M&P 40 Guide Rod/Recoil Spring issue

[F4UCorsair]

I've noticed when I disassemble my M&P 40 that the guide rod/recoil spring is not seated in the groove designed for it. It is out of the groove but still pressed up against the barrel. Is that normal? Other guns I've had don't do that. When I clean the gun and re-assemble it I make sure it is seated in that quarter-circle groove. Cycling the slide a couple of times, and dissembling the slide again will show it is no longer seated.

I've also noticed some strange "bungie"-like behavior from the slide travel when shooting. I've written about that on another thread. I don't know if this is related or not.

 

[Jyezahn]

Pictures are worth 1000 words... it would help greatly. I'd say, that the "bungie-like" feeling you're getting, could directly correlate to the guide rod position.

 

[F4UCorsair]

I disassembled the slide. I pushed the guide rod back into the groove:

Photo, on Flickr

I cycled the slide a few times and took it back off. This is what it looks like. It's hard to tell, but you can see the guide rod isn't touching the groove for it to sit in.

Photo, on Flickr

 

[JAREDSHS]

the guide rod is not supposed to stay in the groove provided on the barrel lug. the goove is only for installing everything back into the gun.once installed the guide rod will find its own loication in the gun when the slide is racked. do not be concerned with what you find when you take the gun apart. you can call s&w and confirm this if you want

 

[sunspotshavfaded]

My MP40 does the exact same thing... I bought it last Friday. Doesn't seem to affect shooting, but I wondered the same.

 

[Rastoff]

Not an issue. The guide rod is captured in place by the frame as well. Yes, it moves off that ledge a tiny bit, but cannot come off the lug completely when the slide is installed.

They all do this. Use your gun angst free.

 

[10350]

It appears normal. Mine does the same thing. It's not a problem and doesn't affect shooting.

 

[2tango2]

My Shield 40 and M&P 9 FS exhibit the same behavior. As others have said, no issues


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[F4UCorsair]

Thanks for the feedback. That's good to know. I plan on this being a carry gun and want to make sure it wasn't an issue. All my other guns kept the guide rod in the groove except for the Shield which doesn't have a groove for the guide rod at all (amazing how it stays put).

Seeing the guide rod slightly displaced, along with that bungie-like feeling I get from the slide when shooting, made me wonder if something was wrong. It always shot well though.

 

[rsk2832]

Guide Rod Issue

I have the same issue with my M&P 40 that I got a few months ago. Although it sounds as if just the guide rod seating is not an issue, I have found that sometimes, 50% of the time, when I reassemble the gun and rack the first round, the guide rod is protruding out the front of the gun by about 1/8". This doesn't happen all the time. I have read about others with the shield having this same problem, but haven't found much with this problem in the M&P. I believe this is called being "out of battery." I'm not a gun expert, but this doesn't seem right to me. My dad and I bought the same gun at the same time from the same place and his doesn't have this problem. I will try to post a picture tonight, but wanted to get the ball rolling and see if anyone else had experienced this. Thanks in advance for any input provided.

Ryan

 

[Rastoff]

Ryan,
The term "out of battery" is when the slide is not fully closed and the round is not fully in the chamber.