I bought an extra 13 rd magazine for my shield plus in November. At that time I couldn't get the 13th rd in and had a very difficult time getting the 12th in. I have left 12 rounds in the mag since then and the spring hasn't loosened up yet. How long should I wait? Is it time to shorten the spring a little or get a new spring? Thanks for the advice
Still cant get 13 rds in a shield plus mag
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While just storing it loaded will help, a spring has to be cycled to get it to wear, which is why you can store magazines loaded for extended periods and not have problems.
You could start loading and unloading the things every day, or, get to the range and start running some rounds through them
You could start loading and unloading the things every day, or, get to the range and start running some rounds through them
Uplula is your friend: maglula | Tools for loading and unloading magazines
MTC(SS)Ret
US Veteran
^^^^^^^^^^
I would strongly advise against shortening the spring, as pointed out above get the Uplula and leave the mags loaded for a week or so.
I have 3 of the 13 mag rounds and they were all initially difficult to load to capacity initially. After roughly a month they are much easier to load now though I still use the Uplula because I'm a wuss lol.
I have 3 of the 13 mag rounds and they were all initially difficult to load to capacity initially. After roughly a month they are much easier to load now though I still use the Uplula because I'm a wuss lol.
DUSTYDOGDAN
Member
All of my 13 round magazines are tight but I can get them fully loaded. Have you taken it apart and made sure there isn't a bur or something on the bottom of the follower? Do you tap the magazine on the bottom after each round you put into it? Do not cut the spring!!
kbm6893
Member
I have 4 13 round mags. Uplula used to load first time, the. I let them sit for a few weeks. I can load them by hand now.
CouchPotato
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Do not shorten the spring!!
Use a mag loader to assist like the Uplula, as previously mentioned.
Use a mag loader to assist like the Uplula, as previously mentioned.
ColbyBruce
Member
Disassemble the magazine and make sure the spring was not installed backwards.
CouchPotato
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This sounds like trying to figure out if a slinky is sitting upside down or not
ColbyBruce
Member
Many mag springs have a top, bottom, front and back.
Uplula is the way. Push it down really hard. You'll hear a pop. My guess is the new spring is aligning itself in the mag when it makes this noise. I have a couple of stubborn 13 rounders, but are better now after using them a bit. I also have a couple that were easy from day one. I think some of the springs are somewhat twisted and the coils stack up on each other instead coiling inside each other, if that makes sense. The rounds will fit in there, you just gotta want it!
RetLawman590
Member
Another vote for Aplula. I use it for my 2 13 rd Shield Plus mags, three 15 rd. Walther PPQ mags and four 10 rd Wilson 9mm 1911 mags with the adaptor. Easy and fast!! Having said that, I can load my Shield 13 round mags by hand. Its not fun though. The 10 round mag is pretty easy though.
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Bozz10mm
US Veteran
Get a Maglula UpLuLa. Makes loading all mags much easier and faster.
Wdbutcher97
Member
I had the same problem. The new magazine spring was bound so tight that even using a Uplula was difficult. I was using so much extreme force on the cartridge that it didn't feel safe. I finally disassembled the magazines and found the springs shaped differently during production. I finally gently bent the spring on the new magazine to more closely match the one in the original magazine. It's not exact, but it's closer. I can now get all 13 rounds in the magazine. I can hear a faint click in the magazine as I insert the last two rounds, but it works. Here are some before pictures.
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emilprizefighter
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I can only get 11 rounds in the 13 mag even with an UPLula. Hope it breaks in. Maybe SW design of the mag spring is a little off. My friend's Hellcat doesn't have that problem. I do like th SW trigger better though
scruffy
Member
Makershot. I use the one I bought for a Sig P365 (works fine on S&W mags) and I'm able to load the 12th and 13th round in my brand new Shield+ 13 round magazine. #13 is a little tight but I've done it twice before and going to let this 13 sit for a week or two before unloading. Inexpensive at $13.99 on Amazon.
I have several Shields, but not a Shield Plus.
It wouldn't kill S&W to include a simple plastic mag loader, like the one that came with this 13+1 Springfield.
Pro tip : Loading up your mags to capacity and leaving them for a few weeks in the hopes they will be easier to load does very little.
What "will break in" a spring is repeated cycles of loading and unloading (firing).
Magazines that have been left loaded since WWII still have springs that work fine. What will eventually wear out a spring is actually using them out at the range, not leaving them compressed.
Everyone here that has had a Shield or other small pistol with hard to load magazines all report that after some use, the magazines become easier to load and the loading tool, while still nice to use, isn't as necessary anymore as it was when the mags were new.
I'm sure, like me, those guys all went out and shot a few hundred rounds thru the new pistol, rather than load up the mags and check back a few weeks or months later to see if they've eased up.
If you want to have the Cadillac with the bells and whistles, get the UpLula.
If you want something basic that will let you get that last round or two in, just get a few of the Range tray or Makershot loaders, you can buy 3 or 4 for what the Uplula costs.
That's what I did for my Shields and keep one in the range bag, one in the gun room, one in the glove box of the truck, etc.
It wouldn't kill S&W to include a simple plastic mag loader, like the one that came with this 13+1 Springfield.
Pro tip : Loading up your mags to capacity and leaving them for a few weeks in the hopes they will be easier to load does very little.
What "will break in" a spring is repeated cycles of loading and unloading (firing).
Magazines that have been left loaded since WWII still have springs that work fine. What will eventually wear out a spring is actually using them out at the range, not leaving them compressed.
Everyone here that has had a Shield or other small pistol with hard to load magazines all report that after some use, the magazines become easier to load and the loading tool, while still nice to use, isn't as necessary anymore as it was when the mags were new.
I'm sure, like me, those guys all went out and shot a few hundred rounds thru the new pistol, rather than load up the mags and check back a few weeks or months later to see if they've eased up.
If you want to have the Cadillac with the bells and whistles, get the UpLula.
If you want something basic that will let you get that last round or two in, just get a few of the Range tray or Makershot loaders, you can buy 3 or 4 for what the Uplula costs.
That's what I did for my Shields and keep one in the range bag, one in the gun room, one in the glove box of the truck, etc.
Ditto !
These maglula ltd UpLULA magazine loaders have been the best accessories I have ever purchased for firearms. I bought two, keep one in my range bag and one on my work table. They are extremely well made, work great and save much wear and tear on your thumbs
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