M&P Shield 9mm w/safety

M

MurBob

New member
Anyone own one of these?

My wife is going to be taking a cpl class soon and decided on the Shield 9mm after trying several other models. It fits her hands the best.

Anyhow.. something I noticed.

When the slide locks back, getting it to release is quite difficult.. You have to use two hands.. One to hold the gun and push the button, and the other to pull the slide back a bit so the button will move and release the slide.

I have a Mod 92 Beretta and all I have to do is gently push down the lever and the slide releases.. But with her Shield 9mm, you have to pull back on the slide to get it to release.

Anyone have a similar issue?
 
Is the empty magazine still in the gun when you're trying to actuate the slide release?

If it is, drop the mag. It should be much easier to operate without the mag in it. It also should be easy to operate the release with a mag that has at least one bullet in it.
 
Is the empty magazine still in the gun when you're trying to actuate the slide release?

If it is, drop the mag. It should be much easier to operate without the mag in it. It also should be easy to operate the release with a mag that has at least one bullet in it.
Click to expand...

I will try that in the morning but I don't think it made much of a difference when we were out in the warmer weather for the first time shooting it.

I do a lot of farm work with my hands so I'm no weakling.. and no matter how hard I push that button down, I can't get it to release unless I take the tension off of it by pulling back on the slide a bit.

Is that normal? My Beretta sure doesn't work that way.
 
I'm pretty sure the issue is somewhat twofold. First, there's the recoil spring that's compressed and jamming the slide release against the slide. Then there's the brand-new spring from the mag jamming the mag follower up into slide release.

But to answer your original question, Yes my Shield 9mm behaved about the same as yours for the first few hundred rounds.

As the gun 'breaks in,' it does get a little easier to operate the slide release on an empty mag. Not much, but a little. YMMV of course.
 
It's a slide lock not a release you pull the slide to release not the button per owners manual I'm got a shield and that's how it works

Sent from my C6530N using Tapatalk
 
On a lot of guns you can release the slide back into battery just by inserting a full magazine with sufficient force. It shouldn't be that difficult. The slide lock on my M&P FS is difficult to operate without a full magazine as well, but it works fine when using a magazine with ammo in it.

Depending on her hand size, the slide lock might not be very useful to her anyways. I have small hands and I haven't found gun yet that I can easily operate the slide lock on without having to shift my shooting grip. I usually just slingshot for loading a new magazine or use the previously mentioned method.
 
On shield not a release.. That's the problem trying to use something it not meant to be used for...Smith tell you same thing...

Sent from my C6530N using Tapatalk
 
My shield is the exact same way but has gotten easier over time. I do not see that as a problem and the gun has functioned 100% since day one. As others have said use the slingshot method either with a round in the magazine or with no magazine in the gun whenever you need to release the slide and you should be good to go. Using a slide lock as a slide release was taught to me as a bad habit to get into, seeing as it requires fine motor skills that we seem to loose in the heat of the moment.
 
How many rounds have you put through the gun? I notice this issue on many new guns when I am trying them out. This goes away after I take it to the range a few times.
 
'It's a slide lock not a release you pull the slide to release not the button per owners manual I'm got a shield and that's how it works.'

^ correct, it's not easy because of the recoil spring is strong on the Shield.The benefit of this is, it keeps the recoil very soft.
 
The wife's shield was terribly tight out of the box, even the safety! Neither of us could hardly release the slide with the slide lock button, so I guess all of this make sense now. So sling shot is the way to go! It is gradually loosening up though!
 
I've had mine about 2 years and it works either way, using the slide release/lock/stop (what ever you want to call it) or by pulling the slide to the rear. You might also double check to make sure the recoil spring is installed correctly.

BTW, for those interested, I just looked at the owner's manual and it is listed as the "slide stop"
 
Last edited:
You all need to read manual that came with gun and you see what you are doing wrong..

Sent from my C6530N using Tapatalk
 
I have a 9mm Shield - a great hand gun. It's already been covered that it's not a slide release. I wonder how many buy a new handgun and NEVER read the manual? Yes . . . there is a lot of lawyer eider eider in a manual now . . . but at least READ it to know hoe it is meant to be used.

Mine was stiff as well . . . but that will get better the more you shoot it. The recoil spring is stiff and one needs to be careful when reassembling to insure that it goes back in properly and then work the slide to make sure there is not binding, etc.

I find the pistol easy to break down and clean and I have never had any issues with mine . . . not a hiccup.

As far as a Shield with a safety goes . . . I don't know what so many get upset about that. If you want one without a safety, they are available. I don't find a safety an issue as it can be left off easily. I train to thumb sweep mine when I draw from my carry holster regardless as I am used to doing that with my SR9 as well as a 1911A1 that I used to have.

Part of the problem may be in the way your are racking the slide back (or your wife). Not being critical here - it is stiff. Some are able to take their thumb and forefinger and "slingshot" the slide - others may not have the strength in their thumb/vinger to do it. I grip the grip, pushing with the web of my right hand whale wrapping (for want of a better word) over the top of the back o the slide and while I'm pushing with the web of my right hand against the top of the grip, I'm pushing on the slide in the opposite direction with my left - with my right thumb on the slide lock with my right thumb. The tips of my fingers and my palm on my left hand are squeezing the sides of the slide as I push back on it. Of course the pistol is pointed in a safe direction while doing this.

Play it it (unloaded) until you find what works best for you to get the slide back until you can push down on the slide lock button - it's all about using your hands to the best mechanical advantage.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Got it figured out..

Unlike my Beretta, you can't use the slide lock on the Shield to release the slide.. it has to be done with two hands by pulling back on the slide with the other hand.

Looks like a lot of people don't like this feature and there's even a video showing how to "sand down" the problem so it releases easier. I'm not going to bother doing that but its nice to know ours particular unit is not special.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Got it figured out..

Unlike my Beretta, you can't use the slide lock on the Shield to release the slide.. it has to be done with two hands by pulling back on the slide with the other hand.

Looks like a lot of people don't like this feature and there's even a video showing how to "sand down" the problem so it releases easier. I'm not going to bother doing that but its nice to know ours particular unit is not special.
Click to expand...

If you take a look at different pistols, you might notice some have a slide stop that lends itself to releasing the slide (Beretta 92FS, 1911) while others have a lower profile design that doesn't work well for that purpose (Glock..etc.).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top