So, I stumbled across the alternate method to disassemble an M&P and decided to give it a whirl. Everything seemed to go okay until I tried to put the slide back on and it seemed to get "stuck". I did it a couple of times and pushed through forcibly and got the slide back on each time and then I realized what the issue was. I saw that the take down lever had moved from the straight vertical position and shifted so that it was no longer straight up and down but angled. And by horsing the slide on, I essentially forced it back into the vertical position with the underside of the barrel so the slide could continue it's rearward movement. And oh, the horror when I realized I probably shouldn't have been so quick to assume it just needed a little extra horse power.

So, my question is, in doing so, have I damaged the pistol in any way? Otherwise, I really won't know until I get back out to the range...which considering it's hunting season, may not happen for a little while yet. Anybody else have this happen to them?

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Don't know, don't care.

Over the years I've discovered the hard way that if it doesn't go back together, rarely is "more force" the answer.
Load a magazine with a couple of rounds (in a safe area of course) and see if it will cycle by hand ok.
If so then you're probably in good shape.

If you have checked it for visible damage and didn't see any then make sure it's not loaded and rack the Slide back and forth, make sure your trigger fires, and make sure the trigger resets, if everything works ok then your hopefully going to be ok.

That's about all you can do until you are able to fully test it at your range.

Oh and shame on you ! But seriously I hope your gun is okay.

...all depends on how big a hammer you used...

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A Country Boy Can Survive

Similar to experience I had last week. Shot it afterward and all is well.


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Ha ha...No hammers were harmed in the assumption that a little more force was needed! Yeah, I knew that, but the lights didn't come on until I realized what I had done.

The empty gun "fires", resets and locks open on an empty mag as always. And, much to my relief, no miscellaneous parts fell out of the gun while working on it or afterwards.

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Don't know, don't care.

Ahh...thank you kind sir.

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Don't know, don't care.

so what is this alternate method to disassemble the gun?

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M&P 9, Shield9.

Was this how you did it? Relevant portion starts at 2:30.
Smith and Wesson M&P Shield Field strip (9mm and 40) - YouTube


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Most here are probably already familiar with it, but I just came across it myself. It involves pulling the trigger as opposed to lowering the sear deactivation lever as per the manual.

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Don't know, don't care.

Not sure why yours got stuck I currently have three M&P's and usually that's how I remove the slide (glock habit) never had any issues putting it back together. Maybe the take down lever is the issue if it doesn't stay down it will give a hard time, check if your have a little notch grind it down and it should be fine I went through the same with a 9c I had.

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M&P 9, Shield9.

I have only ever removed my slide using the "pull of the trigger" method. No issues to date with multiple field strips and reassembles and continued good operation.
Some day, I might actually have to try to use that yellow lever "thingy" and see what happens.

The take down lever rotating slightly was exactly the issue. Where would I find the notch to which you refer?

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Don't know, don't care.

take the down lever and look at the flat surface..

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M&P 9, Shield9.

Look closely a the flat metal piece on the end of the recoil spring assembly (RSA). If it is bent, replace the RSA. If it's not bent, or damaged in some other way, press on because it's very unlikely you've damaged your gun.

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Freedom isn't free.

I pretty routinely forget to hold the lever down, but mine stops hard and I stop, look, remember, and all is right in the world. Haven't hurt a thing yet.

Bought mine used, no manual, took it apart immediately with no guidance, pull the trigger is the only way it's come apart since I've had it.

Well...thanks for the input gents...I had an interesting day. A good day with the M&P; no damage done (woo-hoo!), followed by a cold beverage and some indulgence in schadenfreude over the vacuous comments regarding Castro's death by my equally vacuous prime minister, Trudeau the Junior...otherwise known as Selfie the Clown.

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Don't know, don't care.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

I have even thought about taking the take down lever out of mine. Haven't as of yet but have considered it. I just consider it useless.
Probably never will take them out but sure is another thing that can go wrong.

If you remove the take down lever, the slide won't stay on the frame.

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Freedom isn't free.

Ha ha ha...I take it you have the misfortune of being familiar with Trudeau 1.0?

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Don't know, don't care.

I think he means the sear deactivation lever.