M&P9 inserting full mag with slide closed

Xeon06

Xeon06

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Hey folks,

I have an M&P9 with over 3000 rounds through it. I usually lock the slide back to insert magazines and have no problem. However, I'm doing my Black Badge course this weekend and that involves a lot of reloading with the slide closed. I've noticed that I am having a really hard time to seat the mag fully with the slide closed. I need to ram it hard, so much so that after doing it so much today my left palm hurts. Only really happens when they're filled with 10 rounds; 9 rounds is better, 8 is easy. I have actual 10 round mags with the plastic bottoms (no pins). Does anyone have a solution for that? My instructor suggested trimming the followers, are there any guides on this? I guess it's trial and error, but I wouldn't want to go too far and have the slide no longer lock back on an empty mag.

They're usually stored empty, but I'll leave em full overnight and for the next week too, see if that might help loosen the spring a little, but I don't have my hopes up.

Cheers
 
I had the same problem.

I found trimming the follower and storing fully loaded for a few weeks did the trick.

It seems they are set up for 9.9999 rounds, the last round was a real pain to get in. I trimmed so they were set up for more like 10.5 rounds and now they are fine.

I found an online tutorial with google that did it for me, search my posts and you'll find a link to it.
 
Put a piece of sandpaper on a flat surface and carefully draw the bottom of the follower across it. Be sure to maintain the same angle as the factory. Take off a little, reassemble and check the fit. Repeat as needed.

I would bet that you need to take off an amount equal to the height of the exposed case when it sits in the mag. But take off a little at a time, checking fit constantly. You can take more off, but you can't add any back if you go too far.
 
Take the mag apart. You will see that the follower legs have a U shaped scallop on each end. I filed the legs so that the U disappeared. This was a bit more than 1/10th of an inch. Mags now load easily.
 
As others have mentioned, "shave" or remove material from the bottom of the follower. I found it hard to get the 10th round into any of my M&P mags. Found some youtube videos about disassembling the mag, and dremeling some material off the bottom of the followers. It made a noticeable difference, and others with the M&P I know personally have mentioned similar improvements to the same issue you are having.
 
Some people will tell you to cut a link in the spring as well, do not do that. It can cause issues down the road. Trim the follower down as described above your you should be set. Almost all the IDPA shooters at the club that run M&P's did that and are happy with just a trim.

- Greg
 
Xeon06 said:
... I guess it's trial and error, but I wouldn't want to go too far and have the slide no longer lock back on an empty mag.
.
Click to expand...

Good tips here on how to do it.

Zero danger of affecting the slide stop function, as the legs have no relation to the slide stop.
 
Slide stop still works on all 4 mags with the follower shave as shown in the youtube vid.

Just wish I didn't have to smash the hell out of the mag on insertion to release the slide on a mag change. I gave up on it and have trained myself to use my right thumb to release the slide now. So when I shoot something else that does have the slide release on the mag insertion, it's not as natural to me when the slide automatically releases forward. I've been thinking about reprofiling the slide lock where it interfaces with the slide.
 
Chef40 said:
Some people will tell you to cut a link in the spring as well, do not do that. It can cause issues down the road. Trim the follower down as described above your you should be set. Almost all the IDPA shooters at the club that run M&P's did that and are happy with just a trim.

- Greg
Click to expand...

What kind of problems? I cut a single coil out of all 3 of mine, as well as trimmed the followers to fit the 10th round.
 
Sunman said:
What kind of problems? I cut a single coil out of all 3 of mine, as well as trimmed the followers to fit the 10th round.
Click to expand...

If you did the follower shave first before the coil trim, did you notice any difference after cutting a coil?
 
Plinky said:
If you did the follower shave first before the coil trim, did you notice any difference after cutting a coil?
Click to expand...

I did them both at the same time. Difference is, I can get 10 rounds in without insane amount of effort, and seems to be, a tiny bit easier compressing rounds into the mag. Not noticed any other issues as of yet.
 
There are two solutions presented here for two different problems.

First, is the solution of cutting the follower. While it every so slightly helps with magazine insertion (not really), most people cut the follower in the magazine so you can load the 10th cartridge in the magazine by hand, without having to use an UpLula or assistant type device.

The second is the spring tension issue of putting the magazine in the pistol when the slide is forward. On new magazines it is quite difficult.
Some people will remove 1/4 to 1/2 of a coil of the spring to make this easier to insert. I have done this to three of my magazines, and it makes a world of difference for inserting magazines with the slide forward. It just makes it way easier, and during IPSC you don't have the issue where the magazine doesn't quite latch and it falls out on you. Hilarity and laughter from onlookers will ensue.
I have run approx 2000 rounds through my pistol since trimming the coils. I trimmed the followers first, which, as I said before doesn't do much for inserting magazines, just inserting rounds.

I don't know if there are any long term issues with trimming the springs, however mine work flawlessly. No ftf or fte / stovepipes. It's just a solid pistol.
 
Ganderite said:
Take the mag apart. You will see that the follower legs have a U shaped scallop on each end. I filed the legs so that the U disappeared. This was a bit more than 1/10th of an inch. Mags now load easily.
Click to expand...

^^^ X2 here, quick and easy solution to the problem.
 
SoylentD said:
...
I don't know if there are any long term issues with trimming the springs, however mine work flawlessly. No ftf or fte / stovepipes. It's just a solid pistol.
Click to expand...

Glad you're happy with your solution.

An unnecessarily trimmed spring will wear out faster and fail sooner than one of the correct length, every time.
 
I have read about guys in the States that have cut 1 or 2 coils off the spring and are having tension issues with the slide no longer locking back.

I cut my plastic down on my followers and I have no major issues with inserting with a full mag with one in the chamber now. Still requires a tad bit of pressure but otherwise great. Also made them easier to load to 10.

- Greg
 
Thanks for all the tips folks. The 10th round is indeed harder to insert, so I'll try trimming the follower a bit and hopefully it resolves both problems.
 
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