I recently bought a new Smith & Wesson M&P 9 Shield and while this may be normal I have never heard of it before so I thought I would see if anyone else has experienced it. The issue is with racking the slide. As a small 9mm I expected it to have a heavy recoil spring, but this is the first gun that I have had where it was not an even pull throughout. It is very heavy to begin with and with around 1/8 of an inch to go the slide essentially hits a wall that requires a huge amount of pressure to get past. I'm talking it took me 20 minutes to lock the slide back the first time and I'm a pretty strong guy. I have now put 200 rounds through it and it has loosened up some, but I still have to essentially jerk the slide back in order to get past that catch during the last 1/8 of an inch. Thus far it only failed to cycle once and that was in the first magazine, but it has failed to lock the slide back on the last round multiple times. Has anyone else experienced this "wall"?
Weird issue with M&P Shield
- Thread starter jasmith85
- Start date
StraightOuttaAmmo
Inactive
I personally do not own one for myself, but I have shot several of my friend's, and I have never experienced this problem. And one of those that I have shot was brand new. I have never even seen this problem before.
Theohazard
New member
Jasmith85, I think you're having two separate problems here, and both are easily fixed. First, your problem with manually locking back the slide probably comes from the misleading appearance of the slide stop itself. I can't count how many times I've seen customers have issues manually locking back the slide on the Shield; I even had a career police detective try to return his new Shield because of this issue. And each time it was because they were pulling back the slide until the slide stop lined up with the slide stop notch in the slide, and when they tried to press up on the slide stop to lock it back, nothing happened; it wouldn't lock back.
The reason for this issue is that the part of the slide stop that actually catches the slide is much farther to the rear than the slide stop button itself. Often people people don't realize that they have to pull the slide all the way to the rear to properly engage the slide stop, and instead they try to line up the external slide stop button with the notch in the slide.
Notice how the notch in the slide roughly lines up with the slide stop button on the M&P 9C on the bottom, but on the Shield at the top the slide notch is well to the rear of the slide stop button.
As for the slide not locking back properly on the last shot, I'd be willing to bet that you're a right-hand shooter and your thumb is pressing down on the slide stop when you shoot, and that is probably what is causing the slide to not properly lock back on the last shot.
I carry a Shield every day and I work at a gun shop/range where I've sold countless Shields, so I have a lot of experience diagnosing the problems you're having.
The reason for this issue is that the part of the slide stop that actually catches the slide is much farther to the rear than the slide stop button itself. Often people people don't realize that they have to pull the slide all the way to the rear to properly engage the slide stop, and instead they try to line up the external slide stop button with the notch in the slide.
Notice how the notch in the slide roughly lines up with the slide stop button on the M&P 9C on the bottom, but on the Shield at the top the slide notch is well to the rear of the slide stop button.
As for the slide not locking back properly on the last shot, I'd be willing to bet that you're a right-hand shooter and your thumb is pressing down on the slide stop when you shoot, and that is probably what is causing the slide to not properly lock back on the last shot.
I carry a Shield every day and I work at a gun shop/range where I've sold countless Shields, so I have a lot of experience diagnosing the problems you're having.
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I'll admit it did confuse me at first with how the slide stop lines up, but that is not what is causing the issue. It actually gives me a really good way to explain where it hangs up though. The wall that I described it hitting in the first post is almost right where you would expect the slide stop to actually catch on most guns. The slide comes back to there without being all that difficult to pull back, but then it hits that wall and requires a lot more force to move that last 1/8 of an inch or so.
Regarding the slide locking back, I am a right hand shooter, but I do not have my thumbs that high up. I have never found it comfortable to hold a gun that way. There is a chance my grip position could push the slide stop up, but it is not in a position for me to push it down on accident.
Regarding the slide locking back, I am a right hand shooter, but I do not have my thumbs that high up. I have never found it comfortable to hold a gun that way. There is a chance my grip position could push the slide stop up, but it is not in a position for me to push it down on accident.
carguychris
New member
My M&P 9 Shield failed to lock back a couple of times, but all within the first 100 rounds, and it hasn't done it since. I'm not concerned; I attribute it to the mag springs breaking in.
I'm really not all that concerned about the slide not locking back either. I figure as long as its not the recoil springs causing it that it'll work its way into proper function soon enough. More than anything I am wondering if the "wall" before the slide is all the way back is normal. I have never had another gun do that and I'm wondering if its an issue I need to contact Smith & Wesson about.
I have big hands and my support-hand thumb bumps the slide stop on some of my smaller 9mm guns, so these often don't lock back after the last round. This happens a lot with the long slide stop lever on my HK P30, it never happens with my Glock 17. No big deal, since I slingshot the slide to load the first round of a fresh mag.
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I was able to handle another Shield today and you are correct. It definitely did not have the "wall" that mine hits before locking back. In fact it was a new gun that I handled and racking the slide was smooth and required much less force than mine with a few hundred rounds through it does. It looks like I will be testing out a warranty for the first time ever, because something is definitely wrong with my gun.
Theohazard
New member
Guess I was wrong on both counts and you actually do have a faulty gun. The good thing is that S&W usually has pretty good customer service. Good luck!
No worries. I suspect that 99.9% of the time your advice would have been spot on. I just got off the phone with Smith & Wesson a couple minutes ago and you are right they definitely have great customer service. I explained what was going on with the gun and right away the rep said that it sounded like the recoil spring assembly and that they would send a new one right out to me. It definitely makes me want to continue to buy their products.
marine6680
New member
S&W should help you out.
I never had any issue with locking the slide back or difficulty racking the slide on mine... I've also handled many in the shops and not seen an issue...
I don't think its a prevalent issue, so I think they should get you sorted one way or another.
I never had any issue with locking the slide back or difficulty racking the slide on mine... I've also handled many in the shops and not seen an issue...
I don't think its a prevalent issue, so I think they should get you sorted one way or another.
The RSA is a heavy little unit in the Shield and is also very susceptible to misalignment during assembly so make sure the RSA is centered and on the shelf it is meant to set in, if you put it back together off center it will cause the RSA to bind and even damage it....
pay attention when you install the new one.
on the shelf and centered
Wrong
pay attention when you install the new one.
on the shelf and centered
Wrong
