Bad Report on New M&P Pro - UPDATE

[army_eod]

Hate to say it, but I bought an M&P Pro from Gunbroker.com NIB but it was quite defective.

The trigger is extremely gritty and actually hangs up. I discovered that it is caused by the firing pin safety plunger.

The front sight was also not centered well.

For the record, I have another full size M&P and it is a fantastic gun. That is why I bought a Pro.

So I am going to ask Smith and Wesson to fix it.

Anybody have this problem with an M&P?

I am hoping the factory will pay to ship and fix.

Very disappointing.

I did go to the range just to see how it would go. Bad. Mostly FTFs and stovepipes.

This gun must have missed the QC folks.

************************************************
UPDATE

I just called the Smith and Wesson Cust Service folks.

I described the problem and they said, "sure - just ship it in with description of the problem.

Interesting that they DID NOT OFFER to pay shipping.

So I asked the rep if they can pay for shipping.

THEN he said he will send me a shipping label with instructions.

On another note: I am aware that Smith is having troubles with their stock prices and are being sued big time for mistating earnings. Perhaps they are trying to cut costs????

Something to consider.

 

[army_eod]

Hate to say it, but I bought an M&P Pro from Gunbroker.com NIB but it was quite defective.

The trigger is extremely gritty and actually hangs up. I discovered that it is caused by the firing pin safety plunger.

The front sight was also not centered well.

For the record, I have another full size M&P and it is a fantastic gun. That is why I bought a Pro.

So I am going to ask Smith and Wesson to fix it.

Anybody have this problem with an M&P?

I am hoping the factory will pay to ship and fix.

Very disappointing.

I did go to the range just to see how it would go. Bad. Mostly FTFs and stovepipes.

This gun must have missed the QC folks.

************************************************
UPDATE

I just called the Smith and Wesson Cust Service folks.

I described the problem and they said, "sure - just ship it in with description of the problem.

Interesting that they DID NOT OFFER to pay shipping.

So I asked the rep if they can pay for shipping.

THEN he said he will send me a shipping label with instructions.

On another note: I am aware that Smith is having troubles with their stock prices and are being sued big time for mistating earnings. Perhaps they are trying to cut costs????

Something to consider.

 

[sasu]

I have bought several S&Ws that missed the Quality Check, but I still keep buying them. I live overseas and my guns are not imported by the official distributor, so I am glad the repairs have been minor.

Some examples:

Model 629 with a botched muzzle crown, barely could keep shots on paper at 25 yards from a sandbag rest. The same gun had a cylinder timing issue I had not noticed but the gunsmith corrected. After the repais the gun is good for 4" groups at 100 yards.

Model 25 where one chamber does not carry up properly.

SW1911PD with a poorly fitted barrel, shot 6" groups at 25 yards and the action was opening too soon so that the firing pin dug a drag mark on the primer of each cartridge. A ledge on the breech face which bends cartridge rims. The breechface was far from straight. Very generous slide to frame clearance, about 0.010".

Now the 1911PD has a professionally installed Ed Brown barrel and works as it should, this is a 25 yard group with 230 gr Remington hardball:

I have bought about a dozen new S&Ws in the past few years so this makes it a 20-25% failure rate. As I live overseas, the import and export paperwork to send guns to S&W for repair is prohibitive.

I still keep happily buying and using S&Ws because there is nothing to equal their models on the market, but I just wish S&W would take assembly quality more seriously.

On the positive side I have been very happy with these new S&Ws: 327 M&P R8 (except for some cosmetic flaws on the cylinder finish), 29 Classic, 329PD, and of course some classic oldies from the 1980s. I have already ordered some new S&Ws for this spring, e.g. M&P45, Model 945PC, SW1911DK, 29 Mountain Gun, 60 Chief's Special.

 

[dirtysanchez]

Sasu, you mention that your Smiths don't come from the official distributor. I guess you don't pay his prices, either? Does it not seem a little strange then that you seem to get 25% duds?

 

[Jhp147]

I'm sure Smith will fix it quick. I have seen one other mention of problems with an M&P trigger related to the plunger. One got out of the factory with some metal "flashing" still on the plunger or in the hole. I saw a couple of pics of the metal-big sliver to be left, I thought. At any rate, the guy that had this took off the sight, cleaned out the hole, took out the extra sliver of metal, light polish to the hole and plunger and he was done.

 

[sasu]

your Smiths don't come from the official distributor.

My guns leave the U.S. through the hands of a major American distributor so they are no seconds, and I pay the full price. I just use a small local gun shop that can import stuff for me that the official importers cannot be bothered with.

Or do suggest S&W sells all QC failed guns through "unofficial" sales channels?

The whole system of official, exclusive distributors and importers smells of socialism. One company should decide what kind of guns are available in some geographical area and at what prices? Come on now...

 

[army_eod]

Originally posted by Jhp147:
I'm sure Smith will fix it quick. I have seen one other mention of problems with an M&P trigger related to the plunger. One got out of the factory with some metal "flashing" still on the plunger or in the hole. I saw a couple of pics of the metal-big sliver to be left, I thought. At any rate, the guy that had this took off the sight, cleaned out the hole, took out the extra sliver of metal, light polish to the hole and plunger and he was done.

I might try that fix except I don't have my tools with me now. And I have a new gun and want the company to make it right.

 

[11bravo]

Sasu, thanks for the honest report. I've been looking at the Smith 1911's but do not think you should have to buy a custom barrel for a new gun.

 

[smithbc]

I have had my Pro out to the range a couple of times. Both times the slide would not allways lock back on an empty mag.

THe first time out, it did not like Blazer Brass ammo. I have not used the ammo since then, so I am not sure (yet) if that is a Pro problem of a ammo problem.

 

[sasu]

Originally posted by 11bravo:
do not think you should have to buy a custom barrel for a new gun.

The factory barrel would probably work just as well if it were fitted properly. As I did not know what was exactly wrong the first step was to buy the new barrel. The gunsmith found out the poor fitting of the barrel at the factory but by then I already had the custom barrel.

I have already ordered another S&W 1911, the Doug Koening regular 45 ACP version. The basic design and forged main components are so solid that I am prepared to take the risk again.

And anyway, S&W will repair guns under warranty, its just that I cannot use that service because of my location and the silly paperwork required for a gun to cross international borders.

I would not post this experience except for the fact that I have slight defects on several new S&Ws. I know S&W will repair them under warranty but it would be so much nicer if their own Quality Assurance people would notice them before shipping the guns, or better yet if they made less mistakes in the first place.

 

[army_eod]

updated original post with interesting info.

 

[11bravo]

Agree 100% Sasu, S&W Quality Assurance people need to revisit the definition of their job description. Even with tough times, gun enthusiasts are spending money. Maybe some of their VP's log in here once in a while. Again, thanks for sharing the info.

 

[sasu]

My dealer got a new SW1911DK for me today, this one has been officially imported.

Unfortunately this gun has the same faults as my SW1911PD.

The barrel does not lock up properly, it is propped up on the barrel link, i.e. the lower lugs do not rest on the slide stop. This destroys accuracy by allowing the barrel to wobble to a different position each time.

The breechface is crooked and there is the infamous ledge again that bends cartridge rims on firing.

The barrel has really ugly, deep scratches, a dozen or so, across the barrel locking lugs and above the chamber towards the hood. They are not just cosmetic, they are quite deep, they catch my nail. There are only a couple of minor corresponding scratches on the slide locking lugs. I wonder what has caused the marks on the barrel.

This time the frame to slide fit is not too bad, maybe some thousandths of an inch clearance both vertically and horizontally. That I could live with.

Otherwise the gun looks and feels really nice and I would love to own it if it just were mechanically sound.

I am really disappointed to get yet another lemon from S&W. I will probably have the gun returned to the importer. I suspect they would not repair it properly and returning the gun to S&W is probably out of the question because of overseas paperwork, so I may have to cancel the deal. Another option would be to negotiate the price down and have a new barrel installed professionally, but still the gun would end up costing almost as much as a Les Baer (roughly $200 for a barrel, maybe $200 to have it fitted).

S&W, please wake up!

 

[oldRoger]

I have a PC1911, the lock-up is smooth and very tight. The PC did an outstanding job. If the hood to breach fit was any tighter it wouldn't close. Accuracy is excellent. Other than changing the front sight to a Gold Dot and changing the grips. I have done nothing with it. There is more vertical play in the trigger than I like and one of these days I will address that.
In general I think that it's a first class pistol, not the equivalent of an SVI or other very high-end pistols, but not the price either.
S&W can do it, too bad they don't get it done 100%.

 

[army_eod]

Originally posted by sasu:
My dealer got a new SW1911DK for me today, this one has been officially imported.

Unfortunately this gun has the same faults as my SW1911PD.

The barrel does not lock up properly, it is propped up on the barrel link, i.e. the lower lugs do not rest on the slide stop. This destroys accuracy by allowing the barrel to wobble to a different position each time.

The breechface is crooked and there is the infamous ledge again that bends cartridge rims on firing.

The barrel has really ugly, deep scratches, a dozen or so, across the barrel locking lugs and above the chamber towards the hood. They are not just cosmetic, they are quite deep, they catch my nail. There are only a couple of minor corresponding scratches on the slide locking lugs. I wonder what has caused the marks on the barrel.

This time the frame to slide fit is not too bad, maybe some thousandths of an inch clearance both vertically and horizontally. That I could live with.

Otherwise the gun looks and feels really nice and I would love to own it if it just were mechanically sound.

I am really disappointed to get yet another lemon from S&W. I will probably have the gun returned to the importer. I suspect they would not repair it properly and returning the gun to S&W is probably out of the question because of overseas paperwork, so I may have to cancel the deal. Another option would be to negotiate the price down and have a new barrel installed professionally, but still the gun would end up costing almost as much as a Les Baer (roughly $200 for a barrel, maybe $200 to have it fitted).

S&W, please wake up!

Tell me again? The 1911 is imported???? You are kidding? I thought they were US made. Where is it made? Insane.

As I think I mentioned, Smith may be close to going out of business. You should look at their financials. This could be the problem. They perhaps fired their QC and others. I am not kidding. They have been sued for cooking their books. Fraud.
If another company does not buy them they have a tough road ahead. Guess I should have done more research.

I am still waiting for my shipping label.

 

[sasu]

Originally posted by army_eod:
The 1911 is imported????

I live in Europe, so we have to import the good stuff, e.g. Smith & Wessons and Armalites.

 

[M29since14]

I always enjoy reading Sasu's bits, but getting back to the 9Pro, I have had M&Ps for some time now and not seen much to complain of, other than the trigger action. I just recently purchased an M&P9L, with a little apprehension. (I always seem to have trouble with 9s.) This one is very accurate, and would be more so, if the trigger were tuned to suit the shooter. It's a nice pistol - very pleasant to shoot. Hope the OP gets his gun straightened up to his satisfaction.

To Sasu, all I can say is, your experiences mirror my own here in the U.S. - over the last forty years. It is probably just a little easier for me to rectify them. As you note, in spite of the nonsense, the products justify the hassles, I guess. Do you happen to have a pic of the botched crown on the 629? I would appreciate seeing it. If so, please post it over in the revolver section.

 

[sasu]

I offered to buy the SW1911DK at a 30% discount so I could replace the barrel, but the importer did not want to sell it at that price so I cancelled the deal.

Now I am considering an STI Trojan or Lawman, or a Dan Wesson Pointman instead. They cost roughly the same and are properly built.

I am so sorry to let the S&W 1911 go. Oh well, I ordered a 5903TSW as a consolation. They should be better built.