Schedule for recoil spring replacement for a 9mm Shield?

[shipwreck]

Anyone know what the schedule is to replace the recoil spring in the Shield?

I've had mine over a year and have 2.2k rounds thru it.

Many guns say the spring should be changed every 5k. Some are more often - like the 1911.

But quite often, the replacement schedule for small little guns (like the Shield) require more frequent recoil spring changes.

Anyone know how often that little recoil spring assembly should be changed?

 

[F4D]

I would guess when it stops working.

 

[DocSunShine]

I'd do it every 5k for preventative maintenance but James Yaeger states his Shield is well over 5k on a video he made, no hiccups, nothing changed.

 

[modraker]

Most folks say 5000 rounds. I normally wait until the cases are flying out over 6ft away or I feel the gun's taking a beating from excessive recoil.

 

[Biscut]

Since a Shield is most likely protecting you butt I'd do 5k even if it were functioning fine at that mark. Just as a precaution. If you are running non +P 5k will be nothing for the spring on a 9mm.

 

[SmurfHunter]

Since a Shield is most likely protecting you butt I'd do 5k even if it were functioning fine at that mark. Just as a precaution. If you are running non +P 5k will be nothing for the spring on a 9mm.

Why wait till its too late? 5k is the way to go. It's such a cheap item

 

[lilro]

Buy a new spring and check it's strength vs. the old one every 1k rounds. When you notice a difference when racking the slide, keep the new one in there.

 

[Rastoff]

If the gun is being used for self defense, I would want it to be as reliable as possible. I'd change the recoil spring every 2.5K, but that's just me.

 

[Biscut]

Why wait till its too late? 5k is the way to go. It's such a cheap item

I'm advocating 5k spring change....

 

[SmurfHunter]

I'm advocating 5k spring change....

My comment wasn't directed at you. Just a general statement

 

[Sailhoe]

What about the firing pin and striker assembly

Is the firing pin and whole striker assembly on the same replacement schedule of 5000 rounds?

 

[WRA]

Do you order replacements direct from the mother ship?

 

[OKFC05]

The flat-wound ISMI recoil springs (that are stock on M&Ps) have a far greater fatigue life than the piano wire coil springs.
FWIW, I've never seen one worn out, or the spring break. The retainer goes first, especially on the ones that use the press-on on retainer, as opposed to the steel rods with a threaded bolt. ISMI guarantees the springs to competitors for one year, regardless of the number of rounds first. There are documented cases up to 63,000 rounds on one RSA. I have broken the trigger return springs, and chipped a striker at about 20,000 rounds on M&Ps.

 

[Fastbolt]

Is the firing pin and whole striker assembly on the same replacement schedule of 5000 rounds?

FWIW, in my Shield armorer class/manual the recommended replacement interval for the Shield striker assembly is either after 10,000 rounds fired or after 30,000 cycles of dry-fire. Yep, I wrote 30,000. Wow, right? (Guess the engineers are taking the whole dry-fire concern more seriously than when the early machined strikers reportedly sometimes broke after low dry-fire cycles. Back then I was told they'd tested the original strikers to more than 3,500 dry-fire cycles, but then competitors started blowing right past that number. )

If you're curious, it's also recommended armorers replace Shield slide stop assemblies and the trigger return spring ... along with the recoil spring assemblies ... every 5,000 rounds.

S&W has been known for their recommendations to sometimes run on the conservative end of things.

For example, we were told in one of my regular M&P pistol armorer classes that while they were recommending for us to replace recoil spring assemblies in duty pistols every 5,000 rounds, they'd been monitoring some M&P's used in competition, using factory recoil spring assemblies, to run normally out beyond 20,000 rounds.

When it comes to dedicated defensive weapons, though, it's prudent to look at maintenance and service intervals from the "better safe than sorry" perspective.

 

[Rastoff]

FWIW, in my Shield armorer class/manual the recommended replacement interval for the Shield striker assembly is either after 10,000 rounds fired or after 30,000 cycles of dry-fire. Yep, I wrote 30,000. Wow, right?

Not really surprising to me.

There was a time when I thought 1,000 dry presses would be a lot. Now I have over 100,000 on my M&P 45 and well over 200,000 on my 1911. Not to mention a lot on other guns.

Regular dry practice is good. Of course regular live fire practice is good too.

 

[RobzGuns]

My Shield is 7y/o with over 30K rounds (plus Dry Fire) and still using the original springs, both RSA and Striker.

I do have a spare in my range bag, waiting for the day it might start running erratically.

FWIW... My 29y/o G19 is also still running fine with its original springs.

 

[Real Old Navy]

Always replace on March 20th...the first day of Spring...also set your Glocks back and replace your batteries...in your laser

 

[RobzGuns]

Always replace on March 20th...the first day of Spring...also set your Glocks back and replace your batteries...in your laser

no, no, no... Spring AHEAD.

 

[Rastoff]

My Shield is 7y/o with over 30K rounds (plus Dry Fire) and still using the original springs, both RSA and Striker.

This brought something to mind. It really doesn't have any thing to do with RobzGuns. I'm just using it as an example.

This is a perfect example of how most gun owners think about spending money. In this case, more than $5K has been spent on ammo. Yet, people will wring their hands and worry over spending $13 on a simple replacement part like the RSA.

You probably don't need to replace your RSA, but if you're even thinking that you might want to, just do it. It's only $13 which is cheap insurance. You'll spend many times that in ammo.