dcxplant
Member
The discoloration is curious.
If they tell you what was up, I look forward to an update.
Glad SW is treating you right.
If they tell you what was up, I look forward to an update.
Glad SW is treating you right.
Crack in M&P frame? Pic inside
- Thread starter Mike9250
- Start date
Sorry, late to the party. That defect looks like a bad fill in the mold. In plastic injection molding the plastic is hot and when the mold parts come together the plastic is injected under high pressure through small orifices called gates. The plastic has to flow from the gates to fill fill the entire cavity. As it flows around protrusions in the mold the plastic divides and then rejoins itself, causing a knit line. Good press cycle, no perceptible knit line, bad press cycle, possible big knit line. With every shot, there are variations in mold temperature, plastic temperature, pressures, etc as different things happen like a slight delay one cycle, start-up temperatures may not have been optimal when the operator started the press, and so on.
Without your part in hand, I can only list potential causes without ranking them - so I would guess that your defect looks like either a gate started to block off or the injection pressure varied, causing a very slight insufficient fill; or the temperature around that square feature in the mold was not up to temperature when the press was started up; that discoloration could be accumulated cleaner stuff, but it could also be burned plastic, again caused by a processing issue; I can think of a couple of others, but again the part in hand and a little knowledge of the historical process flaws could confirm.
As to how it was not rejected at the factory I am guessing there is little final inspection and S&W prefers to repair or replace the guns that are returned.
Without your part in hand, I can only list potential causes without ranking them - so I would guess that your defect looks like either a gate started to block off or the injection pressure varied, causing a very slight insufficient fill; or the temperature around that square feature in the mold was not up to temperature when the press was started up; that discoloration could be accumulated cleaner stuff, but it could also be burned plastic, again caused by a processing issue; I can think of a couple of others, but again the part in hand and a little knowledge of the historical process flaws could confirm.
As to how it was not rejected at the factory I am guessing there is little final inspection and S&W prefers to repair or replace the guns that are returned.
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Heard from S&W today. Been trying to get some info from them for over a week. They don't seem very responsive unfortunately. Anyway, apparently they are waiting for my particular model to become available so that they can send it out. No ETA given. I didn't figure a full-size M&P 9mm would be hard to come by, but I digress. I'll post an update when I have one.
RalphMP9FS
Member
Thanks for the update.
You still haven't received your replacement?? This interests me because I just ordered a second M&P full size and if their customer service isn't top notch I want to know about it for sure. Best customer service I have seen to date, by far, was Rock Island Armory. They refunded me all of what I paid for one of their 1911 pistols that I wasn't happy with and they did it in 3 days.
keithherrington
Member
I've also had problems with getting a pistol back from S&W. According to Customer Service they have had a computer problem in their shipping department that has prevented them from returning guns to their owners. Apparently, the problem is now resolved and after August 8 when they return from vacation, guns will begin to ship.
Keith
Keith
Man that's crazy. As a suggestion, if you're having a hard time with their CS number, how about trying to contact the S&W rep in your area. If your LGS is a stocking S&W store you could ask them to contact the rep for you.
I'd think he'd be able to at least get a status update for you...maybe even expedite things a little.
Does your LGS have another new FS 9mm? Could the rep, LGS, and S&W HQ workout a way to approve that gun?
I'd think he'd be able to at least get a status update for you...maybe even expedite things a little.
Does your LGS have another new FS 9mm? Could the rep, LGS, and S&W HQ workout a way to approve that gun?
Rastoff
US Veteran
I'm really sorry to hear this. S&W customer service has been better in the past.
Considering where the crack is, I would have suggested super glue in this case. Alas, I'm late to the party and what's done is done.
I hope they get it back to you soon.
All good suggestions, I actually am in the process of trying to contact a local rep. It seems silly for me to have to wait for another production run to be made at S&W when there are probably hundreds of these guns sitting in distributors warehouses somewhere.
Final update on this. I called S&W last week and spoke to Larry, who was very helpful. He said there was no eta on when my particular sku pistol would be available (no mag disconnect, no internal safety). He offered to upgrade me however, and said he could send me a full size M&P 9mm with Crimson Trace laser grips. That particular model is also sans mag disconnect and internal lock, so it's pretty much the same gun. I didn't have much want or need for the laser grips, but it seemed like a pretty nice bonus. I picked the gun up from my FFL today and it looks great. I sent my gun in with no mags and just the med backstrap, but received the new pistol with all three backstraps and 2 17rd mags. All and all I'm pretty happy. They more than made up for the 2 month delay, so they are good to go in my book.
The gun had a med backstrap on it when I got it, and the laser grips were in the box. They look similar in thickness to the large backstrap, not bad at all.
