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Smith & Wesson M&P Pistols All Variants of the Smith & Wesson M&P Auto Pistols


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Old 09-14-2014, 01:07 AM
saw577 saw577 is offline
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Default Mag seating issues...

So I just purchased two of the M&P 9mm Range Kits for the wife and I. Got them home, started to clean them both, when I realized none of the magazines would seat by hand. Just pushing the magazine up into the mag well, it will bottom out, but not lock. I have to smack the **** out of the bottom of the mag to get it to lock. None of my other M&Ps do this, and I have a few (Full size 9mm, 40, 357 sig, 45, compact 40 x2, 9 mm Shield x2). Each gun came with 3 mags as part of the kit, and none of them will seat. They will seat properly in the full size 9 mm I already have. Has anyone else run into this issue? Thanks!
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Old 09-14-2014, 01:14 AM
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ivanwi11iams ivanwi11iams is offline
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Weird. Post a photo. Maybe someone can shed some light on this.
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Old 09-14-2014, 01:35 AM
delphidoc delphidoc is offline
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Lock the slide back, insert the loaded mag, then release the slide. This should be easier.
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Old 09-14-2014, 02:34 AM
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Mags loaded or empty when youtried this?
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Old 09-14-2014, 08:13 AM
MichiganScott MichiganScott is offline
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Full mags like delphidoc says.

I understand it gets easier with time, but I was always taught to insert a mag with the slide back, drop the slide, drop the mag, top it off and reinsert, holster the pistol.
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Old 09-14-2014, 08:54 AM
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ScrapmasterFlex ScrapmasterFlex is offline
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My Shield 9mm has a little trouble. You can't just press the mag up , you need to give it a nice heel-of-the-hand slap to send it home, then you get the click
I believe it's the tightness of the mags, new in box they were impossible to load. I had to start with a few rounds, let it sit, add one more, let it sit, add etc until I had 7 and 8.... and the last was very difficult, very much so. Time and usage has certainly helped. The mags are a bit easier to load and don't require such a whack a mole to get seated, I would imagine it will be the same with you. Time (time being the passage of time while the mags are fully loaded, thus compressing their springs and such) and usage (firing rounds through, reloading, firing, etc. ) Will fix you up.
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Old 09-14-2014, 12:18 PM
Jiman Jiman is offline
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It's because the mag springs are new. Load them completely and set them aside that way to start. After that they'll loosen up after they get used more.

The issue is that when the mags are full and the springs are new, when you insert a mag with the slide closed, the bottom of the barrel where the top cartridge meet each other compresses that bullet. When the springs are new it doesn't want to go that little bit extra w/o a firm wack. After your springs set more, it'll be fine.

It shouldn't happen on an open slide. It also shouldn't happen if you load less than a full mag.

For those that never see a need to load in this manner, consider a tactical reload (for real or just at the range).
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Old 09-14-2014, 07:50 PM
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Here is how I teach to load a semi-auto. If you follow this process, you'll never have an issue loading a magazine (unless the mag or gun is broken).

Step 1: Index the magazine-

Placing the index finger of your support hand along the front and at the top of the mag does two things for you. First, it gives tactile feedback of the first round. If the mag is empty, it will be noticed immediately. If the round is not loaded properly, it will be noticed immediately. Secondly, it helps guide the mag into the mag well. It's easy to point to things with your index finger, even if you're not looking.


Step 2: Place the flat back of the mag against the flat back of the mag well-

Using a slight angle and putting flat to flat makes loading easier. It is a much faster method of locating the mag well than trying to go in straight.


Step 3: In one smooth motion, insert the mag firmly-

There is no need to "slam" the mag in. Once the mag is indexed and located in the mag well, if you use one motion, firmly, it will go right in. The key here is being smooth and firm.
  • Slam it too hard with the slide closed and the top round can be dented which could cause feeding issues.
  • Slam it too hard with the slide open and the ejector on some guns can be broken.
  • Slam it too hard with the slide open and the top round can come unseated in the mag and cause feeding issues.


I have a friend with a Sig. He could not get a full mag to load with the slide closed. I watched him really wind up and try to slam it in. He used the often seen two move method: Place mage partially in mag well. Wind up with support hand and slap the bottom of the mag. It didn't work and he tried several times.

Having never seen the gun before, I bet him lunch that I could get it in on the first try. He's a lot bigger than me so, he took the bet figuring if he couldn't do it, this scrawny runt couldn't do it either. Yep, seated it the first time. I never collected on the lunch though. I did teach him the method above and now he has no trouble with it.
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Old 09-15-2014, 10:39 AM
saw577 saw577 is offline
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Thanks guys. I appreciate all the info. I would like to point out I do know how to operate my handgun. I am not a complete novice. I brought my question here because what is happening shouldnt be happening.

To answer a few questions from earlier posts, I tried locking the slide back already, and none of the magazines that came with the guns will seat by simply sliding them in. I have to smack the base very hard before I hear the click, and they lock into place. As I mentioned in my earlier post, none of my other 8 M&P pistols did, or do, this at all. I can easily insert the magazine into the mag well and click them into place without any force.

I took my old 9mm, which has thousands of rounds through the mags, and swapped mags. The new and old mags will easily seat in my old 9mm. Neither mag would seat without extensive force in the new 9mm. I loaded some dummy rounds into the new mags, as a few of you mentioned. It helped, but still required a fair amount of force to lock into place.

The internals are very different in both old and new guns. The ejectors are not the same, and the configuration for the magazine release are different. I will be calling customer service today to see if I can resolve this. We intend to carry these, and I dont need the magazines popping out because they are not seated properly. Thanks again for all of your input!
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Old 09-15-2014, 11:15 AM
RalphMP9FS RalphMP9FS is offline
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Somethings not right and probably out of tolerance. A light slap should seat the mag. There's been too many quality issues lately with the M&P series.
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Old 09-15-2014, 11:42 AM
pvs-1959 pvs-1959 is offline
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I bought an M&P 9 FS in July and was pissed that the mags couldn't be locked with a finger-push. Both of them needed a reasonable smack from the palm of my hand to lock. I returned the worst of the two to S&W. It got lost by them, and took some emails and calls... and about 6 weeks to get a replacement.

However, in the meantime I had put about 500 rounds through the other magazine, as well as "breaking it in" by ejecting and reinserting the magazine a few hundred times repeatedly.

The original mag started to lock really well, as did the new one I finally received from S&W. Both just need a minor single-finger push now.

So I think something in the gun "broke in" other than the magazine itself.... since the new mag from S&W worked fine right out of the box.
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Old 09-15-2014, 12:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saw577 View Post
To answer a few questions from earlier posts, I tried locking the slide back already, and none of the magazines that came with the guns will seat by simply sliding them in. I have to smack the base very hard before I hear the click, and they lock into place. As I mentioned in my earlier post, none of my other 8 M&P pistols did, or do, this at all. I can easily insert the magazine into the mag well and click them into place without any force.

I took my old 9mm, which has thousands of rounds through the mags, and swapped mags. The new and old mags will easily seat in my old 9mm. Neither mag would seat without extensive force in the new 9mm.
These two portions read like there is definitely something wrong with the new pistol, especially if the mags insert properly in the OLDER pistol. With the slide locked back, there should be no resistance.

The only other thing I can suggest to check would be inserting the mags into the magwell with the slide removed. The only thing this would show, is if the top of the mags are hitting the bottom of the slide group and hindering the mag's insertion, or if the grip/magwell is too long (and needs to be 'shaved'?).
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Old 09-15-2014, 12:17 PM
pvs-1959 pvs-1959 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobzGuns View Post
These two portions read like there is definitely something wrong with the new pistol, especially if the mags insert properly in the OLDER pistol. With the slide locked back, there should be no resistance.
Check out my post right above yours.... it seems something in my gun "broke-in" with use... a few hundred rounds shot and also just repeatedly ejecting/reinserting the mag a few hundred times.

So it doesn't seem to be a magazine issue, because a new mag from S&W worked fine new-out-of-the-box.. just as now does the original mag that came with the gun. Both mags will lock with a finger-push now, even with the slide closed... and with the slide open, they lock really easily into place.

EDIT: I do think leaving the mags fully loaded as much as possible to break-in the springs also is a good idea.

Last edited by pvs-1959; 09-15-2014 at 12:18 PM.
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Old 09-15-2014, 01:14 PM
Mountain Walker Mountain Walker is offline
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I encounter this problem of tight magazines with other pistols too. The pistol may not accept or function properly with a fully loaded magazine, because there is no slack at all in the magazine. The old 7 round magazine for the 1911 has some slack when fully charged and was very reliable charged with 7 rounds. My Glock 27, doesn't like the magazine with 9 rounds in it, so I just load it one down (8 rounds)

I am OK with loading a magazine with one less cartridge ito enhance performance and reliability.
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Old 09-15-2014, 08:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saw577 View Post
I am not a complete novice. I brought my question here because what is happening shouldnt be happening.
I apologize if my post seemed condescending. It wasn't meant to be.


Quote:
Originally Posted by saw577 View Post
The internals are very different in both old and new guns. The ejectors are not the same, and the configuration for the magazine release are different.
Can you post pics of these? I was not aware of any dramatic changes in mag catch design.
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Old 09-15-2014, 09:45 PM
nohbdyshero nohbdyshero is offline
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Mine did this at the beginning but has gotten easier with time as well my father has reported same as well it should loosen as you go
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Old 09-15-2014, 11:56 PM
Stratajema Stratajema is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saw577 View Post
...To answer a few questions from earlier posts, I tried locking the slide back already, and none of the magazines that came with the guns will seat by simply sliding them in. I have to smack the base very hard before I hear the click, and they lock into place.
The magazines might be hitting against your gun's ejector (not extractor). Look at the ejector thru the open slide and see if the mags are hitting it. If so, return the gun to S&W for repair.
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Old 09-16-2014, 02:58 AM
shawn mccarver shawn mccarver is offline
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The point that most caught my attention about the problem as stated by the OP was that, if I understood correctly, his new magazines WOULD lock properly into his older M&Ps, but not his new M&P Carry and Range Kit pistol.

That tells me something is out of spec, and I vote to send the pistol and the magazines that came with it back to S&W for evaluation and repair.
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Old 09-16-2014, 05:00 PM
Capt_Destro Capt_Destro is offline
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Mine had this issue as well.

Replacing the factory magazine release with a Costa Catalyst improved seating a magazine even more. Now just a light push locks the magazine in. Smooth as butter
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