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Chris Costa Reports Smith & Wesson M&P Problem

Earlier today on Facebook, Chris Costa reported an accuracy problem he’s seen recently with S&W M&P pistols.

Costa-1Costa-2

The past few handgun classes I’ve taught I’ve seen a quality issue with Smith an Wesson M&P handguns. This is the 3rd gun in 9mm I’ve seen shotgun the target at 7 yards. Barrels are breaking apart at the crown an numerous malfunctions. No mods were done to the weapons an all 3 were newer weapons with less than 500 through them, so keep a watchful eye.

Ammo was a combination of Fed, CCI, and PMC.

It’s worth keeping an eye on what trainers have to say with regards to the quality/reliability of weapons, because they literally see it all come through their classes. M&P fans (of which I am one) – no one is suggesting that the M&P is a bad handgun, any manufacturer can have a quality control problem. This is just a heads up.

Full Facebook thread here.

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40 Responses to Chris Costa Reports Smith & Wesson M&P Problem

  1. Mike December 18, 2014 at 10:43 am #

    Queue the Glock fanboys…3…2…1…

    • MrApple December 20, 2014 at 12:16 pm #

      Can’t go wrong with a Glock.

    • Joe December 24, 2014 at 12:23 pm #

      Cue*

    • Slytiger Survival: the Maverick Prepper Channel February 27, 2015 at 9:24 pm #

      I finally got M&P to fix my god damned M&P9 after 2 mail ins. It shotgunned a lot worse than even this. It had the dimple-less barrel from Oct 2012. I sent them a nasty note saying even Century Arms fixes their guns nowadays. I told them I would make a YouTube video and show how crappy it shoots and show all the Meets Specs Bologna. It came back today with a new barrel with 2 Dimples. I’m going to test it. It had a paper saying a bunch of part replacements. I’ll never get another M&P after my experience. No trigger reset, shit accuracy and expensive magazines is enough for me.

  2. SHO NUFF December 18, 2014 at 10:53 am #

    Let’s get the party started then, screw Glocks lol

  3. cypher December 18, 2014 at 11:18 am #

    gonna have to keep an eye on my m&p 40c….

    • mike December 19, 2014 at 7:09 pm #

      Is that happening on the m&p shields .40

  4. Monte December 18, 2014 at 12:19 pm #

    Have around 4000 rounds through my MP9 Duty gun. No problems yet with the exception of the rear sight walking. That was easy fix. Hopefully your observed problem will be limited to a bad batch run. And can be addressed by SW.

  5. David December 18, 2014 at 12:55 pm #

    Do we know if they are the Shield, or the full size, or any of them?

  6. Klingon00 December 18, 2014 at 1:34 pm #

    Didn’t the M&P suffer accuracy problems related to barrel quality before in the past? I wonder if this issue may be related?

  7. Doug December 18, 2014 at 2:08 pm #

    Those guns need to be inspected and a cause should be found before spreading rumor.
    Major lane swerving going on in this one. Chris is an excellent trainer but even he will tell you he’s no engineer or gunsmith.
    I’ll take this with a whole bottle of salt.

    • mike December 18, 2014 at 8:19 pm #

      What do you mean by “major lane swerving”?

      • TK December 19, 2014 at 10:47 am #

        Yeah I’m confused too…Chris can’t be trusted to report a problem he’s seen because he’s not an engineer or gunsmith?

  8. jake December 18, 2014 at 2:55 pm #

    Use M&P’s as demo guns and have a Shield that I carry CCW, would really like to hear updates on serial numbers and models that are identified as having the issues.

  9. Scott Shearin December 18, 2014 at 4:18 pm #

    XD baby !!! lol

    • Corkey December 19, 2014 at 8:37 am #

      I love my XD in 40cal.

  10. mike December 18, 2014 at 4:33 pm #

    I have the m&p 9mm full size with about 2000 rounds through it no problem yet

  11. D December 18, 2014 at 4:56 pm #

    The barrel crown is breaking apart, or there is ammo jacket separation?? Do you have a pic of the barrel crowns?

    • MrApple December 20, 2014 at 12:18 pm #

      It’s the new S&W M&P Blunderbuss.

  12. michiganimages December 18, 2014 at 5:05 pm #

    There on their third Barrel design in 9mm. They are a GREAT gun in .40, perhaps the best .40 on the market. But there 9’s have been plagued with QC issues with the bbl and short lock up issues. I know a couple of Armoror’s that have seen 5 or 6 guns out of 20 gun shipment with huge accuracy issues in 9 (6″ at 25 yards). It’s not every gun, but it appears they still have a problem in 9mm.

  13. Steve December 18, 2014 at 5:16 pm #

    Had an issue with my shield 9 mm shooting to the left but was holding good groups all I did was move the back sight problem fixed…I carry a M & P 9mm on duty and also my shield ands a backup and my c.c. love em both

  14. Elgin Roper December 18, 2014 at 5:58 pm #

    Buy a Beretta…

  15. Josh December 18, 2014 at 6:26 pm #

    Yeah, what models exactly?

  16. Jim K December 18, 2014 at 7:51 pm #

    Interesting. My M&P 9 goes nuts when I put a light on it. Groups are 9-10″ at 25 yards and all over the place. Take the light off and the group is about half that. That ‘s also with a Smith barrel as well as a Wilson replacement barrel. I don’t trust them for carry anymore which is too bad because I now have two tricked out M&P’s with RMR’s that I don’t trust.

  17. Dominic December 18, 2014 at 8:55 pm #

    All we have here is a picture of a target. If I were “calling out” a particular weapon for a flaw, I would show evidence of said flaw.
    FWIW, I carry a G19.

  18. Dave Stafford December 18, 2014 at 9:19 pm #

    Let’s be a little more specific before casting doubt on all M&P product! Irresponsible reporting if you ask me…

    • TK December 19, 2014 at 10:54 am #

      Irresponsible to report a problem he’s seen? How so? Chris can’t be trusted to report a problem? I don’t get it…

      • David Stafford December 19, 2014 at 11:56 am #

        He says “M&P” that’s like saying “Ford”. We need the model. It cannot possibly be all M&P are defective…

        • TK December 19, 2014 at 1:11 pm #

          Under specification does not equate irresponsibility in my book. Ask him a clarifying question if you want to know which specific M&P models.

  19. Cary Cafero sr. December 18, 2014 at 11:49 pm #

    XD I stake my life on its function every day.

  20. TJ December 19, 2014 at 6:53 am #

    With-holding judgement on whether this truly is happening until more evidence comes forth. It’d be nice if Costa actually posted some pictures of what he says is happening.

    • J. Griff January 13, 2015 at 9:49 am #

      He did.

  21. Dean P. Cummings December 19, 2014 at 8:54 am #

    Got any pictures of the barrels?

  22. Mike Kight December 19, 2014 at 7:25 pm #

    M&P’s in 9mm, full and compact. No issues and use them in concealed carry classes.

  23. Jared December 20, 2014 at 6:33 am #

    My duty carry is the M&P .357 SIG and I never had a single issue with it.

  24. Sam S December 20, 2014 at 4:01 pm #

    9mm is the model in question according to the article.

  25. John S. December 24, 2014 at 8:16 am #

    I guess Costa’s check from S&W bounced.

  26. Cameron December 28, 2014 at 8:57 pm #

    For what it’s worth I was talking to the guys at my LGS about an M&P 9 with what sounds like the same issue. Something wrong with the barrel crown was causing the jackets to separate from the cores and “shotgun” the target at close range. The gun in question had been serviced twice by the manufacturer and both the original and replacement barrels had the same problem. I think it must have been a bad run of barrels.

  27. Joe Tango January 7, 2015 at 1:00 pm #

    M&P’s are 100% reliable, bad shooters are not!

  28. James March 27, 2015 at 5:16 pm #

    About 3500 through mine backyard and 3 gun. Still beating most flock boys and even some race gunners. Hope they make it right with my fellow shooters or I’ll switch to a Block