I just purchased a brand New M&P15 Sport Rifle from a registered gun dealer in Florida and loaded the magazene less 1 with ammunition and was playing around and noticed the magazene falls completely out of my rifle without pressing the magazene relese button. Is this just mine or is this like an easy release feature to remove magazine without pressing the release button. Im concerned because if one day im ever fighting for my life and am running and jump down off a ledge or something while running that my magazine will just fall out of my gun. I again tested another scenerio, holding my rifle with arm bent, right hand holding grip about head level and barrel pointing straight up and then lowered rifle as to a ready to shoot position with a little force in lowering of course and again this happens. this doesnt sound right to me if any other owners have one of these can you try this out as well to see if im crazy or just have a mismanufactured rifle

Give the bottom of the mag a good whack with your open hand. (I hope I don't have to mention that you put the mag in the mag well first!) Some also suggest loading 2 less than max in the mag as well.

Sometimes until they get used a few times you have to slap the bottom of the mag, When I was in the Marine Corps they taught us to do that as a standard operation practice. After a little bit of use you will find that it will go in and click into place but that is something to always be aware of with any magazine fed rifle. Some of the 22's their mags are a little small and when you whack them it hurts your hand but you catch my drift. Welcome to the club and enjoy breaking her in!!!

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Grover Oathkeeper

I have a lot of respect for both oneeyeopen and storyteller, but I gotta disagree that he needs to smack the mag harder up into the well.

I believe he needs to smoosh down on the rifle harder with his left hand while holding the mag firmly in his right.
This uses the weight of the rifle to his advantage!!

If you still run into problems after doing as OE and ST have properly said ....... try this:
With the mag out, make sure the mag release mechanism is working freely and not hanging up.
You can look up into the mag's well and exercise the release button and see if the wedge is smoothly going in and out of the well's left wall, as well as looking to see if the mag release's bar is moving freely by looking at the left outside of the mag well while repetedly pressing the button.
If it's not hanging up then note how far the release bar seats in the mag well, and then place an empty mag up in there part way (don't seat it) with the bolt locked back.
Look to see how far the release bar is out now, then seat the empty mag all the way home and see how far the bar goes in.
If it doesn't go in much, then try a different mag (maybe your delaer will let you try another one) as there may be something at issue with that particular mag's cut-out for the releases wedge to catch in properly.

If it all works/looks fine with the bolt back ......... then try it with a less than full mag after you release/close the bolt, if that works, then try a fully loaded mag and smack that puppy!

Like ST and OE said .........that's more than likely the problem.

Oops .... yes ... welcome, welcome, welcome!!

I download by two (probably not needed) and use the push pull method.

I just got some hex mags and experienced the same issue. My brothers P mag worked fine and so did the little California compliant 10 round gi mag.

Speaking of the gi mag... Im a little disappointed that S&W didnt include a PMAG like they were supposed to. THANKS!

So, my HEX mags seem to have a taller cut on them. When you line up the notches with all the others the HEX mag is literally, a hair taller.

I dont think the M&Ps lower will properly receive the taller mag for some weird reason because HEX mags are getting a really good name. Is this a defect with S&W or a defect in the mag?

Either way, I am extremely disappointing and am not sure what to do. Take back the mags and get PMAGS or contact S&W...

What do you guys think?

If you look in your 1968 comic book issued by the US Army,you can adjust the mag catch engagement. Press the mag release button in all the way till the mag catch is clear of the left side of the weapon. If I recall correctly, turn counter clockwise to less engagement and clockwise to increase.

You have to give them a smack just in case. In all the rifle courses I've taken with different industry professionals, many of whom have served, all say the same thing. Insert the mag and give it a smack just in case

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Correct, like any other screw, righty tighty, lefty loosey. I guess the mag catch could not be screwed in enough to hold the mag. You can always separate the upper from the lower and test fit the mag with the upper off, then there is no resistance on it and this will tell you if there is a problem with the catch engaging the mag.

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Still carrying my S&W 642

I found that going from P-Mags to Metal ones I had to push a tad bit harder to get them to seat properly the first few times, after that they worked like a charm...
I use the push pull technic when reloading...

If I'm loading a full mag, I lock the bolt back, put my mag in, then release the bolt. Never had an issue.
Guess I had one issue, but it was operator error. I jacked a round in the chamber, and the mag dropped out. It was all my fault cause I didn't lock the mag in correctly. Cost me a coyote standing there looking at me 50 yds away.

1. Load the mags 2 down.
2. Push the mags in, pull to ensure they locked in.
3. If you have mags that have the mag notch visibly different from ones that are known to work properly. SEND THEM BACK!!!!!! Brownells was having a sale on 10 packs of their mil-spec mags.

I spent literally decades teaching people to use the AR pattern rifles. Probably the most common error was excessive force in seating magazines. If you do so with the bolt locked back, you can pop the top round loose and cause a double feed. If the first round gets jammed between the barrel extension and the gas tube, you'd better have a backup gun cause you have a serious issue.

Sounds like the hex mags may be out of spec. I have seen mixed reviews concerning hex mags. Additionally, various generations of Pmags may or may not work. I have 3 older non-windowed Pmags that will literally get stuck in the mag well of certain rifles, but fit fine in both of my S&W complete rifles.

Try something like an aluminum GI mag and perhaps a Lancer mag and if they work your S&W is probably in spec. I would take the hex mags back and get aluminum GI mags, Lancer mags, Tango Down mags, and/or Pmags.

I just noticed this thread was from 2012.....no wonder the OP has not responded. I feel silly now.

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Still carrying my S&W 642

He's still looking for his lost magazine.

I prefer aluminum GI type. Never had a failure to anything. When inserting on an open bolt, click it in with hardly any force. You know it's there. Closed bolt/full mag, a little more force but not strikes or slaps and then pull to make sure it's latched.