Is this normal for an M&P ?????

[mac67]

So we'll call this part 2 of the M&P mag follower issue. I have a new M&P40c. Had to file down the followers to get the tenth round in. Now that I can fit ten rounds in the magazine is VERY hard to lock in the gun and even harder if a round is in the chamber. I have to actually place the mag plate against a workbench and push the gun down to lock the mag in. Huge safety issue and an even bigger WTF factor for a brand new gun. The other issue is the fact I'm unable to drop the slide with out having to relieve the spring pressure w/my left hand. I've handed this gun to 3 men who ALL were unable to drop the slide. An LEO friend has an issued M&P.45 which functions like butter. Smooth trigger, slide drops w/no problem,full mag locks in w/a slight tap. (Incidently his 45 is brand new with less than 150 rounds thru it.) One guy said maybe the 40 just need to break in. I'm by no means an expert but I have had several pistols over the years and I've never had these out of the box issues. Is any one else having these issues ? Is this "Normal" for an M&P ? Oh, please dont tell me I should have bought a Glock.

 

[wolf223]

Had to file down the followers to get the tenth round in

why? you should have just left 9 rounds in there for a couple days.

order new followers and try to NOT GUNSMITH an brand new / unfired gun.

 

[mac67]

I left 9 rounds in the mags for 2 weeks straight. It didn't make a diff.. I tried to buy new followers, even having Midway check the warehouse and call me back. The only followers avail (That i could find) are the ,"New and Improved" followers. Are there after market, non S&W followers that will work ?

 

[FrugalFannie]

I have never had a problem with my 40. but remember, nothing good ever comes of a forty (EddieCoyle)

 

[Scott D.]

I've got a brand new 40c, First thing I did was as Wolf said but I did fit 10 rounds in it right away. Left it that way until I was able to break it in a week later. No problems now... Mag locks and releases no problem also.

 

[wolf223]

i recall another thread from the OP.

IF this is the same gun, SEND BACK ALL THE MAGS.

IF this is a different gun, send back the mags.

good luck. i'd be happy to look at it.... i work in Wellesley off rt. 9. this is the wierdest thing ever.

 

[mac67]

Scott D can you easily drop the slide with one hand ? (No mag)

 

[wolf223]

PS i have an M&P 9

used to have a 40 and a 9c too...

 

[mac67]

Wolf thanks for the offer. I'm calling S&W in the AM. 2 weeks ago when I spoke to them they told me to push the mag follower in w/a "Ruler". No I'm not kidding.

 

[jdesro]

You can certainly try to exchange the mags, but if it were me, I would just use them as-is, and only load with the 9 rounds for now. Many new mags. have stiff springs, and perhaps yours, for some reason, are particularly so.

Leaving the mags loaded for a while won't necessarily soften the springs, either. springs weaken through use - meaning they must compess and relax repeatedly to weaken.

So I say just use them and see if they lossen up. If not, just buy some more, and use these as spares/range only mags. You can never have too many mags., anyway.

 

[wolf223]

i see now, just read all the other threads and i re-read your other one.

so S&W replaced the followers. ??? wow

 

[eisenhow]

i see now, just read all the other threads and i re-read your other one.

so S&W replaced the followers. ??? wow

Yup .

 

[Scott D.]

Scott D can you easily drop the slide with one hand ? (No mag)

Yes

 

[mac67]

i see now, just read all the other threads and i re-read your other one.

so S&W replaced the followers. ??? wow

No. In fact the S&W rep asked inferring that I was using after market, non OEM mags. I forgot to include in my original part 2 post that I also have a 9mm conversion barrel. This issue is w/both the 9 and 40. I purchased SIX ! OEM S&W M&P mags and have had the seating and slide release problem w/ALL of the mags.

 

[turbo38gn]

No. In fact the S&W rep asked inferring that I was using after market, non OEM mags. I forgot to include in my original part 2 post that I also have a 9mm conversion barrel. This issue is w/both the 9 and 40. I purchased SIX ! OEM S&W M&P mags and have had the seating and slide release problem w/ALL of the mags.

Man up.... hit the gym, work out the hand muscle..I own 4 of these MP's, and yes the last round can be a little rough on a mag or 2... but really, don't you have anything else to complain about, how does it shoot..?

 

[RI_Shoota]

The other issue is the fact I'm unable to drop the slide with out having to relieve the spring pressure w/my left hand.

I've got a friend of mine that just purchased one (9mm) a couple of weeks ago. Before even shooting it, he complained of the same issue. I think after a few trips to the range it'll work itself out.

 

[mac67]

Man up.... hit the gym, work out the hand muscle..I own 4 of these MP's, and yes the last round can be a little rough on a mag or 2... but really, don't you have anything else to complain about, how does it shoot..?

Which Planet Fitness are you working out at ? I'll bring it down for you to try. I'm not complaining. I'm asking if other people are having the same issue w/ M&P's. It's more than just fitting the 10th round in. How does it shoot ? IMO terrible. And forget about a 1 hand reload. Like I said I handed it to 3 guys who all had to sling shot the slide to chamber a round.

 

[turbo38gn]

Which Planet Fitness are you working out at ? I'll bring it down for you to try. I'm not complaining. I'm asking if other people are having the same issue w/ M&P's. It's more than just fitting the 10th round in. How does it shoot ? IMO terrible. And forget about a 1 hand reload. Like I said I handed it to 3 guys who all had to sling shot the slide to chamber a round.

That sucks... ya, you need to sell it. That stinks, it's really a great gun, but like every gun out there, it's not for everyone.. As for PF, not for me either, just a regular guy here, eat too much and drink too much coffee. But like I said before, I have 1 9mm fs mag that is a biatch to load that 10th round, just don't really think about it until I see someone complain.. reminds me of the little bit of grit feel and sound in the triggers, never bothered me, never thought about it until I read about it.. Most of any brand mags I have for all of my guns always seem to have a hard time loading that last bullet... supposed to be tight..

Oh ya, the slide release is really a slide lock, not designed to release mag. My 9c was very difficult for my wife, (120lb woman) to release, but after some range time and more coffee, she releases it one handed no problem now.. and incerting the mag.... comon, you gotta be kidding me.. 3 guys...?

 

[mac67]

Turbo I hear ya on the mag loading. I'm sitting here w/the gun broken down in front of me and I THINK I see the problem. There is a noticeable wear mark and slight burr on the slide release catch (The part that makes contact w/the slide) and the whole release assembly looks somewhat cock-eyed in the frame. The right side of the release has some give/spring to it, where as the left (thumb side) is real tight against the frame ??

 

[turbo38gn]

Turbo I hear ya on the mag loading. I'm sitting here w/the gun broken down in front of me and I THINK I see the problem. There is a noticeable wear mark and slight burr on the mag release catch (The part that makes contact w/the slide) and the whole release assembly looks somewhat cock-eyed in the frame. The right side of the release has some give/spring to it, where as the left (thumb side) is real tight against the frame ??

hmm, gotta think, running out the door to work, when I get there, I'm gonna try and help ya... cause this really is a great gun, saying it doesn't make it one though... just like saying it isn't makes it a bad gun.. I'm late, be back soon...

 

[mac67]

hmm, gotta think, running out the door to work, when I get there, I'm gonna try and help ya... cause this really is a great gun, saying it doesn't make it one though... just like saying it isn't makes it a bad gun.. I'm late, be back soon...

Thank you

 

[eisenhow]

Man up.... hit the gym, work out the hand muscle..I own 4 of these MP's, and yes the last round can be a little rough on a mag or 2... but really, don't you have anything else to complain about, how does it shoot..?

When did you buy them and what do the followers look like?

 

[mac67]

Another interesting find. The 45 I spoke of belonging to the LEO. When the SLIDE is locked in the OPEN position and you insert a full mag the slide drops w/no manual force. It just automatically drops loading a round. Is this by design or a malfunction ? I've never had a pistol do this just by inserting the mag.. (The gun does NOT have a mag safety)

 

[eisenhow]

Another interesting find. The 45 I spoke of belonging to the LEO. When the SLIDE is locked in the OPEN position and you insert a full mag the slide drops w/no manual force. It just automatically drops loading a round. Is this by design or a malfunction ? I've never had a pistol do this just by inserting the mag..

It's a common M&P "feature". My full size and long slide do it 99.5% of the time. My compact doesn't.

 

[turbo38gn]

Turbo I hear ya on the mag loading. I'm sitting here w/the gun broken down in front of me and I THINK I see the problem. There is a noticeable wear mark and slight burr on the slide release catch (The part that makes contact w/the slide) and the whole release assembly looks somewhat cock-eyed in the frame. The right side of the release has some give/spring to it, where as the left (thumb side) is real tight against the frame ??

I have mine apart on the desk in front of me, mine are pretty evenly sitting in the frame. You'll notice the spring that works the release assy is located on the left side. On my gun the release actually shows the contact to lock the slide back from the right side. That is where the shiney mark is on mine. If your assy is twisted and tweaked and the spring pressure is very unequal from side to side, something doesn't sound right. At this point, if you can't see why and do something, I would suggest to call CS, they will make it right pronto... out of the 4 M&P's I own, I have never had to mess with anything to get the slide to release or the mags to go in, and like I said, I have had 1 9mm mag that is a bioatch to load the last round... what else ya got, where ya located, I'm in Springfield..

 

[mac67]

It's a common M&P "feature". My full size and long slide do it 99.5% of the time. My compact doesn't.

Gotcha

 

[mac67]

I have mine apart on the desk in front of me, mine are pretty evenly sitting in the frame. You'll notice the spring that works the release assy is located on the left side. On my gun the release actually shows the contact to lock the slide back from the right side. That is where the shiney mark is on mine. If your assy is twisted and tweaked and the spring pressure is very unequal from side to side, something doesn't sound right. At this point, if you can't see why and do something, I would suggest to call CS, they will make it right pronto... out of the 4 M&P's I own, I have never had to mess with anything to get the slide to release or the mags to go in, and like I said, I have had 1 9mm mag that is a bioatch to load the last round... what else ya got, where ya located, I'm in Springfield..

I think the unequal spring pressure is an accurate assessment. I see no glaring reason for it. But then again I'm not sure what to look for and I'm not going to start taking it apart. 1-800-S&W............

 

[ARV]

My 40c doesn't have the problem the OP stated. The 10th round is a little hard to put into the mag, but not horrible. The slide drops without much issue when I hit the release or when I pull back on it. If the mag is full and the slide closed it does take a whack to get it to lock but you dont have to be the Incredible Hulk to do it.

Another interesting find. The 45 I spoke of belonging to the LEO. When the SLIDE is locked in the OPEN position and you insert a full mag the slide drops w/no manual force. It just automatically drops loading a round. Is this by design or a malfunction ? I've never had a pistol do this just by inserting the mag.. (The gun does NOT have a mag safety)

Mine will do this if the mag is slapped in HARD, and when I reread the manual it says in there that it can/will happen when seating the mag with too much force. If just sliding the mag in with the slide open it doesn't drop the slide.

Just a guess here, but with the spring on the slide catch pressing down on the assembly, and the relatively small surface of the catch (as compared to say a 1911, which also has the plunger bearing on it) when the mag is inserted sharply into the gun; the gun moves in the direction the mag is inserted with a short & sharp motion. Maybe (again just a guess on my part) the inertia from the hard hit is enough to overcome the friction between the slide/slide stop allowing it drop, and the slide to close? Similar to bullet creep, everything else moves and the slide stop wants to stay in one place.

 

[mac67]

So I just got off the phone with S&W. No surprise, the gun is going back to S&W. The CS/Tech I got was very helpful and seemed to know his stuff. He profoundly stated that, "No" you should not being having those types of problems. He also offered some insightful info concerning the M&P Fullsize vs C. It seems the reduction in frame size tends to create more of these issues.............

 

[Shakeyfly]

Interesting... I just bought an M&P9 as my first firearm. I've handled other firearms in the past and this was the first one that I was not able to drop the slide, using the slide stop. I had to sling shot the slide to load, as well. This gun as less than 20 rounds through it though, so I'm assuming that will loosen up overtime? For the life of me, I can't drop that slide and I have pretty strong hands.

As for the loading the 10th round, I was having a hard time with it as well, even WITH the uplula loader. I have all the magazines loaded with 9 right now and hoping that springs will relax a bit.

Amazing firearm though. I'm really enjoying my time with it.