I am having an issue with the slide release on my Shield that I have not been able to find anywhere else on-line, at least in the same way I believe I am experiencing it.
First, I have seen lots of post in my research that claim that it is a slide stop, not a slide release. I have also seen just as many post, that claim that it is intended to be a slide release. I have read the owners manual, and although it calls it a slide stop, it seems to suggest that in use, it also works as a slide release. All that being said, I have no specific pistol oriented training, so although I am used to dropping the slide with the release, I know many people train to "slingshot" the slide. So far, I just prefer the slide release.
But anyways, I say all that just to the clear the air on how this affects my use of the pistol.
I hope the photos are clear enough to illustrate the problem I am having. When the slide locks back after the last shot is fired/ I lock it back on an empty magazine the slide release, works exactly as I think it should. I can reload, and use the thumb piece to easily drop the slide with my thumb, or sling shot it, either method works perfectly fine.
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Where I begin to have problems is if I lock back the slide manually, say when I unload the firearm, and put it away. I drop the mag, empty the chamber, and push up on the slide release to lock the slide open. In the next photo, you should be able to see the issue I am having.
![Image]()
As you should be able to see in the second photo, the small part of the slide release that actually engages with the notch in the slide, ends up behind the notch, instead of in it. In this state, no mater how hard I push down on the slide release, I cannot drop the slide. Furthermore, I can't even sling shot it. I can pull back on the slide as many times as I want, and the slide stop will not drop, I have to pull back on the slide, then manually force it down with my thumb to get the slide to drop.
Does anyone have an idea how I can resolve this? I don't believe it is dew to it being a newer firearm, as I have put a good few hundred rounds through it, with multiple different factory mags, and again, when locked back on an empty mag, and that small piece in the position you see in the first photo, I can drop the slide with my thumb, every time. The only way I have been able to get that small piece to land in the right spot without an empty mag, is to pull the slide back and very, very gently push the slide release up, just enough the get it to catch. Thank you.
First, I have seen lots of post in my research that claim that it is a slide stop, not a slide release. I have also seen just as many post, that claim that it is intended to be a slide release. I have read the owners manual, and although it calls it a slide stop, it seems to suggest that in use, it also works as a slide release. All that being said, I have no specific pistol oriented training, so although I am used to dropping the slide with the release, I know many people train to "slingshot" the slide. So far, I just prefer the slide release.
But anyways, I say all that just to the clear the air on how this affects my use of the pistol.
I hope the photos are clear enough to illustrate the problem I am having. When the slide locks back after the last shot is fired/ I lock it back on an empty magazine the slide release, works exactly as I think it should. I can reload, and use the thumb piece to easily drop the slide with my thumb, or sling shot it, either method works perfectly fine.
As you should be able to see in the second photo, the small part of the slide release that actually engages with the notch in the slide, ends up behind the notch, instead of in it. In this state, no mater how hard I push down on the slide release, I cannot drop the slide. Furthermore, I can't even sling shot it. I can pull back on the slide as many times as I want, and the slide stop will not drop, I have to pull back on the slide, then manually force it down with my thumb to get the slide to drop.
Does anyone have an idea how I can resolve this? I don't believe it is dew to it being a newer firearm, as I have put a good few hundred rounds through it, with multiple different factory mags, and again, when locked back on an empty mag, and that small piece in the position you see in the first photo, I can drop the slide with my thumb, every time. The only way I have been able to get that small piece to land in the right spot without an empty mag, is to pull the slide back and very, very gently push the slide release up, just enough the get it to catch. Thank you.
