How To Clean S&w M&p 9mm Shield

Introduced in 2005, the Smith and Wesson Military and Police (M&P) Hand gun is the latest model from the famous firearm company. Designed for both professional and personal protection, recreation and competition, and law enforcement, the S&W M&P 9mm pistol is a reliable option with its reinforced chassis, safety features, and ambidextrous controls. The locked-breech short-recoil operated hand gun can only meet standards if properly maintained. For top-notch working condition and your own safety, make sure your Smith and Wesson M&P hand gun is clean inside and out.

If you own or service a Smith and Wesson Military and Police 9mm Semi-Automatic Pistol (also called the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm pistol or simply the S&W M&P 9mm) or similar handguns you will definitely appreciate how an ultrasonic gun cleaner can save time and effort when it comes to cleaning and maintaining the weapon. An ultrasonic weapons cleaner is fast, thorough and safe because unlike some solvent washers and aerosol sprays, today's ultrasonic gun cleaning solution is biodegradable, minimizing disposal problems with spent solutions.

Here you will learn:

How an Ultrasonic Gun Cleaner Works
How to Select and Set Up your Ultrasonic Weapon Cleaner
How to Disassemble, Clean and Reassemble your Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol

How an Ultrasonic Gun Cleaner Works

Ultrasonic cleaners are used in a wide range of applications to remove virtually any soil or contamination with the power of cavitation action. Cavitation action describes the implosion of billions of minute bubbles in the ultrasonic cleaning solution as they contact all components of your Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm pistol. The bubbles are created by generator-powered ultrasonic transducers bonded to an ultrasonic cleaning tank and typically operate at an ultrasonic frequency of 37 to 42 kHz (37,000 to 42,000 cycles per second).

The imploding bubbles quickly and safely remove grease, powder residues and other contaminants that could interfere with reliable operation of your Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm pistol. So tiny are the bubbles that they penetrate minute cracks, crevices and blind holes impossible to reach with conventional hand gun cleaning tools. The ultrasonic weapons cleaner will complete the job in less than 15 minutes. Meanwhile you can attend to other activities.

How to Select and Set Up your Ultrasonic Handgun Cleaner

A bench or table-top ultrasonic cleaner such as the LR617 along with its lubricating pan is ideal for sporting goods shops, servicing departments and the serious hand gun collector cleaning one or two handguns at a time. Whatever the model and size ultrasonic handgun cleaner you use there are steps to take before you start the cleaning operation by following the manufacturer's operating instructions.

Fill the ultrasonic weapons cleaner tank to the fill line (or approximately 2/3 full) with water and an ultrasonic cleaning concentrate diluted per manufacturer's instructions. We recommend CLN-LR215 diluted 1 part to 10 parts of water.
In the same way, fill the auxiliary lubricating pan with an ultrasonic gun lubricating solution and place it into the ultrasonic cleaner tank. Ready-to-use CLN-LR212 is a good choice. Make certain that the bottom of the lubricating pan is in contact with the cleaning solution.
Turn on the ultrasonic cleaner and operate the unit for about 30 minutes to drive off cavitation inhibiting entrained air in both the cleaning solution and the lubricating solution. Degassing is complete when bubbles stop coming to the surface. Note that this step must be performed every time you use fresh cleaning or lubricating solutions.

How to Disassemble, Clean and Reassemble your Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol

Step 1: Disassembling the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol

Safety tip! Make absolutely certain the weapon is not loaded. Remove the magazine and any rounds in the chamber. Field strip the firearm. Remove grips and set aside.

On the slide, push the pin out from the top. Remove the small cover and the spring. Through a small hole, push against the striker pin or firing pin to relieve pressure on the back plate. Push down on small button beside it; this should release the entire striker pin assembly.

Remove the take down lever by lifting and jerking it out. Next remove the two headless pins and trigger pin on the left side. Insert your allen key or similar tool on the slots on the other side and push these out. You may use a hammer on these headless pins if it's too tight. You can simply push out the headed trigger pin.

Pry out the top of the sear housing block assembly to lift it up and remove this housing. This will also release the extractor. Next remove the locking block the same way. Be careful when lifting this piece up as it contains a spring. Simply remove the trigger assembly and the slide stop lever out of the frame.

Voila! Your S & W M&P 9mm semi-automatic pistol has been successfully disassembled. Its parts are now ready to be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaner.

Step 2: Cleaning the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol

Use the weapons kit brushes and tools to remove powder residues, bullet shavings, carbon and other loose contaminants. Tip: If the weapon is extremely dirty it should be cleaned using hot water to prepare the cleaning bath.

Put the hammer in the cocked position. Lift the star shell ejector and place a spacer between the star and cylinder to enhance cleaning action. Position your weapon parts in the mesh basket in a way to avoid air entrapment. Lower the basket into the cleaning solution and set the timer for 7-10 minutes. Cleaning time depends on the condition of the weapon.

At the end of the cycle remove the handgun components from the bath. If they are not clean replace them in the bath until the cleaning is complete. Do not reach into an operating ultrasonic bath. Remove the basket from the bath if you want to inspect or rearrange the parts.

After cleaning rinse the parts in fresh water to remove all traces of the cleaning solution, shake them to remove excess water and allow them to drain. Compressed air will aid in this process.

Return the weapon parts to the basket.

Next place the lubricating pan into the ultrasonic cleaner again making certain that the bottom of the lubricating pan is in contact with the ultrasonic cleaning solution. Put the basket into the lubricating solution and set the timer for 10 minutes. Ultrasonic waves will pass from the ultrasonic cleaning bath to the lubricating bath and thoroughly lubricate the weapon parts.

After the lubricating step remove the parts and allow them to drain. Do not blow dry. Inspect then oil the parts according to the manufacturer's instructions before reassembly.

Step 3: Reassembling the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol

First reassemble the slide of the S & W M&P 9mm Pistol. Reinsert the striker pin; push down on the small button to lock this back into place. Replace the backplate and set this in position by toggling the striker pin through a small hole. Drop the spring back into place and slip the cover back as well. Holding this in place, push in the small pin on top of the slide.

On the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm frame, put the extractor back into the sear block housing and push the assembly back into the frame. Replace the trigger spring and the other pieces into the trigger assembly. Slide the arm piece into a recess of the housing block assembly and guide the trigger assembly down into place. Return the locking block with its spring into the frame. Ensure that everything is aligned inside the frame.

Insert the headed trigger pin by lightly jerking or moving it into position. Return the other two headless pins. Slip the takedown lever into place. Return the grip to the handle of the gun. Test your Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm pistol by pulling the trigger and checking if everything fits nicely and securely. Piece together the slide, frame, barrel, and empty magazine.

Congratulations! You have just reassembled your "brand new" Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol.

Additional Weapon Cleaning Tips

Oils that rise to the surface of the bath should be skimmed off and disposed of properly. When the ultrasonic handgun cleaner solution becomes discolored or cleaning takes longer it is time to replace it. Drain the tank and dispose of the spent solution according to local regulations. Take the time to remove sludge that settled to the bottom of the tank then clean the tank.

Questions: Visit tovatech.com or Contact the iUltrasonic ultrasonic cleaning experts at 973 821-3406

Disclaimer: This advice is not provided by a licensed gunsmith. Follow at your own risk. We assume no liability for any damages caused by following the advice in this article.