I was out plinking Sunday (and bagging trash) when my M&P 15 .22 started jamming. It turned out to be the magazine. The magazine body started coming apart and allowing the follower to push the round up through the top. The rim of the case has caused two small grooves in the feed lips where the round remains trapped and won't feed. This mag has less than 1000 rnds through it. I'm awaiting a response from S&W. In the mean time has anyone ever had this problem before?
M&P 15 .22 magazine failure
- Thread starter bellarum
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Majorlk
Member
The split has been reported a few times. Super glue solves the split in about 30 seconds.
As for the two groves in the feed lips, that's a new one. I have magazines with more rounds through them that you have and I have never seen anything like that. I can't imagine what is going on cause them, certainly not anything in normal operation. Have you been trying to force the rounds through the feed lips when loading the magazine, rather than inserting them from the front?
As for the two groves in the feed lips, that's a new one. I have magazines with more rounds through them that you have and I have never seen anything like that. I can't imagine what is going on cause them, certainly not anything in normal operation. Have you been trying to force the rounds through the feed lips when loading the magazine, rather than inserting them from the front?
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Zax
Member
It looks like the magazine has been separating for a while and allowing the rounds to push straight out of the lips, wearing a groove with the case rim.
Too late for superglue, although you could probably fix it up with some epoxy but better just to have S&W replace it.
Too late for superglue, although you could probably fix it up with some epoxy but better just to have S&W replace it.
Beuford T. Rimfire
Member
Yep, this magazine is done for. Unless S&W replaces it, just throw it away and buy another one.
You MIGHT repair it with some JB Weld by dabbing just a small bit into the divots on the feed lips and then smoothing them out with sandpaper. However, that is a hard area to get to with sandpaper, and you'd save yourself a lot of headache by just replacing the magazine. Superglue will bond the mag separation back together, so in the future check all your mags periodically for any separation and fix that problem before it manifests as something more serious.
-BTR
You MIGHT repair it with some JB Weld by dabbing just a small bit into the divots on the feed lips and then smoothing them out with sandpaper. However, that is a hard area to get to with sandpaper, and you'd save yourself a lot of headache by just replacing the magazine. Superglue will bond the mag separation back together, so in the future check all your mags periodically for any separation and fix that problem before it manifests as something more serious.
-BTR
DelFuego
Member
25 round magazine $16.99
Smith & Wesson Mag S&W M&P 15-22 22 Long Rifle 25-Round Polymer Black
Smith & Wesson Mag S&W M&P 15-22 22 Long Rifle 25-Round Polymer Black
Jolly
Member
Yup, my low count mags did just that but didn't come apart. I found out it was how it was being loaded. I was letting my 13yr old load the mags whereas I was always doing it. He was jamming the last round into the mag causing the issue. It happened on #1 where he was laoding it and I noticed it at the end of the day. My #2 mag was just fine but he had not touched it. Fast forward to the next outting and **** the second one is just like the other one now. Looking for something to blame I had him show me how he was loading the mags and it became clear to me it probably was from him forcing the last round into the mag.
Easy to blam him but honestly it shouldn't be doing it in my opinion. Regardless, I don't let him load any more.
Easy to blam him but honestly it shouldn't be doing it in my opinion. Regardless, I don't let him load any more.
RedNeck Jim
Member
When I was a kid, my dad always said, in a very fake accent, "No fitta.... No forcea.
Looks like there has been some forcea going on here.
Looks like there has been some forcea going on here.
SmokeStack Lightning
Member
Only let him load in 24 instead of 25 and teach him how to do it properly?
If you don't teach him the proper method, who will??
Kids can be a PIA at times, but they usually grow out of it and you'll treasure times spent with your son when you get to my age!
He'll willingly be loading your magazines for you after arthritis sets in!
My 32 yo son is doing my grocery shopping for me as I type this.
He takes time from his work week to do all sorts of stuff for me that I'm unable to.
Sides that, he's my best pal and I couldn't get by without him (which he is well aware).
I never thought it would be this way between us, especially after getting divorced from his mom. That was 20 years ago, now.
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RedNeck Jim
Member
Maybe it is because I'm a dumb redneck from Mississippi, and we aren't so good at math, but I never count rounds going into a magazine. I load until the spring gets rather tense... usually about 2-3 rounds from maximum. I do this on my AR also.
Majorlk
Member
I have 16 15-22 magazines and have never had to force rounds in. Sounds like the kid isn't pulling down the load assist button, just forcing rounds between the lips.
I agree, throw the mag away and pay attention as to how future magazines are loaded. There's excellent instructions on page 15 in the manual.
I agree, throw the mag away and pay attention as to how future magazines are loaded. There's excellent instructions on page 15 in the manual.
Jolly
Member
Don't you think I did? I am still not letting him do it if my hands are free. I migrated him on to a pistol already anyhow. He got cocky with how accurate he was with the 15-22.
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Majorlk
Member
The spring tension on the factory mags is serious. I've never left them loaded for more than a few min anyway
Why? My 15-22 magazines, large and small, have been loaded constantly for over a year and a half, with the exception of the couple of hours between shooting and reloading.
For that matter, all my magazines stay loaded, irrespective of the cartridge or capacity. Some of them have been that way for 20 years. It has zero effect upon either the magazine bodies or the springs.
FWIW, the springs in the 15-22 magazines are not near as strong as the ones in my centerfire pistols.
The only thing causing the failure to feed is that the magazine came apart and allowed the follower to push the next round up through the feed lips. the grooves in the feed lips are caused by the case rim being forced straight up repeatedly until it failed. Has nothing to do with how the mags are loaded. I have several that have no issues.
RedNeck Jim
Member
Seems to me that would have caused a massive number of FTF and maybe even FTE. I would think the rounds would hang up while trying to be pushed thru the lips. You experience that?
Majorlk
Member
Well, I can't imagine it happening the way you say, but what do I know? The feed lips are tough and there is no wear on any of my magazines, even with a couple of thousand rounds on each of them.
Just as a curiosity, how ARE you loading the magazines? Are you doing it according to the photos and instructions in the manual or trying to load them like you do AR mags?
Zax
Member
Majorlk, I agree you won't see any wear unless the magazine is separating and then the rim will slowly "eat" away at the lips as the round rotates and is fed into the chamber.
I think it would be even harder to get this result by trying to force rounds in during reload. If that is even possible.
I think it would be even harder to get this result by trying to force rounds in during reload. If that is even possible.
Majorlk
Member
The rounds never touch the feed lips while loading. The feed lips retain the round after it's loaded.
Yes the grooves caused by the magazine splitting allowed the rounds to slowly eat away at the feed lips until the groves got bad enough that the bolt wouldn't strip the next round because the rim of the case was trapped in the groove. At first it was hanging up a few rounds per mag. Then it just stopped feeding all together. I was using 3 mags at the time and it took me a couple mags to figure out what was up. I've been shooting it regularly for at least a year and a half and so far this is the only problem its had
southcoast
Member
Wow. Replacement mags have been readily available for a while now. Wonder what took them so long.
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