Strange Issue Yesterday

[ArchStanton]

As some of you may know from my other noob thread, I just purchased a S&W M&P .40 as my first handgun in many many years. Yesterday was the second time I went shooting with it and I had a strange issue.

Before I continue, all of this was on videotape and we reviewed it several times trying to figure out if it was user or mechanical error. We couldn't detect any user error.

Anyway, what happened was I was getting ready to shoot and I popped the mag in. I racked the slide to load the chamber and it ejected an unspent cartridge. I stopped and asked my buddy how that could have happened and he said I probably had one in the chamber from last time. That being a scary proposition, I thought hard about it and I didn't think that was possibly because I always make sure everything is clear before I set the weapon down. So, I checked to make sure everything looked in good working order and fired the mag. 14 shots. It's a 15 shot mag. That was only the second mag I'd run through it and there were 30 rounds gone from my box. I shot 15 the first time.

So, it evidently ejected the first round in the mag instead of loading it.

What happened? Is this something I did incorrectly, something I need to be concerned about and send the gun in, or something that just happens and I shouldn't worry about it? I'm thinking the latter is a longshot...

 

[MrCleanOK]

Just so we are al understanding correctly. You started with an empty pistol, slide closed. Then inserted a full magazine, and when you racked the slide a live round came out. Is that right?

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

 

[Quoheleth]

Your gun is possessed.

Send it here. I'll gladly perform an exorcism. I'll have it returned to you in...oh, say 6-8 months. It sometimes takes a while to exorcise the demons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVoKlqbz1l4

Q

 

[ArchStanton]

Just so we are al understanding correctly. You started with an empty pistol, slide closed. Then inserted a full magazine, and when you racked the slide a live round came out. Is that right?

yessir. I don't possess the gift of brevity that you do.

 

[rcmodel]

Two possibilities.

1. The top round in the mag was not seated all the way to the back of the mag and popped out of the feed lips when the slide cleared it.

2. You have one of those very scarce and desirable pistols that makes it's own ammo when you aren't watching it.

I'd say #1 is the most likely.

rc

 

[Fremmer]

But it sounds like the first and all subsequent rounds chambered and fired? Sorry, confused.

 

[ArchStanton]

rc - sounds logical. will pay more attention to my mag loading from here on out.

fremmer - the next 14 rounds did. that's how I knew there couldn't have been one in the chamber from the last mag, I'd only used 30 rounds (this was my second mag of the afternoon) and when we checked the video afterwards I only fired 14 from the mag in question. Sooo, the round had to be from the second mag.

 

[rcmodel]

When you load mags, whack the back of the loaded mag on a boot heel when you get done loading them.

That seats all the rounds to the back of the mag and settles the stack every time.

rc

 

[ArchStanton]

excellent advice. Thank you.

btw, I don't know where your allegiances lie, but Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Hated to see the 'Cats go out yesterday, but I'm crimson and blue til I die.

 

[Buck Kramer]

1. The top round in the mag was not seated all the way to the back of the mag and popped out of the feed lips when the slide cleared it.

I agree.

 

[dev_null]

Two possibilities.

1. The top round in the mag was not seated all the way to the back of the mag and popped out of the feed lips when the slide cleared it.

2. You have one of those very scarce and desirable pistols that makes it's own ammo when you aren't watching it.

I'm voting for the Parthenogenesis Theory.

 

[Telekinesis]

Any chance you left the gun with the slide locked back while it was sitting unloaded? (that's usually how I'll leave my guns at a range) if the gun was left with the slide back, there's a decent chance that the slide could have gone into battery when you inserted the mag, loading the first round. Then you cycling the slide unloaded that first round and chambered round #2. My Glock 17 will do that occasionally.

It's not really a malfunction, more of an annoyance than anything else.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Arch, I understand you said the slide was closed, but if there is a chance that it was open here is something to think about (and most likely the cause):

The M&P line of pistols will chamber a round from a loaded magazine if you seat it firm enough. It might happen on occasion with some pistols, but it is a designed feature into the M&P line.