Shield Ejection Problems

[Bluedreaux]

Does anybody have a solution for this, because S&W doesn't seem to.

9mm Shield, purchased new around three months ago. It's had this same problem with the two factory mags (an 8 and 7) and another new 8 round magazine. There isn't a consistent area in the mags that causes problems either (for example, on the first, last or third round every time).

Ammunition is Speer Lawman 147grain. It's the only ammo I've tested, but it runs great in every other 9mm I've seen. Due to availability, if I can't get it to run this ammo it'll have to go.

I've sent it back to S&W twice. The second time it crashes back with a new, black, ejector. I fired it 108 times this morning and had six malfunctions, each magazine had a malfunction.

This is representative of what happens each time. Sometimes the brass will be more stove-pipe-ish, but rarely. Sometimes a round is stripped from the magazine and loose in the chamber and sometimes not.

Any thoughts?

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z118/Bluedreaux/38A92011-AE72-4317-B4A1-77B598E581EB_zpsvjiqnzaf.jpg (http://s192.photobucket.com/user/Bluedreaux/media/38A92011-AE72-4317-B4A1-77B598E581EB_zpsvjiqnzaf.jpg.html)

[Clint]

Does it lock back consistently?

It's possible that a strong (new) recoil spring in combination with mild ammo may be causing short stroking.

It may be worthwhile for diagnosis purposes to try some hotter ammo.

[ST911]

147 Speer TMJ (53620) was NG in my first Shield, and a small quantity of it (50rds?) was okay in my second. It runs fine in everything else. I wouldn't describe it as a milder load, as it is stouter than many others in its weight.

Your issue is not magazine related. If your gun must work with 53620 there's no point in further shooting as it won't get better. Further testing will give you more info but won't meet your needs. Sell it with full disclosure, or ask S&W to replace the gun.

[Leaveammoforme]

If the failures are completely sporadic I'd suggest checking your grip.

[Clay]

I had a Shield with the same problems, and it could not be remedied by S&W or by me swapping springs and mags. I sold it back to the shop where I bought it. My current Shield has been perfect with all ammo, including steel cased Wolf and Tula. Shit happens. Sell it and drive on.

[Bluedreaux]

This morning I fired 50 rounds of Magtech 115grain (1 malfunction), 100 rounds of Winchester 124+P (4 malfunctions) and 70 rounds of Blazer brass 115grain (no malfunctions).

[Bluedreaux]

Clint, it does lock back consistently.

[Bluedreaux]

LAFM-I'm reasonably certain it isn't a grip issue. I've tried to induce malfunctions by changing my grip and can't duplicate what's happening.

[T2C]

If you view a loaded magazine from the top, do the tips of the projectiles come close to or drag on the front of the magazine? Is the Blazer 115g ammunition significantly shorter than the types of ammunition causing malfunctions?

Have you tried chambering a cartridge, removing the magazine and firing the pistol to determine if you have ejection problems without a magazine? If the empty brass does eject, is it thrown a few feet clear of the slide or does it just trickle out and land on the ground near you?

[williejc]

Didn't some early Shields have problems related to the recoil springs? I run really hot ammo through new purchases as a break in procedure. Have you tried removing all slide parts and then inspect and clean?

[RWCRaiden]

I owned a shield 9mm that didn't like anything 147 gr. It had several stovepipe malfunctions. Didn't bother me, because it ran everything else just fine. I carried with Speer Gold Dot 124 +p and never had a hiccup with that ammo at all. It shot the Speer's great. I just figured the 147 gr and the shield didn't mix, so I shot what it liked and didn't bother with 147 gr.

[ST911]

Ponder... How does projectile weight impact extraction and ejection?

[Edmo]

For troubleshooting, let someone else shoot it to see if the problem persists. I've seen ejection patterns vary quite a bit based on shooters. This can be especially true with smaller pistols.

If the problem is still there, send it back to the mothership a third time. My S&W 640 Pro Series revolver had to go back FOUR times before S&W finished building it. That was on a Pro Series gun which was shipped new to me from S&W with so many fit, finish, and function issues I was embarrassed for them.

At some point soon you will never have confidence in this pistol. Then it will be time to trade it for a different one, regardless of the fix.

Edmo

[jerrysimons]

Looks like you have one the forsaken Sheilds plagued with the extraction gremlin. Dig around you will find that you are not the only one with this problem though it does not seem to appear in the majority of pistols it is a consistent issue that keeps cropping up in a small percentage of Sheilds. They come from the factory as a lemon and fail to extract with many ammo types. Usually it is a nasty malf where the extractor skips the case rim upon extraction leaving the empty in the chamber and then jamming a live round up under the empty. Remedial action requires striping the mag and racking the slide several times. Sometimes the empty just stove pipes. From reports the factory is not usually able to fix the problem.

My theory is it is a design weakness that only appears with a certain combination of tolerance stacking of parts.
I dumped the Sheild and got a G43 I have been happy with. Though the $350 shipped PSA Sheild deals tempt me to play the Sheild lottery again...

[Bluedreaux]

Ponder... How does projectile weight impact extraction and ejection?

I'd guess that a different powder charge / recoil impulse will cause the slide to cycle at a different rate, which could cause problems with the extractor.....?

[davebee456]

bought a 9mm shield about 4 months ago and got two FTE in my first box of 50. and then 1 FTE in the 2nd box of 50 rounds...Smith wesson polished feed ramp and replaced extractor and recoil spring and said they fixed ...I traded it in and got another shield last month and its been flawless through 200 rounds so far.

[Bluedreaux]

Update.....After its 3rd trip back to S&W and some back and forth they just sent me a new one.

I put 200 rounds through it without any issues and the ejection is very consistent. I shot this 4" circle with a magazine from 3-5-7-10-15-25 yards each. The new trigger is much improved. There's a little take up and then a stiff wall to press through with almost no creep and as far as I can tell no overtravel. It's exactly what I think all plastic guns should feel like.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z118/Bluedreaux/231079E9-3E2E-43A5-BA67-AD46C2C47ACE_zpsaendtrgl.jpg (http://s192.photobucket.com/user/Bluedreaux/media/231079E9-3E2E-43A5-BA67-AD46C2C47ACE_zpsaendtrgl.jpg.html)

[GregP220]

Glad to see S&W eventually took care of you.