Problems with S&W M&P

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
I was shooting my 9mm M&P tonight and the slide jammed when it was traveling backwards as it was opening to eject the case. The case mouth was just barely inside the chamber. And the slide would not move in either direction.
The case was loose enough that i could force the mouth of the case down and out through the magazine opening.
The slide still would not move forward or back. An the slide was tight with no wiggle in any direction.
FINELY i did get the slide to move forward into battery. I did it by putting pressure on the muzzle rearward. Then the spring would force the slid into battery. Again i tried to move the slide from full battery to full ejection open. Again the slide would only open as far back as before which showed about 1/2 " of the barrel.
After multiple working of the slide by hand it always stopped and locked in the same place. The only way to get the slide to move back into battery was put pressure on the muzzle rearward, or if i put downward pressure on the back of the barrel in the slide opening where the cartridge marking is. When i move the barrel to release the slide there is always a snap like something is moving inside.
I don't know if it important. When i try to work the slide by hand. The muzzle moves back about a 1/4 of an inch as the back of the barrel starts to drop down
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
That isn’t what I expected. My CZ uses a slide stop with a pin that the barrel cam rides. Mine broke and the action was locked up a bit.
Just sounded similar.

Can you get the slide off? Sure sounds like whatever the barrel rises for locking and unlocking has a issue.
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
It sort of sounds like you may have a locking block or locking bar issue. It's difficult to tell since I don't have the gun in hand to examine.
Parts are generally inexpensive for an M&P if you can find them in stock. I've had a few of them, but haven't had any issues myself. Yet.
 

Ian

Notorious member
It isn't the slide stop, but could be the locking bar broke and wadded up under the barrel, not allowing the barrel to drop enough for the slide to come all the way back. Can you get the slide back far enough to turn the takedown lever?
 

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
Slide only moves the 1/2". When it stops it feels like it hits a solid stop. No slight binding ahead of the stop.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I'd be calling S&W.
I don't know if they run a toggle link under the barrel or not [like a tokarov or a 1911] but that's the area I'd suspect where your problem is.
maybe the recoil spring rod?
 

Rick H

Well-Known Member
My guess would be a broken recoil spring guide rod. Binding. Call S&W see if they have an authorized repair center near. Let them fix it.
 

Ian

Notorious member
if the totally floating, non-captured guide rod breaks I believe it will shoot out the front with the spring, could be wrong though. These have no link, just a sloped tongue milled into the barrel and a block pinned to the frame which has a bar the tongue engages.

Drive out the roll pins and the trigger pin and lift the whole mess out of the plastic lower.
 

Kevin Stenberg

Well-Known Member
That guide rod has has no wiggle. It can spin both directions but doesn't unthread when turned.
Tomorrow i'm going to contact S&W to see where the closest repair station is.
 
Last edited: