Shield mag release changed ?

[OldLawman]

While waiting for mine, I have been reading here...

Does anyone know (as opposed to guess) if S&W has re-designed either the mag catch or spring ? I have read a fair number of complaints about magazines dropping out of the gun, mostly in .40. Could it somehow be caliber related (heavier recoil) ?

Before you scoff, Glocks in .40 had real problems with things like lights affecting function, something not seen much in 9mm.

 

[Jchadmullins]

Mine was just returned from smith yesterday to my office. I'm out of town until tomorrow but will let you know what they did to fix it and if it worked. I will try to determine if they made a design change. I have a 9 to compare it to.

 

[seattle911]

My 40C had a problem with premature slide lock that some attributed to the recoil of the 40 caliber. Sent it back to S&W and they installed a stronger slide lock spring that was more resistant to the recoil.
So, one never knows. However, I have also seen a few reports about mags dropping in 9mm Shields as well. The M&P full size had a few problems in this area when it was first introduced.

 

[Jchadmullins]

Well. Smith says no repair needed all is within spec. Guess I'm holding my mouth wrong or something. Left the pistol at the lgs for sale. Love my 9 and have no problems shooting it. I guess the .40 just doesn't work for me. Sorry I couldn't provide a better answer.

 

[OldLawman]

That's ok. Thanks for reporting back.

Now, just waiting for mine....

 

[trueblue40]

M&P Shield 40

Purchased a M&P Shield 40 today. Before I left the range I tried it out. Luckily I did. Straight out of the box the magazines fell after every shot. This happened to my full size 40, after about 3 years but has been repaired with a new magazine catch. Lucky for me the place where I bought i.,t gave me a full refund and is going to send it back to S&W. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[kris7047th]

Nope and I have had mine for almost three months .. the 9m. Maybe this is an issue with a specific run with the 40's?

 

[Fabius]

I had the same problem with my Shield .40. Emailed S&W and they sent me a new mag catch. It appears identical to the old one. I installed it but the mag drop problem remains.

Looks like the problem is a combination of the recoil impulse of the .40 and very stiff mag springs. Seems like the grip frame is flexing, the mag body is moving as the slide cycles and the mag springs exert excessive downward pressure on the mag. I say this because the mag drops are more prevalent on a full mag and happen every time if I chamber a round and then top the mag off to give a +1 configuration.

I left the mags loaded for the week that i was waiting on the new mag release and by the end of my last range session the six round mag was dropping less frequently, so there is a possibility that the problem improves with breakin.

 

[dbbrooks]

Still waiting

I've read so much about these 40 Shields and the mag dropping. I really wish S&W would address it completely. There are so many reports of the issue. I've been waiting see if it gets resolved. XDS .45 might get bumped up the list!

 

[M&P Freak]

I've read so much about these 40 Shields and the mag dropping. I really wish S&W would address it completely. There are so many reports of the issue. I've been waiting see if it gets resolved. XDS .45 might get bumped up the list!

I'm really liking that XD-S 45! Just may get one...

 

[Fabius]

I've read so much about these 40 Shields and the mag dropping. I really wish S&W would address it completely. There are so many reports of the issue. I've been waiting see if it gets resolved. XDS .45 might get bumped up the list!

I'm really hoping that S&W comes up with a clear cut fix that we can trust going forward. Sending a new mag release that is identical to the old tells me that they don't have a fix yet and are just doing something so that customers feel like they are being responsive to the problem. Probably stalling until they figure something out.

They should pull the .40s off the market until they get the problem fixed. The M&P line of pistols made me a dedicated Smith and Wesson customer. I chose the Shield .40 over the XDs because I wanted a larger caliber carry pistol and the Shield is made by S&W. Now I'm seriously questioning their production testing and QC. Can't believe that they let a pistol with such a significant flaw make it to the market. Even if they get this problem fixed, I'll be more cautious in the future about new S&W products.

 

[M&P Freak]

I do not own a shield. If I did, it would be in .40 S&W. I also do not know if this mag-drop problem is real, there are plenty of happy folks out there with Shield 40s.

I do remember, however, going through a period of time years ago when my brand-new M&P40c was dropping mags on every shot. Turns out the fix was a new mag release, a simple fix. S&W mailed me a new one and the rest is history. The new one looked identical to the original, but the metal "blade" had been heat treated differently. My point is you cannot always tell just by looks. If you do indeed have a problem I hope S&W takes care of you ASAP.

 

[Fabius]

S&W has excellent customer service, so I trust that they will take care of the problem as soon as they figure it out.

The mag drop problem is real. I own M&P .40, 9 and 9c. Also bought the M&P15 Sport as soon as it came out. The Shield is the first S&W product that has not worked perfectly for me. I had a couple of FTFs with the 9c during breakin, but it has been perfect since then. The other weapons have been flawless through thousands of rounds each.

The Shield .40 is a great concept. I hope they get it straightened out.

 

[Jchadmullins]

Try shooting one hand only and report back please. Left handed shooter had no problems with mine and single hand shooting seemed to fix it. I'm thinking the thin grip and tight grip is causing the support hand not thumb but hand to engage the release.

 

[sheltbt]

My Shield .40 has been flawless. Over 800 rds (factory and hand loads) so far and has not missed a beat.

 

[Forsmithers]

OldLawman,
I haven't heard of a fix yet for the Shield but the M&P40C had a number of complaints of mags coming out while firing when they first came out. My agency has several hundred 40C's in the fleet and probably 1,200 of the full size 40's. After transition To the M&P some detectives ditched their compacts for full size pistols after a few compacts went back to Springfield for the mags dropping. And if it's a service pistol and equipped with a magazine disconnect that could create SERIOUS problems if your mag dropped under recoil.

We shoot mostly 180 gr. WWB for practice and the 180 Ranger SXT for duty ammo. My issued 40C has been problem free for over 3,000 rounds. Hopefully they will put a higher rate spring in the Shield's magazine release and the problem will be a thing of the past like the growing pains of the 40C!

 

[OldLawman]

Sure seems to be almost entirely a .40 problem.

(Selfishly, glad my Shield is a 9mm !)

 

[insomniac]

Sure seems to be almost entirely a .40 problem.

(Selfishly, glad my Shield is a 9mm !)

so, you don't own a 40 shield, yet you're happy to perpetuate rumors of a "problem" with this weapon.........that's great.

i suppose you "read about it on the internet".

i actually own, shoot and carry a 40 shield. i haven't any problems what-so-ever in two months of ownership and several hundred rounds fired.

i'm sorry OldLawman, but it's one thing for users to post the problems they are having with their weapons. that is a good thing, maybe they can get some help.

it's entirely another thing for someone to dogpile on with no personal experience of the problem themselves.

end of rant.

 

[OldLawman]

Shield mag catch issue

I'm not "happy" to talk about it - just asking questions. The only place on the internet that I read of this problem is right here - on this forum !

Friend, I've been an LEO instructor for some 30 years, and forgotten more than you have seen. As an example, Glocks in .40 have many problems that the identical model in 9mm does not have. I have not read, on this forum, of any problems with 9mm Shields that the .40 model does. So I guess all that have reported problems on this forum, in this thread, are also spreading rumors ? I don't think so.

 

[insomniac]

Friend, I've been an LEO instructor for some 30 years, and forgotten more than you have seen.

another example of you making assumptions. you don't know anything about me or my age or experience in any matter what-so-ever!

the facts are: you don't own, or have any experience with a 40 shield pistol. am i correct?

your honor, the defense rests