untimely mag. release

[woody99]

I'm a right handed shooter. My M&P9c is set up with the mag. release on the left side of the gun. My other gun is a SW99 with the mag. release on the bottom of the trigger guard. I've gotten used to dropping the mag. by using my middle finger on my shooting hand which I really like because I don't have to adjust my grip.

Anyway, I've switched the mag. release on the M&P9c to the right side of the grip and I'm able to use my middle finger on the shooting hand. I like consistancy between weapons less chance of mistakes. Also I was having problems while carrying the M&P in a Crossbreed Supertuck ( which I love) of the mag. release being pushed. After 5 times of reaching down and having my mag. sticking out a 1/2 in. I made the switch. No problems since.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[miklcolt45]

woody,

Some earlier model M&Ps were having mag release issues. (Go to the S&W M&P forum to read more)

What you are describing sounds more like those issues than anything else. Call S&W and get a new mag release button (right name?).
Or, send it in for them to fix.

Sent mine in with the mag release issue. It came back a few weeks later. Over a thousand rounds since, and no issues.

[Rexster]

Speaking generally, and not about any particular weapon, push-button mag releases have a spring which returns the button to its position, and keeps it there, unless the button is pushed. A too-weak spring, or one that is otherwise damaged or in a bind, means that a very weak push will release the mag. Replace the spring, or any defective part that might be interfering with the spring.

Any firm-enough push will release a mag, even if the spring is strong. Some holsters will do this; check your holsters! I had one generic-fit nylon holster do this to one particular mini-1911. It would not happen when I was standing/sitting up straight, but when I leaned a certain way, the button would get pushed.

Heel-clip ("European" style, to some folks) can release a mag if the person wearing the gun sits against something that snags or otherwise pushes the release just so. This is what would happen to my early P220, when wearing my duty holster, which held the pistol away from my body more than a typical CCW rig.

[adaman04]

The Smith M&P has had an issue with having light mag release springs. Great for fast reloads, not so great when you bump it by accident. I'd get ahold of smith and get a new spring. I think the issue has been resolved, but I'm kind of out of the loop on the M&P.

[ToddG]

If the M&P in question was manufactured since the end of 2007, odds are it has nothing to do with the "mag drop" problem that affected some guns. Furthermore, those problems most commonly surfaced during firing the pistol -- the mag falling to the ground at recoil -- and not just from sitting in a holster.

The problem described sounds much more like an out-of-spec holster to me.