(UPDATE) Shield wont feed 124 grn +P Ranger T's

[UTO]

Took my new gun to the range today. Bought 200 rounds of the Rangers. Brought em all. First let me say my first mistake was shooting the gun without cleaning the factory **** off! I know better but have had such good luck as of late and was in a hurry to go to work i shot 50 rounds of our departments Speer 124 grn FMJ and 100 rounds of the Rangers with multiple failure to feeds with both. Didnt panic because i knew i should of cleaned it. So on my lunch i field stripped it and cleaned the hell out of it. Q tips, dentist pick on the rails, Hoppes Elite and Fire Clean. All nooks and crannies were spotless. Even cleaned my mags. After looking at the amount of **** that came out of the gun i wasnt surprised it wouldnt run........ Then went back to the range. Put another 50 FMJ through it ran fine but the ******* still wont feed my Rangers.



Are there known problems with Rangers? I looked but everything i read said failure to extract Winchester Brass. Couldnt find any issues on feeding. Id hate to go out n buy Golt Dots or Sabers and have it choke again. Should i just call S&W? Thanks for the help fellas!!

 

[Buckey08]

The feed ramp might need to be polished?

 

[bfm]

mine took 200 rounds and two cleanings before it would cycle reliably. Now it goes fine, though the only HPs I have tried are Sperr Golddots and Federal HSTs.

 

[hoc9sw]

My shield 9 went back the first time for similar problems, different ammo. They did a heavy polish job on the ramp and chamber, but it still jammed. They finally put in a new barrel. Runs well now.

Give them a call. If they can work with me, they can work with anyone.

 

[dullh]

Not every gun will feed every type of bullet...you really do have to find what your handgun likes best. If it won't feed a particular round, find one that it will...with 100% reliability.

 

[bronconagurski]

I ran 50 rounds of Winchester Nato and 50 of Blazer, both 124 and they weref flawless in my wife's new Shield 9mm. I always polish the feed ramp with Flitz and a cleaning rag on a new weapon.

 

[Rpg]

Not every gun will feed every type of bullet...you really do have to find what your handgun likes best. If it won't feed a particular round, find one that it will...with 100% reliability.

What he said^^^^^^^!!!

Not all pistols will work with all ammo.

You must find what works reliably in your pistol, not my pistol, not everyone else's pistol: YOUR pistol.

It's fairly common to find some specific ammo doesn't work reliably in your pistol and then find folks that have had no problem with the ammo in question. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your pistol

Reliability here is defined as 100+ rounds with no problems.

Find ammo that works every time in your pistol: not all ammo will do so

There may be a problem with your pistol (fairly common in these), but you should understand that some ammo won't work as well as other ammo in any given pistol.

I'd rather carry range ammo for sd than the latest gee whiz stuff if I know the range ammo works reliably and have tested the gee whiz stuff (minimum 100 rounds) and it doesn't. Or, more commonly, haven't fired 100+ rounds of the gee whiz stuff so the shooter really doesn't know whether it's reliable or not.

You've identified ammo that won't work in your pistol. That's great. Don't use it.

Get rid of the ammo that won't work every time.

Shoot what works every time in your pistol.

 

[UTO]

Thanks for the prompt replies, its supposed to be my summer off duty/back up weapon in place of my Glock 26. I just finishes cleaning the hell out of it again. May take it slow pounding the FMJ and cleaning it before i try the winchesters again. Also read to leave the slide locked back for a day or two to work the spring some. If this wont remedy it back to S&W itll go. Bummer bc it really does shoot lights out when it runs!!! Any other info or experiences would be helpfull. Ill update as i go along

 

[hoc9sw]

As to Hollow Points -
Federal HydraShock JHP 124g works best for me. Speer Gold Dot 147g also work well.

 

[OldCat]

I've had no issues using SIG and Hornady 124 JHPs. Also Winchester 124 NATO.

The only times my Shield failed to load or eject was when I was working up reloads and started out on the wimpy side (too conservative). Once I zeroed in on a decent load it hasn't failed since. (500 rounds ago).

 

[UTO]

Just left the range. 2 failures to feed out of 200 rounds of the Speer FMJ (rounds 98 and around 140 one with each mag), gonna clean it and put 2 hundred more of the FMJ. If it wont feed those hoping S&W will remedy the issue

 

[bronconagurski]

Just left the range. 2 failures to feed out of 200 rounds of the Speer FMJ (rounds 98 and around 140 one with each mag), gonna clean it and put 2 hundred more of the FMJ. If it wont feed those hoping S&W will remedy the issue

Where are the cases going when ejected? Were those two FTFs mag specific?

 

[UTO]

Ejection is consistant and in the proper direction, malfs occured while firing not chambering a new round from slide lock. Ive had issues in both mags which would only lead me to believe its the angle of the feed ramp itself. If it was just the HP's id say try a diff brand but those Speers are FMJ.Called S&W just gonna send it back and have em check it out. Said 3 weeks tops which sucks but if it comes back right ill be pleased!!! Ive pumped quite a few rounds through it while it and its mags have been cleaned so its hard for me to assume its a "break in" issue, which im kind of iffy about anyway. Not knocking S&W it happens!


Curious though how common this is. Ive been reading and reading and you dont see much with feeding issues

 

[kannonvaggon]

I just got a Shield 9mm last month.... and have put over 500 rounds through it so far, which is a LOT for me. Playing with a new pistol is a bunch of fun.

I have tried out various ammo with no malfunctions of any kind:
115 Federal range ammo
124 Federal
115 American Eagle
147 Speer Gold Dot
124 ( I THINK ) Hornady Critical Defense AND Critical Duty HP
CCI Snake shot cups

ALL have fed and ejected without fail

I did indeed slightly polish the feed ramp along with a couple little machining type marks that were on the barrel and trigger bar.

I am NOT an expert shooter, but I am extremely pleased with the Shield as an EDC . Small, light, safe, accurate, reliable, consistent, easy to maintain.
So far I couldn't be happier with the little bugger ....

 

[UTO]

I just got a Shield 9mm last month.... and have put over 500 rounds through it so far, which is a LOT for me. Playing with a new pistol is a bunch of fun.

I have tried out various ammo with no malfunctions of any kind:
115 Federal range ammo
124 Federal
115 American Eagle
147 Speer Gold Dot
124 ( I THINK ) Hornady Critical Defense AND Critical Duty HP
CCI Snake shot cups

ALL have fed and ejected without fail

I did indeed slightly polish the feed ramp along with a couple little machining type marks that were on the barrel and trigger bar.

I am NOT an expert shooter, but I am extremely pleased with the Shield as an EDC . Small, light, safe, accurate, reliable, consistent, easy to maintain.
So far I couldn't be happier with the little bugger ....

Just sent it via fed ex, because i want all of that!

 

[dullh]

If you're determined to carry the latest "designer" ammo, I will be of no help. If, however, you're open to other options may I suggest the Federal 9BP.

It's a standard pressure 115gr JHP.

The 9BP is not sexy, but it has alot going for it.

1) It's shape is closer to ball, so it feeds well, even in finicky guns. If it will feed in a Browning Hi-Power with a humped feed ramp (and it does), it will feed through anything!

2) It's a standard pressure JHP, so it won't beat up your gun as bad as extended use of over-pressure rounds will.

3) It's plentiful in 20rd and 50rd boxes, and it is considerably less expensive that "designer" ammo. Lower ammo cost = more range time.

4) It's been around for over 35 years, and in that time it has piled-up a very impressive record in actual shootings with a number of PDs around the US, the largest and most notable being Philadelphia PD. When they carried the 9BP they had no complaints about it's "stopping power".

If you insist on carrying over-pressure ammo, Federal also makes the 9BPLE, which is the same round in a nickel case, loaded to +P+ velocities. In my own chrono tests, the 9BP left the muzzle of a Shield at 1130 fps. The 9BPLE left the same muzzle at 1230 fps. These were the averages of ten-shot strings with each round.

I carry the 9BP in everything I have in 9mm, and it has proven both reliable and accurate.

Best.

 

[UTO]

Well i have to say i carry Rangers in all my other caliber duty weapons partly because of the success ive had in feeding. 1911's - Glocks... That and because they are always in stock at out local cop shop. They only carry Winchesters and Hornady. But maybe i can try something new. Cant beet the discount either

 

[UTO]

Quick update. Guns at S&W according to the customer service rep theyre most likely going to replace the barrel and thats dandy just as long as my feed ramp was the issue. The more research i do on the topic the more i hear horror stories of owners sending shields back 2 or 3 times. Really do want to give this pistol a fair shake. Hope S&W takes the time to actually check the pistol out

 

[gboling]

Not every gun will feed every type of bullet...you really do have to find what your handgun likes best. If it won't feed a particular round, find one that it will...with 100% reliability.

I will take exception to this statement. It is my firm opinion that any ammunition produced to SAAMI specification, including reloads, should function in any quality handgun. Any, repeatable, failure to feed, failure to fire, failure to eject or stove pipe is a failure of the gun, the operator or gun cleaning.

 

[UTO]

Update......S&W rep said that the warranty return department polished the ramp and chamber on my barrel. I asked politely if that department was anywhere near the quality of their Performance Center guys and she replied their skills are on par with the PC smiths. Only difference is one is a paid for service and the other is free of charge. Not quite sure how much i believe that, but overall everyone has been polite and service has been great. I should have it back by monday she said so thats a super fast turn around time... Hoping my shield runs right... Ill update as i shoot it