Shield?

[seagullplayer]

I picked up a new 9mm shield this weekend. It is planned to be my EDC.

Everything seemed really tight on the gun. Slide was really stiff, It was difficult to field strip the first
time to clean all the shipping oil out. Almost have to slap the clips in, but they do drop out clean.

I shot a couple dozen rounds this weekend and it did loosen up a bit. How many is considered needed for break-in to be complete.

I like the gun and hope to grow to love it. I like the trigger much better than my Taurus 709, I am already shooting much better groups than I did with the 709. I give that to the much better trigger.

I am having a hard time, lets say impossible time fully loading either of the clips that came with it?
I loaded both with as many rounds as I could get in them, and let them set hoping to loosen the springs up
a bit. Is this normal? Is there a better solution?

 

[Joniki]

I have had a 9mm Shield for several years and never had any of the issues you are experiencing. I have shot thousands of rounds through mine and never had a hiccup. My XD had issues similar to yours for several hundred rounds. I still leave one round out of the magazine.

 

[possum_128]

You might try loading the magazines, those "clips" are hard to do. All kidding aside, The Shield is a great gun and well above a Taurus any day, enjoy.

 

[ccomstock001]

I had a shield in .40 and my wife has one in 9 and both have similar issues. Both had to be pulled really hard to get it to go back far enough to get the slide to lock back. My full size m&p is a whole lot easier to lock back. I have never had any problems firing either gun and they did start to loosen up.

As far as loading the magazines I have never had any gun I can easily load every round into. That is why I got a mag loader. Also loading the mags and letting them sit won't do a whole lot of good. It would be better to keep loading and unloading so you actually move the springs.

 

[NHT3]

Get an Uplula loader for the mags and shoot it a little more. It will improve to some extent and far as stiffness.


Glock certified armorer- M&P Certified armorer[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&quot] /[/FONT][FONT=&quot] RSO[/FONT]

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

OP, disassemble the mags to make sure there is only one follower in each. My roommate purchased a shield ftom a local GS new in the box and one of the mags had 2 followers in it... always check.

 

[wtburnette]

I've put 1k or more rounds through my Shield in the last 2 years. While it has loosened up some, the slide is still very hard to get back enough to lock the slide. It's possible, but it's a lot more difficult than any other gun I own. I don't really mind, as I'm used to it, but the slide is very stiff. Thankfully after a few months, the takedown lever went from almost impossible to move, to just difficult. Now it's reasonably easy. I didn't have the same issues with loading the mags to capacity. It's more difficult to load the last round or two, but that's the same with most mags I use. After using them a while, they'll get easier to load to capacity.

I'm used to my Shield, but I will say the two best upgrades you can do to this gun is better sights and an Apex trigger. I have Trijicon HD's on my Shield and love them. My buddy had an Apex FSS trigger kit installed in his Shield and the difference is night and day. Very crisp break with a nice, short reset. Anyway, good choice, congratulations

 

[Tactically Fat]

Your Shield does not NEED any break-in.

As long as it functions 100% with a few hundred rounds of your favorite carry ammo - then call it good.

Yes, it's tightly sprung. If not, it'd beat itself to death in short order - as well as being quite uncomfortable to handle in the process.

Get a quality holster and a quality belt. And 2-3-4 more magazines that you'll use just for training. You'll get training, right?

 

[canterbc]

OP, disassemble the mags to make sure there is only one follower in each. My roommate purchased a shield ftom a local GS new in the box and one of the mags had 2 followers in it... always check.

When I get a new gun I take it apart completely to clean it, this includes the magazines. I do it really because I enjoy it and I figure it can't hurt anything, only make it better. Now I guess I have another reason to do it to the magazines. I have never even heard of the extra follower happening. I guess it makes sense with all to the millions of magazines they slip up and add an extra from time to time.

 

[canterbc]

I'm a pretty big fan of the Shield. Mine was good to go from day one. Like others have said, it is just a tightly sprung gun.

 

[Denny347]

It took about 300rds to really smooth out the trigger.

 

[seagullplayer]

I ordered a loader last night hope to see it by weeks end. I am able to operate the mag springs with a screw driver, so I don't think its an issue with parts or assembly, just stiff springs.

I had to use my multi-tool to get the take down lever to operate the first go around.
But the last time just a little strong language worked...

It was a real bear to get the slide to unlock, but that's a little better after shooting it.

I don't have any of these issues with my S&W SD9, but I bought it second hand.
The Taurus was "loose" to start with.

It's good to hear others have seen some of the same things.

My belt and holster don't appear to be part of the issue, but I'm glad it was brought up, tunnel vision can be
a stumbling block when trouble shooting.

 

[wtburnette]

It was a real bear to get the slide to unlock, but that's a little better after shooting it.

Slingshot method works very well with the Shield.

 

[Merk]

I think the small size has something to do with the preserved stiffness.
As others said, it should loosen up. I have lots of rounds through mine and I love it.

 

[Joniki]

I think the small size has something to do with the preserved stiffness.
As others said, it should loosen up. I have lots of rounds through mine and I love it.

LOL Petrified wood.

 

[BlackGun]

I'm a pretty big fan of the Shield. Mine was good to go from day one. Like others have said, it is just a tightly sprung gun.

^^^^^^This^^^^^^