M&P 22 Compact magazines fall out

[wrangler5]

Just picked up a 22 Compact and haven't even been to the range with it yet. (Ordered it after putting just 25 rounds through a rental gun at the range - VERY sweet shooting and feeling gun.) But "playing" with it in the course of an initial field strip and barrel cleaning I've noticed that the magazines do NOT want to stay in the gun unless I give 'em a very hard smack with the heel of my hand.

Even when loaded, so the follower isn't pushing on the slide lock, they do not want to stay in unless smacked hard up into the grip. What I consider a "normal" insertion pressure will usually result in the mag staying in the grip, but upon dropping the slide it will pop out. It's like the mag just barely hangs onto the mag catch, but then comes loose when there's pressure put on from the top.

I'm assuming (hoping?) that this is just new-gun tolerances that will fix themselves with some shooting, as a search on this forum didn't turn up any threads that had discussed this situation.

But I'm wondering if anybody else has experienced this? And if so, what was the fix? Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Dad_Roman]

I'm assuming (hoping?) that this is just new-gun tolerances that will fix themselves with some shooting, as a search on this forum didn't turn up any threads that had discussed this situation.

But I'm wondering if anybody else has experienced this? And if so, what was the fix? Thanks for any suggestions.

Shoot the heck outta it. One of the finest and funnest guns in the arsenal.

My entire family loves the 22c and always falls back to it at the end of a big day at the range.

 

[wrangler5]

Well, that was sorta my plan. Further scientific experimentation has revealed that slightly rotating the mag in the gun after it's pseudo-seated WILL let the mag catch fully engage and then hold the mag reliably. So I'm hoping it's just some new-part dimensions that have to work themselves out in a real world shooting environment.

If things end up not working properly after a reasonable break in period, I do know how to get a shipping label back to the mothership (sadly.)

 

[Dad_Roman]

I hope it works itself out and doesnt give you any problems because its a fantastic platform.

I dont recall having any issues but my son and I bought it for mamma's first gun experience and we were so excited to get her going that I dont think we would have even noticed

 

[richardw]

I have 22C since late March. I have put a bit over 1500 rounds through it without a hiccup. I have four magazines. All work perfectly loaded and unloaded and engage with just finger pressure.

However, one day I suddenly could not get a loaded mag to make a clear release. It would eject about an inch and stop so that I had to pull it out of the mag well. All my other mags worked fine. I examined the loaded mag and noticed that some rims of the cartridges were protruding from the slot at the top rear of the mag. The slot is supposed to accommodate staggered rounds to increase capacity. I unloaded the magazine and it worked fine. I carefully reloaded it and it worked fine. Apparently I had not been careful when loadeing the mag. Since that made the mag hang up on eject, I assume it could make insertion more difficult.

Of course if you are having the problem with both magazines when empty you likely have a problem with the gun. If only one mag hangs up you likely have a problem with a mag.

There are practically no reports of problems of any kind with the 22C here or on other forums I use. Personally, if it were my gun and the problem occurred with more than one mag I would send it back, because it be malfunctioning in a way that would not be described as a break in problem.

Good luck on getting a quick conclusive assessment and repair if necessary.

 

[wrangler5]

Well, the magazines worked pretty well at the range, although something is still not quite right. I was pretty careful to be sure they were fully locked in before dropping the slide and shooting.

Once, though, the slide chambered the first round from the magazine and the magazine then fell out. And on several occasions the mags would not lock in place without a pretty firm smack. It appears that the magazine catch does not want to fully engage the little nubs on the mag without some special encouragement - the mag catch stands proud of the grip if I just push the mag into the grip without using extra pressure. The catch DOES usually snap into proper engagement if I push the magazine baseplate toward the muzzle after the mag is fully inserted.

I think I'll take the magazine catch out of the frame to see if there are any obvious burrs or other irregularities that might keep it from engaging easily. If that and another range session or two don't fix the problem then I'll just get a return shipping label and let the factory fix it.

 

[Hhenry]

Shoot the heck outta it. One of the finest and funnest guns in the arsenal.

I fully agree!! Great trainer pistol, and a joy to plink with!!

 

[JHB51]

There should be a slight gap between the mag base pad and the bottom of the grip. If there isn't the mag catch can't seat fully. A business card thickness between the grip and mag base should do it.

 

[wrangler5]

Took the mag catch out and used a hobby knife to take off the tiniest bits of flash still on it - needed my magnifying visor to see any, but as long as the part was out of the gun . . . I also smoothed down an almost invisible parting line. I've only had experience with M&Ps for a few weeks so certainly am no expert, but I didn't see anything that looked obviously wrong with the catch.

So I re-installed it to work for a left hander. Function is then PERFECT with both mags - slide 'em in as gently as you like and when they get far enough the catch grabs 'em solidly. Every time. What I would consider absolutely normal function.

Switched the catch back to right handed use and the problem is back. As I mentioned earlier, if the magazine base plate is pushed toward the muzzle when it is fully inserted, the catch works properly every time, without any unusual upward pressure. It doesn't take any special forward pressure on the base plate either - just be sure that the mag is at the "forward" edge of the range of play that it has inside the grip, and when it gets there it will lock in solidly.

I'm going to try it for another range session or two (now that I know how to make it work). If it doesn't fix itself I'll call S&W and see if they'll send me a new magazine catch first - save 'em the round trip express bills and give me a chance to fix the gun in 10 minutes instead of waiting 2 weeks for them to do it.

 

[wrangler5]

Follow up: Fixed

So I called S&W, but they would NOT just send me a mag catch. Wanted the gun and both mags returned for inspection, so they went back on 8/7. (We had a 2 week trip planned for late July/early August, and I didn't want to risk being out of town if they fixed it quickly and sent it back, so I just waited until we were home for good before sending it in.)

Got it back today, 9/5, with the only notation on the documentation being replacement of the mag catch. Oh well . . . Both mags now lock in place no matter how they're inserted, so all should be well. S&W also tightened the thread protector on the barrel, which I had mentioned kept coming loose, and they included a simple wrench should it come loose again, as I had asked. No charge.

Curiously, I got two different emails last Friday, 9/1, saying that a FedEx package would be delivered tomorrow, Wednesday, 9/6, and an adult would have to sign for it. Then I got an automated phone message last night, 9/4, also saying the package would come tomorrow, Wednesday, 9/6, and an adult needed to be there, then gave phone numbers to call to see if it would be held at the local FedEx facility if delivery failed. So I was prepared to spend tomorrow watching for the FedEx truck. Then the package came today, 9/5. (Sigh.)

Anyway, all's well for the moment. The gun feels as good in my hand as it did before, and I'm looking forward to confirming that it's running at full reliability. If it is, I'll pick up a few more mags when I find 'em on sale (two is NEVER enough), and will cut the tag off the belt holster I bought for the gun, once I determine that it's a real keeper.

 

[Targets Guy]

Nice how you stayed with the problem and got it resolved. Being a lefty I really liked how you could switch the mag release button over. I've not had any problem like you describe but am now forewarned. Thanks.