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Anybody else having trouble loading the 13th round into the 9mm Shield Plus 13-round mag? Not only is it hard to get that last round in, it's also really hard to insert the mag into the grip and ejecting the fully loaded 13-round mag is difficult as well.

I've read that S&W tech support says load the mag with 13 rounds, then let it sit for a couple of weeks and it will be easier to do after that. Anybody know if that's correct?

Thanks for any input,

Crash

P.S. Really like the gun--feels good in the hand and feeds, fires, ands ejects all kinds of FMJ and JHP with no problem.

Yes. I emailed S&W customer service and they gave me an address to send the mags back to them. I sent 4 mags in along (at my cost) with a copy of the email. in about 2 weeks I got 4 mags back. I don't know if they are the same mags with new internals or new mags. They are stiff to get 13 rds in but they do go in. They have gotten easier after leaving them loaded with 13.

I've heard 2 theories about what is causing the problem:

1. The follower is incorrect in early production mags and has since been corrected.

2. The spring is too long and needs a coil cut off.

Good luck.

Same problem with the SIG 365 magazine. But to answer your question, yes. Load it up and let it sit for a few weeks. Also make sure you function check your fully loaded gun. Sometimes these can put too much pressure on the mechanics and the next round won’t load properly. I’ve heard of guys who just load one less round.

tk1700 wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 5:52 pm Yes. I emailed S&W customer service and they gave me an address to send the mags back to them. I sent 4 mags in along (at my cost) with a copy of the email. in about 2 weeks I got 4 mags back. I don't know if they are the same mags with new internals or new mags. They are stiff to get 13 rds in but they do go in. They have gotten easier after leaving them loaded with 13.

I've heard 2 theories about what is causing the problem:

1. The follower is incorrect in early production mags and has since been corrected.

2. The spring is too long and needs a coil cut off.

Good luck.

I just bought the gun day before yesterday, so I assume it's the latest production. And I would hate to cut a coil off the spring because I'm afraid it might foul things up. Think I'll just load it up with 13 rounds and leave it sit a few weeks and see what happens.

Thanks for the reply,

Crash

Tex1961 wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 5:54 pm Same problem with the SIG 365 magazine. But to answer your question, yes. Load it up and let it sit for a few weeks. Also make sure you function check your fully loaded gun. Sometimes these can put too much pressure on the mechanics and the next round won’t load properly. I’ve heard of guys who just load one less round.

Tex1961,

Thanks for the info. I'll load it with 13 and let it sit for a few weeks and then check it out. Wouldn't like to load one less round as the extra capacity is one of the reasons I bought it (day before yesterday!), but, if that's what it takes, I'll do it.

Crash

Crash wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 6:44 pm

Tex1961 wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 5:54 pm Same problem with the SIG 365 magazine. But to answer your question, yes. Load it up and let it sit for a few weeks. Also make sure you function check your fully loaded gun. Sometimes these can put too much pressure on the mechanics and the next round won’t load properly. I’ve heard of guys who just load one less round.

Tex1961,

Thanks for the info. I'll load it with 13 and let it sit for a few weeks and then check it out. Wouldn't like to load one less round as the extra capacity is one of the reasons I bought it (day before yesterday!), but, if that's what it takes, I'll do it.

Crash

No problem. I currently carry the shield but really looking hard at the Shield plus. Uses my same holsters and I’m already familiar with the platform.

I have the same problem loading 15 rounds in a Glock 19 magazine.

A couple of years ago, I bought two 9-round ETS extended mags for my G43. The packaging for both mags said they are 9-rounders. One of them holds 9 rounds just fine, the other only 8, no matter how hard I press down on the last round. I was mystified. Then just the other day, I held them both up to the light (they have transparent bodies) to see if I could figure out why. Lo and behold, in the one that holds only 8, the bottom round is slightly right of the centerline, and in the one that holds 9, the bottom round is slightly left of the centerline. They’re "single stack" mags, but the rounds are slightly staggered in the column. Apparently, it matters to which side of the centerline the first round in gets pushed to when you’re loading the second round.

Is it possible that something like this is also affecting your Shield mags? I suspect that single stack mags for small pistols may be more susceptible to this kind of thing.

Even the original 7 and 8 round Shield mags were hard to load fully. The solution provided was to load them up and let them sit. Upula mag loaders worth every penny.