M&P 9 question

[Lost Lake]

Just how many people do YOU know actually read the instructions? And does it really matter how it comes apart?

I don't think so.

Hey!

That's no way to talk to scootie.... He is right about the takedown tool and the fact you DO NOT fire the weapon to disassemble it.

I think it's great that he took the time to point out this error because we have had quite a few mistaken 'problems' with block owners thinking they need to pull the trigger on an M&P for stripping. If said M&P has a mag disconnect that would be deemed less safe.... having to insert a mag to fire the weapon.

Of course this is all wrong, as M&P's do NOT need to be fired to disassemble them.

And I sure read my owners manual!! Anyone who has not should read theirs before operating the weapon.

Off my soapbox....

 

[M29since14]

Yes, read the owner's manual - especially with a new design.

Back to the topic, the M&P9 has been out long enough now that the initial stories of extraction problems and a few others (some of them "owner-induced") have gone away and I do not hear anything much about the pistols. I have several friends who own more than one, and who shoot them a lot more than I shoot mine. The only complaint I have heard is that some would prefer a barrel of higher quality, but they usually admit that the barrel that comes with the gun is perfectly adequate. Everyone always wants the best barrel they can get.

I had an early M&P9 and now have a 9L. Other than curing the trigger, which is a simple matter, I have had no complaints about either pistol. I just examined my brother's brand-new M&P9 (with thumb safety) and it was fine. Nice looking pistol - and not a terrible trigger on this particular gun.

 

[jmathis84]

thanks for all the advie guys. Where I live they run right in line with the price of Glocks. Just wanted to know more about them to see if it was worth getting. I will shoot it at the range and see how it really feels.

 

[Lost Lake]

Where I live they run right in line with the price of Glocks. Just wanted to know more about them to see if it was worth getting.

Express Police Supply has them for $398 with free shipping. How much is the Glock?

 

[stmcelroy]

No offense meant, but some answers:

A) There is a sear disconnect lever inside the pistol that you hit to eliminate the need to pull the trigger. Did you not read your owner manual... or is your's somehow different? The fact pressing the trigger to field strip the M&P is unneeded is actually one of the "features" of the pistol, which differentiates it from most pistols on the market.

B) Removing the "tool" in the grip panel is the device you use to manipulate the sear disconnect lever inside the pistol (again, did you not read your owner manual? )

C) The warning is there for the lawyers since some of the M&Ps have a magazine disconnect feature (for places like CA)... the ones w/o the magazine disconnect have the stamped lawyer-speak.

Hope that clarifies a few things and removes some incorrect info. If somehow there are models that do not have the sear disconnect lever, please let me know. AFAIK, they all have this "feature."

Or you could just leave the tool in the grip, pull the slide back, flip the lever down and pull the trigger to remove the slide without messing with the sear disconnect.

 

[Lost Lake]

I'm not taking the tool out of the grip. I'm worried it will wear out and get sloppy. I just tried to take mine down by pulling the trigger and it works.... Is there any disadvantage to doing it that way?

 

[mgo]

I'm not taking the tool out of the grip. I'm worried it will wear out and get sloppy. I just tried to take mine down by pulling the trigger and it works.... Is there any disadvantage to doing it that way?

Pulling the trigger is fine. That is what Glock owners do. Just make sure, of course, that there is no round in the chamber. The whole reason for pulling down the lever inside the frame is to allow the user to ensure that there is an empty chamber and to release the sear for easier take down. Instead of the tool, just use any small object that will fit into the frame to engage the release. As the old TV commercial used to say, "Try it...you'll like it"...

 

[scootle]

I'm not taking the tool out of the grip. I'm worried it will wear out and get sloppy. I just tried to take mine down by pulling the trigger and it works.... Is there any disadvantage to doing it that way?

For those of us who are stuck with magazine disconnect, this is the easier path to field stripping... otherwise we'd have to clear the gun, then reinsert a magazine, close the slide, and then press the trigger.

It's arguably faster to use the sear disconnect... remove magazine, open/lock slide, check chamber, hit sear disconnect lever, hit takedown lever... slide comes off.

By forcing the user to open the slide and remove the magazine to engage the sear disconnect, S&W made sure you have to open the slide/chamber with no magazine present to field strip. It's a clever way to make field stripping "safer" for those who aren't inclined to follow proper safety practices in the first place.

As for reading the owner's manual... it sure strikes me as very irresponsible to not read the manual for such a potentially deadly device. In fact, if you read the manual enough to realize that S&W wanted you to pull the tool from the grip during field strip, what stopped you from comprehending what its purpose was? All to their own. I was just providing the obvious answer to a somewhat silly question.

Anyhow, to stop hijacking this thread, if the OP is comfortable with a Glock 19, they will likely be relatively happy (at the very least) with the M&P9.

 

[Lost Lake]

Actually I have the mag disconnect. I just pressed that with a pen instead of using a magazine so I could try the trigger thing.

I don't pull the tool out. I find it easier to use a toothpick, my finger, or just about anything I have handy to drop the sear lever.

 

[scootle]

Actually I have the mag disconnect. I just pressed that with a pen instead of using a magazine so I could try the trigger thing.

I don't pull the tool out. I find it easier to use a toothpick, my finger, or just about anything I have handy to drop the sear lever.

haha. nice. either way, you have to get in there with something small and either move the mag disco or the sear disco lever. your choice.

i can actually get in there with my pinky to move the sear disco lever if i'm not at my workbench for some reason.

i need to stop being lazy and just order the spring to disable the mag disco and stop worrying about it.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Hey!

That's no way to talk to scootie.... He is right about the takedown tool and the fact you DO NOT fire the weapon to disassemble it.

I think it's great that he took the time to point out this error because we have had quite a few mistaken 'problems' with block owners thinking they need to pull the trigger on an M&P for stripping. If said M&P has a mag disconnect that would be deemed less safe.... having to insert a mag to fire the weapon.

Of course this is all wrong, as M&P's do NOT need to be fired to disassemble them.

And I sure read my owners manual!! Anyone who has not should read theirs before operating the weapon.

Off my soapbox....

Hey, I didn't say he was wrong. Not at all. But does it really make a difference? NO.

 

[washburn832]

I'm confused...I have the MP40 with the mag disconnect. I disassemble using the sear disco lever inside. But, I'd like to know how to disassemble it using the trigger method just because I want to know every little trick about my gun. I tried inserting an empty mag then pulling the trigger but then when you bring the slide back to release the take down lever it apparently cocks it again. So what exactly is the sequence here? Am I missing something? Does this only work on the guns without the magazine disconnect?

 

[chuck s]

Actually I did read the owners manual and removing the frame tool (grip securing pin) and pushing a lever inside the pistol has gotta be the most lawyer-driven method I've yet seen. Assumes folks are too stupid to clear the pistol first -- Yeah there are lots of folks who are.

These gyrations are cumbersome, unnecessary and can be safely ignored provided the pistol is clear. If you think it's necessary to depress the sear deactivation lever (a vestige of the magazine safety?), use whatever is handy; no need to remove the tool.

For grins I grabbed the M&P manual. Other random items I frankly ignore:

Never load your pistol until you are sure of your target. (p.15)

...and these were in red!

Always use the lock...to secure your firearm. (p.7)

WARNING: Wear safety glasses every time you assemble or disassemble your firearm. Or magazine. (This appears several times.)

-- Chuck

 

[Lost Lake]

I'm confused...I have the MP40 with the mag disconnect. I disassemble using the sear disco lever inside. But, I'd like to know how to disassemble it using the trigger method just because I want to know every little trick about my gun. I tried inserting an empty mag then pulling the trigger but then when you bring the slide back to release the take down lever it apparently cocks it again. So what exactly is the sequence here? Am I missing something? Does this only work on the guns without the magazine disconnect?

If you have the mag disconnect safety, you must lift that before the weapon will fire. So to drop the sear without a magazine inside reach into the mag well with a pen or popsicle stick and lift the mag disco wire. Now the weapon will fire.