I just purchased my 2nd M&P 15-22 and upon installing a Hogue grip, realized the cause of the issues I have had with my first M&P 15-22 after replacing it's grip. I never even saw the springs under the grip on my first 15-22, but the rear takedown pin was able to come completely out, where it had not prior to the new grip. Also, the safety does not stay locked in SAFE or FIRE anymore. Apparently I lost both springs when I removed the original grip and the detent pin for the takedown as well. How do I go about obtaining replacements? Also, while replacing the grip on my newest 15-22, both springs fell out and are different sizes. Does the smaller diameter spring go with the detent for the takedown pin and the larger diameter go with the safety? Also, the detent pin is rounded on one end and pointed on the other... which end faces the takedown pin, the pointed or rounded end?

Contact S&W customer service for replacements.

The small spring is for the takedown pin, the larger for the safety.

The fact that there is no spring and detent for the safety is the reason it doesn't stay locked in position. IMO, that is an unsafe condition; others may disagree.

The flat bottom of the detent, in both cases, goes against the spring; the rounded portions towards the safety and the take-down pin.

Please don't be offended at the next statement, but this is the very reason one must be very careful when disassembling any new and unfamiliar firearm for the first time. It is so easy to lose small parts and you are neither first not the last to do so - I'm a charter member of that club.

I am not offended at all and appreciate the info. The M&P 15-22 was the first rifle that I've owned and I rushed the grip replacement. I would have never imagined that there would have been operational parts that were integral to the grip. My bad! That being said, how do I get replacements? The takedown pin is the least of my worries, but as you correctly stated, the safety is an issue.

The first sentence in my reply ...

Call S&W customer service. They will send you replacements.

Duh... I guess I read as well as I replace grips! Thanks again!

I will refrain from further comment.

Don't worry, I would've done the same thing, but I just happened to watch an install video for the slidefire. It wouldn't stand to reason there's anything important in a grip. Even still, my girlfriend lost them when I was at work. I got lucky and my local gun shop had replacements on hand. The 223 has a spring also, but only one. I believe it's the safety spring, but I could be wrong and it be the rear takedown pin, but Im pretty sure it's the safety spring so most LGS's should have it. A phone call would tell ya though

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-Dik

For future reference when you get the new spring replacements in...

https://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-m-p-15-22/216866-rear-recieiver-pin-question-post136195112.html

First time I changed grip, good to go. Second time, good to go. Third time.....couldn't figure out why my safety would be messed up, then my breakdown pin fell out. Really caught me off guard. I knew there were springs in there but I wasn't aware of the pins. Then I sat on the end of my bed and somehow found a spring and a pin....Then it all made sense hahaha. Couple YouTube videos and I was back in business. Just happy I didn't lose those parts. Lesson learned, schooled my buddy on that before he even physically had HIS new 15-22 haha.

I want to thank all of you for not making me feel like a complete dumbass... unlike my father. Honestly, he was better on me than I thought he would be. Truth is, he found one of the springs in our "gun room" after I had changed the grip and he went crazy thinking it came out of the pistol he had just disassembled... anyway, it knows he picked up the spring, but doesn't know where he put it. One last question; Am I better off calling S&W than emailing? I had emailed them when i got my 1st 15-22, about how I went about unpinning and re-pinning the stock (I live in NY!). I never got a response. I don't know if it was because it was through email or because of the legal ramifications. Thanks again!!!

I'd give S&W a call.

And no thanks are necessary. Most all of us have done something similar - or worse.

I am learning that everyone has an opinion on everything firearm related... right or wrong. Until I realized that the springs and pin were missing, I was told that I was cleaning it too much, using too much oil when I cleaned it, completing a full takedown to clean when it wasn't necessary, etc... Correct me if I'm wrong, a gun can NEVER be too clean?... It can be over-oiled, etc... but clean is never bad.

To a point ...

In most cases, it takes a couple of dozen rounds before a barrel "settles down" to some particular ammunition. The phrase is "fouling shots" and is best known among the bench rest community. For this reason, sighting in and competitive shooting should always be done from a "fouled" barrel.

For what it's worth, from someone else who has lost a spring or two, common replacement parts for any AR will work perfectly to replace the ones you've lost. I replaced mine, just cuz I wanted to , and was able to order DPMS lower parts individually from Midway. It's a cheap fix, and now you know to look for them in the future. No big deal at all.

I'll check Midway. I couldn't find any parts on the S&W website. Here's the gun in question: http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/...sley01/092.jpg

I installed all of the following DPMS products from Midway:

Takedown Springs:
Takedown Detent Springs (Front & Rear) | AR-15 | Gun Parts by Gun Make & Model | Gunsmithing & Gun Parts |

Takedown Detent Pins:
Takedown Detent Pins (Front & Rear) | AR-15 | Gun Parts by Gun Make & Model | Gunsmithing & Gun Parts |

Safety (selector) Detents:
Selector Detents | AR-15 | Gun Parts by Gun Make & Model | Gunsmithing & Gun Parts |

Safety (selector) Springs:
Selector Detent Springs | AR-15 | Gun Parts by Gun Make & Model | Gunsmithing & Gun Parts |

Just call S&W; the'll likely put replacements in the mail to you the same day. No need to go chasing all over the mail-order place.

Sorry to necropost....

Can anyone + confirm... are the rear takedown pins the same size on a standard AR15 and the 15-22 or is the 15-22 shorter?

Mine was lost when a gun smith replaced the trigger. S&W sent a regular AR pin. It works fine, but is a little "sticky" when going in. It actually feels firmer than the original.

You are talking about the actual takedown pin, not the detent pin...yes?

Just curious, how do you know you were sent a milspec AR takedown pin? I would think a gun smith would have an AR pin, so if you had to be sent one I wonder if it is in fact specific to the 15-22 which seems to have a lower that varies in dimensions than an AR, but then again, he did loose yours

Only Eugene Stoner hasn't lost one of those pins. The rest of us have probably lost more than one. The good news is, you'll probably never lose another one. I do believe the AR detents are a tad bigger, not bad, just a little more pressure. The other tough part is not bending the spring when reinstalling. BTW, I have never heard anyone say one's firearm is too clean. I clean all my guns after each session, and I even clean a clean gun when it has been in the safe for awhile and I am going to shoot it. This is one of the best things about this forum. Mostly non-judgemental advice and support.
RichH

The gun smith's cat got the take down pin. He then fabricated one (yes he has the equipment) but it was loose. I wrote to S&W and they sent a replacement. The smith then found the original. I compared it with the one S&W sent. They were different. I compared the one S&W sent with the ones in my AR-15s. They were the same! I am not talking about the detent pin.

Interesting follow up....

So, I just got done swapping out the stock takedown pin for an extended takedown pin (run them on all of my AR platforms). Upon pulling the 15-22 takedown pin, it is totally different. OD is same, but it is slightly different length, different design, different grove placements. However, that being said, an AR15 extended takedown pin did in fact fit and work

See for yourself. This shows a stock Ar15 pin versus the 15-22 pin - different. I put in an extended takedown pin (not shown), but this still clearly shows the variance in design.

Attached Images

tdp.jpg (37.4 KB, 5966 views)

Yep, good picture!

Yeah. more or less the groves on the 15-22 pin line up with detent holes on the AR15 pin - but still very different designs. The 15-22 is technically a smarter design as then the pin can spin freely and be used in any universal position whereas an AR15 pin must go in a certain way to lineup with the detent pins.

I have just ordered a new grip and am so glad I read this thread. You probably saved me a lot of emabarrasing questions at a later date.

Just know that, if you drop something, you will not be the first, and definitely not the last, one to do so. It's a really big club with lots of members.

Just take you time taking off the old one and installing the new one. Before you install,leave the springs out and test fit it. Some go on at a slight angle,some will go straight up and in.

Additionally, work with the rifle laying on its side and remove the pistol grip screw sloooowly and watch the springs as you remove the grip.

I didn't loose either the springs or the pins when I changed out my grip but not for lack of trying! I'd had the gun less than a week and hated the stock pistol grip so much that I went to Cabela's and bought a CAA grip after the second range session. As I worked to get that flippin' screw out of the thing so the grip would come off, I noticed the little springs through the gap as I lifted the grip body. Fair warning and I was prepared to catch them when separation was achieved. I was NOT prepared for the hassle of re-installing the damn things when I put the new grip on! I was mad enough to toss the little buggers across the room at one point. An hour and many tries later they were on correctly and the new grip was cradling my hand. Learning gunsmithing through ignorance is no fun!

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Vide - Aude - Tace

After a couple of these experiences, I started youtubing things I had questions about. Pretty helpful.

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-Dik

I wouldn't put money on either one of those bets.

If I remember right,lay it on it's starboard side. Myself,I held the grip tight to the lower and removed the screw,then slowly worked off the hand grip.

Port side - the left side for landlubbers.

i bought a metal safety selector detent today at my LGS. the salesman asked me if i lost mine. i told him i was going to swap my plastic pin from the 15-22 to the metal AR one.

he advised me against it, saying that eventually the metal pin could wear a groove into the plastic safety selector switch. has anyone run into that problem or heard of it happening?

There's already a grove in the selector shaft; that's what keeps it in place. I don't think your guy knows what he's talking about.

No particular need to go to a metal detent, for that matter. Most folks who go to the metal selector do so because they want the ambi convenience and/or the ability to change the shape of the lever. I've never seen a complaint here that they wore out the polymer selector, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened.

hey thanks again! eh, i guess i will just leave it as-is. appreciate the help.

well, at least now i have a back up pin in case i lose my stock one.

Spares are always good ...