Look like a cracked slide to you?

[DataPimp]

I noticed this today. The first pic was taken through a jewelers loupe. The second one was taken with my iPhone. It looks and feels like a crack to me. What are your thoughts?

I'm going to contact S&W about this. I've only owned this guy for less than 6 months and have maybe 250 rounds through it. Never been dropped or anything done to it which would cause this (if it's a crack).

This is my M&P Shield 9.

 

[martybee]

Certainly looks like a crack! Contact S&W CS and send an image via email. That way you will have documented evidence in case you need it later!

 

[Flattop5]

It could also be a solvent stain. Did you try cleaning that area?



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[Rpg]

Looks like a crack associated with the rear sight.

Perhaps S&W's notoriously tight fit on the rear sight required extra force to simply mount the rear sight.

 

[DataPimp]

It could also be a solvent stain. Did you try cleaning that area?



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Yeah. I took some Ballistol to it because I thought maybe I could clean it off. I took the pics after I tried cleaning it off.

 

[jackrabbit000]

What does it look like on the inside?

 

[DD357]

I'm going with crack as well. Send her back.

 

[CGhelofxr]

IMHO, it doesn't look like a crack, possibly a flaw during manufacturing, but not being there it would be hard to be certain. Under magnification can you see the bottom of the area in question?

 

[DataPimp]

What does it look like on the inside?

Can't see it on the inside because it is so thick right there. Maybe I could see it if I detail stripped the slide but I'm going to wait to see if S&W wants me to send it back.

IMHO, it doesn't look like a crack, possibly a flaw during manufacturing, but not being there it would be hard to be certain. Under magnification can you see the bottom of the area in question?

What do you mean the bottom? Like can I see if there is a separation?






~sent from space.

 

[Steve912]

Does the line appear on the perpendicular edges of the 'fish scales'
--the thin edges that your fingers catch when retracting the slide?

If the line isn't visible up those thin edges, it's probably not a crack...

 

[DataPimp]

Does the line appear on the perpendicular edges of the 'fish scales'
--the thin edges that your fingers catch when retracting the slide?

If the line isn't visible up those thin edges, it's probably not a crack...

It is visible on those edges. After looking in better lighting, I can see the crack goes up over top of the slide and over to the other side of the firearm. I can really see that it's a crack now.

Well, I'll keep you all posted. Hoping to hear back form them this week and I'm sure they will want to see the entire firearm or at least the slide.

 

[andyo5]

Place a small drop of light oil or a similar liquid on the suspected crack. If it soaks in, it is a crack. If it stays on the surface, probably not.

 

[CGhelofxr]

Can't see it on the inside because it is so thick right there. Maybe I could see it if I detail stripped the slide but I'm going to wait to see if S&W wants me to send it back.



What do you mean the bottom? Like can I see if there is a separation?






~sent from space.

A crack will go all the way through and you will not be able to see the lowest area of the line. If you can see an end to the depth then it isn't a crack.

 

[DataPimp]

A crack will go all the way through and you will not be able to see the lowest area of the line. If you can see an end to the depth then it isn't a crack.

Still not quite sure what you mean.

 

[Steve912]

A crack will go all the way through and you will not be able to see the lowest area of the line. If you can see an end to the depth then it isn't a crack.

If you're saying a crack has to go all the way from one side to another 'to be a crack', no. It can start at one side and progress a certain distance and stop. Visualize the steel more as modeling clay with a tear, than a piece of glass. I've seen that in a slide, where the crack started at slide stop notch. It continued up the slide till the slide thickness increased, and it stopped there.

That said, that's one bizarre crack on OP's slide!

 

[alwaysoutdoors]

I have to lean toward it not being a crack (just barely)

Edit: seems like an odd place to crack

 

[kannonvaggon]

Does a small thin edge " catch " on that line? If it's a stain or something your nail or a strip of plastic for instance will not catch on it, but it will if it's a crack.
I'm betting it's a crack done at the factory when installing the sight.
But, I've been known to be rather on the wrong side of things more than once ...

 

[gwpercle]

Try putting a single drop of penetrating oil on the crack and see if it stays on the surface or runs into (gets wicked into ) the crack....that should tell you something .
Sure does look like a crack from photo.
Gary

 

[jstanfield103]

I would not even mess around with that. Looks like a crack. Call S&W and email those picture in. Let them deal with it.

 

[DataPimp]

They requested that I send it in. The entire gun, not just the slide. I'll ship it tomorrow, and when I get it back I'll report back.