[mike from st pe]

I have always used the slingshot method to chamber a round. But the other day while shooting at the local gun club a fellow and his female partner asked to see my Shield as they were thinking about buying his&hers Shields.
I let them have a few shots with it and the guy insisted there was a problem with my Shield. He could not use the slide lock/release lever to chamber a round?
As I said before I slingshot and when I tried the release it wouldn't budge with a loaded mag or no mag, is this gun broke or is it normal?

 

[kiser64]

I don't know about your shield, but I have experience with a few guns being nearly impossible to drop the slide with the slide stop lever when they are newer. Seems to be recoil spring tension until well broken in. My examples are the CZ P-10C and the P365.

I wouldn't think your Shield is broken unless the lever won't move when not under tension.

Additionally: I should have stated the I rarely use the slide stop lever. I was also trained and continue to use the slingshot method for charging my pistols so I never really notice the force required for using the levers.

 

[happyguy]

My Shield Plus required both thumbs, one atop the other, to operate the slide stop when it was new. It slowly got easier after forcing it a few dozen times. It is pretty smooth and easy now.

My original Gen1 Shield was also fairly difficult when new, but not as tough as the Plus.

Regards,
Happyguy

 

[ActanonVerba70]

I have always used the slingshot method to chamber a round. But the other day while shooting at the local gun club a fellow and his female partner asked to see my Shield as they were thinking about buying his&hers Shields.
I let them have a few shots with it and the guy insisted there was a problem with my Shield. He could not use the slide lock/release lever to chamber a round?
As I said before I slingshot and when I tried the release it wouldn't budge with a loaded mag or no mag, is this gun broke or is it normal?

The slide stop (S&W term in manual) on my Shield 1.0 is also very hard to use as a release.

The slide stop can be used as a release but it is primarily designed as a slide stop.

From the manual (page 18 - LOADING) for S&W Shield:
"Pull the slide to the rear and release it, allowing it to carry fully forward. This strips a cartridge from the magazine and seats it in the chamber of the barrel."

Also on pages 12, 21, 22 and 23 the slide stop is illustrated etc.

I don't believe your slide stop is "broke". It's normal to be difficult to use as a release for the Shield .

I also use the slingshot method as described in the manual.

Manual:
M&P Shield Pistol Manual (smith-wesson.com)

 

[mike from st pe]

Pull the slide to the rear and release it,

That is the way I was taught to chamber a round.

 

[Staffordshire]

My Shield loosened up around 1,000 rounds and at that point I could send the slide home by activating the slide stop.

 

[mike from st pe]

My Shield loosened up around 1,000 rounds and at that point I could send the slide home by activating the slide stop.

Ah! If I could find/afford one thousand rounds 😕

 

[Para-bellum]

Totally normal, both my shields require the sling shot method. S&W stated it is a slide catch and not slide release.

 

[GasTiresOil]

I tell all my trainees it’s a slide stop, not a slide release. Use the gross motor skill and c clamp over the top of the slide and slingshot. After carrying several iterations of M&P full size, compacts, and shields, they are all very tight if trying to thumb the slide.

 

[45caldan]

One reason I’m not in love with shields.
In fact the M&P line up in general.

Wheni first started shooting autos they where 1911s and I always used the slide stop to reload.
I continue to do so.

 

[mike from st pe]

One reason I’m not in love with shields.
In fact the M&P line up in general.

Wheni first started shooting autos they were 1911s and I always used the slide stop to reload.
I continue to do so.

Walthers, Glocks and this Smith&Wesson all get slingshot. I'll have to pull the Glocks out to see if the slide stop also releases the slide. I sold the Walthers decades ago.

 

[Glock 17L]

That is how it was designed to be, Small & Unobtrusive
And used as a slide stop lever not a slide release lever
Glocks are designed the same way
Only polymer pistol I can think of that has a Slide Release Lever are my H&Ks
BIG lever designed to be used for both = Long with leverage

BTW I do have a M&P Shield & It gets carried more than all my others JFYI

 

[45caldan]

Walthers, Glocks and this Smith&Wesson all get slingshot. I'll have to pull the Glocks out to see if the slide stop also releases the slide. I sold the Walthers decades ago.

I carry a G17 in the job.
we where trained to hit the stop/release.
if it works as a release it is a split second faster than slingshot.

 

[happyguy]

I have no trouble thumbing down the slide stop on either of my Shields and it is faster than using any other method. This is coming from someone with arthritis in both thumbs.

Unlike most guns the Shield slide (whatateveryouwanttocallit) is perfectly positioned for me to operate without shifting my grip even a smidgen.

Regards,
Happyguy

 

[nerr]

That is the way I was taught to chamber a round.

This. It's the same technique whether you are chambering or clearing pistol rounds and will work on most modern semi-autos.

 

[45caldan]

The argument has been going on forever it seems as far as which way is “correct “.
Two things come to mind to me;
The question has been asked if JMB didn’t intend for the stop to be used to chamber a round then why did he put checkering on the top of the stop?

Also Kahr says in th manual to use the stop when chambering a round…

 

[happyguy]

The argument has been going on forever it seems as far as which way is “correct “.
Two things come to mind to me;
The question has been asked if JMB didn’t intend for the stop to be used to chamber a round then why did he put checkering on the top of the stop?

Also Kahr says in th manual to use the stop when chambering a round…

This was never a question until Glock.


Regards,
Happyguy

 

[pwinter]

This is normal for a Shield, and is the only thing I dislike about it. The slingshot method is slower, and requires both hands, compared to the slide release.

 

[n2g]

Mine are all difficult, too, but so are the ones on my Glocks and on my one other brand. I have weaker hands than you guys, but as already noted I don't think S&W intended it to be primarily used as a slide release, just mainly as a slide stop. It can be done but it's very tight, at least when they're kind of new.

As others have already said, I doubt there's anything wrong with it.

I wish I could get 1,000 rounds through one of mine, too! At the rate I'm going that would take a looong time. 😂

 

[Three blackbelts]

I've had three shields, one was a plus. They were stiff at first, then loosened up a bit. But never that hard to release. May I suggest: