Talk me out of this Shield

[Garandimal]

First range trip was disappointing. This was mostly due to how poorly I shot, but also some pistol problems.

As to pistol problems:
The night I got the pistol, I detail stripped, checked for obvious flaws, cleaned & lubed. Took it to the range on Friday and fired 177 rounds. 152 rounds of 230 grain ball and 25 Winchester JHPs of indeterminate pedigree. (Quite likely the cheapest JHPs I could find at Wal-Mart about 10 years ago.) I got 2 failures to feed out of the ball ammo. I'm not sure if these were out of the same magazine, but I'll be looking into that. I'm also hoping that a couple of hundred rounds will break the pistol in. The JHPs had one dud primer, but otherwise fed and ran perfectly.

Also, 'one drop' of oil from a Weapon Shield bottle is apparently a much bigger drop than contemplated by S&W. I lubed according to the owner's manual, putting only 'one drop' where it said to. It was still obvious that I was it was running it too wet. Oil was coming out of places it should not have been. Time to invest in a needle dropper.

Tip.

W/o the mag in, turn the pistol upside down... and rack it a hundred times.

This puts the parts in contact that come in contact during recoil.

Have had a few break-in problems go away after doing this.

Shooting a few boxed may do the same.




GR

 

[94045]

This is kind of an incoherent ramble.

Can you clean it up some?

TIA




GR

Sorry, quoted wrong post.

 

[94045]

Roger that, but since the 45, 40, and 9 are ALL basically the same when it comes to 'stopping the fight' with modern SD ammo why would you choose a gun with more recoil, less capacity, and heavier???????

I shoot the .45 Shield better. If they ever build the 9mm on the .45 size platform that may change.

 

[94045]

FACTS!!! MANY tests of sub compact 45's have shown that most of them will loose 100 to 300 fps velocity when the bbl is less than 4 inches, which means you just set back terminal ballistics 100+ years by firing a non expanding bullet. Do you have a chronograph? Are you going to use this specific gun and test all the available ammo in this this gun??

No need to test the rest, I don't use them. Federal LE45T1 expands in mine.
830-850 fps is in my pistol.
I used the club chrono.

Lucky Gunner has a test online if you want to see what it does out of a 3.64" barrel.

 

[Jim Rau]

No need to test the rest, I don't use them. Federal LE45T1 expands in mine.
830-850 fps is in my pistol.
I used the club chrono.

Lucky Gunner has a test online if you want to see what it does out of a 3.64" barrel.

If you did your research and it works for you GREAT. I made a 'general' observation based on MANY years of observations of 'tests' of short barreled ( 3.5 Inch +-) the 45 ACP. I advise people who what to use a 45 for SD to stick with the Commander length bbl (4.25 inches). I have seen many gun and ammo combinations which showed a MV of LESS THAN 700 FPS in the short bbl 45's.

 

[PoPo22]

Without reading 150+ previous post/ opinions I will give my opinion about the .45 vs 9mm assuming the capacity disparity is nominal. I was carrying a Shield 9mm for a while but it's thin grip was not really conducive for rapid fire because it's grip is so thin it has a tendency to rotate in my hand (less control). I then bought a Shield .45 PC w/3.3 barrel and the grip is "night & day" different. The extra girth and texture of the .45 makes it much easier to control without having a "death grip" on the gun.
If memory serves there is only 1 or 2 round difference in capacity between the two models, if that is the case I will choose a .45 every day. I carried my 9mm shield (as a duty backup) and liked the way it disappeared on my vest, but would have preferred the .45 for a "close combat" pistol, which is really what it's for (most encounters will be at less than 3 yards and many even less, so I doubt that loss of velocity is a real big issue).
If the 4" model had been available when I bought mine I would certainly have bought it, but I have been very happy with my 3.3" model. The .45 is very manageable and more pleasurable to shoot than the 9mm for me. Don't get me wrong, I am fine with a 9mm but for a small single stack pistol with basically the same capacity, it's a .45, no contest.

 

[94045]

Without reading 150+ previous post/ opinions I will give my opinion about the .45 vs 9mm assuming the capacity disparity is nominal. I was carrying a Shield 9mm for a while but it's thin grip was not really conducive for rapid fire because it's grip is so thin it has a tendency to rotate in my hand (less control). I then bought a Shield .45 PC w/3.3 barrel and the grip is "night & day" different. The extra girth and texture of the .45 makes it much easier to control without having a "death grip" on the gun.
If memory serves there is only 1 or 2 round difference in capacity between the two models, if that is the case I will choose a .45 every day. I carried my 9mm shield (as a duty backup) and liked the way it disappeared on my vest, but would have preferred the .45 for a "close combat" pistol, which is really what it's for (most encounters will be at less than 3 yards and many even less, so I doubt that loss of velocity is a real big issue).
If the 4" model had been available when I bought mine I would certainly have bought it, but I have been very happy with my 3.3" model. The .45 is very manageable and more pleasurable to shoot than the 9mm for me. Don't get me wrong, I am fine with a 9mm but for a small single stack pistol with basically the same capacity, it's a .45, no contest.

One round but really two...

The flush mag takes one less but the .45 is the same height with the flush as the 9mm with the extended.

I had exactly the same experience where I shot the .45 faster and more accurately than the 9mm (and we won't even discuss the .40).

 

[Spats McGee]

So I'm about 6 months into ownership, with about 300 rounds through the pistol. Feeding problems persist, so she's still 'not ready for prime time' in the carry rotation. I shot 8 mags through her today and got a misfeed (nose dive) about once every other magazine. Unacceptable in a carry gun. As all but one mag are identical (seven 8 rounders and one seven rounder) and all are factory mags, I do not think this is a mag problem. It theoretically could still be an ammo problem, I guess, but the ammo (230 grain milsurp dating back to probably 1985-90) runs in my 1911 just fine. Otherwise, I really like the gun. All it needs are night sights and to feed properly. Next up: An Email to S&W...

 

[SwampWolf]

Now, that was my best effort.

Hold fast, Spats!

 

[SwampWolf]

I spent a little time in the safe today, trying to figure out what all I could stand to sell.

This is how I've made my worst seller's remorse transactions-no jingle in the jeans to pay for the latest shiny object, so a victim in the safe pays the price. Always my very worst "deals" follow this faulty stratagem.

 

[Lycidas Janwor]

So, this is not an answer to your questions but food for thought. Springfield Armory made a true single stack, but now discontinued, 4" barrel XDs .45 acp. I like both the xds and the shield just fine but it may be another option if that's the platform you're looking for.

Yep, I'd check into a Springfield Armory XD in 45 acp.... you can probably find a used one

 

[SwampWolf]

Next up: An Email to S&W...

Absolutely your only real recourse. As disappointing as your experience has been and as reluctant as we all are to have to send a firearm back for "fixing", you are fortunate in that Smith & Wesson has a good track record for customer satisfaction. Be sure to keep us informed as to how Smith & Wesson treats you.

I'm not a "has to function 100% right out of the box or I'll never trust it" kind of guy.

I kind of am. I've never bought into the need for a "break-in" argument. I may eventually "trust it" but they better fix it and on their dime.

 

[JohnB-40]

Spats,make sure you have the new style mag follower. They have the vertical cut out on the left side front corner of the follower,looking at it from the front

 

[Spats McGee]

Hold fast, Spats!

Because . . . . ?

This is how I've made my worst seller's remorse transactions-no jingle in the jeans to pay for the latest shiny object, so a victim in the safe pays the price. Always my very worst "deals" follow this faulty stratagem.

Fortunately, I was able to make the deal without selling anything. I think my problem is kind of the opposite. I've been known to wait years to sell a gun, even though I never shot it. I have a very hard time selling any gun that I know works.

Yep, I'd check into a Springfield Armory XD in 45 acp.... you can probably find a used one

I probably could. In fact, I've probably posted other threads about getting an XD. I like 'em, but there's really not one in the right size for what I want here. Besides, I've already made the purchase.

Absolutely your only real recourse. As disappointing as your experience has been and as reluctant as we all are to have to send a firearm back for "fixing", you are fortunate in that Smith & Wesson has a good track record for customer satisfaction. Be sure to keep us informed as to how Smith & Wesson treats you.

I'm fortunate to know a few pretty good gunsmiths, but I suspect that going to them would void my warranty, so I'll try S&W first. I'll let y'all know how it turns out. If S&W doesn't fix it, I'll call my smith and not worry about the warranty.

I kind of am. I've never bought into the need for a "break-in" argument. I may eventually "trust it" but they better fix it and on their dime.

I've bought a handful of new guns in my life, but most of the ones I've ever had were used, so there was no 'their dime' to fix it on. But I'm lucky to know a few good gunsmiths, and they've always been able to make whatever it was right. Heck, my first EDC was a 1911 that was pretty much a jam-o-matic when I first got it about 10 years ago. (Actually, it replaced a non-jam-o-matic 1911 that got stolen out of my house.) One of my gunsmith buddies worked his magic, and it's a beast that eats anything now. I carried that 1911 for about 3 years or so. I'd trust it again in a minute.

Spats,make sure you have the new style mag follower. They have the vertical cut out on the left side front corner of the follower,looking at it from the frontView attachment 939053

I will look into that.

 

[huntsman]

So far I’ve been pleased with my Shield9 and just added a Shield40 also.

The Shield line has been out long enough to be vetted so unless there’s a quirk specifically in .45acp I’d have to believe it’s “the gun”

 

[rdnktrkr]

I have a couple of Shield 45s with the 3.5"?? barrel that shoots everything except rnfp bullets and my mag followers are the first ones. I carry +P golden sabers and they feed as good as 230rn. Good luck figuring out your feeding issue, I'm sure S&W will have some ideas.

 

[SwampWolf]

Because . . . . ?

I entered that post to refute Armored farmer's well-reasoned arguments for talking you out of getting a new gun-before finishing reading the rest of the thread; not knowing that you had "held fast" and had went ahead and bought the new pistol. When my wife and I were raising our family, before I squandered money that was always in short supply for a new gun, I always took a look at our children's feet to make sure they had shoes; preferably newer ones.

 

[Spats McGee]

Spats,make sure you have the new style mag follower. They have the vertical cut out on the left side front corner of the follower,looking at it from the frontView attachment 939053

I checked all 8 magazines today, and all look just like that.

 

[Spats McGee]

I have a couple of Shield 45s with the 3.5"?? barrel that shoots everything except rnfp bullets and my mag followers are the first ones. I carry +P golden sabers and they feed as good as 230rn. Good luck figuring out your feeding issue, I'm sure S&W will have some ideas.

And that's the problem. I can't get 230 grain FMJ (which has a round nose) to feed consistently enough for carry.

 

[JohnB-40]

Spats,Send it back to Smith & Wesson for repair. You should be able to reliably chamber ball,HP,or any other profile round in your Shield,mine does. You paid the coin and you should have a pistol you can trust in return.

 

[Spats McGee]

I emailed S&W on Saturday afternoon, and they have responded. In short, they want to look at the gun and need some info to send me a pre-paid shipping label. I've only ever used S&W's CS one other time*, but they're (once again) well within acceptable parameters so far this time around.

*And that wasn't because anything was broken. I tried to buy a backup recoil spring for the Shield 45, because I couldn't find anyone who sold them.

 

[rdnktrkr]

Did they have the spring or tell you where to get one?

 

[Zaydok Allen]

It theoretically could still be an ammo problem, I guess, but the ammo (230 grain milsurp dating back to probably 1985-90) runs in my 1911 just fine.

Apologies if you already said so, but is this the only ammo you've tried? My XDs has a much stiffer spring than my 1911s do. If the ammo you are using isn't particularly powerful that may be part of if not the entire issue. I have found my XDs prefers mid to warmish ammo. It's part of why I never load powder puff ammo. All my stuff is pretty warm.

If it's good ammo, it's possible the chamber is a little tighter on the Shield than your 1911. Milsurp isn't exactly considered premium ammo. Maybe check some rounds for OAL and diameter. Maybe check your chamber diameter too.

 

[TomJ]

Spats,
FWIW I have the 9mm version of that gun and intially had feed issues. I sent it back to S&W, they polished the feed ramp and it's been perfect since then.
Tom

 

[Spats McGee]

Apologies if you already said so, but is this the only ammo you've tried?...

I don't think I've really specified, but it's not the only ammo I tried. I tried the ball ammo that I mentioned and I think some Winchester JHPs, and maybe some Speer Lawman? In any event, all seem to feed equally well, or poorly.