Shield RSA one more time

[swsig]

So... This 750 rounds has been using the original "Bent/Damaged/Defective/Design-Flawed" RSA?

Sorry to hear about the occasional FTE problems. Has everyone who's shot your Shield had the same problems?

I now have well over 5K rounds through mine and looking into getting a replacement, but when I called CS, they say they have none to send/sell. Oh well.

Yeah, I'm amazed that it has performed so well with the Factory-Crumpled RSA Option. In a perverse sort of way, it's a tribute to S&W's engineering. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it runs with a straight one.

I know that FTFs and FTEs can be caused by a variety of things other than dinged-up RSAs. I suppose I could have limp-wristed the Shield, but I've had only two FTEs in over 6000 rounds with my SIG P250, SIG P320, and M&P 40c combined, so that's not normally a problem for me. Then, there's my old Ruger Standard... but I digress.

It might be ammo-related. Most of the failures occurred with Win NATO 124 or AE 147, which comprise the bulk of my 9mm target ammo horde. I have 100 rounds of Win 115 that I have yet to try, but I prefer to practice with a heavier weight bullet, as my self-defense rounds are 124s and 147s. A friend did fire one full magazine with no problem, but with a 1% FTF/FTE rate, he had probability on his side.

Here's hoping S&W will have some new RSAs for us soon.

 

[swsig]

Update, or more appropriately, Upchuck

Last week S&W notified me that my RSA had been shipped. Thanks to the inefficient combination of Fedex and the Postal Service, it took 8 days to get here. But I didn't care, because the package arrived this morning in time for me to install it and head to the range. However, when I opened the package, I found not an RSA, but a "QD ambi sling mount", whatever that is. The part was wrong, the order number was wrong, and even the S&W logo was printed upside down and backwards on the packing slip. (See attached photo.) At least they had my address right.

Somewhere about now, a S&W owner has opened a package containing an eagerly awaited QD ambi sling mount, but instead is staring at a Shield RSA.

Fortunately, my Shield is still functioning well with its battered RSA, but for how long?

I've notified S&W, and my wait continues.

 

[Roccaas]

Last week S&W notified me that my RSA had been shipped. Thanks to the inefficient combination of Fedex and the Postal Service, it took 8 days to get here. But I didn't care, because the package arrived this morning in time for me to install it and head to the range. However, when I opened the package, I found not an RSA, but a "QD ambi sling mount", whatever that is. The part was wrong, the order number was wrong, and even the S&W logo was printed upside down and backwards on the packing slip. (See attached photo.) At least they had my address right.

Somewhere about now, a S&W owner has opened a package containing an eagerly awaited QD ambi sling mount, but instead is staring at a Shield RSA.

Fortunately, my Shield is still functioning well with its battered RSA, but for how long?

I've notified S&W, and my wait continues.

Unbelievable = unfortunately believable.

I might consider a personal letter to P. James Debney, PRES, CEO of S&W with copies of all your paperwork. Tell him you're both a (mad) customer, and a (dissatisfied) shareholder.

They'll probably be more interested in mollifying the second versus the first!

An upside down logo....

 

[Bob O]

Wow. That's embarrassing.

 

[swsig]

To their credit, S&W Customer Service has already responded to yesterday's email, and they are mailing me an actual Shield RSA today.

I hope they've got this one right, because I am now well stocked with QD ambi sling mounts.

 

[Smooth1]

On GLOCKs the RSA is a wear part that should be changed out occasionally & they're relatively easy to obtain. I wonder if S&W makes the part or if it's made by a supplier. Not that it means anything just wondering

 

[CaptRon956]

I'm curious as to what the average life span of the RSA on the shield 9 is? Or if there is even a maintaince schedule to follow, nothing in the owners manual regarding the periodic replacment of parts. Reason why I'm asking is because I have put in roughly somewhere between 3-5k rounds thru my Shield 9, I lost count... Absolutely no performance issues. The pistol has loosened up considerably & is a pure joy to shoot, not to mention that it's deadly accurate in my IDPA matches. I put about 50 rnds a week in it now. It's also my EDC...

Not sure if the RSA is good for 5k rounds or 50,000k?

 

[RobzGuns]

Ron... When I called CS a few weeks ago, they said the life span of the RSA is about 5K.
Mine's overdue by a couple K, but still going strong.

 

[CaptRon956]

Ron... When I called CS a few weeks ago, they said the life span of the RSA is about 5K.
Mine's overdue by a couple K, but still going strong.

I sent CS a email this evening basically giving my serial # name & address informing them that I have around 4-5k rounds in my shield. Could you please send me a new RSA?

Not quite like that but that sums it up... My Shield is nice & buttery smooth, I'm talking double churned butter pecan smooth.

 

[swsig]

Well...

My new RSA arrived today. It was the right part and in perfect condition. I was so stoked, I felt just like this guy:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VFmM59jh-U[/ame]

That feeling didn't last long.
I installed the RSA very carefully, taking a couple of minutes to ensure that it was in all the way and perfectly straight and level. I took the Shield to the range and put 120 rounds through it. When I got home and pulled the slide back for disassembly, I noticed that the front RSA retainer disc was protruding from the inner guide rod by about 1/4". As I removed the RSA from the slide, the front disc broke loose, causing the RSA to fly apart. I was not able to reassemble it, so I sent yet another email to S&W CS asking for yet another RSA.

And the beat goes on...

 

[Bob O]

So sorry to hear this.

 

[Sigsavvy]

Just wow. I hope S&W is getting the hint that squeezing every penny out of a design by installing poor quality components isn't always the best move. I'd love to see the original specs and design of the RSA when the designers were laying out their ideas for the Shield. I bet it was a lot better than what we ended up with...cost optimization that reduces quality (and functionality in some cases) is never the right trade off. I'm sure these are made overseas for pennies and you can see why. I'll pay $10-$15 more for a Shield with a quality RSA all day long. Yes, I know that a ton of people are not having any problems but I did and so did the OP and others. The sole reason is the quality short cuts that were taken. Just my $.02 (which is probably how much S&W pays for their RSAs!!)

 

[RobzGuns]

Bummer... It makes me wonder if the OEM replacement RSAs I'm getting from G&R will do the same.

 

[unclebob]

I might consider a personal letter to P. James Debney, PRES, CEO of S&W with copies of all your paperwork. Tell him you're both a (mad) customer, and a (dissatisfied) shareholder.

They'll probably be more interested in mollifying the second versus the first!

An upside down logo....[/QUOTE]
I would agree that a letter is in order to any and all, because I am sure the shareholders won't know there are any issues with their investments until the checks get smaller...

 

[Deadbug]

Bummer... It makes me wonder if the OEM replacement RSAs I'm getting from G&R will do the same.

I hope some aftermarket supplier will take the ball and provide an improved assembly--or S&W provides a redesigned RSA.

 

[sschrick]

Hi guys. New member here and new Shield owner as of a few days ago. I field stripped my shield in the gun store and inspected it. RSA was fine. Reassembled it, took it home and proceeded to rack it and dry fire it some. Later that night field stripped again and clean and lubed it. That is when I noticed my RSA looked like the picture in Post #8. Thought maybe my mind was playing tricks on me and I did not notice the slight bend previously. Took it to the range and ran the first 50 rounds through it. NO problems. Came home, field stripped again still looked about the same, no other noticeable problems. Maybe a little difficult to reassemble the slide and lock back, but I think it is just new gun stuff. So, should I get my name on the list for a new RSA? They (obviously) are not supposed to be bent.

 

[RobzGuns]

Welcome to the forum sschrick!
Since you specifically field stripped the Shield in the store to check for defects, I believe you would have noticed a bent RSA. My thoughts are that it happened during the range session.
The question is "Why?".
If it weren't seated deep enough (or centered) during reassembly, you would have had a great deal of difficulty getting the slide open far enough to lock it open.

The good news is, that while waiting for a replacement RSA, at least one of our members continued to use his bent RSA and has gotten over 750 more rounds through the Shield without further issue.

In fact... Even with those who had their RSA completely break, they said the Shield held everything 'together' (in place and functional) until they field stripped it and it 'came apart in their hands'.

I'd venture to say Go ahead and call S&W CS, but I wouldn't be afraid of using yours while you wait.

 

[MKE.guns]

Bummer... It makes me wonder if the OEM replacement RSAs I'm getting from G&R will do the same.

RobzGuns,

I was not aware that G&R Tactical has RSA's for the S&W Shield. I checked the web site and I do not see them.

Thanks
MKE

 

[swsig]

There are two separate issues with Shield RSAs. Lucky me, I have experienced both. The first is a rather flimsy rear spring retainer disc on the aft end of the assembly that will bend if the assembly is not fully inserted, straight, and level. If you insert a bent-disc RSA such that the unbent side is down (wedged against the barrel), you can continue to use it. I have fired approximately 1000 rounds with my bent-disc RSA with few problems. My only concern is how long it will hold up.

The second issue is with the front spring retainer disc. It simply slides out of the inner guide rod, causing the whole assembly to come apart. This is only potentially fixable if you notice it while the RSA is still in the slide. The slide-barrel combination will continue to hold the RSA together. Then you can push/hammer/screw the disc back into place. (I can't tell how it's supposed to be held in there.) In any case, I'd use a drop of red Locktite on the shaft of the disc first. Even then, I'm not sure I'd fully trust it.

Once the RSA is out of the slide and in pieces, the springs are too strong (at least for me) to permit reassembly.

It's too bad really, because the Shield is otherwise an excellent gun. So why don't they fix it? I'm sure that S&W is well aware of the problem, and has done a cost-benefit analysis regarding a fix. My guess is that the percentage of Shield owners that have suffered this problem is too small to justify the expense of redesigning and retooling just to eliminate a relatively few defective RSAs. If that is true, it is extremely disappointing, because the Shield was designed specifically as a self-defense weapon. As such, it should have the highest possible level of reliability, not merely an "acceptable" level.

If airlines operated on "acceptable" levels of safety, a major airline with 2000 flights per day and a seemingly acceptable 99.99% safety record would only have a crash every 5 days. Sometimes "acceptable" is not good enough.

 

[RobzGuns]

RobzGuns,
I was not aware that G&R Tactical has RSA's for the S&W Shield. I checked the web site and I do not see them.
Thanks
MKE

They did have about more than a Dozen last week, when I did an order. They were completely out by Monday Morning.

The only problem with G&R is that you need a minimum order of $50 worth of stuff... so if all you need is an RSA and you can't find at least $41 worth of other stuff, forget it.