Question about my new M&P 45 Full Size

[Zell]

I'm new here and look forward to being a part of the forum. I already have a M&P 9c -- had it for a couple years now -- and really like it. Shoots perfectly and has great looks. Today I bought a M&P 45 full size and have a concern about it. Wonder if you can help me.

There is, what seems to be, a larger than usual gap between the frame and the slide at the end of the barrel on the left side of the gun as you're holding it. That "seam" is nice and straight until about 2" from the barrel's end where it appears to widen into a larger gap. Here are a few pics to hopefully illustrate what I'm talking about. In the first one you'll see a dime (seen sideways) that's in the gap. That dime fits where it is but doesn't fit as I move it in the seam toward the handle. The second shot is just the end of the barrel where the gap gets wider. Not sure if you can see it.

Have you folks heard of this before? It seems the bottom of polymer frame is sagging downward just a tich at the barrel's end causing a larger than usual gap there. Is that a normal thing or is it a flaw that I need to contact S&W about?

Thanks!

 

[shooter1911]

I'm not a good one to comment, because I have a 45C, but it does look like you have a lot of rail showing on the front end of your gun. My seam looks very straight from front to rear.

I'll let those who have a full size compare, but I would email these pictures to S&W for their opinion.

Sorry I couldn't help more.

 

[Martya]

I have a FS 45 and your gap is a little bigger than mine; the very end of my frame seems to align with the bottom of the rail, compared to yours which actually is below the bottom of the rail. And mine also has a slight sort of taper to it. Without actual measurements, my guess is the frame, being injection molded over a a metal substrate, is slightly out of parallel compared to the slide. It's 'curled' a little more.

There is always some amount of variation in massed produced parts, how much is allowed, and how many parts is up to the process specifications and engineering specifications and inspection sampling results. More critical areas of fit and function are typically more important than other areas of assembled parts' mating surfaces, thus more, tighter tolerances and process controls and inspections; this particular feature of your frame's apparently wider-than-normal gap might be a non-critical amount of variation.

I think two options are available:
-call S&W customer service and express your concern.
-check for accuracy / function and see if anything shows, then call S&W.

I think the first option might not get you anywhere, but the call is free and perhaps worth a shot. If you have data that shows a potential problem with the 2nd option you might get further with S&W CS.

I am not a smith, so take my opinion of this being mostly a visual concern for what it is worth. As I stated, mine resembles yours, close, but not to that extent, and I have no functional issues with mine.

 

[Rule3]

Mine had a lot of "slop" in the frame to slide fitting. Even locked up with a round it would mush up and down. I really, really tried to like that gun. Sent it back 2 or 3 times for poor accuracy. SW was very good about it, even put in a new barrel. Accuracy was very poor. Functioned fine. Combat accuracy was all I could get out of it. My XD will out shoot it with anything.

First and only plastic Smith for me.
It's gone now.

 

[Helderberg]

That space would have no effect on the accuracy of the gun as it contacts the slide further back in the frame. My 45 also had a taper away from the slide but not as pronounced as yours. I think I would call Smith and I would insist on sending it back and it being repaired or replaced. If the frame cured that far out of spec it could, and I repeat COULD - read might, have other problems. Mine did not have any issues and was very accurate. I sold it to buy a 1911 but wish, in hind sight, I had kept it.
Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.
Frank.

 

[gkdoll]

I also have a new FS M&P45 with the same gap issue. Based on your photos I think my gap is even larger; I can see daylight through the coils of the mainspring.

My other issue with this pistol is the takedown lever. It refuses to stay down. I'm curious: does your lever stay down, or do you have to hold it down when stripping the pistol? I'm wondering if there's a relation between the two.

Mine is at S&W right now to fix both of these issues. I'll let you know if they do when I get it back. It's been out four weeks so far.

 

[Zell]

I also have a new FS M&P45 with the same gap issue. Based on your photos I think my gap is even larger; I can see daylight through the coils of the mainspring.

My other issue with this pistol is the takedown lever. It refuses to stay down. I'm curious: does your lever stay down, or do you have to hold it down when stripping the pistol? I'm wondering if there's a relation between the two.

Mine is at S&W right now to fix both of these issues. I'll let you know if they do when I get it back. It's been out four weeks so far.

Yes. The take down lever does not stay down. It just snaps back up like yours and I have to hold it down to get it a part.

Looks like I will be sending mine back as well. I haven't even shot the gun yet.

Please let me know how things turn out for you.

 

[Zell]

Mine is at S&W right now to fix both of these issues. It's been out four weeks so far.

Four Weeks?! Yikes! I just got mine yesterday.

That is terrible turn around time. Did they say they would fix these problems or they are just going to look at it and let you know?

Why does it take them so long. Good grief.

 

[gkdoll]

Zell: I will definitely let you know when I get it back, and what the result is. The four week mark is Tuesday, and if it's not back by then I'll be calling. It was returned to S&W by my FFL after we compared my pistol's operation with others in his case.

FMI, does the takedown lever on your older 9c work properly? Does it stay put?

 

[Jim PHL]

The take down lever issue has been discussed on other threads. When you rotate it down you'll notice the guide rod will point slightly downward, if you nudge it back up towards the barrel your TDL will stay down.

 

[Zell]

The take down lever issue has been discussed on other threads. When you rotate it down you'll notice the guide rod will point slightly downward, if you nudge it back up towards the barrel your TDL will stay down.

That's kind of a funky way to make it stay but it did the trick. Thanks!

 

[Zell]

Zell: I will definitely let you know when I get it back, and what the result is. The four week mark is Tuesday, and if it's not back by then I'll be calling. It was returned to S&W by my FFL after we compared my pistol's operation with others in his case.

FMI, does the takedown lever on your older 9c work properly? Does it stay put?

Yes. I have not had a problem with the 9c. The above trick did work on the 45, though.

Did you have a chance to shoot the gun before sending it off? I would at least like to put a box through it before I send it to S&W. I should have noticed gap before I bought it from the gun store. Please PM me when you get it back. I am curious how it turns out for you. Hope it goes well.

 

[Smith357]

I looks like the opposite of what the Glock guys call "Pig nose" They dip the dust cover in boiling water and bend it into shape.

 

[Zell]

I looks like the opposite of what the Glock guys call "Pig nose" They dip the dust cover in boiling water and bend it into shape.

Which part is the dust cover?

 

[Smith357]

Which part is the dust cover?

the part of the frame forward of the trigger guard is called the dust cover, it really does nothing but keep crud out of the spring and guide rod.

 

[gkdoll]

Zell: Yes I (and my wife) shot the pistol before we sent it back. 100 rounds and no problems. Accuracy, trigger and ergo was pretty good for a first start. We were both disposed to like this pistol before the takedown lever nonsense.

I will advise when it returns.

 

[Zell]

Zell: Yes I (and my wife) shot the pistol before we sent it back. 100 rounds and no problems. Accuracy, trigger and ergo was pretty good for a first start. We were both disposed to like this pistol before the takedown lever nonsense.

I will advise when it returns.

Great. Thanks.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[gkdoll]

Zell: I received the pistol back yesterday.

The gap problem was fixed by replacing the frame. Note: this means the gun has a new serial number. The leading 1.5 inches of the dust cover still drifts down from the slide, but there is overlap between the slide and dustcover and no actual gap. I consider the lack of perfect parallel acceptable.

The TDL problem was fixed by removing the casting nubs on both faces of the TDL. I confirmed with the S&W rep that this was indeed the fix for this problem. He said yes; that they don't really want customers filing down their own pistols, but they remove the nub and reblue the part to fix it. This fix has been widely reported by others elsewhere on the forum, but this is the first I've heard of a S&W rep confirming the nubs are indeed the cause. This fix should also apply to compact models as well.

Gap gone; TDL working per the manual. Now we like the pistol a lot.

 

[Zell]

Zell: I received the pistol back yesterday.

The gap problem was fixed by replacing the frame. Note: this means the gun has a new serial number. The leading 1.5 inches of the dust cover still drifts down from the slide, but there is overlap between the slide and dustcover and no actual gap. I consider the lack of perfect parallel acceptable.

The TDL problem was fixed by removing the casting nubs on both faces of the TDL. I confirmed with the S&W rep that this was indeed the fix for this problem. He said yes; that they don't really want customers filing down their own pistols, but they remove the nub and reblue the part to fix it. This fix has been widely reported by others elsewhere on the forum, but this is the first I've heard of a S&W rep confirming the nubs are indeed the cause. This fix should also apply to compact models as well.

Gap gone; TDL working per the manual. Now we like the pistol a lot.

Awesome! Good for you. Glad they took care of you. My own fix to the problem is still holding up even after 80 rounds through it yesterday but who knows, maybe the dust cover will eventually revert back to its initial sagging position and I'll be calling S&W. The polymer they use is so ridged and tough it wouldn't surprise me if my "fix" did not hold. We'll see.