Just got a S&W SD40 VE

[OKFC05]

I pulled the slide back just as I do with my Colt 1911 and let it ease forward

And that is exactly what causes the Failure to feed: riding the slide.
Just let it work like it does after a shot. Pull the slide back and let it go!

Only time to ease it down is on an empty gun.

 

[raymo2u]

every pistol with a slide should be pulled back to its extent and then released, as it would from firing a round. failure to do that would result in malfunction similar to limpwristing

alot of users also seem to be having problems with their magazine fed guns from using "clips", easy fix though