M&P 45 Locked Up

[STW]

I installed the Apex hard sear and USB in my 45 this last week and took it to the range to try it out today. Everything seemed fine through 8 rounds.

When I fired the 9th round the pistol started to recoil and the slide jammed about 1/4 inch back. It wouldn't move forward or back. I coaxed the extractor off the shell and the emplty shell moved freely in the chamber. No amount of force, however, could get the slide to move back any further.

I finally used a plastic head on a bronze hammer to tap the slide forward into battery.

So, what could have busted?
Is my best option S&W or a local smith since I've installed the Apex parts?

 

[bloodlord77]

after you tapped the slide foward into battery, does it now move freely all the way back? and when you dryfire, does the trigger still function properly?

 

[STW]

The trigger works fine but it takes a major effort to get the slide to move back far enough to reset the striker. There is less than 1/4 inch free movement with the slide.
I need a pair of those x-ray glasses they used advertise in comic books, assuming they could be used for more than looking under someone's clothes. <g>

 

[bloodlord77]

Have you tried removing the slide, and putting the factory parts back in, and then see if it functions properly? If it still takes alot of force to pull the slide back, then I would suggest sending it back to s&w with the factory parts installed for repair. While the slide is off, also check the recoil spring by pulling it down the rod with your fingers to make sure that is functioning.

 

[STW]

I took it to a local smith. He can't figure out a way to do much of anything since the slide won't move more than 1/4-1/2 and inch. He called S&W before he used the sledge hammer approach and they suggested he send it to them. As long as it is not the Apex sear causing the problem shipping and fixing will still be free. Right now it's just an expensive paper weight.

I don't believe it's the sear. If I force the slide back far enough to reset the trigger (and force it forward again) the trigger feels just fine. We'll see.

And to think I bought this to replace a Ruger P97 where the take down lever would slip out just a bit every 500-1000 rounds giving me concerns about reliability because it made the pistol inoperable. Too easy to too hard. Some trade.

 

[Roadranger]

STW, sounds like a bulged barrel to me. I had the same thing happen in a Sig 226. We had to modify the take down lever to disassemble the gun and remove the barrel. One new barrel later, we were back in business. The bulged barrel was caused by firing another round after a squib load. The ammo company bought the new barrel. Bob!

 

[Pepper]

STW, sounds like a bulged barrel to me. I had the same thing happen in a Sig 226. We had to modify the take down lever to disassemble the gun and remove the barrel. One new barrel later, we were back in business. The bulged barrel was caused by firing another round after a squib load. The ammo company bought the new barrel. Bob!

30 years ago, I did the same thing to a model 39. Couldn't figure out why my slide wouldn't move. My reloads, my mistake. The gunsmith that repaired it put my bulged barrel up on the wall in his shop as a reminder to reloaders. I haven't made that mistake again.

 

[STW]

The pistol came back from S&W today and I still don't know what was wrong.

They replaced the barrel and the barrel stop for no charge.

I was fairly certain that it was a bulged barrel because nothing else made sense but the local smith said he couldn't see any evidence of that when he looked before sending it up the line. The fact that S&W didn't include a stupid charge suggests a squib was not the cause.

Based on this experience, however, I figure I'll get the RCBS lockout die. I have a visual check built into the reloading process but a backup would be nice. I'd rather spend $50 and not need to than spend $200 because I had to.

 

[Dos Cylindros]

The pistol came back from S&W today and I still don't know what was wrong.

They replaced the barrel and the barrel stop for no charge.

I was fairly certain that it was a bulged barrel because nothing else made sense but the local smith said he couldn't see any evidence of that when he looked before sending it up the line. The fact that S&W didn't include a stupid charge suggests a squib was not the cause.

Based on this experience, however, I figure I'll get the RCBS lockout die. I have a visual check built into the reloading process but a backup would be nice. I'd rather spend $50 and not need to than spend $200 because I had to.

How long was the turn around time from when you sent it to Smith to when you got it back?

 

[STW]

About 4 weeks

 

[Meeko]

I know you said you can move the casing around so this might nmot be it but, Were you using Wolf ammo? I had a similar issue with Wolf ammo in an M&P 45. It froze up. The case expanded way to much and would not let me rack it. About a 1/4" out of battery. I had to use a rubbe mallet to get the slide back. I know thats frustraighting. Good luck