Shield 40 Mishap

[turbo38gn]

Wow, I don't believe it... but it's beginning to sink in... I can finally stop worrying about it... Now, get a few hundred rounds of cheap ball ammo and have some fun before you start cranking that FTX through it. Save the expensive stuff for later...

 

[2001gmc]

Well I have to say that I do really like this 9mm Shield. I shot 100 rounds of Fiocchi 115gr FMJ with no fail to feed or eject issues. I did have one little issue. I just loaded the 7 and 8 round mags and used them both till the 100 rounds were gone. I got down to the last 2 rounds and loaded them into the 8 round mag and I pulled the trigger and click. I waited about a minute then ejected it and fired the second round. I looked at the primer of the round that went click and the firing pin barley left a mark on it. I think I might of rode the slide is the reason this happened but not sure. I did load up the 8 round mag and 7 round mag again with Tulammo Brass Max 115gr FMJ after the issue and both mags went flawless. Just a update. I like it.

 

[Rastoff]

First, I'm glad you got to shoot your long awaited gun.

I looked at the primer of the round that went click and the firing pin barley left a mark on it. I think I might of rode the slide is the reason this happened but not sure.

Riding the slide cannot cause a light strike. Either the sear captured the striker or it didn't. If you got any mark at all on the primer, which you did, the striker fired.

There could be any number of other reasons for this light strike. The first thing I always recommend is checking the striker chamber. Remove the striker assembly and make sure there isn't any dirt or debris in there. Make sure it is free from grease or oil.

 

[2001gmc]

First, I'm glad you got to shoot your long awaited gun. Riding the slide cannot cause a light strike. Either the sear captured the striker or it didn't. If you got any mark at all on the primer, which you did, the striker fired.

There could be any number of other reasons for this light strike. The first thing I always recommend is checking the striker chamber. Remove the striker assembly and make sure there isn't any dirt or debris in there. Make sure it is free from grease or oil.

I've never removed the striker assembly before on this shield or my full size 9. I will have to look into how to do this. Yea it did click and just barley made a mark on the primer.

 

[turbo38gn]

Just shoot the damn thing.... lets not turn this into tearing a new gun apart for 1 "possible" FTF with an ammo brand known for hard primers. No need to create more drama here...

 

[Rastoff]

Here's how to remove the striker assembly.

Using a punch or some other stiff small device, push the plastic toward the muzzle. (See green arrow.)

Once it is depressed, the end cap should slide out easily. Release the plastic bit. With the end cap out, depress the striker block. The striker assembly should just pop out. It's under spring tension, but not much.

Reverse to reinstall. You will see a plastic sleeve that doesn't come out with the striker assembly. It doesn't need to come out and don't try to remove it.

 

[2001gmc]

Just shoot the damn thing.... lets not turn this into tearing a new gun apart for 1 "possible" FTF with an ammo brand known for hard primers. No need to create more drama here...

Yea that's what I plan on doing. It shot just fine after that happened that 1 time. I got 115 rounds through it so far. Going to put a few more through it this week. Its shoots awesome I'm very pleased with it. No comparison to the 40 IMO. Very accurate to. I tried to put the houge jr grip on it that I had on my 40 and broke the darn thing trying to stretch it enough to get it over the grip. I guess I will buy a new one. I know it made a big difference on the 40 on the recoil.

 

[AGoyette]

2001gmc,
I will second checking and cleaning the striker channel. I never cleaned the striker channel on any of our M&P's until I got 1 light primer hit on my 9c. Next time I took it out, I had numerous light primer hits. It was suggested that maybe the striker channel was dirty. Cleaned it out and I was surprised by how much gunk was in there. I then checked and cleaned the channel on the other 4 M&P's we have. 2 of them were filthy too. I just cleaned them all. My 9c ran perfectly after the cleaning. Maybe yours has some shipped gunk in there? One thing for sure, you are not going to hurt anything be checking and cleaning the striker channel.

 

[turbo38gn]

Yea that's what I plan on doing. It shot just fine after that happened that 1 time. I got 115 rounds through it so far. Going to put a few more through it this week. Its shoots awesome I'm very pleased with it. No comparison to the 40 IMO. Very accurate to. I tried to put the houge jr grip on it that I had on my 40 and broke the darn thing trying to stretch it enough to get it over the grip. I guess I will buy a new one. I know it made a big difference on the 40 on the recoil.

Nice, glad to hear you are enjoying it. I've been to the range with my 40's lately, both my M&P40c and Shield. It amazes me how well they shoot, along with my M&P380. I have to admit, I am bad at cleaning my guns the last couple years, but they never skip a beat. I don't disagree with the suggestions to cleaning the striker channel out occasionally, just don't believe it to be the correct suggestion at this point in your use of your new gun. Getting more rounds through it seems to be more sensible to me. I own 10 M&P's with thousands and thousands of rounds through them..... have yet to go into the striker channel... but maybe someday soon...

I remember after cleaning my wifes new 9c, I decided to really lube it up, kinda like I'd seen guys lube up 1911's. I had been lubing up my M&P's exactly like the manual showed me and never had a problem. Well let me tell you.... my wife couldn't fire more than one round at a time.... fte, ftf... you name it. I was also using some kind of cheap ammo I bought just this one time... Tula or something like it... I blamed the ammo. But when I got home, I cleaned off all the oil and went back to just the 5 drops in the 5 locations and never had a problem with any of my M&P's.. as for the Tula, have used it since a few times with little to no problems.

 

[turbo38gn]

Here's how to remove the striker assembly.

Using a punch or some other stiff small device, push the plastic toward the muzzle. (See green arrow.)

Once it is depressed, the end cap should slide out easily. Release the plastic bit. With the end cap out, depress the striker block. The striker assembly should just pop out. It's under spring tension, but not much.

Reverse to reinstall. You will see a plastic sleeve that doesn't come out with the striker assembly. It doesn't need to come out and don't try to remove it.

Thanks, I appreciate the instructions... just might clean a few of my M&P's...

 

[2001gmc]

Here's how to remove the striker assembly.

Using a punch or some other stiff small device, push the plastic toward the muzzle. (See green arrow.)

Once it is depressed, the end cap should slide out easily. Release the plastic bit. With the end cap out, depress the striker block. The striker assembly should just pop out. It's under spring tension, but not much.

Reverse to reinstall. You will see a plastic sleeve that doesn't come out with the striker assembly. It doesn't need to come out and don't try to remove it.

Thanks for the detailed instructions. I will do this if it happens again.

 

[2001gmc]

2001gmc,
I will second checking and cleaning the striker channel. I never cleaned the striker channel on any of our M&P's until I got 1 light primer hit on my 9c. Next time I took it out, I had numerous light primer hits. It was suggested that maybe the striker channel was dirty. Cleaned it out and I was surprised by how much gunk was in there. I then checked and cleaned the channel on the other 4 M&P's we have. 2 of them were filthy too. I just cleaned them all. My 9c ran perfectly after the cleaning. Maybe yours has some shipped gunk in there? One thing for sure, you are not going to hurt anything be checking and cleaning the striker channel.

Will spraying like gun scrubber in there clean it out good?

 

[AGoyette]

Will spraying like gun scrubber in there clean it out good?

IMO, you will need to remove the striker to clean out the striker channel. You don't want to put anything in there that will leave a film etc. I used dry qtips (though I have read not to use qtips), then qtips dipped in Hoppes, followed by more dry qtips until they came out clean. I used a pipe cleaner to clean out the hole the striker goes through and then blew out the whole thing with canned air. (to remove any rouge qtip strands) If you use anything that leaves behind oil, film, etc you can get your striker to have hydro lock (the gunsmiths term). Meaning it can't move efficiently due to liquid being pushed and blocking it.

 

[chaparrito]

I read most of this thread, but didn't see who took responsibility for the failure.
Correct me if I'm wrong in some facts here but having to wait nearly a year to get a hundred dollar (or less) discount on a pistol that's widely available seems like a pretty crappy deal to me.

 

[uechikid]

I have been checking in on this thread since it was started. I feel the way many others do about how poorly you have been treated by S&W. I'm glad that this is finally resolve and you now have a working Shield. Enjoy and be safe.

 

[2001gmc]

IMO, you will need to remove the striker to clean out the striker channel. You don't want to put anything in there that will leave a film etc. I used dry qtips (though I have read not to use qtips), then qtips dipped in Hoppes, followed by more dry qtips until they came out clean. I used a pipe cleaner to clean out the hole the striker goes through and then blew out the whole thing with canned air. (to remove any rouge qtip strands) If you use anything that leaves behind oil, film, etc you can get your striker to have hydro lock (the gunsmiths term). Meaning it can't move efficiently due to liquid being pushed and blocking it.

I meant spray it in there after I removed the striker. I'm not sure about it leaving a residue but dont think it does at all.

 

[ginzo]

I, as a matter of habit, wipe out the striker channel with every cleaning. Call me anal........ No issues so far. Put it back dry. I'll go with AGoyette routine, sounds similar to mine.

Glad your back on the "range".

 

[AGoyette]

I meant spray it in there after I removed the striker. I'm not sure about it leaving a residue but dont think it does at all.

You will want to make sure all the gunk is out of the channel. I have my doubts that a spray by itself will remove all the gunk.

 

[turbo38gn]

I, as a matter of habit, wipe out the striker channel with every cleaning. Call me anal........ No issues so far. Put it back dry. I'll go with AGoyette routine, sounds similar to mine.

Glad your back on the "range".

ANAL.....

 

[Rastoff]

I meant spray it in there after I removed the striker. I'm not sure about it leaving a residue but dont think it does at all.

Yes, spray it in the channel and then run a Q-Tip down there. Be sure the cleaner won't melt the plastic sleeve.