S&W M&P Shield How You Grip It!

[Dorky_D]

This is not a problem with the gun, it is me, so I want to be clear. I also had the same issue with another gun, so it is more me than anything else.

I tend to have some trouble with my grip on the Shield. When I shoot my full size I have a thumb safety and I wrap my right thumb over the thumb safety and ride it there 1911 style. I know some hate the thumb safety on anything, but this is not the issue I want to talk about.

On the shield, the thumb safety is so out of the way that I pretty much ignore it. The problem occurs when I shoot thumbs forward. Since on the shield, you cannot easily ride the thumb safety, I end up extending both thumbs forward and I am gripping it fairly good, and I end up holding down the slide stop/slide release (call it what you want) with my right thumb and the slide does not lock back on the last shot. If I relax my grip or move my thumb, it performs as expected.

I can cock my thumb as if I was riding the safety, but it is a training issue that I need to work on.

How do you grip the Shield and do you have this issue?
I want to make my full size grip and shield grip to be relatively the same, so as to not have to adjust for each gun. Since the shield is my carry gun, I need this to be better. The gun shoots just fine, but I do not want the gun to go click by not realizing that it is empty.
Thanks!

 

[blueboxer]

I do the same and run a 1911 and a fullsize M&P9 with the TS just like you. When I shoot the Pro or a gun like the shield I try placing my right thumb (I shoot right handed), on top of my support hand. My right thumb isn't actually touching the gun except at my bottom thumb knuckle. I'm not sure how clear that description is, but I have the same problem and that was my fix!

 

[Dorky_D]

Yep, I understand what you are saying. Your right thumb is either higher than the support thumb, or outside the support thumb. That is another option.
There is a video of someone who built out the thumb safety on the shield with jb weld. He did a nice job. I have thought of doing this to give me more of a reminder to not slide my thumb out so far, but I am not sure I want the safety to stick out that far.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

OP are you absolutely sure that your grip is the problem? When I first bought my Shield 9 (new) I had issues with the slide not locking back on the last round several times, but after 300 rounds it hasn't happened since. How new is your Shield?

I looked on the Smith & Wesson forums to diagnose my issue the first time it happened. Seems to be a common problem with more than a few Shields.

 

[Dorky_D]

Yes, I am sure, it is me. In my OP, I mentioned that if I reposition my right (strong hand) it performs as it should, so it is me. I had a Bersa BP9cc that I would do the same thing. With the smaller guns, I tend to grip them harder, to manage the extra recoil from the diminished weight.

 

[ryan3030]

I have this issue with most of my guns as I use a very high, thumbs-forward grip.

The only thing that has helped me is to move my support hand a little further rearward so it makes more contact with my strong hand, which allows both thumbs to ride a little lower.

YMMV