Went to put a new pistol grip i ordered for M&P Sport 2 and as i started to turn stock bolt that holds pistol grip to lower. Felt like it was too tight and barely moving counter clockwise.. it would turn maybe 1/2 to 3/4 a turn then get extremly tight again. Well ended up snapping my bolt off.. idk if anybody else has heard or had this happen but i'm stuck over here with still Not able to get bolt out.. be nice to show pics but can't figure out how to from iphone. But seems they over tightened during assembly..

I've never read that happening on this forum. Call Smith and explain and I'm sure it'll be covered under warranty. You'll be out your rifle 2-3 weeks. Worse case is they replace your lower and you have to get another transfer from your FFL.

Well that was obviously crossthreaded or "galled" up for some reason at the factory.

A local machine/race shop could remove it for you but it will never be "right" again.

Call the mothership and see what they want to do to replace it

Yup, just call S&W and they should take care of you. First I've heard of this.

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M&P15 sport II, Retired Army

Sadly that was i was worried about being out rifle for a couple weeks, and from what i've researched that i may be the first to have this happen, gonna call S&W in the morning shoot for replace lower, cause hate to retap the hole, just incase for future mods. Thanks folks hopefully mines the only one so far. Hate to see others have this issue

Still hoping that bolt is maybe 1/2-3/4" out from lower so maybe can get buddy with some better tools, sadly easy out wouldn't even tap into bolt, but may try one more time hate to go without rifle, only shot twice since i've got her back in may, next few weekend i had planned on shooting!!

Its a futile effort at best.

I assure you that if it broke off coming OUT...its completely ruined, even if you got it removed there's nothin there to chase.

You can use a steel Helicoil insert to replace damaged threads. The repair is stronger than the original aluminum threads. After removing the broken bolt (drill it and use a bolt extractor) the hole is drilled larger for the spiral steel Helicoil insert and taped for it. A special tool is used to screw the insert into the hole and you then have a hole with strong steel treads exactly like the original threads. Any good machine shop or gunsmith should be able to do this if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself. This has been used for automotive repair work for many decades.

Yep, a helicoil will fix it right up. I'd still send it to S&W.

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Freedom isn't free.

A little lube might help...
Even WD-40 (and it will evaporate in a couple of minutes)

Well just sucked it up and sent off to play safe was bought new hopefully warranty covers to remove broken bolt.. but tired several oils and such never got bolt come out.. sadly gotta call at end of month and see whats going on no gun means no fun

That's the right decision. You will get it back in excellent condition and ready to go to the range.

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Freedom isn't free.

Keep us posted on the outcome. I would think they should be able to handle that rather easily but you never know how big companies might respond.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

You'll be glad you did, just wondering if by any chance you put any lock tight on there? Or if who ever you bought it from might have?

You would have needed to use heat to get it removed if that was the case.

Unless you were tightening instead of loosening by accident?

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M&P15 sport II, Retired Army

I just hope your lower is fine and doesn't need replacing. Fingers crossed. You did the right thing.

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Still carrying my S&W 642

It's not likely that it was over tightened during assembly. It's going through plastic. It was probably cross threaded but this is the first I've heard of that happening. The assembler would have known right away something wasn't right as it would have been tight-turning from the start. Something smells here but glad you sent it off to be fixed.

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Si vis pacem para bellum.

If you couldn't drill the bolt, it's probably a defective bolt. Cross threading possible also.

BTW, should you run into this in the future, turn the bolt until it's about in the middle of tight & binding. Generously apply CB Parts Blaster and let it soak in. Possibly repeat several times. See if it will turn more. If so alternately tighten & loosen (more Parts Blaster) and see if you can work it out. Cross threads in aluminum often move metal shavings into the threads and cause a bind that makes it impossible to remove without EDM.

Don't be surprised if it comes back heli-coiled. As noted above that will be stronger and more wear resistant that the original.

They might, but it's far more likely they'll just replace the lower. At the quantities that S&W makes, I'll bet it's cheaper to just replace the lower.

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Freedom isn't free.

It may be cheaper, but I doubt it's less hassle. If they replace the lower then its a new firearm and they then have to document and control for the old one as well as the new one.

You may be right. I still think they'll replace it. A helicoil will be much better for the end user though. Threads in aluminum are never a good idea.

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Freedom isn't free.

Yeah, my guess too is they will replace it rather than risking altering the lower. I just don't think that they will alter it as that creates more liability I would think if something gives way.

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Still carrying my S&W 642