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Hersh
06-30-09, 20:46
Tonight I started to clean my 9mm and found this crack.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/Hershel_Van/slide2.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/Hershel_Van/slide3.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/Hershel_Van/slide1-1.jpg

The last cleaning was a couple months ago and I didn't notice any evidence of this crack. All I shoot are factory loads and the gun is used for 2-3 IDPA matches per month.

Smith customer service will be my first call tomorrow morning. What do you guys think?

Hersh
06-30-09, 21:22
John,

You're right! I found Todd's thread about the crack and mine is exactly like his. https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=14060&page=7

The prefix on this one is MPP844xx. I bought it used and have probably put at least 1500 rounds through it.

ToddG
07-01-09, 09:53
Hersh -- That serial prefix places the gun's build prior to a manufacturing change which was intended to improve the durability at that point. While the crack isn't common in earlier guns, certain guns (depending on exactly how new the cutting tool was when it made the slide rails) are more susceptible than others.

Of course, there are other things that can cause slide cracks. For example, dropping the gun while the slide is locked back can put a lot of stress on that point assuming the gun lands in just the right (or rather wrong) orientation. With a used gun, you've really got no idea what may have led to that area getting weakened.

While it certainly never inspires confidence to see a crack like that, I can tell you two things:

On my test gun, even after the crack, the gun still performed 100% and was even capable of sub-2" groups at 25yd.
S&W will pay the shipping both ways for you to return the gun & and they will replace the slide without any fanfare.

You'll be without your M&P for 2 weeks or so.

Looey
07-01-09, 09:56
Hersh
If you dont mind me asking, about how many rounds did you have thru the gun? how often did you clean it?

Hersh
07-01-09, 16:25
Todd,

Thanks for the input! The gun hasn't been dropped on my watch and it was pristine when I bought it from a friend so this is probably a fluke. I've got a call in to S&W and will post back with updates.

Looey,

Usually I clean the gun after every match, but I had let that slip recently. There had probably been 300 or so rounds fired since the last cleaning. Total rounds since I've owned the gun ... approximately 1500.

Irish
07-01-09, 16:33
Rather than using the S&W e-mail system I would recommend calling 800-331-0852 and they will e-mail you a shipping label.

Looey
07-01-09, 16:40
Todd,

Thanks for the input! The gun hasn't been dropped on my watch and it was pristine when I bought it from a friend so this is probably a fluke. I've got a call in to S&W and will post back with updates.

Looey,

Usually I clean the gun after every match, but I had let that slip recently. There had probably been 300 or so rounds fired since the last cleaning. Total rounds since I've owned the gun ... approximately 1500.

I am actually surprised that this is a little common, Thank you for the info.

John_Wayne777
07-01-09, 20:21
Todd,

Thanks for the input! The gun hasn't been dropped on my watch and it was pristine when I bought it from a friend so this is probably a fluke. I've got a call in to S&W and will post back with updates.

Looey,

Usually I clean the gun after every match, but I had let that slip recently. There had probably been 300 or so rounds fired since the last cleaning. Total rounds since I've owned the gun ... approximately 1500.

Well don't feel like a lack of cleaning caused this...it was a manufacturing defect. Your M&P should be able to go hundreds of rounds without cleaning easily.

LonghunterCO
07-01-09, 21:05
Your M&P should be able to go hundreds of rounds without cleaning easily.

I completed Magpul Dynamics Handgun 1&2 in Pubelo CO last month. Ended up at the class with a New M&P (only 250-300 rounds through it prior to class). Cleaned it up prior to class. Went through the class (around 1600-1800 rounds) only oiling the 5 points (specified in the manual) with CLP on mornings of day 2 and 3. Had one double feed on the third to the last round of class. I think that it was a round of 9mm Blazer brass (I had about 200 rounds of it in the bottom of the can).

Hersh
07-01-09, 21:44
Well don't feel like a lack of cleaning caused this...it was a manufacturing defect. Your M&P should be able to go hundreds of rounds without cleaning easily.

Yeah I can't imagine this is anything but a defect.

This afternoon I called S&W and kept winding up in their voice mail system so I left a message and also sent an email. We're almost into the holiday weekend so my guess is it will be next week before anything happens.

William@swrmfg.com
07-01-09, 23:16
Hersh -- That serial prefix places the gun's build prior to a manufacturing change which was intended to improve the durability at that point. While the crack isn't common in earlier guns, certain guns (depending on exactly how new the cutting tool was when it made the slide rails) are more susceptible than others. [snip]


Interesting. So S&W attributed part of the problem to stress concentration due to a sharp corner? I suppose a radiused tool is used now?

Tagged for updates.

-William

ToddG
07-02-09, 09:30
Interesting. So S&W attributed part of the problem to stress concentration due to a sharp corner?

The old tool cut at a perfect, sharp 90-degree angle. If your slide was the first one (or few ... to-be-determined it seems) machined with a new cutter, the result seems to be a higher likelihood of a crack forming.


I suppose a radiused tool is used now?

Correct.

Hersh
07-02-09, 17:06
Today I received an email from Paul in S&W customer service. He said they will email me a return label to send the gun in for service.

Will keep you posted.

Hersh
07-08-09, 20:29
Update, Wed. 7/8/09 .... received email copy of Fedex shipping label and the gun is on it's way to Smith.

Hersh
07-22-09, 22:52
The gun arrived at S&W Friday 7/10, they shipped it back Friday 7/17 and it arrived Tuesday 7/21. Excluding the transit time, Smith only had the gun for four business days which is a damned impressive turnaround, imo! Throughout the entire return process I never actually spoke to anyone about the gun, all communications were handled via email which was very convenient.

The work order indicates the slide was replaced. Notice the slide stop cuts on the replacement. They look identical to the cuts on the original slide as best I can tell. That surprises me a little since I had expected this slide to have cuts with more of a radius?

Most likely I won't get to the range until Saturday, but I expect the gun to run like a scalded dog like it always has.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/Hershel_Van/newslide-1-1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/Hershel_Van/newslide-2.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/Hershel_Van/newslide-3.jpg

William@swrmfg.com
07-23-09, 10:54
Glad to hear that they took care of you so quickly. I'm sure you got the new slide. The radius is likely very small. Bull nose cutters with .5mm radius are commonly available and even that small of a radius would make a large difference in stress concentration.

Hersh
07-23-09, 19:00
Glad to hear that they took care of you so quickly. I'm sure you got the new slide. The radius is likely very small. Bull nose cutters with .5mm radius are commonly available and even that small of a radius would make a large difference in stress concentration.

Makes sense. I guess I was expecting a drastic difference.

HK45
07-25-09, 20:13
I can hear my DI from June 1977 screaming at me now about the importance of cleaning my weapons...


Your M&P should be able to go hundreds of rounds without cleaning easily.

ToddG
07-25-09, 21:24
Pics of my M&P test gun with 5,700 rounds since the last time it had been cleaned:

http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/mp2-25k-dirty4-350x233.jpg

http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/mp2-25k-dirty5-350x233.jpg

DrMark
07-25-09, 21:44
Pics of my M&P test gun with 5,700 rounds since the last time it had been cleaned:


No wonder it's still running... the grime is holding the parts in! Clean it, and they'd all fall out!

;)

Seriously, though, that's a pretty interesting data point... 5700 rounds since cleaning. Good stuff.

ToddG
07-25-09, 21:50
People baby their guns. My P30 after about 7,500 between cleanings:

http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/P30-7500dirty-underslide.jpg

http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/P30-7500dirty-breech.jpg

http://pistol-training.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/P30-7500dirty-extractor.jpg

See more here (http://pistol-training.com/archives/1784).