I cleaned my M&P 40 yesterday and was in a rush to reassemble it so I could get to work. It wasn't until I had already put the barrel and slide back on and pulled the slide back that I looked down and saw the guide rod still sitting on my table. Now the barrel is sticking out and up almost half the length of the barrel and the slide is stuck and won't move forward or backward. I suspect when I pulled the slide back I allowed the lugs on the bottom of the barrel to drop down and catch someplace on the receiver. Any ideas on how to get the thing back apart so I can put back together correctly this time? Thanks.

put a dowel rod (or a pencil) down the barrel, then use it to manipulate the barrel until you can get the barrel all the way back and up into battery. It can be done, I've put the slide on without the RSA (on purpose, I was checking something out). You have to "fiddle" with it, but if you hold your tongue in the proper position, it will work.

Typical. A Marine gets himself into a mess, and has to be bailed out by the Army! ;>)

And maybe two wood dowels would be better; try putting the handgun upside down in a padded vise put one dowel in the barrel as suggested and the second one down the mag well to give an assist push on the barrel. Should work with this thought; you might need the assistance of another to push the frame slightly forward while all that dowel manipulation is going one. Just remember. All those parts went into that position somehow, so if you duplicate that condition 'in reverse' they will come out.............. Good luck!