Shield RSA one more time

swsig

swsig

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I bought a new Shield 9mm three days ago, immediately took it apart and found the dreaded bent recoil spring assembly retainer disc. I emailed S&W, and they are sending me a new RSA when they get them back in stock.

While this is all old stuff by now, what I haven't seen before is what S&W customer service wrote in their response to me. Quote: "...we will send a new one out, they will develop a bend with use." (Italics mine)

This problem has been going on ever since the Shield was introduced, and S&W's solution apparently is "live with it."

It seems to me that using a heavier gauge of steel in the disc would solve the problem, but I guess we'll just have to get used to Shield RSAs that "bend with use".
 
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Just for the heck of it, when you get the replacement from S&W, keep using the 'bent' one (for range use anyway) and see how long it keeps on chuggin'.
 
RobzGuns said:
Just for the heck of it, when you get the replacement from S&W, keep using the 'bent' one (for range use anyway) and see how long it keeps on chuggin'.
Click to expand...


my guess is that it will probably keep on chugging for the next 20,000 rounds...
 
I took my new Shield to the range Thursday, bent RSA and all, and gave it a good workout. I fired 50 rounds each of Federal 115, Remington 124, and Winchester NATO 124. I also fired 8 rounds each of Hydra-Shok 135, and Winchester Defend 147. With the exception of two FTEs with the NATO rounds, it ran perfectly. Accuracy was great at 10 yards, but my grouping opened up considerably (ok, hideously) at 15. That's a good excuse for me to go to the range for more Shield practice. I really liked how it handles, and I was pleased by how little recoil I felt. I'm looking forward to putting in a lot more range time with it.

While firing the Shield is a delight, maintenance is another story. As soon as I got home, I attempted to disassemble it for inspection and cleaning, but after locking back the slide and lowering the sear disconnect lever, I couldn't get the takedown lever to move. I racked the slide a few times and the takedown lever did finally move. Once apart, on the plus side, I found no further damage to the RSA, so it might last 20,000 rounds after all. On the negative side was the slight groove I found carved in the left front slide support. I use TW25b as my lubricant in the Shield as well as in my other slide-operated pistols (SIG P320 & P250, and M&P 40c). The SIGs and the 40c all have 2000-3000 rounds through them, and none of them shows any significant wear or signs of grooving. I'll have to keep a close watch on this with the Shield.

My last adventure was my attempt to put the slide back on. Try as I might, I couldn't get it to go all the way back to the latch. Feeling decidedly un-macho, I grabbed my wife's Handi-Racker, inserted the Shield, and leaned on it with all of my 240 lbs. That did the job, but disassembly and reassembly were more work than they should have been.

I have to say that if I did not already own an excellent M&P 40c with 3000 flawless rounds through it and zero maintenance issues, I'd be having some serious doubts about S&W about now.
 
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swsig said:
...S&W customer service wrote in their response to me. Quote: "...we will send a new one out, they will develop a bend with use." ...
Click to expand...

When you experienced great difficulty reassembling the slide on the pistol, you basically proved the S&W service rep to be wrong. The end retainer on the RSA became bent because the RSA is out of spec and needs to be replaced.

The S&W customer service rep probably thought you were talking about an arc that develops along the full length of the RSA, which is common. The problem with your RSA is different.
 
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Stratajema said:
When you experienced great difficulty reassembling the slide on the pistol, you basically proved the S&W service rep to be wrong. The end retainer on the RSA became bent because the RSA is out of spec and needs to be replaced.

The S&W customer service rep probably thought you were talking about an arc that develops along the full length of the RSA, which is common. The problem with your RSA is different.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your support. I thought the service rep's answer was a bit off myself, because I sent in the attached photos of my RSA so there would be no confusion about what was bent. Call me picky, but opening up a brand-new gun and finding an RSA that looks like that does not appear "normal" to me. Apparently I'm not the only one, as S&W has run out of Shield RSAs. Mine is on backorder.
 

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Sorry to hear of that problem that
Back order shouldn't be happening
It is a thin edge sux
 
Should i be concerned about this bend??
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I've had my shield for over a year and half and with more than 2500 rounds down range. Mine looks nothing fine with no physical damage. Im wondering if this happens when the rsa is not seated correctly and is fired?
 
And some are against a more solid aftermarket option?

Wow, that damage is terrible, and a perfect excuse to look at an alternative to the factory part.
 
jagular said:
I've had my shield for over a year and half and with more than 2500 rounds down range. Mine looks nothing fine with no physical damage. Im wondering if this happens when the rsa is not seated correctly and is fired?
Click to expand...

That's a very plausible explanation. If not properly seated, the edge of the disc would absorb much of the force of the recoil, causing it to bend. Thus, it could be an assembly glitch as much as a material glitch. In any case, Shield buyers should ask the seller to show them the RSA prior to purchase.
 
My SS guide rod was shipped today, without having to send my assembly in. I will swap the spring myself. Sad that I can pry the end of the spring off the "retainer" with my fingernail.
 
Update:
I now have fired 750 rounds through my Shield, and there is some good news and some bad news.

The good: The Shield is now easier to rack, and the disassembly-reassembly problems I experienced earlier have disappeared. There is no further grooving in my slide support.

The bad: I am averaging one failure to feed or failure to eject about every 100 rounds. While this is not terrible, I feel that it is still too high for a self-defense gun. I am therefore hesitant to use it as my carry weapon. Accordingly, I am learning to get comfortable with my M&P 40c (zero failures in over 3000 rounds) as my EDC. I have carried my 40c IWB in a Galco KingTuk (very comfortable), in a 5.11 Tactical undershirt holster (great for carrying on long drives), and even in my front pants pocket using a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster (works surprisingly well).

I'm hoping that a new undamaged recoil spring assembly will improve the Shield's FTF/FTE rate. However, it's been six weeks now, and I'm still waiting for S&W to send me one. I'll report again when (and if) that happens.
 
I waited for over two months for my replacement RSA I think. I asked for one because most times I field stripped my Shield I couldn't get it back together..the slide would stop before I could lock it open. I never fired it with the wonky RSA though so I have no idea if it would have bent if in the wrong position or caused me any failures. I can say with the new RSA that my slide cycles fine and I had 250 rounds without a hitch. It takes a long time to get the replacement RSA because they are always on backorder. Perhaps S&W should take note of this and upgrade? For such a great pistol the lack of quality in the RSA is a huge contrast. I have no doubt I'll be looking at an aftermarket replacement in the near future.
 
swsig said:
Update:
I now have fired 750 rounds through my Shield, and there is some good news and some bad news.

The good: The Shield is now easier to rack, and the disassembly-reassembly problems I experienced earlier have disappeared. There is no further grooving in my slide support.
>Snip<
I'm hoping that a new undamaged recoil spring assembly will improve the Shield's FTF/FTE rate. However, it's been six weeks now, and I'm still waiting for S&W to send me one. I'll report again when (and if) that happens.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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RobzGuns said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 

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swsig said:
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.
Click to expand...

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....
 
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.
 
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
 
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?
 
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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.
 
RobzGuns said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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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...
 
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