M&P .45 slide lock function?

[Eshooter]

When the slide on my M&P .45 is locked open after a mag has been emptied & go to change the mag. Should the slide release when I slap another loaded mag in? Noticed also when the pistols slide is locked back with no mag or round in the chamber; I can bump or jar the pistol & it will go into battery. Tried this with my HK USP .40 compact & does the same thing with a loaded mag; but empty the slide stays locked until you press the slide release lever. My Ruger SR9c & Sig p290 don't release like the S&W & HK does, I wonder if this is normal for a combat style pistol? Don't really mind the function as it makes reloading a little quicker but wonder if it's a malfunction?


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[Jyezahn]

It's in your user manual. Not a malfunction, not a feature. It just is.

 

[Mcwsky09]

My S&W .45 full size sometimes does that. Near as I can tell when firing the last round it sometimes only just barely engages in the notch and it takes very little to bump it loose. Other times or when manually set the lock it seems to engage more fully and doesn't jar loose.

edit - and an empty mag in is supposed to hold it open - so inserting an empty mag forcefully might jar the slide lock but at the same time also push it up.

 

[gboling]

No. The proper drill is to insert a fresh mag., pull the slide back and release it.
The proper use of the slide release is to close the action with no mag. in the well. In that case you pull the slide back with your weak hand, depress the slide stop with the strong hand and gently close the slide.
Closing the slide by only depressing the slide stop could cause the malfunction that you described.

 

[andrewcdub]

I would think that if on an empty mag it just barely catches, than maybe it could be that the mag springs are going bad. I've got quite a few rounds through 4 mags that are a bit over 3 years old that still make the slide stop engage to the top. There are a few thread on here and other forums about others with mag spring problems in the 45.

 

[Rastoff]

Yes and no. The gun was not designed to work that way, but it's quite common for all M&Ps to do that. If you call S&W about it they will tell you it's OK.

 

[bxny10455]

All my M&Ps will do that with the exception of the Shield.

 

[Wolf1775]

I was pretty sure that the slide releasing when slapping in a fresh mag was a feature in the design. I'll have to check the manual though. I know that my M&P40 will do that pretty consistently with a hard slap, but only with a fresh mag and not just slapping the bottom without a loaded mag inserted. I've also done it with multiple Beretta M9's.

 

[gm272gs]

Well, that's different.
Every semi-auto pistol I have does NOT do that.

Frankly that seems a bit odd to me.

 

[Rastoff]

I was pretty sure that the slide releasing when slapping in a fresh mag was a feature in the design. I'll have to check the manual though.

Page 16 of the manual has a warning that says:

WARNING: DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE UPWARD FORCE WHEN INSERTING A LOADED MAGAZINE INTO THE PISTOL. EXCESSIVE UPWARD FORCE COULD CAUSE THE SLIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, CHAMBERING A ROUND AND MAKING THE PISTOL READY TO FIRE.

Again, this is not a "feature" of M&P guns, but they do do it.

Well, that's different.
Every semi-auto pistol I have does NOT do that.

Frankly that seems a bit odd to me.

None of my other pistols do it either. I'm sure it has something to do with the extra weight of the double sided slide stop. Extended slide stops in 1911s have exhibited this as well, though not as consistently.

 

[Wolf1775]

Page 16 of the manual has a warning that says:Again, this is not a "feature" of M&P guns, but they do do it.

None of my other pistols do it either. I'm sure it has something to do with the extra weight of the double sided slide stop. Extended slide stops in 1911s have exhibited this as well, though not as consistently.

I stand corrected then. I honestly didn't know that counted as "excessive"; I figured I was just trying to reload as quickly as possible and get back to shooting. It doesn't seem like it takes a whole lot of force to send the slide forward either.

 

[ca survivor]

the H&Ks USPc suppose to do it, doesn't happen all the time though, my MP .45 does slam on a new mag, some times, wish all did it all the time.

 

[Arik]

Sometimes it does sometimes it doesnt. I don't think it's actually a feature. It's just that sometimes the amount of force used to push the mag in is enough to push the slide release up. Same thing happened on all my semi autos from Tokarevs to S&W 4506 and my HKs and Glocks too

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[Rastoff]

I stand corrected then. I honestly didn't know that counted as "excessive"; I figured I was just trying to reload as quickly as possible and get back to shooting. It doesn't seem like it takes a whole lot of force to send the slide forward either.

I agree, it doesn't take "excessive" force to get it to let the slide go. The proper insertion technique is enough for mine to close the slide.

What I mean by "proper" is the mag should be inserted in one smooth, but firm, motion. Not slamming it in, but being serious about it.

 

[Eshooter]

Page 16 of the manual has a warning that says:Again, this is not a "feature" of M&P guns, but they do do it.



None of my other pistols do it either. I'm sure it has something to do with the extra weight of the double sided slide stop. Extended slide stops in 1911s have exhibited this as well, though not as consistently.

Thanks for all the input. I just noticed when I slam a mag but I don't always slam a mag in when the slide is open. Always pointed the pistol down range when I did. I pull back on the slide when normally releasing & the slide release lever is usually just to lock the slide open when applicable. But on a quick reload I think it's kinda neat!


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