View Single Post
 
Old 07-08-2011, 12:38 PM
blackpowder blackpowder is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: East of the Mississippi
Posts: 105
Likes: 15
Liked 32 Times in 20 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Forsmithers View Post
Well, I'm a bit disappointed to say that the Tenifer finish on my Glock 23 has held up better with four years of duty use and three years of retired service over my issued M&P40C which has only been in service for a little more than 3 years. I won't blame just the Melonite finish on the M&P because the place I'm noticing the most wear is where the top of the slide rubbed against a plastic block and brass threaded insert which is part of the locking mechanism on the Safariland ALS holsters.

When I noticed the rubbing I immediately put a little black electrical tape on top of the block and brass insert. No additional wear can be noticed there but the damage was done.

Between the two finishes I think I am partial to the Tenifer which seems to be VERY strong and has held up perfectly on my retired G23. I will also never forget attending my Glock Armorers training and watching Frank DiNuzzo, retired head of the New York State Police Firearms Training Unit, scrub away on the slide with a Starrett pin punch and seeing the metal shavings all over the place. I was in shock when he wiped the shavings away, showed the undamaged Glock slide and explained that the metal shavings were from the pin punch wearing away on the Tenifer finished slide.

Now that I think about it, two other place where I have noticed wear on the M&P is the breach face of the slide and on the chamber hood of the barrel. My G23 has at least two thousand more rounds through it over the M&P and still remains in like new condition...

Don't get me wrong though, the M&P shoots better for me and I love the trigger and grip angle of the M&P over the Glock.
You don't have to make excuses for the S&W M&P's unsatisfactory finish. If it sucks, it sucks. Let's call a spade a spade. But I do agree with what some one else said here. The melonite itself is probably not to blame but the lack of care taken in applying it is the more likely cause of the shortcomming.

The only S&W pistol I have is a 6904 9mm which has a blued slide and anodized alu frame. After 18 years the wear is no more and no less than on any other standard out of the box quality pistols I have seen.
__________________
QM3
Reply With Quote