S&W M&P folding 9mm carbine

[flightsimmer]

I have no way of trying it but the SD9VE magazine is a double stack, just not sure if it would fit correctly.

 

[snorko]

I kinda doubt it, I think if there were cross utility between the M&P and SD9VE pistols it would have been mentioned.

I had a Sterns AR magwell that used both M&P and Sig 320 mags. I wonder if a Sig 320 mag functions in the FPC?

 

[Route 45]

I wonder if a Sig 320 mag functions in the FPC?

Nope. Too tight in the magwell. And, it won't lock in.

 

[marvin02]

I've now got 500 rounds through the FPC with zero issues.

I shot a 6 stage and a 5 stage steel challenge match and an IDPA style match over a span of three days. I shot factory 124 grain, brass cased, FMJ rounds for all matches. I cleaned the gun after each match.

For me the perceived recoil is less than my Ruger PC Carbines or the PSA AR9 that I had.

The weight and just over 30 inch length make it easy to handle.

The cross bolt safety isn't as easily manipulated as an AR style safety. Easy for a righty to disengage, but I had to use my weak hand to engage it.

The bolt lock levers are too small and a pain to engage. To release the bolt if it's locked back I just pulled back the charging handle and released it.

I've used a variety of M&P mags, including the 23 rounders that came with the gun and have had zero issues. Bolt locked back the few times I shot a mag until empty.

10 pull average for the trigger after 500 rounds is 4 lbs, 6 ounces. Out of the box it was 5 lbs, 2 ounces. After the first 100 rounds it was 4 lbs, 8 ounces.

Everyone who handled the gun at the matches was surprised by how light it felt in their hands. I'm pretty certain I sold at least two for S&W in the last few days.

Links to some of my previous posts:

Initial thoughts with pics:

S&W M&P folding 9mm carbine

I'm a strong M&P guy but gonna pass on this. As others have mentioned the price compared to the KelTec is high. I have four of the KelTecs and didn't have more than $300 in any of them. I modded one 9mm and one .40 with integrally suppressed barrels and mounted some sort of dot sight on the...

www.indianagunowners.com

Bolt catches with pics:

S&W M&P folding 9mm carbine

I'm a strong M&P guy but gonna pass on this. As others have mentioned the price compared to the KelTec is high. I have four of the KelTecs and didn't have more than $300 in any of them. I modded one 9mm and one .40 with integrally suppressed barrels and mounted some sort of dot sight on the...

www.indianagunowners.com

More pics:

S&W M&P folding 9mm carbine

I'm a strong M&P guy but gonna pass on this. As others have mentioned the price compared to the KelTec is high. I have four of the KelTecs and didn't have more than $300 in any of them. I modded one 9mm and one .40 with integrally suppressed barrels and mounted some sort of dot sight on the...

www.indianagunowners.com

 

[flightsimmer]

"The cross bolt safety isn't as easily manipulated as an AR style safety. Easy for a righty to disengage, but I had to use my weak hand to engage it."

By now I'm sure you're aware that the safety is reversible. I'm not sure if that would help you though.

Great write up, I wish I'd have done it.
Good pictures too.

 

[flightsimmer]

I have no way of trying it but the SD9VE magazine is a double stack, just not sure if it would fit correctly.

I have tried it now and no they do not fit.

 

[marvin02]

By now I'm sure you're aware that the safety is reversible. I'm not sure if that would help you though.

I am aware that the mag release is reversible. I haven't found any instructions for reversing the manual safety. Can you point me to them?

 

[marvin02]

The low end online price for these seems to have settled at about $580, for now. Always include taxes, shipping, and transfer fee in total cost.

 

[flightsimmer]

I am aware that the mag release is reversible. I haven't found any instructions for reversing the manual safety. Can you point me to them?

My fault, your right. I must have been having a senior moment.

Maybe they will come out with a conversion.

 

[marvin02]

My fault, your right. I must have been having a senior moment.

Maybe they will come out with a conversion.

The manual safety is an odd shape, so it's not an easy reverse like on a 10/22. It would have been great with a tang safety. It's actually not that bad, I just had to make myself aware of using it on the stages where if course of fire required it.

 

[marvin02]

Just received 3 of these:

Strike Industries EMP Enhanced Mag Plate Mag Base Pad S&W M&P 9 40

The Strike Industries EMP Enhanced Magazine Plate is an extended magazine plate made for full sized M&P pistols. It adds magazine capacity by +6 to...

www.midwayusa.com

They are a plus 6 mag extender for M&P magazines.

23 round OEM mag on right.



OEM on left in this pic:



I haven't had a chance to shoot them yet.

 

[Simon6101]

Are those 15 or 17 rd OEM mags? Thought about doing this to some 15rd mags

 

[marvin02]

Are those 15 or 17 rd OEM mags? Thought about doing this to some 15rd mags

Those are 17, I'm pretty sure the bases will also work on the 15s.

 

[marvin02]

This thread at the S&W Forum reports some issues with the retaining pin for the firing pin:

Any M&P FPC Shooters Out There??

So after reading a lot of articles and watching a lot of videos I thought one of the new M&P FPCs might be fun so I bought one this afternoon. It was too late after getting home to go down to the

smith-wessonforum.com

A couple of folks that sent in their rifles report getting them back with a modified/redesigned bolt that uses a drop in pin rather than a roll pin to retain the firing pin. There are pics in the thread of the modified retaining pin setup.

Mine has a roll pin, but I haven't had any issues with mine and I have taken it apart and cleaned it after every range trip or competition.

 

[Morgan12]

What’s neat is I live in Illinois so I may never have the chance to use one!!!!

I saw a Taurus tx22 yesterday for 250 brand new. Not a Taurus guy but that’s actually a really good gun.

I served for 22 years in the military, certified range safety officer, certified concealed carry instructor, I’ve always shot marksman rifle and pistol.

I can’t buy it because it has a threaddd barrel. Now mind you if your a prison Gaurd you can, jailer, or retired police officer you can. I’ve instructed all of them in classes even certified them!!!!

 

[Taurahe]

And picked up my Smith& Wesson FPC on Thursday. It's going to be a minute before I get to shoot it because I had reconstructive new surgery on Friday and then currently bedridden. In the meantime, with nothing to do, I've been playing around with the FPC and getting a feel for it.
Overall, I think it's a nifty little rifle. It's lightweight, unobtrusive, and should be a lot of fun. There are a few things I found that are a little quirky about it. The magazine release and the stock is a little obnoxious and how it functions to release the mag and it's not very user friendly. The safety also is a crossbolt style safety but cannot be manipulated either direction with one hand. The bolt release is pretty much non-functionable which is been a talked about point in several reviews online, so hopefully they'll come out with an extended release of some kind eventually. That said, it does have some interesting points to make it worthwhile. I'm perfectly okay with it using Smith& Wesson m&p mags of which there are a variety of available, as well as the grip being based off of the compact. It still retains the interchangeable palm slugs for a customized fit to maximize comfort. When shooting. I put some BUIS on it from a previous build I did and it's not awful. You're not really going to be able to use the peep site so I'll end up taking it off, but the wide aperture site is more than useful. The side folding is a really nice touching. My opinion, is obviously you don't have to remove your optic or have a weird mount to get it to fold. The overall ergonomics of the rifle are just fine. I feel like Smith& Wesson took all of the crappy parts of the Kel-Tec and made them better while creating their own rifle. At the same time. Haven't had a caltex sub 2000. I also thought it was one of the worst guns I've ever shot too.
I'm going to top mine off with a sig Romeo MCR probably, and see how it runs with that. Going to be a fun little gun and a nice little home defense package.

 

[marvin02]

I've shot mine in 3 matches and love it. There is a longish thread here about them:

S&W M&P folding 9mm carbine

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/fpc

www.indianagunowners.com

 

[actaeon277]

Still hoping they come up with a .40... though I'm not holding my breath.

 

[marvin02]

There has been some discussion on various boards about whether the charging handle on the FPC reciprocates. It is not designed to reciprocate, but some people have reported that it does, here is a video showing it moving:



Here is my email exchange with S&W support about this:


***** marvin 02*****
I own a S&W M&P FPC. There has been much discussion about whether the charging handle reciprocates when firing the weapon. Should it? This video shows the charging handle move with each shot:


Video link here


Is this a defect or is this proper operation? I thought that the charging handle should stay latched during firing and is non-reciprocating. What is the proper operation? I have no issues with my FPC I just want to clarify what is proper operation.

*****end marvin02*****


*****S&W support*****
Hello,

Thank you for the response and I apologize for the inconvenience. You will need to slingshot the charging handle to make sure it locks in place when it goes forward, if you do not then you will need to push the charging handle forward until you hear it clock so you do not have this issue. If you ever need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us at 1-800-331-0852

Thank you and have a Great Day!

Rebecca
*****end S&W support*****


My interpretation of this is that the charging should not move and in the video the handle was not latched properly or the latch is not working properly.

With my FPC folded I used a dowel rod to push the bolt all the way back multiple times and the charging handle did not move. Of course pushing the bolt back this way does not match the violence of firing a round.

 

[marvin02]

This thread at the S&W Forum reports some issues with the retaining pin for the firing pin:

Any M&P FPC Shooters Out There??

So after reading a lot of articles and watching a lot of videos I thought one of the new M&P FPCs might be fun so I bought one this afternoon. It was too late after getting home to go down to the

smith-wessonforum.com

A couple of folks that sent in their rifles report getting them back with a modified/redesigned bolt that uses a drop in pin rather than a roll pin to retain the firing pin. There are pics in the thread of the modified retaining pin setup.

Mine has a roll pin, but I haven't had any issues with mine and I have taken it apart and cleaned it after every range trip or competition.

Here is a video showing bolt disassembly with the new style pins:




Mine has roll pins so the method in the video won't work for me. That's what I get for being an early adopter.

I've got over 1,000 rounds through my FPC with zero issues.

I've shot 6 steel challenge matches and a USPSA/IDPA style match. It just runs.

Current setup is a Holosun 510c-gr, a vertical foregrip and a Tandemkross compensator.



The compensator helps more than I thought it would, possibly because the FPC is light in the front. The same compensator on a Ruger PC Carbine didn't make a noticeable difference.

The bolt catch is fine for locking the bolt open, though they are small. It is not a bolt release. That's probably the worst feature.

I can now disassemble/reassemble mine with no tools.

I do not fold it except for cleaning and my use case isn't the same as some who are evaluating it. I'm having a ball shooting it at matches and I shoot it as well or better than any of my other steel challenge guns.

Love to see some more reports from those who have bought one.