M&P Mag Catch Problem

[buckspen]

I have a full size M&P in .40 S&W with eight magazines that I bought over a year ago. I shot the gun all last summer in our weekly speed steel league. Rounds fired through the gun are about 2500-3000 without malfunctions of any kind.
Friday evening I participated in the first match of the season and I had the same malfunction multiple times. During firing, the magazine in the gun would unlatch and drop enough to not feed the next round. This happened with all eight magazines. Finally, during the last stage, I actually held the magazine in with my right hand (I am a left hander) while shooting and that worked. Since I am a left hander and the mag catch is still set up to operate from the left side, my thumb does not come anywhere near the button. After the match, I tried to duplicate this malfunction by changing my grip and/or using a very tight grip, but that didn't cause it to happen.
What seems to be happening is that, under recoil, the mag catch is releasing the magazine. When I seat the magazine at the start of the stage or during a reload, it clicks in solidly. I am a regular competitor in speed steel and IPSC type action matches and I know to seat the magazine well during reloads.
Anyone have any suggestions as to what might be happening here?

- - Buckspen

 

[buckspen]

I have a full size M&P in .40 S&W with eight magazines that I bought over a year ago. I shot the gun all last summer in our weekly speed steel league. Rounds fired through the gun are about 2500-3000 without malfunctions of any kind.
Friday evening I participated in the first match of the season and I had the same malfunction multiple times. During firing, the magazine in the gun would unlatch and drop enough to not feed the next round. This happened with all eight magazines. Finally, during the last stage, I actually held the magazine in with my right hand (I am a left hander) while shooting and that worked. Since I am a left hander and the mag catch is still set up to operate from the left side, my thumb does not come anywhere near the button. After the match, I tried to duplicate this malfunction by changing my grip and/or using a very tight grip, but that didn't cause it to happen.
What seems to be happening is that, under recoil, the mag catch is releasing the magazine. When I seat the magazine at the start of the stage or during a reload, it clicks in solidly. I am a regular competitor in speed steel and IPSC type action matches and I know to seat the magazine well during reloads.
Anyone have any suggestions as to what might be happening here?

- - Buckspen

 

[Forsmithers]

Buckspen, if memory serves some of the earlier M&P's had some magazine catch issues. I read about some of first M&P's being sent back to the factory and the spring for the magazine catch being replaced with an upgraded one. Since the magazine catch is designed to be flipped from left to right for those that are right or left handed you may be able to do the upgrade by yourself. The spring should be easy to remove and replace if Smith will send you a new one. Try calling their customer service # at 1-800-331-0852 between 8AM and 8PM (EST, Mon - Fri) and they should be able to get you fixed up.

Mark

 

[buckspen]

Thanks for the tip on the spring. Another shooter at the match on Friday night mentioned this, too, but I was unable to find anything about it on the web. I'll check it out.

- - Buckspen

 

[growr]

I too shoot USPSA and IDPA with my full size M&P.40. Have over 10,000 rounds downrange with absolutely NO Failures of ANY kind. As mentioned in the earlier post...call S&W Customer Service and let them take care of you. They are only second to Dillon in customer service!!
They are that good.....
Randy

 

[buckspen]

I called the customer service number given above by "Forsmithers" and talked to a gent named Larry. He confirmed that these pistols did have a mag catch issue and will send me a brand new one, no charge. Apparently, the metal insert in the catch was not hard enough in some pistols. Very nice service, I am impressed!
Purely as an academic exercise, I also asked about the magazine catch spring. I had been unable to find a listing for this part in the schematics for the M&P pistol posted by Brownell's. The magazine catch spring is not shown or listed as a part because it is molded into the frame and cannot be changed!
So I am looking forward to getting a replacement mag catch and getting my pistol functioning again.
Thanks for all the help!

- -Buckspen

 

[magnum12pm]

This is exactly correct, I had one of the first of the MP 40 couple of years ago. It was replaced twice, once by the gun store, then back to the factory. It has now had over 10 thousand rounds through it, works smooth as can be. My understanding was a supplier mistakenly used metal of the wrong hardness, so as it wore a little, she starts dropping right out under recoil, not likely the spring, send it backt to SW. They do it right in short order.

Originally posted by buckspen:
I called the customer service number given above by "Forsmithers" and talked to a gent named Larry. He confirmed that these pistols did have a mag catch issue and will send me a brand new one, no charge. Apparently, the metal insert in the catch was not hard enough in some pistols. Very nice service, I am impressed!
Purely as an academic exercise, I also asked about the magazine catch spring. I had been unable to find a listing for this part in the schematics for the M&P pistol posted by Brownell's. The magazine catch spring is not shown or listed as a part because it is molded into the frame and cannot be changed!
So I am looking forward to getting a replacement mag catch and getting my pistol functioning again.
Thanks for all the help!

- -Buckspen

 

[bbquer]

buck:

I too had this issue with my .40 It was sent in on Monday and had the weapon back that Friday. Fantastic service to say the least.

One tell tale sign with mine is the mag release had a slight amount of play in it with and without a mag loaded. Now it's snug as a bug.

Good luck.

 

[buckspen]

I received a new mag catch about three days after I called S&W. I put the catch in the gun and tried it out tonight at our weekly Steel match. Worked perfectly! About 100 rounds and no malfunctions. I am happy!

- - -Buckspen