Mountain Walker
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Just wondering if anyone makes a less powerful recoil spring for the Shield 1?
Shield Fix for Difficult to Rack Slide
- Thread starter Mountain Walker
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That is why I traded my Glock 43 to my wife for the 9mm Shield 1 I bought for her. She couldn't rack the Shield but could rack the Glock 43. I'm happy with either one.
Must be up too late at night. An Uplula is a cartridge loading device to make loading magazines easier. The OP is asking about recoil springs and hand cycling the slide, not mag springs.
Many of us have had reliable success replacing the factory recoil assembly with an aftermarket one. Stainless Steel Guiderods builds custom sets that run the gun reliably and are a little easier to rack. Check them out:
Smith & Wesson(R) Shield 9mm & 40 cal Guide Rod by Stainless Steel Guide Rods • Stainless Steel Guide Rods
kthom
Member
I don't know if anyone makes a lighter RSA for a Shield, but I would be extremely leary of it if they do. These smaller semi autos have a very narrow window of reliability regarding function. The shorter the barrel plus the size and weight of the slide require a particular weight of RSA to allow the gun to function reliably and not batter the slide/frame during firing. There is also a matter of correct timing to allow extraction, ejection and chambering of a fresh round to happen without any interference or failure to cleanly function. It is easily possible to upset this process with your thumb pressing against the slide a bit during firing or by limp wristing while shooting. Any pressure that interferes with the speed and timing of the slide movement will negatively affect reliable function. These words are just my explanation of why I would be extremely doubtful of good results if a lighter spring weight for the recoil spring on a small semi auto would be a good thing.
There is much more room for change on a full sized SA to allow for changes to be made. It's also why shooting +P ammo in a small semi auto is not recommended since that changes the dynamics of the firing/reloading functions. This is just my opinion based on many years of shooting and experimenting, for whatever it might be worth.
AS my wife has gotten older and her hand strength has diminished, she can no longer reliably rack the slide on her 9MM Shield and she can no longer comfortably fire as many rounds through her M-442 revolver. Her answer to this situation was to change to a Shield EZ. Our copy of that semi auto has worked out very well for her. We'd both be happier if she was still using and carrying a 9MM instead of a .380, but we both feel the .380 is adequate for her particular needs since she is able to shoot it very accurately at the close distances she is likely to need to use it. Old age and other circumstances requires accomodation, and she is not ready to give up having means for personal protection.
There is much more room for change on a full sized SA to allow for changes to be made. It's also why shooting +P ammo in a small semi auto is not recommended since that changes the dynamics of the firing/reloading functions. This is just my opinion based on many years of shooting and experimenting, for whatever it might be worth.
AS my wife has gotten older and her hand strength has diminished, she can no longer reliably rack the slide on her 9MM Shield and she can no longer comfortably fire as many rounds through her M-442 revolver. Her answer to this situation was to change to a Shield EZ. Our copy of that semi auto has worked out very well for her. We'd both be happier if she was still using and carrying a 9MM instead of a .380, but we both feel the .380 is adequate for her particular needs since she is able to shoot it very accurately at the close distances she is likely to need to use it. Old age and other circumstances requires accomodation, and she is not ready to give up having means for personal protection.
Try this method;
Hold your gun as you normally would when getting ready to rack the slide. (For right handed shooter hold the frame with your right hand and the slide in your left). Now instead of pulling back on the slide with your left hand PUSH the frame forward with your right hand.
In other words all your left (weak) hand is doing is holding the slide and your right arm and hand are doing all of the work by pushing the frame. This method works well for my wife who has small hands and weak wrists due to carpel tunnel in both of her wrists. She can easily rack the slide on both her larger M&P 1.0 and the Shield.
Hold your gun as you normally would when getting ready to rack the slide. (For right handed shooter hold the frame with your right hand and the slide in your left). Now instead of pulling back on the slide with your left hand PUSH the frame forward with your right hand.
In other words all your left (weak) hand is doing is holding the slide and your right arm and hand are doing all of the work by pushing the frame. This method works well for my wife who has small hands and weak wrists due to carpel tunnel in both of her wrists. She can easily rack the slide on both her larger M&P 1.0 and the Shield.
LVSteve
Member
I'm with kthom on this. If racking the slide has become that difficult, you might be better served by getting a 380 EZ, Glock 42, Sig P290 or a Sig P250 in 380 (if you can find one).
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Technique will help you rack the slide easily. You want to place your left hand on the top of the slide in an overhand grip, palm down, holding the gun close to your body, parallel to your chest, and push with your right hand, instead of trying to pull with your left. This is assuming you are right handed. It is really quite easy once you use the right technique. My wife had a hard time until she learned how, then it was like a light bulb popped on, and she has no problems at all now. She is all of 5'3" and about 115 pounds.
How To Rack The Slide On Your Semi-Auto Handgun
Do both. Push with your right hand and pull with the left. This is how I have always done it.
Ziggy2525
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Never used one, but Stainless Steel Guide Rods has one (had one anyway) for the Shield. IIRC, it's not rated for +p ammo. Around $40. Same replacement interval as the $12 stock spring.
IMO, better to work on your technique than using a non OEM spring. Pretty sure there's been a couple threads on them in this sub-forum if you do a search.
IMO, better to work on your technique than using a non OEM spring. Pretty sure there's been a couple threads on them in this sub-forum if you do a search.
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I have a 1.0 Shield 9, and my current recoil spring assembly has 3,100 rounds on it. It has hardly loosened up at all since new, so you can't count on getting an easier-to-rack Shield 9 with use. kthom (above) has made some very good arguments against messing with factory spring rates, so if you want a Shield that is easier to rack, and if you don't want a .380, my advice is to get a Shield 45 (I have one of those, too). It may seem counter-intuitive, but the factory recoil spring on the Shield 45 is lighter and easier to rack than the Shield 9's. On top of that, the 45 is more accurate than the 9. The Shield 45: Easier to rack, more accurate, just as reliable, a negligible difference in size, so what's not to like?
Raisin
Member
Put grip tape on the side of the slide. Makes it much easier to rack when you push the slide with your left hand and have a firm grip on the grip.
Be mindful that striker-fired guns are more sensitive to reducing the strength of the recoil spring than hammer-fired guns.
The recoil spring in a striker-fired gun has to pull the slide forward, feed a round from the magazine into the chamber and -most importantly- compress the striker spring to cock the striker. If the recoil spring's strength is reduced too much, it may not be strong enough to reliably cock the striker.
The recoil spring in a striker-fired gun has to pull the slide forward, feed a round from the magazine into the chamber and -most importantly- compress the striker spring to cock the striker. If the recoil spring's strength is reduced too much, it may not be strong enough to reliably cock the striker.
Klatch
Member
Actually, if you follow the two~handed procedure outlined above, you will be pushing with both hands and the operation becomes much easier.
No real difference. Cock a striker-cock a hammer. Usually the hammer cocking involves more friction.
BigDog48
US Veteran
I look at it this way... Whether at the range, or when carrying, I only actually need to rack the slide the first time I load a magazine into the handgun... IF the slide is closed. After that, I either do a tactical reload (swap mags before firing the last round) or an emergency reload (the mag is empty and the slide locks rearward). Either way, there is no reason to rack the slide after a reload. The most one would need to do is release the slide (much easier), rather than completely racking the slide.
Having written that... Since one is only going to rack the slide once (either before 'Strapping on the plastic'
or at the very beginning of a range visit), consider the 'Handi-racker' device (or something similar).
Safest way to rack your pistols Handi-Racker
I'm sure SOMEONE will most likely respond that they're not going to carry that in their pocket when they carry... To which I repeat, WHEN are you going to need to rack the slide? Not during either a tactical, or emergency reload.
Having written that... Since one is only going to rack the slide once (either before 'Strapping on the plastic'
or at the very beginning of a range visit), consider the 'Handi-racker' device (or something similar).Safest way to rack your pistols Handi-Racker
I'm sure SOMEONE will most likely respond that they're not going to carry that in their pocket when they carry... To which I repeat, WHEN are you going to need to rack the slide? Not during either a tactical, or emergency reload.
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