Problem with new M&P, how does yours look? Updated/Solved***

J

JFR

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I purchased a new M&P FS.40 in early April, I've been trying to shoot about every weekend and now have about 1,200 rounds down range. I clean it every week after the range.

Last week I noticed severe pitting on the breech face around the firing pin. I've researched this and all of the history that I found on it pointed back to reloads with leaking primers. This gun has never shot a reload, only factory ammo.

DSC_2078.jpg

Here's a list of the ammo that has been used...
Winchester USA 165 & 180
Remington UMC
Magtech 180Gr
Blazer Aluminum
Federal 180gr
Federal Am Eagle 180gr
Speer GD 165gr

******UPDATE*******
PROBLEM FOUND/SOLVED

I went back to the range and shot only Winchester USA per my post #10, came back to clean and inspect and no further pitting found.

Three days later I went back and shot only 50 rounds of BLAZER ALUMINUM, picked up some casings and what do you know, blown primers on half of them. I looked at the breach face and the pitting was enhanced.

Pics of the Blazer Aluminum casings...
Blazer Case 2013-06-30.jpg

Pics of the breech face after another 50 rounds since original discovery.
Slide 2.jpg


Now for the good news, As of yesterday it's on its way back from S&W, should arrive on Monday.

When I placed the call to Smith and spoke of the problem they asked two questions, "have you been shooting reloads or Blazer Aluminum?" My reply at the time..., Um excuse me we must have a bad connection, when did you say the mailing label was going out to me?" So the Blazer Aluminum must have been causing issues with others.

Another great S&W customer service story for the books! I'll let you know how it looks once it arrives.


JFR
 
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Sure looks like primer pitting to me. I don't have that on any of my M&P's and I shoot both factory ammo and my own reloads. The only way you will know is to call Smith, I've had nothing but good service over the years (and recently as well).
 
Jeez, if you call Smith and Wesson let us know what they say. Hopefully they'll help you out.
 
JFR, Have you picked up your brass and kept it? If you have, look at the primers; you should be able to see a very tiny pin hole somewhere between the firing pin imprint and the outside of the primer. Back in the 80's, Remington had some small rifle primers(6 1/2) that did the same thing to bolt faces on rifles as what your picture shows. The problem primers were easy to spot by the pin hole. If you find which ammo is the culprit, I would take pics of it and your gun an send it to the manufacturer. They owe you a new slide.
 
Just another 22 shooter;

I'm a new shooter so at a typical range visit in the past I would shoot a box of this and a box of that to get the feel and accuracy of different ammo. Since I noticed this problem last week, I went back and only shot Winchester USA, 180 gr, 150 rds. The problem did not get any worse. I did pick up the brass shown below this time to look for problems...
6-27-2013 Win USA Single brass.jpg
do you see any issues here?
6-272-13 Win USA brass.jpg
This is a photo of my slide after my last visit, pretty much unchanged "I think".
6-27-2013 slide.jpg
I'm trying to duplicate it, or see if it progresses by returning to the range any only shoot one type of each previously shot ammo to see if it gets any worse before I contact S&W. This way I may be able to pinpoint what mfg caused it or was several. I would hate to have the slide replaces only for me to shoot the same problematic loads again, but with these all being factory new loads I'm a little confused.

JFR
 
That amount of pitting did not just happen. That's some serious amount of gas leakage,

If you clean it every time you go to the range, you should have noticed it when it first started and taken remedial action at that time.

Smith will probably take care of you, but it's gonna happen again unless you figure out what's doing it. You've got a couple of primers that look pierced. Your firing pin may have issues.
 
I wonder aloud if the problem was caused by poorly seated primers in the aluminum cased ammo.
 
MichiganScott said:
You've got a couple of primers that look pierced. Your firing pin may have issues.
Click to expand...
That's what it looks like to me too. Looks like a small hole next to every one of the firing pin marks. If it was bad primers the holes would be in different places not consistant like they are. :(
 
To me the primers look to have a dimple "normal" but some, most also have a drag mark to them telling me that lock up is to short. Look at locking lugs or more likly so soft of a recoil spring.. I have see a few cases of this type of bad lockup stressing the primmer to the point of tairing,, you see the firing pin is still fully out and in full contact with the primer when gun is unlocking causing that drag line.. if that's the case try new recoil springs.. Did you buy this gun new.. Do you clean this gun after each range trip? I don't see how this could happen in one range trip but happened over time do to not cleaning and not inspecting you gun well after each cleanning.. S&W should fix it or they may refuse and point you to the ammo manufactur for the brand ammo that caused the issue.. Can you name all the brands of ammo that you used with your gun.. That may give us a hint too! George
 
Definitely give S&W a call & keep us updated.

I hope they don't blame the ammo manufacturer & deny you any free fixes. If that's the case call the ammo company. I suspect Blazer but on second thought my M&P 40FS was originally issued by the local PD to a PO & they use Blazer for training & qualification. My son was issued one in the academy & shot over 3000 rounds of Blazer through it & there's no evidence of that happening to his M&P. I'm not familiar with Magtech but have shot most of the rest on your list. I suppose you can have a bad batch with any ammo manufacturer.
 
I think the recoil spring is weak and that's causing stress on the primer. I can see that by the line from the center of the primer pimple.. I has a PT99 that would do that to the primers too. I was lucky and clean and inspect every range trip. Changed the recoil spring and all was good again.. Look close at the crud on the fireing pin itself that alown tells you something is amiss.. Yep looking at the case primers it's unlocking too soon and stressing the primers causing them to leak.. Every one of them.. George
 
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Thats an improperly hardened breechface... None of the ammo you mentioned is corrosive, but primer leakage could/can still happen..... non corrosive is really "less corrosive". Leaking primers should not hurt a properly hardened breechface in such a short time..... maybe over a few years of abuse, but certainly not in 3 months. Contact S&W.

I have fired >2000 rounds of 45 ACP (1k of that blazer) in my M&P 45 since February and there is NO pitting, etc..... I am not the most judicious cleaner either :D

That slide will need to be replaced. As I said above I bet it was improperly heat treated at the factory, and I am sure they will warranty it.
 
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