it as a way to control slide speed as it goes into battery. IMO it can be hard on the locking lug when the slide is just released from lock on an empty chamber. Drop your slide from lock on an empty chamber, then with a loaded mag. You'll feel & hear the difference.
I looked at the Glock thread. How in the world will dry firing cause that crack? All that's happening is the striker is moving forward. Pedro, how do you know he wasn't pulling the slide back and letting it fly? The striker spring doesn't have nearly enough power to push the bolt face out like that. But dropping the slide on an empty chamber enough times sure can. You have the full weight of the slide moving into battery faster than intended, and no cartridge head to support it.
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Pistol Pedro
Member
I don't know he wasn't pulling the slide back and letting it fly just as you don't know he was. That was a bad argument for me to make.
I've never heard anyone say letting a slide slam on an empty chamber is bad that's why I questioned it. It's going to take more than a post of a Glock damaged from dry firing to convince me otherwise.
In my opinion the damage in those pictures is from a very high number of dry fires with no snap cap in the chamber not from the breech face suddenly being stopped without a force acting on it. Glocks like most other modern striker fired pistols have a thin breech face. When it's fired without any object such as a snap cap or live round for the striker to impact, the striker travels further than it normally would causing it to bottom out and hit the backside of the breech face. Repetitive impact like this without any support in the chamber could cause the damage in the referenced post. Again since it's not my gun and I don't know the history, that's just my opinion.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a good idea to let your slide slam shut thousands of times on an empty chamber, but doing it a few times as a function check such as I do after re-assembly following a cleaning isn't going to hurt it. If you want to ease your slide shut, that is fine. You certainly won't hurt it either.
Since I've derailed this thread a bit, let me get back on topic by agreeing with others responses to the original question. The slide stop lever is not meant to be a slide release. On a full magazine or no magazine, release the slide stop by pulling back on the slide. If you want to release it on an empty magazine, pull back on the slide while depressing the slide stop lever.
Smitty357
Member
A well trained person who knows their weapon will most likely never use the last round before they reload the mag if they are in a gun fight. The last round will get chambered and at that moment they will drop the mag and reload. This is so the slide never locks open and they never have to fight the release.
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There are certain autos on which this practice of letting the slide slam shut on am empty chamber can cause serious damage to the engagement surfaces of the hammer and sear. Whether this it true with the modern striker fired autos like the Glock or the M&P is not certain, but it is something that you "just don't do." Doing it marks you as a neophyte or duffer, and will subject you to ridicule, at a minimum and much worse if you do it to someone else's firearm.
The administrative handling of handguns is a study in itself. It is customary to go through certain motions and rituals when handling a gun.
For example, always check for loaded condition if it is in your hand, never hand a loaded pistol to another, check one for loaded or not when receiving from another person, NEVER, ever dry fire, run the action or spin the cylinder without the express consent of the owner; don't slam the cylinder open or closed by just swinging the revolver to the side, don't let the slide slam shut on an empty chamber, etc. It is just generally hard on the parts, and it is something you "just don't do."
Again, if you want to do this to your own pistol, have at it. Doing it to someone else's pistol is considered bad form, rude behavior, marks you as an idiot, will result in no one trusting you to handle or inspect their pistols, and if you cause damage to someone's fine target pistol by damaging the sear engagement in such manner, which is a very real possibility, YOU will pay the repair bill, possibly hundreds of dollars.
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Delos
Member
Small picture of crack beginning
The picture of the glock breach face broken allegedly by "dry firing" seems to me to be suspect.
Dry firing - Glock Forum
(Smaller picture - crack beginning)
When the slide is released empty, the ridge that protrudes at top of barrel is fattest where it impacts the breach face at the place crack is beginning to form, in the smaller photo.
Some people have read about Glock torture tests and have then tested them excessively with +P+ and hotter ammunition.
Some let the slide bang closed each time they dry fire. Perhaps the newer compound spring has made the impact of it slamming closed empty much worse?
I am not interested in testing excessively hot loads in any handgun myself. I am however very interested in knowing what parts fail from what kind of abuse.
To me the breach face failure looks like "all of the above".
The picture of the glock breach face broken allegedly by "dry firing" seems to me to be suspect.
Dry firing - Glock Forum
(Smaller picture - crack beginning)
When the slide is released empty, the ridge that protrudes at top of barrel is fattest where it impacts the breach face at the place crack is beginning to form, in the smaller photo.
Some people have read about Glock torture tests and have then tested them excessively with +P+ and hotter ammunition.
Some let the slide bang closed each time they dry fire. Perhaps the newer compound spring has made the impact of it slamming closed empty much worse?
I am not interested in testing excessively hot loads in any handgun myself. I am however very interested in knowing what parts fail from what kind of abuse.
To me the breach face failure looks like "all of the above".
Pistol Pedro
Member
Well Shawn I never claimed to know it all and I'm certainly willing to accept that I may be wrong on the effects of dropping the slide on an empty chamber. I'll do more research.
I really do appropriate your diatribe on the proper handling of handguns though. I certainly wouldn't want to be labeled by you or anyone else as a duffer or neophyte. Nor would I want to be the subject of ridicule. Who knew you should never hand someone a loaded pistol?
The slide lock is just that - a lock. It's not a slide release lever. It has a lot of pressure behind it when locked open. Like others have told you - just pull the slide back a short distance & let it fly if you're chambering a round. If you're just going through a systems check without chambering you can keep a hold of the slide & ease it back to battery.
johnchamp
Member
try the sling shot method it works for me no problems
e-jism
Member
The slide lock should disengage on its own when you pull the slide back. You're right about the slide being very stiff. When I first got mine I thought S&W installed the wrong recoil spring. It does get easier after you fire a couple hundred rounds, but it will still be stiffer than a full size pistol.
