by Smith & Wesson has issued a consumer safety alert for all versions of their M&P 15-22 manufactured before February 1, 2019. They found that in a couple of samples the breech face counter bore depth was not within manufacturing specifications and could cause slam fires.
The full alert sent out on Friday is below:
ESCRIPTION – Please Read This If You Have A M&P15-22 Rimfire Firearm.
PRODUCT AFFECTED:
ALL models of M&P15-22 rifles and pistols manufactured before February 1, 2019.STOP USING YOUR M&P15-22 UNTIL IT HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND YOUR BOLT REPLACED (IF NECESSARY).
Smith & Wesson has identified two M&P15-22 firearms from
recent production on which the breech face counter bore depth was not
within manufacturing specification. In those firearms, the lack of depth
may allow the bolt, upon closing, to crush the rim of the case, causing
the round to fire, cycling the bolt, 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
bolt locked to the rear, depressing the bolt release to allow the bolt
to drop freely may ignite the round as the bolt closes without engaging
the trigger and with the safety selector in either the safe or the fire
position, and may also result in multiple discharges.2) With a loaded magazine in the firearm, bolt in
the closed position and a round in the chamber and the safety selector
in the fire position, depressing the trigger will cause the round to
fire normally, however as the bolt cycles, the next round may be ignited
by the bolt crushing the rim of the case as it closes, causing multiple
discharges.We believe that these are isolated incidents, however, any
unintended discharge of a firearm has the potential to cause injury.
Therefore, we have developed this inspection procedure to ensure that
all products in the field are safe to use. We are asking customers to
perform the following procedure and to refrain from using their
M&P15-22 until the bolt has been inspected and replaced as
necessary.DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT INVOLVED:
The out of specification condition has been found only in bolts
that were recently manufactured. While our investigation suggests that
the incidents are isolated, we have established this inspection
procedure as a precautionary matter to ensure that all M&P15-22
firearms in service meet our design specifications. We are asking
consumers of all M&P15-22 firearms manufactured before February 1,
2019 to inspect their bolt for this condition.REMEDY/ACTION TO BE TAKEN:
The bolt from your M&P15-22 must be inspected to determine
whether it exhibits the condition identified in this notice. To
determine whether your firearm is affected by this condition, please
inspect your firearm by following the inspection instructions provided
here.
DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTION MANUAL | VIEW INSPECTION VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR FAQ FACT SHEET
If you are uncomfortable in conducting the bolt inspection
outlined here, or are unsure whether the condition described in this
notice applies to your bolt, please send your bolt to Smith & Wesson
for inspection and replacement if necessary.If
you want Smith & Wesson to perform the inspection, send your bolt
to Smith & Wesson for free inspection and replacement (if
necessary).If
you want to perform the bolt inspection yourself, contact us for the
free M&P15-22 BOLT INSPECTION GAUGE Part Number: 3012155 OR place an
ORDER ONLINE to recieve inspection gauge.If
the bolt from your firearm is affected by the condition outlined in
this notice, please send the bolt to Smith & Wesson. If necessary,
your bolt will be replaced at no cost to you. Your bolt will be returned
as quickly and efficiently as possible. All shipping and replacement
costs will be covered by Smith & Wesson.To determine if this consumer advisory applies to your M&P15-22 firearm, please utilize our
SERIAL NUMBER VERIFICATION TOOL
Website For More Information: MP15-22SafetyAlert.com
Email: MP15-22SafetyAlert@smith-wesson.com
Customer Service Phone: 1-800-713-0356