Thank you for the video...really helpful..I bought the CT RAD Micro from their website and there is a promo right now to get a free CT-1550 along with it. I used the T8 to get the plate off and then used the longer screws (had set of 3 screws) that came with the sight. It fit perfectly.
Same issue with the stripped screws (or at least one of them) on a Shield Plus in 30 Super Carry. I heated the screw with a soldering iron and then was able to take it out with a stripped screw remover bit.... The Crimson Trace fit perfectly!
Thanks for the info. I just updated the pinned comment with November 2023 as the last known report of this - two years since I notified S&W. I don't understand why they are not fixing this defect. It is a shame.
Thanks to everyone for providing the latest info on this and for letting the community know that as of November 2023 (over two years after this video was made) S&W is still shipping pistols with stripped screws even though I reported this issue to them back in May 2021. S&W was contacted in writing to ensure that they are aware of all these reported issues in the comments to this video and here is their reply that was received on Jun 9, 2022: Hi, Thanks for reaching out to us, customer feedback on quality control issues is very important to us. We have communicated this issue to the quality and manufacturing engineer teams so they can investigate the root cause and apply corrective action. Thank you, Paul Call Center Supervisor Let's hope for the best that these reports of stripped screws stop coming in soon enough!
Yep, 11/1/2023 and my Shield Plus is less than a year old and the screws on my optics plate are rounded/stripped. I cannot remove the plate so I can install the red dot I purchased. One of the premier American firearm manufacturers, and S&W can't get this simplistic issue resolved? I am a retired liability claims adjuster and now a private investigator. I personally know lots and lots of personal injury attorneys, many of whom are shooters. I'm thinking CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. WHO'S IN?
Yeah that hex 5/64 Allen key worked great. Ran up to Walmart got the cheapest set, and firmly set into the screw with slow turn...boom right out no problem.
This same thing just happened to me yesterday. One screw was ok. The other was stripped. After trying everything I had, and I have alot of Allen, torx, security torx etc. Just made it worse. I just found a drill bit around that size and drilled the screw head off. removed the plate, and then had to use pliers to remove the screw body. Fun stuff lol.
Wow that certainly does sound fun. Glad it worked. Is Smith and Wesson ever going to correct this issue? It's been over a year now I cannot believe it.
@@goodlifehacker No idea. I believe this to be a newer serial #. So looks like it's still an issue. And an issue it was. Could've been worse I suppose lol.
If anyone else has this issue, try using a Dremel with small grinder disc and cut a slit in the top of the head of the screw, then you can use a flat head screw driver to back it out.
@@goodlifehacker Yes just about a week ago, and then found out through your video comments that this has been going on pretty regularly for over a year. Pretty crazy QC miss-hap there i’d say. Anyway, i’ve had to do that with other stripped screws before, so did it on my Shield Plus and made a short video for it hoping it’ll help others.
Awesome pistol good luck with it. Can you please let us know if your slide cut cover screws came stripped from S&W as mine and many others have? I'm curious to see if they corrected that problem yet. Thanks
As of this month when I got my shield plus in 30 super carry the screws are still stripped. I hammered a T9 bit to make it work thankfully, Crimson trace comes with the correct not striped screws to replace the old ones.
Hi thanks for letting everyone know. I just pinned a comment to the video where you can see Smith and Wesson's reply to a complaint that was recently sent to them about this.
FOR STRIPPED SCREWS. I bought a $10 drill master rotary tool from harbor freight and used the metal cutting silver bits that came with it to cut horizontal slits on each of the hex screws. Make sure to get a deep enough of cut to place a flat head screwdriver in but also not deep enough to cut the screw head in half. Both screws came out easy when pressing down on the screws and turning the screwdriver counter clockwise.
I finally found and received a holster for my identical M&P Shield Plus w/ optic Performance Center. Took forever but I found it with 'We The People Holsters', pretty happy with it so far and definitely a perfect fit. Having a hard time though figuring out how to sight it in correctly though. Still clustering to the lower left of my bullseye.
Hi David thanks for the holster info! If you adjusted the sight and still low and left it may be something like this shootinjh.com/why-you-miss-low-left-with-a-pistol/ I am about to post a video on laser training at home. It may help a lot in that if you are no longer off target with the laser then for sure it is a flinch. Many things I blamed my pistol for I now realize are my fault :)
I ordered from them and it didn’t fit, sent a pic and they said they didn’t make one for it yet. I ended up going with Eclipse holsters for it. I like the quality from both companies, wanted we the people to support local business.
Tried e-mailing Smith-Wesson about what size Allen wrench to use, they came back with a whole lot of flack about restriction regs on Overseas crap, there is no referance in the manual or website as to what size Allen wrench to use, when removing the optics cap from gun, but its different than the optics allen wrench, had to finally go through my allen wrench kit to find the right one (5/64), for the screws on the gun, hope this helps?
Hi Jeff yes that is the correct size. It is sad that they did not provide it to you when you asked. It's in many of the other comments on this video. You are lucky that you did not have stripped screws from S&W like I did and many others who commented here. They have been shipping with stripped screws for over a year from what people have been commenting. Terrible quality control.
Yep, would be nice if they listed the required wrench in the manual, or even just included them in the kit. I had to find out mine were already stripped the hard way
Hi Jeffrey I don't know off hand, but the best I can do is measure the slide for you with my calipers and you can see if other manufacturers post their widths. There is info in some of the comments below about the optic foot print compatibilities. Let me know if you need me to reply with that measurement.
I'm in the same boat. I'm a big fan of the brand and that's why it bothers me so much that they haven't corrected this yet. On this video alone there are a bunch of people saying they had this problem. Now from what you're saying it's on the newer models as well. Someone needs to turn the torque down on the slide cut cover installing machine or if it's an actual person the dude needs to take it easy on those screws :) Thanks for commenting! Good luck with it.
Same thing happened to me. I had to hammer a T9 into the screw heads to take them off, destroying the torx head. There was a load of dried thread lock on the screws that came out. Not happy with the QC!
Check at my other video about the fit: th-cam.com/video/CLpfo4ONreI/w-d-xo.html Someone else had the same problem which prompted me to make that video. I wonder if some of the optics are not level OR worse the slide cut base is not level. Let me know what you think after watching
There are additional plates that comes with the S&W. I tried my red dot on those and one of them fits perfectly the Crimson Trace. I installed it and there’s no gap.
@@joezerortiz7691 the shield plus performance center does not come with plates. It comes from the performance center machined to specifically fit the TC that it also comes with in the box.
Hi. Glad you were able to get them off without too much trouble. I would recommend asking S&W to send new ones over because they should be perfect and you might end up taking them on and off if you switch between a red dot and no red dot from time to time.
I wish I would have seen this video before I purchased this gun. I have the same issues with the stripped screws. * the screws weren't stripped they just sent 2 of the same Allen keys. Found one that fit. The red. doesn't sit flat though as soon as you start to tighten it the front lifts up
I also noticed S&W didn't include an allen key for removing the slide cut cover screws. In the Crimson Trace bag right out of the box there were three allen keys included one was for the included Crimson Trace mounting screws and two identical ones for the windage and elevation adjustment screws (I guess the gave an extra in case you lose one or wanted to adjust both screws at the same time). Glad to hear your slide cut cover screws were not stripped! If you hold the Crimson Trace flat with one hand while you tighten the screws gradually on each side does that help keep it flat? Also I have to ask this just in case, you are not trying to use the slide cut cover screws to hold down the Crimson Trace, right?
@@goodlifehacker I'm definitely not using the screws that were for the slide cover. I'm using the longer ones that had the blue locktite on them and they were with the crimson trace. I can't get it to stay flat But just slightly lifting up on It Pulls the front up. I just imagine imagine being in situation where the Red dot gets snagged on some clothing or somehow gets hit and now my aim is off.
@@flextefitness4954 Ok tomorrow I will mount mine and see what happens when I pull up on the front of it and I'll let you know. Maybe I'll even post a video. Someone else mentioned in the comments that theirs will not sit flush so I am curious to see what is going on.
@GoodLifeHacker please let me know . I called crimson trace and they said they would submit an rma but I'm not sure that would help . I was going to upload a video of myself so let me know how yours sits.
Thanks. I do the same thing when I am laser training since those cartridges are delicate although I sometimes worry about muscle memory and developing a bad habit for when I am dealing with live ammo.
Thanks for the video...question for you..there is a small red pin on the right side of the optics cut section just behind the reciol lug..is it raised or flush? Mine is raised a bit.
Hi I think you are having the same problem as this guy "Cyka_Delik" who commented in my other video th-cam.com/video/CLpfo4ONreI/w-d-xo.html Maybe reply to his comment and ask him if/how he got that resolved. 1 minute into that video you can get a nice view of the slide cut on mine and that pin is totally flush.
@@goodlifehacker I ended up partially disassembling the slide, and just taped the pin in with a punch and hammer... a couple solid taps and it is now flush.... It is just a extractor retaining pin. It either walked itself out a bit, or wasn't set in enough...now just to patiently wait for Amazon to drop off the Holosun 507k..
Just purchased the 3.1” Shield Plus OR. The screws on my optic cover plate were stripped out too. The front night sight is not visible at all in complete darkness. So the gun is useless to me at this point. I love my original shield and this was going to be my upgrade. Pretty disappointing. We’ll see how S&W Customer Service handles it.
Sorry to hear that! Let us know how smith and wesson responds to your issue. The 3.1" shield just came out with the optic cover option so that means they have not fixed the issue after all of our complaints about the 4" with stripped screws. Sad
Sorry to hear about your troubles....the front sight will not be visible in complete darkness..it's fiber optic...it needs some ambient light to be seen
This happened to me. They gave me 3 allen wrenches but two were the same size. The screws even looked wrong compared to other guns. I had to get one from my garage and it worked. they were not stripped. It is not a good start for this pistol when they send the wrong wrench.
I think those three are all for the crimson trace and they come in the little bag with it. One should fit the special crimson trace mounting screws and the two smaller ones are for adjusting the windage and elevation screws. S&W doesn't provide an Allen wrench for removing the screws that hold on the slide cut cover. They should though. At least yours weren't stripped that's good to hear.
Hi there are two screws one for elevation and one for windage and the allen key for those is provided. It takes a little getting used to seeing the red dot above where your regular sights are. This is called co-witness.
I appreciate you making this video. 🙏🏽 I'm definitely leaning towards this over a Glock43. I'd Love to see what your impressions of how the gun shoots at the range! Have a Happy 4th!! 🎆🇺🇲
With the red dot mounted do you have any gap/see any light between the slide and red dot? With the factory plate on there is absolutely no gap or light can be seen between them. Woth my red dot on it seems like either the front gets set fully or the back is fully set in place. I can't seem to get the front and back. Some times I get it pretty close and then I put the bolts in and snug them up and I see some gap and the rear lifted a bit. So frustrating. Any tips or is this just how it is? M&P shield 45 4" PC with red dot. Thanks
Hi Jim I just mounted my red dot to check for you. There is really no noticeable gap once I tighten down the screws. I'm not using much force either because the red dot is plastic, but it definitely sits nice and even on the slide cut. I don't care for the red dot though. It's much too bright and there is no way to adjust the circle to be dimmer and more fine on this one. I suppose on a big target it would be ok, but if you're aiming to hit a bullseye with this one it's going to be quite difficult. My astigmatism doesn't help because it makes the dot look more like a smudge. That said, you paid for the feature and it should sit nice and even on your slide.
@@goodlifehacker thanks. I walked away from it and gave it a rest for a bit and then tried it once more before I went to bed and I think I finally got it on there properly. It's tight in there. Either the front goes in and the back sits up a bit or vice versa. There were a couple times where it looked good when when putting the screws in and snugging it up the back lifted a bit. Yeah definitely have to be careful with the plastic. It is different using a red dot. I wish the dot itself was smaller.. I prefer the fixed HiViz fiber optic sights but am giving it a chance. I ha e those sights on my 9 shield ez and love them. I wanted the m&p shield 45 performance center with the 3.3" barrel without the red dot but could not find one so I got the 4". I really liked the 3.3" and shot better with the shorter barrel which is not suppose to happen. Oh well. Thanks for checking for me!
@@jlweck231978 Hi Jim this morning I figured let me give the Crimson Trace another chance since I mounted it on there anyway. I set up the Laserhit (please check my video on that system) and I was blown away. I was overlapping 15 out of 16 shots in 2 minutes whereas with the regular sights I am nowhere near that consistent. I discovered that my consistency and target acquisition speed are way better with the laser dot. I had to remove it again just to compare and then I was only overlapping 4 or 5 out of 16. I'm going to have to try this at the range and see how well it translates.
@@goodlifehacker thanks! I will have to check that out when I get a chance. That's what my friend told me. He told me to be patient and give it a chance and that I will have better and quicker target acquisition. He swears by it. Thank you!
Hi I checked crimson trace website for the ct1550 since the ct1500 is not on their site, but they are basically the same. They state "Easily user-installed by utilizing an industry-standard J-Point mounting interface" Hope that helps.
Great unboxing! I am seriously considering this pistol for a more concealable summer carry. I’m wondering why yours doesn’t have the ported slide and how it conceals in an appendix holster or shoulder or ankle carry; basically any conceal method. I subbed because I liked your “about” statement.👍
Thanks for that! I didn't go for the ported slide version (sku 13253) because I thought it might dirty up the fiber optic sights and I researched the pros and cons of ported slides and chose to avoid it. I don't have a holster mostly because where I live they issue sportsman/residence permits. I have a laserhit video with this pistol coming soon as well as some other videos that I am planning.
@@goodlifehacker I’ve probably watched the same videos on ported/compensated slides; just wondering what in particular turned you off about it? In my humble opinion, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. I’m approaching this from the perspective of an EDC self-defense weapon.
@@dangoldnerd check this link www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/pros-and-cons-of-a-ported-barrel.217032/ so downside is ported will cause dirtier sights and also more of a flash which could be a problem in an edc situation.
@@goodlifehacker I appreciate your reasoning. To me dirtier front sights is not an issue unless you’re talking night sights w/o a weapon light. I get carbon blowback on my Sig Romeo 1 at the range but it just takes a wipe, and I keep my weapons clean after every use. The muzzle flash is a wash when using a weapon light. Also in a close retention situation, the weapon should be canted away from your body so as to not interfere with the slide cycling, so spawling is not an issue. All things considered, I’d take either but the slightly less recoil and therefore faster second shot is worth it on an EDC/defense gun (I’m assuming that a micro-compact gun will be snappier).
So I just got the performance version as my first gun. Pretty sure I really like it but I wish the guys that sold it to me had let know the pros and cons of it. Mine is, I guess, the "base version." It doesn't have the ported barrel OR optic ready. Anyone have any suggestions for adding an optic to it? Will I have to mod the barrel? Will I lose use of my iron sights? These are my questions. Guess I need to hit up a proper gun shop instead of Bass Pro where I got it lol.
Hi - You definitely don't need the ported barrel so don't worry about that. The optics ready slide would have been good though. You can get the slide milled or see if you can buy a compatible optics ready slide from Smith and Wesson. It's not like Glock where the slides are readily available in the aftermarket so you may have to call S&W. If not then on the bright side you'll get really good with iron sights. I've competed with mine and did pretty good, but I used the red dot and so did just about everybody else. It makes it a bit easier. If you just plan on using it as a carry gun then use it as is the read dot isn't necessary for that.
Thanks for the great reply and Merry Christmas! It's got good irons from what I'm told. Just gonna train with those until I'm solid with them, then look into optic options. Figure as a newbie I should build iron sight skills anyway. I did see the optic ready slides available...for $250. Might just get a second pistol when I'm ready to start tricking something out and keep this little fella as comphy EDC : ) @@goodlifehacker
Facts. I tried to heat up the plate but didn’t realize it was plastic so I can’t send it back. I could easily just tap the screws but unfortunately I’m in the middle of a move and have none of my tools. 😭 It’s so annoying!!
There is either a comment on this video or my crimson trace how it should fit video where I measured the screw for someone. I can't search for it right now but if you can't find it I'll have a look later.
@@goodlifehacker I'll browse the comments here and search the other video. I have a Riton MPRD 2 with Rmsc footprint. This rds installs easily on a G48 MOS using the screws that came with the optics. But these screws (M4) do not fit the thread on the Shield Plus OR. I read online that #6-32 is the thread size for Shield Plus. But 6-32 screws also do not fit (have a pack of 6-32 screws). Based on the diameter I think I need a #6 but with sparser thread than a -32. So perhaps 6-40?
@@goodlifehacker thank you very much for the info. Went to local Ace's and Lowe's to find M3.5 screw. None. I am pissed at S&W for using such a rare screw size. G48 MOS uses M4 which is easy to find. I ordered some M3.5 10mm long screws from Amazon. But only available in Phillips for the flat head. We'll see if this works.
@@ozysjahputera7669 I hope it works out. Those might be a bit long. Let me know how you make out. If that turns out to be the wrong screw size I apologize in advance :)
I noticed the last time I went to the range that my accuracy had been deteriorating throughout the day and I thought it was just me messing up then when I was done I went to remove the crimson trace and noticed it was a bit wobbly. I think I need to make the screws a bit tighter and also if you're firing off a lot of rounds double check it every now and then.
@GoodLifeHacker thanks for the response. The issue I'm having with mine is if I tighten mine anywhere close to snug, the red dot stops illuminating. That's why I asked about your install.
@@Thorny8 do you have the Shield Plus and the CT1500 crimson trace? The reason I ask is I know those are compatible with each other, but from what I understand there are different patterns in the slide cuts for example they state "Easily user-installed by utilizing an industry-standard J-Point mounting interface" I was thinking if you might be trying to install the crimson trace on an incompatible mount interface maybe something is getting squished when you tighten it.
@@Thorny8 someone else posted that the crimson trace they received didn't sit flush on the slide cut base. If yours sits flush you should be able to tighten it without any issues. Maybe try S&W support and see what they say. Good luck.
Hi do you have the slide cut cover still screwed in or you are saying the slide has absolutely no optics cut out there at all? If that's the case I would be really surprised.
How long does the battery last? If I get one I will never use cover because I always want it to be on 24/7. If the batteries will last at least a year then that’s cool if not then I will look for something else
The closest model still on the CT website to the one that came with the package from S&W is cts-1550 and on the crimson trace website they claim BATTERY LIFE 20,000 HOURS (2+ YEARS). I've had mine for over a year and it still works, but I do not use it often so whether or not it will last as long as they claim I have no idea. Hope that helps a bit.
I looked up this video because none of my Allen keys fit the optic cover. “2 days later” I lost it laughing because this is where I’m stuck. I can’t tell if it’s Allen or hex because nothing fits well.
Unfortunately it sounds like you have stripped screws like I and many others on here have had. Try the torx method mentioned in the video and in a few of the comments. Good luck!
The crimson trace packaging contains two small Allen wrenches that can be used for windage and elevation adjustments. If you lost those I can see which one fits from my set.
@@goodlifehacker I have discovered these in the toolkit. Before I watched this video I thought someone added the red dot...I bought the shield plus used. After watching your video I realized it might be in the toolkit that came with it. It was right behind the cleaning cloth....😁
@@ALPHA-ROTH I happened to have my allen wrenches out and figured I would check the size just so we have it documented it is 0.050 for the windage and elevation adjustment screws
Somebody else commented below that they also had this issue. I think it's safe to say that many pistols were shipped with the slide cut cover screws stripped. Are you going to try the torx T9 fix yourself or take it to a gunsmith or send it back in to Smith and Wesson?
@@goodlifehacker I managed to get it out by pushing EXTREMELY HARD and removed the screw. Requested a replacement screw from S&W afterwards. BUT, there was a metal protrusion that didn’t allow for a flush fit for the red dot. At least S&W has a good warranty policy lol.
Hi thanks for that. I paid $835 plus $20 shipping. No tax since it was an out of state order. Then FFL charged me $75 for paperwork and modifying the 13 round magazine to only hold 10 so it would be compliant in my state.
I like to use the laser cartridges when practicing at home. Check out my video on the LaserHit system. There are many other laser cartridges that you can buy as well. th-cam.com/video/ax2MzZGQbS4/w-d-xo.html
Hi Kevin the Crimson Trace came packaged with the M&P Shield Plus under sku 13251 which is the one I purchased. You could purchase one without the Crimson Trace but with the slide cut feature and install a Sentinel red dot as long as it has a compatible footprint. I just looked and someone on a review said it does. I am not sure of the thread size but to me these are standard machine thread. If there is a way to check let me know and I'll be happy to check for you.
Hi Marshall no the screws were definitely stripped. Using a torx bit to remove stripped allen screws is a common practice. In this case the stripped 5/64 allen screw gets removed with a torx T9 bit. The gunsmith had to place the gun in a padded vice and gently hammer the T9 bit into the screw to cut new grooves into it then that gives it enough grip to unscrew it. If you read through the comments this is unfortunately a common issue with S&W optics ready pistols and it has been going on for quite some time and across different models.
@@goodlifehacker I have to wonder if the pistol is coming that way from S&W or if some gun store clerk is stripping the screws not knowing what the hell he is doing
@@MaineOutdoorsChannel It's definitely from S&W like this. Mine came new in box and my FFL is a gunsmith and plus he only handled the pistol when filling out the paperwork. Also with so many reports of this issue on here in the comments there is no way this is a fluke. You can see in the video the red dot comes in a separate bag and when the customer unboxes it and gets around to try and install the red dot they run into this issue. The screws were so rounded it seems only a machine could cause that damage, no human would be that careless.
@@goodlifehacker I will be picking up an optic ready shield plus in a few days from a local gun store... I will be checking those screws heads before accepting the pistol
@@MaineOutdoorsChannel Good luck with it! It is a great pistol and I haven't had any other problems with it after this issue was resolved. It is very accurate. It's almost too easy plinking with the red dot mounted. Please let us know how it goes.
So am I getting this right? To shut off the Crimson Trace you have to put the hood on? No shut off switch or it shuts off on it's own after a certain amount of time? If that's so then not something I want on my pistol in a self defense situation. Nothing like asking the bad guy for a time out so you can take the hood off my re dot lol
Hi Chuck Crimson Trace claims the battery lasts about 20,000 hours for the CTS1550 so you shouldn't have to worry about it. The model that comes from S&W is the 1500 but I don't see that on Crimson Trace website I think the 1550 is the newer version so hopefully the same battery life. I'd suggest leave the hood off and worst case if the battery dies you still have your fixed sights available to you via co-witness.
Hi it's the ct1500. I was never able to find it on Crimson Trace website, but it looks very similar to the ct1550. Maybe they made the 1500 specifically for S&W. Anyway I like it. You may need to tighten it a couple of times if you're at the range shooting hundreds of rounds. When I am doing my part it is very accurate. It looks good outdoors as well it almost seems like the dot becomes a bit finer, but I have a astigmatism so it looks like a smudge indoors.
Great video! Thank you for being honest and talking the issues. Very helpful. Subscribed. I purchased a brand new M&P shield plus from my gun store and want to add a red dot sight. I have not able to find a mounting plate for the red dot I wanted to use; everywhere I looked and asked is sold out. I have since settled for the Crimson Trace red dot which is made of plastic and does not seem very durable. I use and am rough with my guns. The CT site is light weight plastic. One drop on the ground and this sight is probably going to break. I would not have bought this sight if it weren’t my only option at this point. Thanks S&W. After receiving the CR red dot and trying to install it, I found that I too have the same issue with both bolts being stripped (5/64” hex head) from the factory. I will now also have to take this to a gun smith to remove the bolts. Right out of the box, I’m not happy with this gun. I don’t care how good the reviews are on this, I should have bought something else with better quality control; another Glock. If I have more issues with this gun I’ll probably save myself the hassle and won’t buy another S&W M&P.
Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing. I understand your frustration with the stripped screws. If you read through some comments on here this has been going on way too long and they even have this problem on newer non Shield models. Since they're manufactured in Springfield Mass I don't understand why they can't walk downstairs and fix the darn machine that is stripping all the screws or at least start double checking the guns before they are shipped and deal with the problem before we have to. They did offer to fix it if I sent it back to them, but my gunsmith/FFL did it for free in all of 2 minutes. That said I am happy with the gun otherwise. No issues in well over 1000 rounds. Once you get the Crimson Trace mounted you'll be happy with the accuracy and this pistol will grow on you. I usually train half the time with the fiber optic sights and half with the red dot just to mix it up. Good luck with it!
I was contemplating on machining the rear two stubs of the RMSc footprint of the gun in order to fit a Holosun. I watched a video where a guy purchased DDp Titanium plate off Amazon (specific to this gun) in order to run the Holosun. (I'm still considering shaving the two rear stubs off). Hopes this helps you?
Hi. I purchased this back in April 2021. Copy/paste from a previous answer: I paid $835 plus $20 shipping. No tax since it was an out of state order. Then FFL charged me $75 for paperwork and modifying the 13 round magazine to only hold 10 so it would be compliant in my state.
Agreed although honestly it is not a bad red dot and they shouldn't be inflating the overall price too much for it since I was able to pick up a CTS-1550 for under $70 and I believe S&W owns Crimson Trace.
Really surprised whoever you bought that S&W from sent a 13 round magazine to a 10 round state. Should have sent 2 10 rounders to comply with your states laws.
Hi Robert. S&W ships sku 13251 with one 13rd and one 10rd mag so the dealer only has two options: only ship the 10rd mag and withhold the 13rd mag or ship both mags to my FFL which is totally legal and then the FFL has the obligation to ensure the 13rd mag only holds 10 rounds before giving it to me. The great thing about this is the 13rd mag is much more comfortable because it is longer than the 10rd mag and I prefer to use the 13rd mag so it worked out great for me.
Agreed. The red dot is just an option with this pistol so the fiber optics are meant to be the permanent sights and then when you install the red dot you use that, but you can remove it and go back to the fiber optic. It would be good if there were an on/off switch on the red dot so you can use the fiber optic without having to remove the red dot sight. You still can use the fiber optic with red dot installed but the big red dot is a little distracting.
After reading your comment I tried mine in the dark. It auto dimmed, but stayed on which was nice although I couldn't see anything else behind it so not sure how useful it would be.
Finally someone shows the crimson trace install and the view of the sights from the shooter perspective. Thanks!
Just bought one 2 days ago. Same issue. Thanks for the post.
Thank you for the video...really helpful..I bought the CT RAD Micro from their website and there is a promo right now to get a free CT-1550 along with it. I used the T8 to get the plate off and then used the longer screws (had set of 3 screws) that came with the sight. It fit perfectly.
Glad it helped! That sounds like a great deal. Does the CT Rad Micro fit the Shield Plus as well?
how do you like the rad micro? im looking at the green dot. Does it cowitness with irons as well? thanks.
Same issue with the stripped screws (or at least one of them) on a Shield Plus in 30 Super Carry. I heated the screw with a soldering iron and then was able to take it out with a stripped screw remover bit.... The Crimson Trace fit perfectly!
Thanks for the info. I just updated the pinned comment with November 2023 as the last known report of this - two years since I notified S&W. I don't understand why they are not fixing this defect. It is a shame.
Thanks for the video! Was going to put this on mine and now I know I can.
Glad I could help!
Thanks to everyone for providing the latest info on this and for letting the community know that as of November 2023 (over two years after this video was made) S&W is still shipping pistols with stripped screws even though I reported this issue to them back in May 2021. S&W was contacted in writing to ensure that they are aware of all these reported issues in the comments to this video and here is their reply that was received on Jun 9, 2022:
Hi,
Thanks for reaching out to us, customer feedback on quality control issues is very important to us. We have communicated this issue to the quality and manufacturing engineer teams so they can investigate the root cause and apply corrective action.
Thank you,
Paul
Call Center Supervisor
Let's hope for the best that these reports of stripped screws stop coming in soon enough!
Yep, 11/1/2023 and my Shield Plus is less than a year old and the screws on my optics plate are rounded/stripped. I cannot remove the plate so I can install the red dot I purchased. One of the premier American firearm manufacturers, and S&W can't get this simplistic issue resolved? I am a retired liability claims adjuster and now a private investigator. I personally know lots and lots of personal injury attorneys, many of whom are shooters. I'm thinking CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. WHO'S IN?
Ty for the vid. Someone at s@w needs a rectum core drilling for the screw issue. From now on this former S@W customer will be buying from non a holes.
I wrote to them recently and I will post their reply in a pinned comment at the top of this video so everyone can see it
Same issues with my optic screw's thanks for the tip
Thanks for letting me know. I just received the replacement screws from smith and wesson. They are 5/64 hex allen key.
@@goodlifehacker I was able to remove mine with a T8 torq I'll be calling for replacements tomorrow.
Neither of these worked for me. May be time to break out the dremel to cut slits for a flat head. Thanks a lot S&W.
cleaning kit has all brushes for the most common handgun calibers. good value. put the battery in; verify it turns on before mounting.
Yeah that hex 5/64 Allen key worked great. Ran up to Walmart got the cheapest set, and firmly set into the screw with slow turn...boom right out no problem.
That's great! I'm glad it worked out for you
This same thing just happened to me yesterday. One screw was ok. The other was stripped. After trying everything I had, and I have alot of Allen, torx, security torx etc. Just made it worse. I just found a drill bit around that size and drilled the screw head off. removed the plate, and then had to use pliers to remove the screw body. Fun stuff lol.
Wow that certainly does sound fun. Glad it worked. Is Smith and Wesson ever going to correct this issue? It's been over a year now I cannot believe it.
@@goodlifehacker No idea. I believe this to be a newer serial #. So looks like it's still an issue. And an issue it was. Could've been worse I suppose lol.
If anyone else has this issue, try using a Dremel with small grinder disc and cut a slit in the top of the head of the screw, then you can use a flat head screw driver to back it out.
@@n8strength That's a great idea! Did you recently purchase a Shield and they're still shipping with stripped screws? This is mind boggling.
@@goodlifehacker Yes just about a week ago, and then found out through your video comments that this has been going on pretty regularly for over a year. Pretty crazy QC miss-hap there i’d say. Anyway, i’ve had to do that with other stripped screws before, so did it on my Shield Plus and made a short video for it hoping it’ll help others.
Just bought the same gun yesterday. Thanks for the video.
Awesome pistol good luck with it. Can you please let us know if your slide cut cover screws came stripped from S&W as mine and many others have? I'm curious to see if they corrected that problem yet. Thanks
As of this month when I got my shield plus in 30 super carry the screws are still stripped. I hammered a T9 bit to make it work thankfully, Crimson trace comes with the correct not striped screws to replace the old ones.
Hi thanks for letting everyone know. I just pinned a comment to the video where you can see Smith and Wesson's reply to a complaint that was recently sent to them about this.
FOR STRIPPED SCREWS.
I bought a $10 drill master rotary tool from harbor freight and used the metal cutting silver bits that came with it to cut horizontal slits on each of the hex screws. Make sure to get a deep enough of cut to place a flat head screwdriver in but also not deep enough to cut the screw head in half. Both screws came out easy when pressing down on the screws and turning the screwdriver counter clockwise.
nice job!
I finally found and received a holster for my identical M&P Shield Plus w/ optic Performance Center. Took forever but I found it with 'We The People Holsters', pretty happy with it so far and definitely a perfect fit. Having a hard time though figuring out how to sight it in correctly though. Still clustering to the lower left of my bullseye.
Hi David thanks for the holster info! If you adjusted the sight and still low and left it may be something like this shootinjh.com/why-you-miss-low-left-with-a-pistol/ I am about to post a video on laser training at home. It may help a lot in that if you are no longer off target with the laser then for sure it is a flinch. Many things I blamed my pistol for I now realize are my fault :)
I ordered from them and it didn’t fit, sent a pic and they said they didn’t make one for it yet. I ended up going with Eclipse holsters for it. I like the quality from both companies, wanted we the people to support local business.
My 'We The People' fit perfect and love THE CLAW i ordered with it.
Ayyyy did that holster work out? Grabbing the shield plus PC with crimson trace soon so I’m hoping to find a good holster
@@stevenchiavaroli3137 It's all about the 'We the people' for the Shield Plus PC w/ optic, works perfect.
Lol that sound @ 8:41 was kinda funny
well... it could have been worse :)
@@goodlifehacker haha true liked and subbed I did a review on the base model check it out if you get a chance 😄
@@WaxDabbington thanks for that! Just returned the favor :)
Tried e-mailing Smith-Wesson about what size Allen wrench to use, they came back with a whole lot of flack about restriction regs on Overseas crap, there is no referance in the manual or website as to what size Allen wrench to use, when removing the optics cap from gun, but its different than the optics allen wrench, had to finally go through my allen wrench kit to find the right one (5/64), for the screws on the gun, hope this helps?
Hi Jeff yes that is the correct size. It is sad that they did not provide it to you when you asked. It's in many of the other comments on this video. You are lucky that you did not have stripped screws from S&W like I did and many others who commented here. They have been shipping with stripped screws for over a year from what people have been commenting. Terrible quality control.
Yep, would be nice if they listed the required wrench in the manual, or even just included them in the kit. I had to find out mine were already stripped the hard way
1.5 metric worked perfectly as I see that some people used their 5/64.....probably ask for replacement screws as S&W should not sell damaged items.
Hi Ken. Might as well because S&W sent my replacement screws promptly and that saved me the trouble of having to find the right screws elsewhere.
I don't like the fact that the CT-1550 is wider than the shield. Are there any similarly priced optics that have a better fit to the shield?
Hi Jeffrey I don't know off hand, but the best I can do is measure the slide for you with my calipers and you can see if other manufacturers post their widths. There is info in some of the comments below about the optic foot print compatibilities. Let me know if you need me to reply with that measurement.
Sweet video. But your countertop is beautiful.
Haha thanks! I wiped off some crumbs right before making the video.
Love smith and wesson but my 2.0 Compact screws came stripped as well
I'm in the same boat. I'm a big fan of the brand and that's why it bothers me so much that they haven't corrected this yet. On this video alone there are a bunch of people saying they had this problem. Now from what you're saying it's on the newer models as well. Someone needs to turn the torque down on the slide cut cover installing machine or if it's an actual person the dude needs to take it easy on those screws :) Thanks for commenting! Good luck with it.
Same thing happened to me. I had to hammer a T9 into the screw heads to take them off, destroying the torx head. There was a load of dried thread lock on the screws that came out. Not happy with the QC!
I wonder how many of these shipped with this problem
Thanks for that. Liked and subscribed
You're welcome - thank you!
Did you look for a gap between the optic and the slide after installation? Mine had a gap. It did not want to seat properly at the front of the optic.
Check at my other video about the fit: th-cam.com/video/CLpfo4ONreI/w-d-xo.html Someone else had the same problem which prompted me to make that video. I wonder if some of the optics are not level OR worse the slide cut base is not level. Let me know what you think after watching
There are additional plates that comes with the S&W. I tried my red dot on those and one of them fits perfectly the Crimson Trace. I installed it and there’s no gap.
@@joezerortiz7691 the shield plus performance center does not come with plates. It comes from the performance center machined to specifically fit the TC that it also comes with in the box.
@@rsrbob oh ok, thank you. For a moment I thought it was the same as mine (M&P 2.0 PC). I’ll attach the video th-cam.com/video/63VqmUyJEAc/w-d-xo.html
Just bought mine. Same issue with the screws.
Thanks Mario. I updated the pinned comment at the top of this video to reflect that this is still going on.
I thought my screws were stripped as well but I managed to jam my own Alan key into the hole and they came off right after
Hi. Glad you were able to get them off without too much trouble. I would recommend asking S&W to send new ones over because they should be perfect and you might end up taking them on and off if you switch between a red dot and no red dot from time to time.
I wish I would have seen this video before I purchased this gun. I have the same issues with the stripped screws. * the screws weren't stripped they just sent 2 of the same Allen keys. Found one that fit. The red. doesn't sit flat though as soon as you start to tighten it the front lifts up
I also noticed S&W didn't include an allen key for removing the slide cut cover screws. In the Crimson Trace bag right out of the box there were three allen keys included one was for the included Crimson Trace mounting screws and two identical ones for the windage and elevation adjustment screws (I guess the gave an extra in case you lose one or wanted to adjust both screws at the same time). Glad to hear your slide cut cover screws were not stripped! If you hold the Crimson Trace flat with one hand while you tighten the screws gradually on each side does that help keep it flat? Also I have to ask this just in case, you are not trying to use the slide cut cover screws to hold down the Crimson Trace, right?
@@goodlifehacker I'm definitely not using the screws that were for the slide cover. I'm using the longer ones that had the blue locktite on them and they were with the crimson trace. I can't get it to stay flat But just slightly lifting up on It Pulls the front up. I just imagine imagine being in situation where the Red dot gets snagged on some clothing or somehow gets hit and now my aim is off.
@@flextefitness4954 Ok tomorrow I will mount mine and see what happens when I pull up on the front of it and I'll let you know. Maybe I'll even post a video. Someone else mentioned in the comments that theirs will not sit flush so I am curious to see what is going on.
@GoodLifeHacker please let me know . I called crimson trace and they said they would submit an rma but I'm not sure that would help . I was going to upload a video of myself so let me know how yours sits.
@@flextefitness4954 Ok had a glitch with the first video I uploaded but I just fixed it and posted another one
Kudos for not letting the slide slam on an empty chamber.
Thanks. I do the same thing when I am laser training since those cartridges are delicate although I sometimes worry about muscle memory and developing a bad habit for when I am dealing with live ammo.
Thanks
Thanks for the video...question for you..there is a small red pin on the right side of the optics cut section just behind the reciol lug..is it raised or flush? Mine is raised a bit.
Hi I think you are having the same problem as this guy "Cyka_Delik" who commented in my other video th-cam.com/video/CLpfo4ONreI/w-d-xo.html
Maybe reply to his comment and ask him if/how he got that resolved. 1 minute into that video you can get a nice view of the slide cut on mine and that pin is totally flush.
@@goodlifehacker thanks for the tip
@@goodlifehacker I ended up partially disassembling the slide, and just taped the pin in with a punch and hammer... a couple solid taps and it is now flush.... It is just a extractor retaining pin. It either walked itself out a bit, or wasn't set in enough...now just to patiently wait for Amazon to drop off the Holosun 507k..
Just purchased the 3.1” Shield Plus OR. The screws on my optic cover plate were stripped out too. The front night sight is not visible at all in complete darkness. So the gun is useless to me at this point. I love my original shield and this was going to be my upgrade. Pretty disappointing. We’ll see how S&W Customer Service handles it.
Sorry to hear that! Let us know how smith and wesson responds to your issue. The 3.1" shield just came out with the optic cover option so that means they have not fixed the issue after all of our complaints about the 4" with stripped screws. Sad
Sorry to hear about your troubles....the front sight will not be visible in complete darkness..it's fiber optic...it needs some ambient light to be seen
@@8743Noel No, on the 3.1 optic ready, it comes with front and rear night sights.
Front is green dot with orange circle around it.
This happened to me. They gave me 3 allen wrenches but two were the same size. The screws even looked wrong compared to other guns. I had to get one from my garage and it worked. they were not stripped. It is not a good start for this pistol when they send the wrong wrench.
I think those three are all for the crimson trace and they come in the little bag with it. One should fit the special crimson trace mounting screws and the two smaller ones are for adjusting the windage and elevation screws. S&W doesn't provide an Allen wrench for removing the screws that hold on the slide cut cover. They should though. At least yours weren't stripped that's good to hear.
How do you sight in this Red Dot because I do not see any adjustments on it? Usually you have to signt in the red dot somewhat.
Hi there are two screws one for elevation and one for windage and the allen key for those is provided. It takes a little getting used to seeing the red dot above where your regular sights are. This is called co-witness.
I appreciate you making this video. 🙏🏽 I'm definitely leaning towards this over a Glock43. I'd Love to see what your impressions of how the gun shoots at the range! Have a Happy 4th!! 🎆🇺🇲
Thanks! I plan to be at the range very soon. I'll try to get some video. Laserhit video featuring the Shield Plus is being edited right now.
With the red dot mounted do you have any gap/see any light between the slide and red dot? With the factory plate on there is absolutely no gap or light can be seen between them. Woth my red dot on it seems like either the front gets set fully or the back is fully set in place. I can't seem to get the front and back. Some times I get it pretty close and then I put the bolts in and snug them up and I see some gap and the rear lifted a bit. So frustrating. Any tips or is this just how it is? M&P shield 45 4" PC with red dot.
Thanks
Hi Jim I just mounted my red dot to check for you. There is really no noticeable gap once I tighten down the screws. I'm not using much force either because the red dot is plastic, but it definitely sits nice and even on the slide cut. I don't care for the red dot though. It's much too bright and there is no way to adjust the circle to be dimmer and more fine on this one. I suppose on a big target it would be ok, but if you're aiming to hit a bullseye with this one it's going to be quite difficult. My astigmatism doesn't help because it makes the dot look more like a smudge. That said, you paid for the feature and it should sit nice and even on your slide.
@@goodlifehacker thanks. I walked away from it and gave it a rest for a bit and then tried it once more before I went to bed and I think I finally got it on there properly. It's tight in there. Either the front goes in and the back sits up a bit or vice versa. There were a couple times where it looked good when when putting the screws in and snugging it up the back lifted a bit. Yeah definitely have to be careful with the plastic. It is different using a red dot. I wish the dot itself was smaller.. I prefer the fixed HiViz fiber optic sights but am giving it a chance. I ha e those sights on my 9 shield ez and love them. I wanted the m&p shield 45 performance center with the 3.3" barrel without the red dot but could not find one so I got the 4". I really liked the 3.3" and shot better with the shorter barrel which is not suppose to happen. Oh well. Thanks for checking for me!
@@jlweck231978 Hi Jim this morning I figured let me give the Crimson Trace another chance since I mounted it on there anyway. I set up the Laserhit (please check my video on that system) and I was blown away. I was overlapping 15 out of 16 shots in 2 minutes whereas with the regular sights I am nowhere near that consistent. I discovered that my consistency and target acquisition speed are way better with the laser dot. I had to remove it again just to compare and then I was only overlapping 4 or 5 out of 16. I'm going to have to try this at the range and see how well it translates.
@@goodlifehacker thanks! I will have to check that out when I get a chance. That's what my friend told me. He told me to be patient and give it a chance and that I will have better and quicker target acquisition. He swears by it. Thank you!
My CT lifts up in the front when I tighten the screws down. I can Get it to sit flush but if I just pull back on it it pops right backup.
Do you know what the hole pattern is for mounting the optic? I’m wondering if it will fit a Holosun 407k?
Hi I checked crimson trace website for the ct1550 since the ct1500 is not on their site, but they are basically the same. They state "Easily user-installed by utilizing an industry-standard J-Point mounting interface" Hope that helps.
Great unboxing! I am seriously considering this pistol for a more concealable summer carry. I’m wondering why yours doesn’t have the ported slide and how it conceals in an appendix holster or shoulder or ankle carry; basically any conceal method. I subbed because I liked your “about” statement.👍
Thanks for that! I didn't go for the ported slide version (sku 13253) because I thought it might dirty up the fiber optic sights and I researched the pros and cons of ported slides and chose to avoid it. I don't have a holster mostly because where I live they issue sportsman/residence permits. I have a laserhit video with this pistol coming soon as well as some other videos that I am planning.
@@goodlifehacker I’ve probably watched the same videos on ported/compensated slides; just wondering what in particular turned you off about it? In my humble opinion, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. I’m approaching this from the perspective of an EDC self-defense weapon.
@@dangoldnerd check this link www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/pros-and-cons-of-a-ported-barrel.217032/ so downside is ported will cause dirtier sights and also more of a flash which could be a problem in an edc situation.
@@goodlifehacker I appreciate your reasoning. To me dirtier front sights is not an issue unless you’re talking night sights w/o a weapon light. I get carbon blowback on my Sig Romeo 1 at the range but it just takes a wipe, and I keep my weapons clean after every use. The muzzle flash is a wash when using a weapon light. Also in a close retention situation, the weapon should be canted away from your body so as to not interfere with the slide cycling, so spawling is not an issue. All things considered, I’d take either but the slightly less recoil and therefore faster second shot is worth it on an EDC/defense gun (I’m assuming that a micro-compact gun will be snappier).
So I just got the performance version as my first gun. Pretty sure I really like it but I wish the guys that sold it to me had let know the pros and cons of it. Mine is, I guess, the "base version." It doesn't have the ported barrel OR optic ready. Anyone have any suggestions for adding an optic to it? Will I have to mod the barrel? Will I lose use of my iron sights? These are my questions. Guess I need to hit up a proper gun shop instead of Bass Pro where I got it lol.
Hi - You definitely don't need the ported barrel so don't worry about that. The optics ready slide would have been good though. You can get the slide milled or see if you can buy a compatible optics ready slide from Smith and Wesson. It's not like Glock where the slides are readily available in the aftermarket so you may have to call S&W. If not then on the bright side you'll get really good with iron sights. I've competed with mine and did pretty good, but I used the red dot and so did just about everybody else. It makes it a bit easier. If you just plan on using it as a carry gun then use it as is the read dot isn't necessary for that.
Thanks for the great reply and Merry Christmas! It's got good irons from what I'm told. Just gonna train with those until I'm solid with them, then look into optic options. Figure as a newbie I should build iron sight skills anyway. I did see the optic ready slides available...for $250. Might just get a second pistol when I'm ready to start tricking something out and keep this little fella as comphy EDC : ) @@goodlifehacker
I have the same cover plate issue. I waited almost a month for it to arrive just to have this problem.
I can't believe they are still shipping with this issue. It's a quick fix, but a very annoying problem that they should have fixed by now.
Facts. I tried to heat up the plate but didn’t realize it was plastic so I can’t send it back. I could easily just tap the screws but unfortunately I’m in the middle of a move and have none of my tools. 😭 It’s so annoying!!
Is the slide-cut cover made of metal or plastic?
The cover is plastic. It has "Shield 9 & 40" etched into it on the underside.
What is the thread pitch of those screws that you used to install the RDS on this shield plus?
There is either a comment on this video or my crimson trace how it should fit video where I measured the screw for someone. I can't search for it right now but if you can't find it I'll have a look later.
@@goodlifehacker I'll browse the comments here and search the other video. I have a Riton MPRD 2 with Rmsc footprint. This rds installs easily on a G48 MOS using the screws that came with the optics. But these screws (M4) do not fit the thread on the Shield Plus OR. I read online that #6-32 is the thread size for Shield Plus. But 6-32 screws also do not fit (have a pack of 6-32 screws). Based on the diameter I think I need a #6 but with sparser thread than a -32. So perhaps 6-40?
@@ozysjahputera7669 its the second comment and all the replies to it in the video here th-cam.com/video/CLpfo4ONreI/w-d-xo.html
@@goodlifehacker thank you very much for the info. Went to local Ace's and Lowe's to find M3.5 screw. None. I am pissed at S&W for using such a rare screw size. G48 MOS uses M4 which is easy to find. I ordered some M3.5 10mm long screws from Amazon. But only available in Phillips for the flat head. We'll see if this works.
@@ozysjahputera7669 I hope it works out. Those might be a bit long. Let me know how you make out. If that turns out to be the wrong screw size I apologize in advance :)
How tight are you putting the mounting screws? Seems like you just snugged them up...
I noticed the last time I went to the range that my accuracy had been deteriorating throughout the day and I thought it was just me messing up then when I was done I went to remove the crimson trace and noticed it was a bit wobbly. I think I need to make the screws a bit tighter and also if you're firing off a lot of rounds double check it every now and then.
@GoodLifeHacker thanks for the response. The issue I'm having with mine is if I tighten mine anywhere close to snug, the red dot stops illuminating. That's why I asked about your install.
@@Thorny8 do you have the Shield Plus and the CT1500 crimson trace? The reason I ask is I know those are compatible with each other, but from what I understand there are different patterns in the slide cuts for example they state "Easily user-installed by utilizing an industry-standard J-Point mounting interface" I was thinking if you might be trying to install the crimson trace on an incompatible mount interface maybe something is getting squished when you tighten it.
@GoodLifeHacker I bought the Performance Center Shield Plus that was packaged with the Crimson Trace. I'm not sure of the model number of the red dot.
@@Thorny8 someone else posted that the crimson trace they received didn't sit flush on the slide cut base. If yours sits flush you should be able to tighten it without any issues. Maybe try S&W support and see what they say. Good luck.
I'm confused. I bought the exact same thing, it came with that optic - but my pistol doesn't have any holes on top
Hi do you have the slide cut cover still screwed in or you are saying the slide has absolutely no optics cut out there at all? If that's the case I would be really surprised.
How long does the battery last? If I get one I will never use cover because I always want it to be on 24/7. If the batteries will last at least a year then that’s cool if not then I will look for something else
The closest model still on the CT website to the one that came with the package from S&W is cts-1550 and on the crimson trace website they claim BATTERY LIFE 20,000 HOURS (2+ YEARS). I've had mine for over a year and it still works, but I do not use it often so whether or not it will last as long as they claim I have no idea. Hope that helps a bit.
@@goodlifehacker I might just save up for the holosun 507k green dot. Thank you for the reply
I believe the red dot is the CTS-1500
That's correct. On the crimson trace site you won't find the 1500 but the 1550 seems to be the closest thing to it if you need to find out any specs.
I looked up this video because none of my Allen keys fit the optic cover. “2 days later” I lost it laughing because this is where I’m stuck. I can’t tell if it’s Allen or hex because nothing fits well.
Unfortunately it sounds like you have stripped screws like I and many others on here have had. Try the torx method mentioned in the video and in a few of the comments. Good luck!
What model Crimson trace did you put on thank you
Hi it came bundled with the CTS-1500, but that's been discontinued in favor of the CTS-1550.
What was the price range for this bundle?
What CT red 🔴 model is that one nice 🤙🏽🎯
It's the CTS-1500, but on the crimson trace site you won't find the 1500 but the 1550 looks like the newer model from what I can tell
i cant find a wrench to adjust the elevation on the dot. what size and type fits ?
The crimson trace packaging contains two small Allen wrenches that can be used for windage and elevation adjustments. If you lost those I can see which one fits from my set.
@@goodlifehacker I have discovered these in the toolkit. Before I watched this video I thought someone added the red dot...I bought the shield plus used. After watching your video I realized it might be in the toolkit that came with it. It was right behind the cleaning cloth....😁
@@ALPHA-ROTH I happened to have my allen wrenches out and figured I would check the size just so we have it documented it is 0.050 for the windage and elevation adjustment screws
@@goodlifehacker man i hope someone sees this comment and it saves there life lol. its always the little things.
I had the same problem with the optics slide smh. None of my Hex keys worked.
Somebody else commented below that they also had this issue. I think it's safe to say that many pistols were shipped with the slide cut cover screws stripped. Are you going to try the torx T9 fix yourself or take it to a gunsmith or send it back in to Smith and Wesson?
@@goodlifehacker I managed to get it out by pushing EXTREMELY HARD and removed the screw. Requested a replacement screw from S&W afterwards. BUT, there was a metal protrusion that didn’t allow for a flush fit for the red dot. At least S&W has a good warranty policy lol.
I subscribed and liked video, How much did you pay for gun? I have been looking for exactly the same setup. Were you able to find a IWB holster?
Hi thanks for that. I paid $835 plus $20 shipping. No tax since it was an out of state order. Then FFL charged me $75 for paperwork and modifying the 13 round magazine to only hold 10 so it would be compliant in my state.
Anyone bothered by the width being a tad wider than the pistol? Mine arrives later today.
Hi. Nope that hasn't been an issue for me. How are you liking yours so far? Please tell me you did not have the stripped screw problem.
Hm I hear it's fine to dry fire with these modern guns. What do you think?
I like to use the laser cartridges when practicing at home. Check out my video on the LaserHit system. There are many other laser cartridges that you can buy as well. th-cam.com/video/ax2MzZGQbS4/w-d-xo.html
Should got a smaller red dot like the sentinel. What thread size are the screws
Hi Kevin the Crimson Trace came packaged with the M&P Shield Plus under sku 13251 which is the one I purchased. You could purchase one without the Crimson Trace but with the slide cut feature and install a Sentinel red dot as long as it has a compatible footprint. I just looked and someone on a review said it does. I am not sure of the thread size but to me these are standard machine thread. If there is a way to check let me know and I'll be happy to check for you.
so I am assuming that the screws in question were not stripped and that the screws required a torx head driver and not an allen head bit
Hi Marshall no the screws were definitely stripped. Using a torx bit to remove stripped allen screws is a common practice. In this case the stripped 5/64 allen screw gets removed with a torx T9 bit. The gunsmith had to place the gun in a padded vice and gently hammer the T9 bit into the screw to cut new grooves into it then that gives it enough grip to unscrew it. If you read through the comments this is unfortunately a common issue with S&W optics ready pistols and it has been going on for quite some time and across different models.
@@goodlifehacker I have to wonder if the pistol is coming that way from S&W or if some gun store clerk is stripping the screws not knowing what the hell he is doing
@@MaineOutdoorsChannel It's definitely from S&W like this. Mine came new in box and my FFL is a gunsmith and plus he only handled the pistol when filling out the paperwork. Also with so many reports of this issue on here in the comments there is no way this is a fluke. You can see in the video the red dot comes in a separate bag and when the customer unboxes it and gets around to try and install the red dot they run into this issue. The screws were so rounded it seems only a machine could cause that damage, no human would be that careless.
@@goodlifehacker I will be picking up an optic ready shield plus in a few days from a local gun store... I will be checking those screws heads before accepting the pistol
@@MaineOutdoorsChannel Good luck with it! It is a great pistol and I haven't had any other problems with it after this issue was resolved. It is very accurate. It's almost too easy plinking with the red dot mounted. Please let us know how it goes.
So am I getting this right? To shut off the Crimson Trace you have to put the hood on? No shut off switch or it shuts off on it's own after a certain amount of time? If that's so then not something I want on my pistol in a self defense situation. Nothing like asking the bad guy for a time out so you can take the hood off my re dot lol
Hi Chuck Crimson Trace claims the battery lasts about 20,000 hours for the CTS1550 so you shouldn't have to worry about it. The model that comes from S&W is the 1500 but I don't see that on Crimson Trace website I think the 1550 is the newer version so hopefully the same battery life. I'd suggest leave the hood off and worst case if the battery dies you still have your fixed sights available to you via co-witness.
The HOOD is there for when your storing the pistol so your not wasting the battery, you just leave it off when your carrying it.
What brand of snap caps did you use. ?
Very informative. I'm a newbie and have subscribed.
Hi Frank and thanks for that! I got the snap caps on Amazon "A-Zoom 15116 9mm Luger Precision Snap Cap 5 Pack". Glad you like the video.
Smith and Wesson needs to step up there game, and give out blue hard cases for $800
Yes I remember those cases
Is that the cts 1550? If so, how do you like it?
Hi it's the ct1500. I was never able to find it on Crimson Trace website, but it looks very similar to the ct1550. Maybe they made the 1500 specifically for S&W. Anyway I like it. You may need to tighten it a couple of times if you're at the range shooting hundreds of rounds. When I am doing my part it is very accurate. It looks good outdoors as well it almost seems like the dot becomes a bit finer, but I have a astigmatism so it looks like a smudge indoors.
Great video! Thank you for being honest and talking the issues. Very helpful. Subscribed.
I purchased a brand new M&P shield plus from my gun store and want to add a red dot sight. I have not able to find a mounting plate for the red dot I wanted to use; everywhere I looked and asked is sold out. I have since settled for the Crimson Trace red dot which is made of plastic and does not seem very durable. I use and am rough with my guns. The CT site is light weight plastic. One drop on the ground and this sight is probably going to break. I would not have bought this sight if it weren’t my only option at this point. Thanks S&W. After receiving the CR red dot and trying to install it, I found that I too have the same issue with both bolts being stripped (5/64” hex head) from the factory. I will now also have to take this to a gun smith to remove the bolts. Right out of the box, I’m not happy with this gun. I don’t care how good the reviews are on this, I should have bought something else with better quality control; another Glock. If I have more issues with this gun I’ll probably save myself the hassle and won’t buy another S&W M&P.
Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing. I understand your frustration with the stripped screws. If you read through some comments on here this has been going on way too long and they even have this problem on newer non Shield models. Since they're manufactured in Springfield Mass I don't understand why they can't walk downstairs and fix the darn machine that is stripping all the screws or at least start double checking the guns before they are shipped and deal with the problem before we have to. They did offer to fix it if I sent it back to them, but my gunsmith/FFL did it for free in all of 2 minutes. That said I am happy with the gun otherwise. No issues in well over 1000 rounds. Once you get the Crimson Trace mounted you'll be happy with the accuracy and this pistol will grow on you. I usually train half the time with the fiber optic sights and half with the red dot just to mix it up. Good luck with it!
I dont know why anyone uses Allen screws that small. They’re Far too prone to stripping
I was contemplating on machining the rear two stubs of the RMSc footprint of the gun in order to fit a Holosun. I watched a video where a guy purchased DDp Titanium plate off Amazon (specific to this gun) in order to run the Holosun. (I'm still considering shaving the two rear stubs off). Hopes this helps you?
Can't even provide the right hex for taking it off 😭 with the price one paid for!
Yes that allen wrench would cut into those profits :)
How much was your total for this?
Hi. I purchased this back in April 2021. Copy/paste from a previous answer:
I paid $835 plus $20 shipping. No tax since it was an out of state order. Then FFL charged me $75 for paperwork and modifying the 13 round magazine to only hold 10 so it would be compliant in my state.
It's too bad that you have to buy the crimson trace to get the Optic cut on the PC 4".
Agreed although honestly it is not a bad red dot and they shouldn't be inflating the overall price too much for it since I was able to pick up a CTS-1550 for under $70 and I believe S&W owns Crimson Trace.
It’s a lot easier if you take the slide off
Really surprised whoever you bought that S&W from sent a 13 round magazine to a 10 round state. Should have sent 2 10 rounders to comply with your states laws.
Hi Robert. S&W ships sku 13251 with one 13rd and one 10rd mag so the dealer only has two options: only ship the 10rd mag and withhold the 13rd mag or ship both mags to my FFL which is totally legal and then the FFL has the obligation to ensure the 13rd mag only holds 10 rounds before giving it to me. The great thing about this is the 13rd mag is much more comfortable because it is longer than the 10rd mag and I prefer to use the 13rd mag so it worked out great for me.
@@goodlifehacker It's a mag not a clip lol
Haha I don't know what you're talking about (just edited my prior post - thanks)
rear fiber optics are worthless with red dot why have any?
Agreed. The red dot is just an option with this pistol so the fiber optics are meant to be the permanent sights and then when you install the red dot you use that, but you can remove it and go back to the fiber optic. It would be good if there were an on/off switch on the red dot so you can use the fiber optic without having to remove the red dot sight. You still can use the fiber optic with red dot installed but the big red dot is a little distracting.
And crimson trace is still selling red dots that turn off in the dark. What absolute bull shit.
After reading your comment I tried mine in the dark. It auto dimmed, but stayed on which was nice although I couldn't see anything else behind it so not sure how useful it would be.
@@goodlifehacker mine would turn off. That’s how the get the battery life.