As part of our continued testing of the S&W Shield, yesterday’s range trip consisted of our Shield’s first introduction to JHP ammo. We had 40 rounds of Sig V-Crown 9mm 115gr JHP ammo available for testing. I’m happy to report that the Sig V-Crown ammo cycled flawlessly through the Shield.
On a sidenote, during the previous three range trips with the Shield, my wife and I both experienced an issue with the slide not going fully into battery. This only occurred when chambering the first round from a magazine, and never while the gun cycled after firing a round. My suspicion was that both of us were either “riding the slide” forward, or not pulling it fully back before releasing. Both of these actions can cause a handgun’s slide to not go fully into battery.
The following image is an example of how this looks.
During this range trip, I paid special attention to proper slide racking technique, ensuring that the slide was pulled back to its rearmost position, then released completely. And guess what… the Shield performed exactly as it should. So, I have no doubt that poor technique is what led to the issue.
This is a perfect example of why it is so important to spend time practicing with any firearm that you are going to trust for self defense. The more you practice, the more chance you have of discovering performance issues with a gun, or in this case, the operator.
Of course, there is no substitution for actual range time. But, I have also ordered some 9mm Tipton Snap Caps. These will allow us to practice cycling the Shield at home, without using live ammo. As we brush up on proper technique, I’m guessing we will no longer see this issue with the Shield. Either way, I’ll keep you posted.
| Cumulative Range/Function Test Results – Smith & Wesson Shield | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Test # | Ammunition | # Rounds | Results |
| 1 | Winchester 9mm 115gr FMJ | 50 | No Issues |
| 2 | HPR 9mm 115gr TMJ | 50 | No Issues |
| 3 | Sellier & Bellot 9mm 115gr FMJ | 35 | No Issues |
| 4 | Sig V-Crown 9mm 115gr JHP | 40 | No Issues |
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm No Thumb Safety Specs:
- SKU: 10035
- Model: M&P9 Shield™
- Frame Size: Compact
- Caliber: 9mm
- Action: Striker Fire
- Capacity: 7 and 8 Round Magazines
- Barrel Length: 3.1” (7.9 cm)
- Front Sight: White Dot
- Rear Sight: White 2-Dot
- Trigger Pull: 6.5 lbs +/-
- Overall Length: 6.1” (15.5 cm)
- Frame Width: .95” (2.4 cm)
- Overall Height: 4.6” (11.7 cm)
- Grip: Polymer
- Weight: 19.0 oz. (523.7 g)
- Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
- Slide Material: Stainless Steel
- Frame Material: Polymer
- Finish: Black/Durable Corrosion Resistant
- More Info: Smith & Wesson
Sig V-Crown 9mm 115gr JHP Ammo:
- Stacked hollow point bullet design with additional hollow point cavity
- Unique toothed cannelure half way up shank ensures maximum weight retention and terminal expansion
- DUCTA-BRIGHT 7A™ coated brass cases provide enhanced lubricity, superior corrosion resistance, and reliable feeding and extraction
- Low flash propellant
- Also, V shaped jacket skives and scores provide controlled, uniform expansion.
- Calibers:
- 380 AUTO, 38SPL, 9MM, 38 SUPER +P, 9MM, 357SIG, 357MAG, 40S&W, 10MM, 44SPL, 44MAG, 45AUTO, 45COLT
- More Info: Sig Sauer Ammunition
Image Notes (First Image):