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  #1  
Old 10-30-2013, 10:14 AM
dabe2001 dabe2001 is offline
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Default SD40VE feed problem

I have a SD40VE that I purchased back in June. Has been an excellent gun, until recently. I have the apex spring kit and tactical trigger in it, stainless steel 22lb guide rod assembly, polished the feed ramp, and stippled grip. As of recently it occasionally does not feed a round entirely (the bullet makes it way but the casing stops and it takes a small tap on the back of the slide to engage it. it does this maybe 3-4 times in 200 rounds (a little too much for comfort). I have checked the barrel for a ridge or anything. I have noticed that both mags that I have have a little up and down play while inserted in the gun. They have more play than my m&p 40 that I have. Id say they more about a 1/8th of an inch. ill try and get pics of the difference in movement.

I have attached two pictures of what the barrel looks like after about 250 rounds. and what it looks like clean. ill try and get one tonight of what the failure looks like. its weird how the wear pattern is sort of offset. Maybe the casing it catching on the side of the barrel?

what could be causing the partial feed?
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Old 10-30-2013, 11:41 AM
raymo2u raymo2u is offline
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Do you ride the slide closed or let it slam when you rack it back? I only experience this with cheap ammo and if it doesnt slam like it would from blowback.

I advise against polishing the inner chamber of your barrel if you are not a gunsmith or havent done any personal smithing prior, tolerances off in even the slightest amounts can lead to pressure drops/rises and s&w would not warrenty afterwards.

Try a different ammo and letting the slide slam forward from its most rearward position
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Old 10-30-2013, 11:59 AM
dabe2001 dabe2001 is offline
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this happens during firing. I have no problems when I rack the slide. Im a pull all the way back and let it slam back guy. I have tried various ammo (factory, freedomunitions, 165gr and 180 gr) and it happens with both magazines.
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Old 10-30-2013, 12:04 PM
standerson standerson is offline
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Doesn't happen on the last round out of the mag does it?

I had the problem with my .45 and Smith put a new extractor in it and "modified" the barrel.
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Old 10-30-2013, 12:27 PM
dabe2001 dabe2001 is offline
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You might be on to something. it happens around shot 10 of the 14 round magazine. I wonder if change of the extractor spring in the apex kit might have something to do with it. this never happened until 2 months after I installed the apex kit. (I shoot atleast twice a month 200-250 rounds each time)

Last edited by dabe2001; 10-30-2013 at 12:33 PM.
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Old 10-30-2013, 01:17 PM
raymo2u raymo2u is offline
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Could be the extractor spring, ive encountered this problem on reloads but thought it was cases out of spec but it could be the extractor spring, anyone else have or has had this problem before?
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Old 10-31-2013, 12:41 PM
GranCazador GranCazador is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dabe2001 View Post
You might be on to something. it happens around shot 10 of the 14 round magazine. I wonder if change of the extractor spring in the apex kit might have something to do with it. this never happened until 2 months after I installed the apex kit. (I shoot atleast twice a month 200-250 rounds each time)
extractor spring in the apex kit?
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Old 10-31-2013, 12:43 PM
GranCazador GranCazador is offline
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swap back to the factory recoil spring and see if it still happens.
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Old 10-31-2013, 03:14 PM
wastra wastra is offline
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I've found certain ammo just doesn't feed at all...particularly the brassmaxx from Tulammo. It won't even manually feed when taking the slide by hand. But most anything else runs through it like a champ.

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Old 11-01-2013, 01:47 PM
retired_diver retired_diver is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GranCazador View Post
swap back to the factory recoil spring and see if it still happens.
I think you should try this also. If it still does it I would try a +10% mag spring with the 22lb recoil. Just a thought.
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Old 11-13-2013, 02:56 AM
Chi3fR0astb33f Chi3fR0astb33f is offline
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I'm having the same problem with my wifes 9mm its bare bones stock and the winchester fmj rounds seem to catch on the ramp leading to the chamber. It doesn't seem to do as bad when I rack the slide hard but if I pull it all the way back slowly and let it go it jams. Idk what's causing this and its even happening on the first round of the magazine. My SD40VE doesn't have a single problem it shoots just about anything. Any tips guys?
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Chi3fR0astb33f View Post
I'm having the same problem with my wifes 9mm its bare bones stock and the winchester fmj rounds seem to catch on the ramp leading to the chamber. It doesn't seem to do as bad when I rack the slide hard but if I pull it all the way back slowly and let it go it jams. Idk what's causing this and its even happening on the first round of the magazine. My SD40VE doesn't have a single problem it shoots just about anything. Any tips guys?
I encountered some feeding issues with my SD9VE when it was bare stock in the beginning. It only happened when my wife was shooting and only at the first range session so I guess it was a case of limb wristing. I never had any feeding problems at all. I polished the feed ramp and trigger bar and put the Apex Spring Kit and the AET Trigger in to improve the trigger pull. The gun ate everything I fed her - WWB (rnfmj), Monarch, Tulammo Brassmaxx, Federal Eagle, Fiocci and the reloads they sell at the range. I would polish the feed ramp to ensure smooth feeding. Did you used the round nose Winchester or the Flat Nose? Never had any issues with round nose - never tried the flat ones.
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Old 11-13-2013, 08:59 AM
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Looking closely at the picture of the "cleaned" barrel, it appears to me that there's a lot of crud in the chamber starting just past the "shiny" area of the chamber beyond the feed ramp.

The crud in the chamber needs to be cleaned with something that cuts carbon and powder deposits-I'd recommend soaking the inside of the barrel with some M-Pro 7 gun cleaner as it does a fantastic job at cutting through that kind of junk. Then give it a really good scrubbing with a bronze brush, repeating as necessary.

The chambers of my pistols look nice and shiny and it's easy to get them that way without chance of hurting anything. Get an appropriate caliber bore mop and some Flitz. Load up the bore mop with Flitz and go to work on the inside of the barrel, focusing on the chamber. I use Flitz through the entire barrel because I've found that it makes cleaning it easier-junk doesn't stick as well to the inside of it. Flitz is an extremely fine polish and after 30 years of using it-haven't hurt a thing and always made things better.

I've chucked a bore mop up in my variable speed hand drill and used it in barrel chambers with rough finishes and it's always improved things noticeably. Makes clean-up a snap.

Edit: looked at the pictures again and it looks to me like there's a significant amount of crud in the chamber. Get it cleaned down to bare metal and see how it shoots. Bet it'll be just fine.

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Old 11-13-2013, 10:09 AM
copterdrvr copterdrvr is offline
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This is what the chamber of my SD9 looks like. I notice in the picture that I didn't get ALL of the gunk out of the chamber during the last cleaning.

I make sure that my carry guns are spotless-that's just me but I figure that the one thing I can do to insure it's gonna cycle is keep it clean.

Sorry about the picture quality-cellphone specials!
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Old 11-16-2013, 12:49 AM
Chi3fR0astb33f Chi3fR0astb33f is offline
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I went through the chamber and barrel completely I used multiple solvent just to make sure. She's using winchester round tip fmj. I think it coild be limp wristing and ammo myself. Ordered the apex spring and trigger kit and see what that does. I also polished the barrel as well used 1000 and 2000 grit sand and then polished but I don't get that super chrome look like some I've seen how do they do it?

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Old 11-16-2013, 02:05 AM
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Quote:
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I also polished the barrel as well used 1000 and 2000 grit sand and then polished but I don't get that super chrome look like some I've seen how do they do it?
I've become a big fan of these: 462 Rubber Polishing Cone Point / Model: 462. Before they came out, I used a small felt wheel and white polishing compound to get a mirror finish on feed ramps. The rubber Dremel bits have abrasive in them and can remove metal if you stay in one place too long, so be careful. HTH

Last edited by Surly; 02-27-2014 at 11:33 PM.
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Old 11-16-2013, 03:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dabe2001 View Post
I have the apex spring kit and tactical trigger in it, stainless steel 22lb guide rod assembly, polished the feed ramp, and stippled grip.
I'm no expert, but 22lb. seems heavy. What's the factory spring rating?

Last edited by Surly; 11-16-2013 at 04:35 AM.
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Old 11-16-2013, 11:45 AM
copterdrvr copterdrvr is offline
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Quote:
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I'm no expert, but 22lb. seems heavy. What's the factory spring rating?
Not for a 40.

I'm using the 20 lb spring in my 9mm and I've shot everything from Monark and other "lower quality" stuff to +P and have never had a single failure to feed or fire.
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Old 11-16-2013, 02:12 PM
raymo2u raymo2u is offline
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+p ammunition is not recomended for the SD series as stated by S&W's Manual. People have crack barrels and split their pistols.

This was just for a reminder to the newer crowd, everyone else you know whatsoever at risk.

That being said i have the 18lbs and 20lbs SS Galloway spring/rods and i dont have feeding problems with either with any rounds Ive used besides UMC and LGS Reloads.

my SD9ve seems to favor the armscor 124grn and anything Hornady or Winchester. The Armscor seems hotter than any other *normal* Shelf rounds and feed/eject very reliably-they arent that exspensive either so i think that everyone should give them a go.

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Old 11-16-2013, 02:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raymo2u View Post
+p ammunition is not recommended for the SD series as stated by S&W's Manual. People have crack barrels and split their pistols.
Here's a quote from the manual:
>>>
“Plus-P” (+P) ammunition generates pressures in excess of the
pressures associated with standard ammunition. Such pressures
may affect the wear characteristics or exceed the margin of safe-
ty. Use of “Plus-P” ammunition may result in the need for more
frequent service.
“Plus-P-Plus” (+P+) ammunition must not be used in Smith &
Wesson firearms. This marking on the ammunition designates that
it exceeds established industry standards, but the designation
does not represent defined pressure limits and therefore such
ammunition may vary significantly as to the pressures generated
and could be DANGEROUS.
<<<
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Old 11-16-2013, 02:46 PM
raymo2u raymo2u is offline
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Thank you steelhat

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