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krispos42

(49,445 posts)
Fri Jan 1, 2021, 01:05 PM Jan 2021

Safety recall notice, Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ

Happy New Year folks!

I just became aware of a recall on a pistol because of a manufacturing flaw that can result in "multiple discharges" (automatic fire) in these pistols. The manual safety will not stop it, although it seems that releasing the grip safety will. Here's an excerpt of the recall notice:

Smith & Wesson has identified two M&P Shield EZ Pistols on which the hammers manufactured by our supplier were cracked. In those firearms, the hammer failed to fully engage the sear, causing the round to fire, cycling the slide, and potentially resulting in multiple discharges without depressing the trigger. This issue can occur in the following two scenarios:



  1. With a loaded magazine in the firearm and the grip safety depressed, releasing the slide (by pulling it back, or releasing the slide stop), may ignite the round as the slide closes, without engaging the trigger. The condition may occur, regardless of the manual thumb safety position if equipped. This may also result in multiple discharges.


  2. With a loaded magazine in the firearm, the grip safety depressed, manual safety in the fire position, slide closed, and a round in the chamber, pulling the trigger will cause the round to fire normally, however as the slide cycles, the next round may be ignited as it is chambered by the hammer failing to fully engage the sear, causing multiple discharges.




In all cases, the firearm will NOT fire unless the grip safety is depressed. While this condition has been found only in two hammers, and our investigation suggests that these two incidents are very isolated, any unintended discharge of a firearm has the potential to cause injury. Therefore, we have established this Safety Recall as a precautionary measure to ensure that all M&P Shield EZ Pistols in service meet our design specifications.



Stop using your M&® Shield™ EZ pistol until you determine whether it is included in this safety recall, and if so, until it has been inspected and repaired by Smith & Wesson, if necessary.



PRODUCT AFFECTED:

This notice applies ONLY to M&P® Shield™ EZ pistols (including Performance Center® models) manufactured between March 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020, and only to a small percentage of that population. It does NOT apply to all SHIELD™ pistols. To determine whether your M&P Shield EZ Pistol is affected, check the label on the box to determine date of manufacture (see image below), and if manufacture date is between March 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020 – your pistol may be affected. In this case (or if you are unsure of your date of manufacture), simply go to MPShieldEZrecall.com and input your serial number, or call 888-871-7114 .



https://www.mpshieldezrecall.com/


So contact them and they'll replace the flawed hammer with a new one, at their expense.

From a political aspect, if this defect causes injury or death, S&W would be held liable; the law that is described as "gun maker's immunity" would not protect S&W for this recall.
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Safety recall notice, Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ (Original Post) krispos42 Jan 2021 OP
Do you know if it's the .380 or the 9mm? Straw Man Jan 2021 #1
The recall didn't say... krispos42 Jan 2021 #2
Thanks. Straw Man Jan 2021 #3

krispos42

(49,445 posts)
2. The recall didn't say...
Mon Jan 4, 2021, 02:59 PM
Jan 2021

...and the magazine that reported the recall basically just copied-and-pasted the text, like I did.

There's a serial number checker on the recall site. I guess that's your best best.

Straw Man

(6,771 posts)
3. Thanks.
Tue Jan 5, 2021, 03:01 AM
Jan 2021

I don't own either one, but I was just curious. The .380 has been out for a while, but the 9mm is a newcomer and a more likely suspect.

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