TexasCHLforum.com

I carry a 9C first generation as my concealed. Something I noticed even when I first bought it and ever since is that the slide release does not actually release the slide, in effect it is more a slide stop than a release. You have to hold down on the lever and pull on the slide to get it to go into battery once you load a new magazine. I'm wondering if this is meant to be that way or is there may be something wrong with the slide release? Anyone else hear that owns or carries a first-generation M&P have any insight?


I've been carrying it for about five or six months and it does not bother me as the gun functions 100%, it goes bang everytime I pull the trigger and is a fantastic little gun. It even has the added benefit of having the upgraded "H" bar trigger that was put into the mnps after the shield came out. I just want to make sure my gun is 100% And that the slide lock/ release is functioning as designed.

I've carried one since late 2010. The lever is designed as a slide stop, and I think it is even referred to as such in the owner's manual. I have always used it as such since finding it to be rather hard to manipulate as a slide release in dry fire. As a side note, sliding home most, if not all, of my magazines (full) fairly aggressively will often release the slide from the locked position. Doing so doesn't always release the slide, but it does pretty often on both my full size and the compact. I consider this a "feature".

I believe most "slide release" are really slide open holders. I always pull the slide back and release to get it into battery. Doesn't matter what pistol.

As Middle Age Russ said, it is a slide stop. See figure 4 on page 12 of the Owner's Manual. https://snwcdnprod.azureedge.net/sites/ ... 000_WC.pdf

You should not have to touch or manipulate the slide stop when loading the pistol. See page 17; "• Pull the slide to the rear and release it, allowing it to carry fully forward. This strips a cartridge from the magazine and seats it in the chamber of the barrel."

ive never had an issue with it since when you put in a mag it disengages the slide stop and chambers a round. I've actually emailed S&W about this and they said thats the way it is designed. It's designed to either A. release the slide stop when inserting a full mag or B. have the user manually pull back on the slide and release it. i personally enjoy the mag insertion slide release. it saves time from having to hit a release or rack the slide manually. But yes as others have stated it's a slide stop. not a release.

Grundy1133 wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 6:09 pm ive never had an issue with it since when you put in a mag it disengages the slide stop and chambers a round. I've actually emailed S&W about this and they said thats the way it is designed. It's designed to either A. release the slide stop when inserting a full mag or B. have the user manually pull back on the slide and release it. i personally enjoy the mag insertion slide release. it saves time from having to hit a release or rack the slide manually. But yes as others have stated it's a slide stop. not a release.

Auto forward. Some like it, some don't. I believe that S&W changed springs to prevent auto forward. I personally would not like that feature (or defect) but that is personal preference.

rotor wrote: Tue Nov 06, 2018 12:06 am

Grundy1133 wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 6:09 pm ive never had an issue with it since when you put in a mag it disengages the slide stop and chambers a round. I've actually emailed S&W about this and they said thats the way it is designed. It's designed to either A. release the slide stop when inserting a full mag or B. have the user manually pull back on the slide and release it. i personally enjoy the mag insertion slide release. it saves time from having to hit a release or rack the slide manually. But yes as others have stated it's a slide stop. not a release.

Auto forward. Some like it, some don't. I believe that S&W changed springs to prevent auto forward. I personally would not like that feature (or defect) but that is personal preference.

One of the more visible improvements of the M2.0 over the original M&P is the added spring detent for the slide stop. In this photo, you can see it on the left side of the pistol.

I have had my first gen M&P 9 for about 8 years and have several thousand rounds through it. My slide will release, as others stated, with an aggressive new mag insertion, but I have noticed over time, I can release it with the slide stop, possibly due to wear. Very seldom, do I have to pull back on the slide. YMMV

I bought a the M&P 9c in 2009,the slide release/stop worked perfect for me, would release easily and hold open. I then bought a full size and the slide release was very hard to press down to release the slide. I was having night sights installed,so the smith checked that out too and was able to free it up to release much easier without affecting the "stop".

I still have both,but now carrying the 2.0 compact.

rotor wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 4:30 pm I believe most "slide release" are really slide open holders. I always pull the slide back and release to get it into battery. Doesn't matter what pistol.

I have a 1st gen full sized M&P45, with the thumb safety etc. One of the reasons I bought it at the time was that I’m a southpaw and the gun came with ambidextrous controls - including the slide stop/release. I noticed right off the bat that the slide stop on the right side of the frame did not protrude as far as the one on the left side of the frame, making it much harder to use as a slide release. And then I read the manual and saw that it was not intended to be a slide release at all. But I’ve found that as a southpaw, slingshotting the slide works universally on all semiautos, and simplifies the manual of arms. And since I now carry Glocks almost exclusively, that works well for me.

Sling shotting is the way to go.