S&W M&P series takedown

[Marswolf]

I pulled up the M&P manual at http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWesson/upload/other/MP_Manual.pdf.

It says that to field strip the handgun you:

Use the frame tool provided (or a similar device) to lower the sear deactivation lever into the magazine well.

Rotate and hold the take down lever clockwise.

Grasp the slide from the top, in front of the rear sight and remove the slide by pulling it slightly rearward then forward while being careful to retain the recoil spring and guide rod assembly.

The way I interpret this is that you must open the slide and lower the "sear deactivation lever" in order to remove the slide. Right?

Is it possible to rotate the take down lever and take off the slide, or significantly move the slide without opening the slide and lowering the take down lever?

[TGO David]

You can strip the M&P pretty much the same way you do a Glock or XD by pulling the trigger on an empty chamber. OR you can use the sear deactivation lever inside the magwell.

I tend to do it more often by the former than the latter just because old habits die hard.

[Marswolf]

So basically the sear deactivation lever just allows you to take down the handgun without pulling the trigger?

[TGO David]

So basically the sear deactivation lever just allows you to take down the handgun without pulling the trigger?

Yep! That's really all it does.

[Marswolf]

OK. Thanks.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

When I had the M&P, I was only showed how to break it down by using the deactivator. I wasnt showed the other way.

[Guest jackdog]

golly gee, if that info get's out it will be almost as scary as a Glock. What are we to do with all these unsafe firearms.

[Marswolf]

Remember the Glockath day and keep it holy.

It seems like you could design a striker fired handgun that doesn't go off if field stripped with a round in the chamber and that doesn't require de-cocking.

[Marswolf]

Reviews of the M&P are pretty good. Defense Review has several reviews and they all seem pretty good. The sear deactivation lever was designed to prevent the problem with the Glock where you have to pull the trigger to disassemble the weapon.

http://www.defensereview.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=796

By the way, unlike the Glock, you don't have to pull the trigger on the M&P to disassemble it. The M&P's sear release lever is part of the trigger assembly at the rear of the pistol. To field strip the M&P, just lock the slid back, push down the sear release lever that becomes visible in the middle of the magazine well, pivot the takedown latch, pull the slide back a bit to release the slide latch, and remove the slide just like on a Glock, SIG, or any other semi-auto pistol.

http://www.defensereview.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=777

One of the drawbacks of many polymer pistols is that they require you to pull the trigger to field strip. Part of the neat stuff with the trigger mechanism is a sear release that can only be operated with the slide locked open. There is a lever that is easily reached through the ejection port that releases tension on the sear. Then you turn the external takedown latch and the slide can be removed.

There are some other good points mentioned in these reviews, like the "steel chassis" that helps reduce polymer frame flex.

[TGO David]

I'm telling ya... they are great guns!

[Marswolf]

As I keep reading reviews and thinking about safety features I see that S&W did a lot of thinking before producing this handgun.

Here's another review that is worth reading. Be sure to read all four pages.

They obviously tried to find a way around the safety problems of the Glock and XD in having to pull the trigger in order to take down the weapon. With the magazine disconnect, it prevents the unfortunate brain-dead accident of dropping the magazine and mindlessly pulling the trigger to take apart the handgun.

I am not normally a fan of magazine disconnects for several reasons, but it sounds like S&W did a good job on this one and it does add significantly to the safety of the weapon.

I still don't see the advantage of a striker fired handgun over a SA/DA handgun with a hammer except for the psychological effect on the public. Maybe some of you will enlighten me.

Still, this is another step in the right direction. I may have to consider trading the XD for a M&P.

[Marswolf]

Had a combat guy over on HK94 (at Bragg right now) describe the gun in chat as, "I like many features of the M&P but the trigger is very crunchy".

Any comments?

[TGO David]

Had a combat guy over on HK94 (at Bragg right now) describe the gun in chat as, "I like many features of the M&P but the trigger is very crunchy".

Any comments?

Neither of mine feel crunchy. They do smooth out a bit over time, and there are several reputable smiths now who will do a trigger job on the M&P to suit your tastes.

The M&P doesn't have a $2000 custom 1911 trigger feel... but it's not a $2000 custom 1911 either.

[Guest db99wj]

As I keep reading reviews and thinking about safety features I see that S&W did a lot of thinking before producing this handgun.

Here's another review that is worth reading. Be sure to read all four pages.

They obviously tried to find a way around the safety problems of the Glock and XD in having to pull the trigger in order to take down the weapon. With the magazine disconnect, it prevents the unfortunate brain-dead accident of dropping the magazine and mindlessly pulling the trigger to take apart the handgun.

I am not normally a fan of magazine disconnects for several reasons, but it sounds like S&W did a good job on this one and it does add significantly to the safety of the weapon.

I still don't see the advantage of a striker fired handgun over a SA/DA handgun with a hammer except for the psychological effect on the public. Maybe some of you will enlighten me.

Still, this is another step in the right direction. I may have to consider trading the XD for a M&P.

As long as I have to pull the trigger, I won't be mindless, I sure wish I didn't have to do it. But I am aware and I will check, recheck and check again before I clean it.

[Guest jackdog]

Hey , I agree that the M&P does have some desirable features. Guess I'll lurk around and see how it does. In the mean while I will be very careful not to shoot myself with that other gun.

[Marswolf]

I think all of us have the problem of thinking a ND won't happen to them.

We had (have I guess) a thread over at HK94 where a surprising number of people admitted it had happened to them. It's easy to do. Just takes a fraction of a second of not being on your guard.

[Guest Tommy Ferguson Jr.]

I had no experience with the M&P other than reviews I had read, etc. I had a person come through a permit class with one. He had apparently taken the gun apart and got scared, brought it to the range for some help putting it back together. During the class I picked it up and attempted to put the magazine in and it wouldn't go in.

The sear deactivation lever was still down and had gotten bent;it wouldn't go back up. don't know if I bent it when putting the mag into the mag well, or if it was already bent. Don't forget to put it back up when you put the gun back together!

[TGO David]

I had no experience with the M&P other than reviews I had read, etc. I had a person come through a permit class with one. He had apparently taken the gun apart and got scared, brought it to the range for some help putting it back together. During the class I picked it up and attempted to put the magazine in and it wouldn't go in.

The sear deactivation lever was still down and had gotten bent;it wouldn't go back up. don't know if I bent it when putting the mag into the mag well, or if it was already bent. Don't forget to put it back up when you put the gun back together!

The sear deactivation lever is actually designed so that when you put a mag back into the gun, the act of inserting the mag will push the lever back into the grip frame. If it was mangled, someone did something really, really wrong. The good news is that S&W will likely replace it under warranty.

[Marswolf]

Talked to a friend today who says another mutual friend had a M&P, didn't like it and got rid of it.

Two comments about the guy who had the M&P. He is a terrific shot and knows a lot about handguns. He's the one who initially told me how good the Taurus 24/7 is. He was right, as usual, about that.

Second comment. He's not infallible. He likes his Glock 23.

But I forgive him. He's an ex-LEO (disabled by too many crashes) and the G23 was a duty weapon.

I'll have to get in touch to see what he didn't like about the M&P.

[Marswolf]

I got a chance to play with a couple of M&P 40s yesterday.

The interesting thing about it was that there was no sear deactivation lever and no magazine disconnect.

So basically, it was a Glock with a better trigger and much better ergonomics.

I did like the feel of the handgun in full size. Didn't care for the compact.

[TGO David]

I can honestly say I've never heard of an M&P without the sear deactivation lever.

[Marswolf]

You have now.

[DaveTN]

Here is how I take mine down; no tools needed....

Edited January 9, 2011 by DaveTN

[Marswolf]

I think even I could do that.

[saintsfanbrian]

Nah, too many moving parts for you, Mars.