M&P Failures

[Savage Hands]

The only real "issue" that has concerned me with the M&P9's is the tendency for the slide to "Auto-Forward" during speed reloads. I know some may consider this a "feature", and while I have found that yes, it drops my reloads times when running ball FMJ ammo during training, I have also found that approximately 70-80% of the time it will induce a feed-way stoppage when running several different types of duty/hollow point ammo when relying on the "Auto-Forward". Every 9mm M&P FS I have shot does this consistently. Basically, the nose of the hollow point round gets hung-up at the very bottom of the feed-ramp completely locking the slide and requiring remedial action to clear it. I have owned two different M&P9 FS's. One from early 2007, and one from mid 2010. Both do this consistently. I have also tested this on thee other co-workers M&P9's with the same results.

I have had to recently re-train myself to not slam the magazine home and to use the slide stop lever to release the slide during my reloads.

I recently installed a KKM barrel in my M&P9 and it also locks-up when slamming the magazine in during reloads.

I will try to make a video in the next couple of days to show exactly what I am talking about.

I've done it in the past with my FS9 with 124gr Ranger-T with no problems and five times with my 9c in a row, but both have highly polished feed ramps thanks to ATS.

My 9c just now:

1. slide stayed licked back
2-5. went into full battery no problem.

Maybe try polishing the feed ramp? What ammo is hanging up?

[ToddG]

Hopefully I'm not making a threat judgement with my gun out, for obvious reasons. Why its good to have a fast draw, I think you'd agree.

You should be making and re-making the threat judgment up until the moment you (a) move your vision to the front sight or (b) break the shot if you are target focused.

If I am indeed trying to figure out whether to shoot someone with my gun out (already not ideal), I don't think the difference between a 5.5# trigger and a 3.5# trigger will save me from screwing up and doing something I'll regret for the rest of my days.

Why would you think that? The standard trigger is going to require more than half again as much pressure to fire. Will it prevent every accident and mistake? No. But it will prevent more than the even-lighter trigger.

but if the target is something it want to shoot it may save me from badly pulling the shot and missing.

If the difference between a 5.5 and 3.5 trigger is the difference between a clean miss and an effective hit, you need to work on trigger control. Relying on a trigger setup that even the gun manufacturer says should only be used in competition guns is not the answer IMHO.

[TCinVA]

It's also worth noting that under the influence of adrenaline and facing life-or-death peril it's possible to pull a very light trigger without even realizing it.

[NickDrak]

I've done it in the past with my FS9 with 124gr Ranger-T with no problems and five times with my 9c in a row, but both have highly polished feed ramps thanks to ATS.

My 9c just now:

1. slide stayed licked back
2-5. went into full battery no problem.

Maybe try polishing the feed ramp? What ammo is hanging up?

124gr Ranger, 147gr Ranger, and 115gr CorBon DPX.

The feedramp of my stock barrel is polished, and the KKM barrels feedramp came polished.

The nose of the round gets hung-up underneath the feedramp.

[Savage Hands]

Maybe It's one advantage of the shitty 10 round magazines?

[NickDrak]

Maybe It's one advantage of the shitty 10 round magazines?

Could be. Basically what appears to be happening is the top round gets jarred loose enough that it ends up oriented in a slightly nose down position and then gets snagged under the feedramp as it is getting fed.

[boyscoutg36]

Mine auto-forwards almost 100 percent of the time, so far it hasn't caused any stoppages but it did drive me away from the slingshot method of slide closure. I went back to the left thumb slide release technique I used for years and it works well for me. My M&P is a early generation gun, it seems the later ones do this less for some reason.

[jslaker]

I almost wonder if a stiffer slide stop spring wouldn't "solve" the autoforward issue. I'd be willing to install such a spring on my guns if it delivered a more consistent behavior from slide lock, personally.

[ToddG]

The slide stop spring is one of the most carefully balanced on the gun. Too heavy and it can cause premature lock back. Too weak and it may not lock back at all.

[David]

It's also worth noting that under the influence of adrenaline and facing life-or-death peril it's possible to pull a very light trigger without even realizing it.

It's hard enough for some to keep their finger off the trigger under calm conditions, under stress and fear your finger may be fighting you to naturally go on the trigger. Then there is the whole nightmare of being in a struggle over your pistol and in that case a light trigger could be really bad.

I know no one plans on ever letting a person get close enough to struggle over their pistol but no one ever plans on killing someone either and it's surprising how long people will put off on pulling the trigger. If you've decided to pull the trigger it doesn't matter how heavy it is you'll pull it.