M&P - Spare parts availability, and armorer's manual

[QuietShootr]

If I'm going to go to these things as my main pistol, I want to have spare parts around, as well as the ability to detail strip and replace as necessary.

Are these things readily available?

[SecretNY]

I'm scheduled to take the armorer's course next week. If no one answers by then, I'll find out for you. I'm taking it for the same reason. If I'm going to run the gun as my primary duty weapon, I want to be able to diagnose problems and fix them.

Stay safe,
SNY

[Business_Casual]

Did you read this yet: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=3553

M_P

[diverge]

I have this same question. With so many people on this forum that like the M&P handgun I expected more responses.

The most complete supply of parts I found was brownells:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=8..._P__Semi_Auto_

Noticed they do not sell the extractor. Is there a reason why they don't?

[Mate]

Yay, and two parts I wanted most are on B/O.

Thanks for the link though. I'll put myself on the list.

[John_Wayne777]

To the best of my knowledge there's no armorer's manual out there for the M&P...at least not one that anybody can get ahold of. I'd sure as hell like one.

There are M&P armorer courses offered by S&W, but it's generally LE only. Perhaps Todd or GotM$ can more intelligently answer some of these questions.

[subzero]

Parts: Brownells and SSS are the best sources.

The Armorers Class was LE only as of 07 or so, don't know if that's changed. The most important things you'll learn there are pins to port, sights to starboard (for removal). Roll pins can be reused but toss them if they look the least bit dinked. One drop of lube per rail, one on muzzle, one on hood and one on trigger bar tail. The extractor pin can a bitch to put in without mushrooming, so get extra pins if replacing extractors. You'll need a go/no-go bar gauge to measure extractor hook position if replacing extractors. There's an adjustment pad up by the hook you can file (using the gauge as a guide). If anything goes pear shaped with the sear, it's much more time expedient to have a complete sear pack standing by rather than trying to find the detent you just lost on the carpet. The striker safety plunger spring can easily kink on reinstallation and gum up the works. If memory serves, that problem can manifest by the slide going partially rearward (going out of battery) when pulling the trigger. I think I've seen that one on Glocks also.

[ToddG]

There is an armorer manual, you get it when you take the armorer course. It's fairly well done with photos, etc.

While the M&P is reasonably easy to disassemble and reassemble, it is nowhere near a Glock in this regard. Nothing is. There are more individual parts to deal with, different sized pins (thus different sized punches), and a couple of things that are easy to get wrong if you're not careful (e.g., trigger spring orientation). If you decide to take apart the sear housing block, you've added more complication ... though I don't think it's really necessary to muck with it, personally.

Also, depending on your individual gun's tolerances, removing the extractor can require a lot of patience and/or special tools. Quite a few talented folks have destroyed punches trying to drive that pin out. Just a guess, but I think that's probably why Smith won't sell extractors. They don't want anyone messing up the gun -- and their tools -- by trying to remove the one that came in the gun. FWIW, I've had two that went well past 20k rounds without a hiccup (and one of them is at 66k+ with the original extractor).

[87GN]

S&W told me to go **** myself while taking a long walk off a short pier after a taking a hike when I asked for spare parts at the NRA show.

I sold my M&Ps and canceled my plans to buy any more.

[the1911fan]

S&W told me to go **** myself while taking a long walk off a short pier after a taking a hike when I asked for spare parts at the NRA show.

I sold my M&Ps and canceled my plans to buy any more.

That attitude will hurt them in the long run and they will become dare I say like...H&K as far as parts availability, I doubt S&W could ever fall to H&K's customer service level tho. That surprises me that S&W would have that attitude towards a customer, I guess they want to control it. Like I said in the long run it WILL hurt them and they will give business back to Glock