No ill will taken from anyone here ever. If I were that kind of guy I wouldn't post. We are a community of seekers and helpers.
I've worked on machines for a living for the past 35 years. Most of them would make an automatic transmission look as complicated as a spoon.
The real question here is, why would S&W let a revolver leave their manufacturing floor in that condition? I think I know the answer. Money. During those days they could sell every gun they made. Push, push, push was probably the mantra of management back then.
But I honestly felt that there was some burr or flake of shaving in the revolver that I could fix. Not so.
So I sent it back. It was better, but not acceptable. I sent it back a second time with the kind help of the gunsmith at Denver Defense. It was better, but not acceptable.
I called to order an extractor to try to fix it myself and the guy said "We can't sell you one of those. They have to be hand fit. Send the gun in". That's when I told him I already sent it in twice. How many times would I have to send it in? He asked for the serial number and put me on hold. He sits in the same office with the woman who helped me with the second repair and she overheard our conversation and she got involved. They both have been there for decades and they both profusely apologized for the trouble I have had and the below average workmanship performed on the repairs. And after giving them the serial number of the revolver they were able to see every note and picture I sent.
They sent me a next day air shipping label and called me back several times to assure me this issue would be resolved this time. The shipping label was directed to a person, not customer service. The two people I spoke with said this department handles problem guns like mine. We shall see.
But if you guys only want to hear sweet songs of praise for every gun (which is simply a machine) made by S&W you won't get it.
This is merely my experience. And, S&W is aware of this forum and it is read by their management regularly. If a bad gun gets out and only the customer knows about it that's one thing. But this thread has been viewed 1363 times. That is important to S&W and helps to police their QC. And I believe it's important to the readers here as well.
This thread is not a rant, rave or whine. It's a real experience. Should I have sent the gun back? Yes. Should I have not handled that sharp knife improperly when I was six years old? Yes. But I can't change the past.
Should I have sold the revolver to someone else and let it be their problem and bought another one since they are now available? Hell no! That isn't me.
I'll keep you posted.
AA