Smith and Wesson model 422 magazine problem

er775 · June 12, 2013, 03:32 PM

I have a S&W model 422 that I acquired some years back, it has an issue where the mag will not fully insert into the mag well, its like something is stopping it from inserting all the way,,today I dug it out from the closet floor and tinkered around with it a bit,,i took the grips off and tried inserting the mag to see what was stopping it from engaging all the way,,i noticed there is like some sort of locking mechanism? on the right side of the gun that has a little notch that slides over the magazine to lock it in place but the mag wont go up far enough for this to happen, i took a small screw driver and inserted the mag and while keeping upward pressure i gently pried up on the mechanism and the mag inserted fully,,,,great !! not really ,,, i racked the slide to cock the pistol but when i pull the trigger nothing happpens, i tried to release the mag but it wouldnt release without using the screwdriver to lift up on the locking mechanism again,,,,,now,, if i insert the mag and hold it up in the and rack the slide i can pull the trigger and it works good,,,,,whats the deal with this thing

Dixie Gunsmithing · June 12, 2013, 05:19 PM

I don't think there's anything wrong with the pistol, just the magazine. It sounds as if the notch on the magazine body wasn't cut in the right place. I would get another magazine for it.

What you describe, is the magazine safety keeping the hammer from falling. It is to keep the hammer locked without a clip installed, similar to other autos.

er775 · June 12, 2013, 06:26 PM

ok , kinda what i was thinking, well now for the search for a new magazine,,thanks

NH_Pilot · June 13, 2013, 07:43 AM

I have a 622. The Smith 41 magazines fit the x22 guns. Not hard to find.

Great guns, but the low ejection port is not lefty friendly.

Best of luck,

Wes

er775 · June 24, 2013, 03:44 PM

UPDATE : ordered a new magazine from midwayusa and got it today,,inserted it into the well and same issue, it wont insert all the way in either

anybody got any ideas ?

Dixie Gunsmithing · June 24, 2013, 06:58 PM

Well, I'm not sure. There is nothing under the slide that should stop the clip from going fully up. The only thing I can think of is the magazine catch being bent, or something similar. Generally, that is something you never see happen. You might want to check the catch pin, and make sure it isn't broke, allowing the magazine catch to skew sideways in the slot in the frame, or bind with the magazine safety lever. There's four parts in all, the magazine catch, its pin, and spring, and the safety lever it actuates on the right side.

One last thing you might check, is to make sure the extractor pin is inserted up into the bolt portion of the slide, and not hanging down under where it might hit something. That is the only thing that I remember being movable in that direction.

DnPRK · June 24, 2013, 10:32 PM

The thing on the right side of the mag well is the magazine safety. A tab on the safety engages a stud on the side of the magazine. With the magazine locked in place, the stud lifts the safety tab slightly and allows the trigger to be pulled. But the tab should not prevent the magazine from being inserted unless the safety lever is badly bent.

Hunter Customs · June 27, 2013, 07:44 AM

Quote:

UPDATE : ordered a new magazine from midwayusa and got it today,,inserted it into the well and same issue, it wont insert all the way in either anybody got any ideas ?

It sounds to me like the gun may have been disassembled then assembled incorrectly.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

er775 · August 1, 2013, 08:37 PM

I sent the gun to a gunsmith and found out today that it has been fixed !!!!! turned out to be the magazine release was broken,cant wait to pick it up and shoot it !

er775 · August 14, 2013, 08:44 AM

And by the way,,the mag release on these guns are made of plastic

, looks like the little notch that locks in the mag either broke or just wore down

June 12, 2013, 03:32 PM	#1
er775 Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2011 Posts: 129	Smith and Wesson model 422 magazine problem I have a S&W model 422 that I acquired some years back, it has an issue where the mag will not fully insert into the mag well, its like something is stopping it from inserting all the way,,today I dug it out from the closet floor and tinkered around with it a bit,,i took the grips off and tried inserting the mag to see what was stopping it from engaging all the way,,i noticed there is like some sort of locking mechanism? on the right side of the gun that has a little notch that slides over the magazine to lock it in place but the mag wont go up far enough for this to happen, i took a small screw driver and inserted the mag and while keeping upward pressure i gently pried up on the mechanism and the mag inserted fully,,,,great !! not really ,,, i racked the slide to cock the pistol but when i pull the trigger nothing happpens, i tried to release the mag but it wouldnt release without using the screwdriver to lift up on the locking mechanism again,,,,,now,, if i insert the mag and hold it up in the and rack the slide i can pull the trigger and it works good,,,,,whats the deal with this thing

June 24, 2013, 06:58 PM	#6
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	Well, I'm not sure. There is nothing under the slide that should stop the clip from going fully up. The only thing I can think of is the magazine catch being bent, or something similar. Generally, that is something you never see happen. You might want to check the catch pin, and make sure it isn't broke, allowing the magazine catch to skew sideways in the slot in the frame, or bind with the magazine safety lever. There's four parts in all, the magazine catch, its pin, and spring, and the safety lever it actuates on the right side. One last thing you might check, is to make sure the extractor pin is inserted up into the bolt portion of the slide, and not hanging down under where it might hit something. That is the only thing that I remember being movable in that direction. Last edited by Dixie Gunsmithing; June 24, 2013 at 07:09 PM.

June 24, 2013, 10:32 PM	#7
DnPRK Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2001 Location: LC, Ca Posts: 1,917	The thing on the right side of the mag well is the magazine safety. A tab on the safety engages a stud on the side of the magazine. With the magazine locked in place, the stud lifts the safety tab slightly and allows the trigger to be pulled. But the tab should not prevent the magazine from being inserted unless the safety lever is badly bent. Last edited by DnPRK; June 24, 2013 at 10:43 PM.

August 14, 2013, 08:44 AM	#10
er775 Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2011 Posts: 129	And by the way,,the mag release on these guns are made of plastic, looks like the little notch that locks in the mag either broke or just wore down

June 12, 2013, 05:19 PM	#2
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	I don't think there's anything wrong with the pistol, just the magazine. It sounds as if the notch on the magazine body wasn't cut in the right place. I would get another magazine for it. What you describe, is the magazine safety keeping the hammer from falling. It is to keep the hammer locked without a clip installed, similar to other autos.

June 12, 2013, 06:26 PM	#3
er775 Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2011 Posts: 129	ok , kinda what i was thinking, well now for the search for a new magazine,,thanks

June 13, 2013, 07:43 AM	#4
NH_Pilot Member Join Date: November 26, 2012 Posts: 33	I have a 622. The Smith 41 magazines fit the x22 guns. Not hard to find. Great guns, but the low ejection port is not lefty friendly. Best of luck, Wes

June 24, 2013, 03:44 PM	#5
er775 Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2011 Posts: 129	UPDATE : ordered a new magazine from midwayusa and got it today,,inserted it into the well and same issue, it wont insert all the way in either anybody got any ideas ?

August 1, 2013, 08:37 PM	#9
er775 Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 2011 Posts: 129	I sent the gun to a gunsmith and found out today that it has been fixed !!!!! turned out to be the magazine release was broken,cant wait to pick it up and shoot it !