I took my M37 to the range today as it hasn't been fired in years. I shot one box of 158 RN though it and put it away. Came home and cleaned it finding the frame cracked.

Can this be fixed or will S&W do anything for me. The gun is an early 80's model I think.

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A cracked frame can't be "fixed" but if you are the original owner they should replace it, granted it will be a 637 or other Airweight. At least that's what they did with another member's Model 38 who's frame cracked.

I'd call S & W customer service (have the model and serial numbers handy) and ask them what they can do, politely . They may offer to ship it at their expense and replace it (or give you a credit toward a new gun), nothing, or something in between the two. Current products have a lifetime warranty but this one may be before they started this. Good luck and let us know what happens.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

OH man I feel for you. I carry a 38 and 37. I dont shoot them that much.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

were you shooting factory ammo or reloads. I have a 37 built in '68 that gets a box of 50 shot through it pretty often. 158 grain LRN factory ammo. No cracks yet. Knock on wood. Man, that would break my heart because that is one of my favorite guns and I have gotten pretty good with it. I'm sorry for your loss and I hope S&W helps you out.
Peace,
gordon

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better have that checked

Just went through this trying to help a lady out.

Broken Model 37

Chances are, you own a broken gun. Part it out on eBay, buy a new one.

I will call S&W and see what they have to say. The ammo was old factory 158 RN ammo. It was not reloads, but was old ammo someone gave me. This gun never had any +P ammo ran through it.

Very unfortunate, and frustrating. The 37 was designed to shoot service ammo, and this happens. Previous posters advised you well to contact S&W and see what they say.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

If you run into a Factory wall, sell the gun/parts here on the Forum.
There is a market here at a fair price.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

If she just wants a house gun, there are lots of nice K frames around. One of our bedroom guns is a LE trade in 66-7 4" Ex Aussie, I think. I keep a couple of K frame 38s around as loaners... I'm a fan of 3" barrels if one turns up.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

If you send it in, the factory will not return it due to civil liability. Therefore you will not have parts to sell. They should replace it with a new 637.

I had a Beretta Tomcat I purchased new and a part of the frame broke off. I sent the pistol back to Beretta and they gave me a credit toward a new gun at cost.

I purchased a 22 Neos with the credit and they sent it directly to my house. Shot the Neos a bit and then sold it for more than I paid for it. Just didn't like the feel or weight of the pistol and inside it is exactly like a Hi Standard Duramatic, which I like shooting a whole lot better than the Neos.

That is Beretta of course and not S&W. I will be interested to hear what Smith has to say.

Well S&W said it was a 1981 model and that they would not replace it. I could send it in for possible repair but I would have to pay $45.00 for an estimate, and then pay the repair bill if it could be repaired.

As I feel it may not be repairable and they probably won't return it, I might as well hang on to it until the next police gun buy back and get 50 bucks for it. As far as selling for parts if someone made an offer I would consider it.

Please sell the parts out of it. They will bring more than $50 and you won't be supporting the anti-gunners' propaganda mill.

I have an idea for a repair.
It would be interesting to put a very fine thread high strength screw though the receiver ring and engaging the barrel shank.

ETA
Wow, no place in there for anything. I don't think a sewing needle would be much reinforcement.

Current J frame guns are built on the so called "magnum" frame and the parts on your gun will not fit. Which is why they offered me a new gun.

In your case, it means that they can't do a "frame swap", so you are out of luck.

Parting it out is probably your best bet.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I'm making a reasonable bet that you could sell every part but the frame and make enough to make it worth you while.

Maybe I will sell it for parts. I didn't know there was a market for gun parts for this revolver.

I'm amazed to hear that: I had a 38-2 of the same age that cracked on me a few years ago (I was not the original owner) and S&W replaced it without question. Several others here have had the same experience - S&W customer service was widely held to be quite excellent.

I would recommend that you consider calling them back and asking to speak to a supervisor to see whether you get a better response (which should be an offer to send it back for replacement completely at their expense) - it's not unheard-of for these guns to crack in ordinary use due to the way they were assembled, and the factory certainly knows this.

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Now go make God proud...

The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Call them, write them, send them pictures. What do you have to lose?

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Halfway and one more step

I think I will try again. I will ask for a supervisor.

Call them again. I had the same experience as Erich with a 37-2 from the early '80s, bought used at an auction. After 6 months of occasional use, it cracked in the same area as yours. Called S&W and they emailed me a prepaid shipping label to print off along with packing instructions. Fed Ex picked up right at my door. S&W deemed the gun not repairable and I agreed on a brand new 637 as a replacement. The only cost to me was the transfer fee as it had to go to my local gun store. Took about 2 months to receive the 637.
Good luck.

John

How long ago did you send your gun in?
I called them back and was advised to send it in and see what they decide. I was told all cases are treated differently and see what happens. I sent it in today so I will see what they come up with. Personally I feel they will do something. They can't just keep your gun. it's not theirs to keep. They won't want to send it back knowing it's broken and a danger for anyone to shoot, which would leave them open for a lawsuit if someone is injured shooting it after they had it in their hands.
A new gun which didn't cost all that much for them to make would be a small price to pay to avoid any future problems, and would make their customer service look outstanding.

I was going to mention that they can't refuse to send your property back to you no matter how unsafe it might be, but you did a better job.

The other night I was over at a cousins house and his wife related a story about a Macy's gift card that was hacked before she even had a chance to use it. She called Macy's customer service and they told her that there was nothing they could do about it and she was out the value of the card.

Her daughter suggested she put a post up on Macy's Facebook page with her complaint and Macy's response.

She did that late in the evening and early the next morning she had an email from Macy's corporate HQ, apologizing for the "confusion" and asking what she needed them to do to fix the problem. She got a new gift card out of them.

I'm not saying that you should go right to DefCon 1, but if you get nowhere with them, it's something to think about.

Squeaky wheel, oil, all that.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I hope they do replace it for free but the way it sounds they may offer to sell you one at cost to them ($300ish ) instead.

Man I hate to hear about the 37's breaking. I've shot mine a bunch and some +P+ as it was required to be a backup. Paid a whole $122. And some cents for it.

This happened about four years ago.

John

Well my hat is off to Smith and Wesson. They decided to replace my broken 1982 Model 37 even though is was before the lifetime warrantee started.

They offered me a similar current model 642 I believe he said. I asked if I could get a 9mm Shield as a replacement and he agreed to that. I picked up the Shield today.

As I wasn't really expecting too much, I am very pleased that they saw fit to replace the gun and also with an different model.

Smith and Wesson has always treated me very fairly, you don't hear many bad stories about them.

Glad to hear the good news and thanks for the update!