Sent a gun off for warranty work on the 10th they got it the morning of the 11th. I called yesterday morning while at work to check on it and Customer Service rep claim they did not get it yet and can not find the serial number in the system. So after work I called again to find out what the deal was, they tell me it was just checked in today and it will be another 14 days before it gets looked at. Is it possible that they have been putting out such bad work that they have that many warranty issues to deal with

I think they're just making you wait longer for asking a question like this. Believe it or not, not all the guns they work on in Springfield are back for warranty repairs.

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Steve
NJ State Trooper (rtd)

Another shocker... they have the highest volume of rebuilds, repairs, and warranty work during 'cabin fever' months - add the fact that they are well represented at the SHOT Show this week - and don't have extra folks working back at the shop - and it is understandable. Hang in there, they do great work - it'll be worth a few days wait.

Of course, I could be wrong... remember, I like the current products!

Stainz

I spent my working life as an automobile dealership service manager and won numerous awards for my customer satisfaction efforts, so I admit to being a little sensitive to the service offered by companies with which I deal as a customer myself.

I sent Smith & Wesson an email on January 3rd asking if a 686 no-dash I own was involved in the early 586/686 recall. I received a reply three days later telling me that my gun's serial number is invalid, so I emailed a photo of the number to them later that same day. Since then, I have sent reminder emails on the 11th and 17th and left a message in their telephone voice mail on the 18th. Still hearing nothing back, I sent them a letter and an 8-1/2x11 photo of the serial number yesterday.

They're busy doing something. Unfortunately, it isn't responding to their customers...

Ed

S&W traditionally gets back logged just about this time every year... they are minimally staffed during the last few weeks of the year for the holiday season and in January a back log occurs from the pent up demand.

If I remember correctly, I think S&W for years has not had any personnel in the factory to do repair work on regular production guns like they used to, and all such work is being now being handled by the Performance Center techs, in addition to their PC work.

Just as an FYI, the last time I sent a pistol in for repairs, I was told to potentially expect a 4 week turn around.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

What the CS Rep explained to me was that the address that you send the gun to for repair is not located at the same place they do the work. So they wait till they get a bunch in and bring them all over at the same time and it is not a daily exercise.

But at the same time the first rep I talked with said on Monday it was there and they would be working on it by the end of the week. When I called Thurs morning to check on it they could not find the ser# in the system. Thurs evening in talking to a different rep I was told it was just checked in and that it would be at least 14 days before it was worked on.

Tell me what is going on not different stories is all I ask.

Thanks for the information, Hmebuildr.

I sent the first S&W product I ever bought back last week because of shoddy assembly/workmanship.

I wish you had better news!

Bob

Let me guess you sent back a bodyguard 38

I, unfortunately, bought and sent back a new S&W 500 10.5" PC revolver.

It had such obvious flaws, that it showed that there was no QA at S&W at all. Nobody who cared even looked at this gun before it was shipped.

It looked so nice in the catalog.......

Bob

I wonder if you ran into the same mixup with the serial number like I had with mine.

Ever since I bought my 686 new back in the 1980's I thought the serial number was AFRO 428.

...as in 428.

After some recent research I learned that my serial number is actually AFR 0428.

...as in AFR 428.

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WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?

Now that's funny! Thanks for the laugh.

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Expect no quarter.

I sent a L frame in for review because one of the notches on the cylinder wasn't to spec. They sent it back broke- literally cannot even pull the trigger. So I sent it back again, this time some little jerk service rep got a hold of it and told me it was my problem and that S&W never sends out anything out of spec. So he sent it back again, broke. Called management, never got a call back. Called management again, never got a call back. Not buying anymore Smith's other than solid pre-lock guns. The company is not the same, their service is terrible, and their gunsmiths are second rate. It's not the same company as it was even fifteen years ago.

Since then, I've purchase a new cylinder, new extractor, new cylinder stop, and am going through a quality gunsmith to finally get my revolver to work. The hacks at S&W not only failed to address the issue but actually screwed up the revolver so bad I can't even pull the trigger then treated me terribly when I tried to get them to fix the problem they created. Oh well, lesson learned.


C77

I just sent my 327pc in and after reading this im worried. I really dont want to wait forever or have my gun screwed up even more than it is.

I was on the phone with Smith and Wesson today asking what to do about my Model 14's cracked frame, and the guy I talked to was very nonchalant when telling me that my gun is now "junk" and they wouldn't do anything for me. Well, I could send it in and one of the managers MAY offer to sell me a comparable gun, but at no discount of course. He was a jerk to say the least. It seems that customer satisfaction isn't much of a priority.

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386NG, M&P R8, M&P40c, 460 XVR

I find all of this very disturbing. I am a proud owner of three S&W revolvers and when I first started buying them I was told by numerous friends that I should have got more guns for the same amount of money...different manufacturers. I told them that I was more interested in quality craftsmanship rather than quantity and inferior firearms. One of the things that I found attractive in the S&W firearm was the warranty and reputation they had for servicing their product. These customer service reports from other members have me wondering if I was mistaken

I can relate. I'm a recent returnee to handgun collecting and shooting. Back in the 1970s through 1990s, I bought a new handgun every month when I got my departmental profitability bonus. I had a bunch of S&Ws and Colts but sold almost all of them after I bought my first T/C Contender. The accuracy and power of a fixed-breech gun capable of firing rifle cartridges without damaging cylinders and such made revolvers seem horribly old-fashioned somehow, so I started buying Contenders and XP-100s. But with the exception of a 6" Model 57 that had waves in the sides of the barrel (but still shot well), they were all quality pieces.

I can see some differences now that I have a dozen or so S&Ws made between 1986 and 2001. Nothing alarming; just little things that many people probably wouldn't notice. That wouldn't be so bad if customer service in this country hadn't deteriorated as it has. Fewer people are being asked to do more and that seldom has a happy ending for the customer.

Ed

Back load of repair work due to MIM parts?

I give Smith & Wesson credit for being responsible enough to stop using MIM parts of they were a source of trouble. From what I've read from authorities on the subject, MIM parts actually have advantages over forged ones and the only people who like the forged ones better are us goofy old pharts who struggle with accepting change.

Ed

AvergEd- you hit the nail square with "Fewer people are being asked to do more and that seldom has a happy ending for the customer." My employer has 50 people do what 86 did just two years ago-plus they got rid of all our part time assistants. This does, unfortunately impact customer service when things get busy.

I doubt MIM parts are the problem- more than likely it is all the pistols and revolvers S&W cranked out as fast as possible to meet the demand when our current Commander in Chief won the election. S&W took full advantage of the panic buying -as did Taurus- and both let fair number of problems out the door for the consumer to deal with.

I own several 2002-2008 era S&W revolvers which are quality, accurate, reliable arms with great triggers. I have seen a couple of 460 and 500 X frames plus Bodyguards that NEVER should have left Massachusetts.

I'll have to say that my first S&W purchase will probably be my last. Not only was my 638 purchased with aluminum shaving inside and no lub I also didn't receive a sorry from S&W when I wrote them about my experience. I really don't think they care much if they have your business or not. Not very good customer service

You are lucky to get through to them at all from November through the Shot Show. One department seems to have put all their phones on voice mail saying they will be absent until after the first of February.

This guy did manage to get through this month and begin the process of getting a mailing lable
Says he was using Remington Express 185jhp

Wow, that is scary. I hope there were no injuries.

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386NG, M&P R8, M&P40c, 460 XVR

He says no injuries. I'll try the link again:
Where there's a William ...: Range Report - S&W 625-10, s/n SCC0487 KABOOM!

I'm not sure what the failure mode was. Everything that contained pressure is intact, so I don't think the ammo itself is at fault.

This does not inspire confidence in alloy frames.

I just bought a chopped down 1917. Bet it doesn't do that! (smiley face goes here)

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

I was going to send my 4506 in to S&W for a full dissambly and srping replacement this is what they said in an email. This is after i requested an approx price quote and none was provided. Another CS rep replied to me and did say 6 to 8 weeks turn around time in another email that i deleted as i am not waiting 2 1/2 to 3 months.

Hello,

You would need to send it to us by either UPS or FedEx and it must go overnight delivery. Our shipping address is:

Repair Department
2100 Roosevelt Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104

Please enclose a letter detailing why you are sending in the weapon and include your name and address on the letter. Our repair department will work up an estimate and contact you to make payment arrangements.

Regards,

Dave

So i requested again a price approx and this what they said.

Hello,

The approximate cost for that would be $100.00. Please be advised that this is approximate only. Our repair department will only provide an official quote after they look at the gun. It normally takes 7-10 days to have a quote prepared and mailed. Once payment has been received, the normal turnaround time is 2-3 weeks.

Regards,

Dave

So i found a local certified gunsmith that is going to do the work in one week for me and he has owned 2 4506 handguns and knows them inside and out. West Coast Armory in Bellevue Washington.

I recently bought an m40-1. Seemed like a very nice gun but was expensive. I had always heard if you have a problem with a Smith that their warranty people were great. Not so with my experience.

After about 2 months of light use my gun started squibbing rounds. I know a squib shot is not terribly uncommon but I had never had one. I took it to a local gunsmith and had it removed not giving it that much thought. Three days later I took it to the range again and after nine shots it gets another squib. These are squibs with two different kinds of factory ammo by the way. This time it disturbed me. I called Smith customer service and they said that they should look at it. I sent it in with the second squib still in the barrel and after three weeks decided to call. They said that it had just been looked at, what a coincedence. They also said that there was nothing wrong with the gun and that it would be about three weeks to remove the squib and send it back. It would also be 48$ to do this. I asked them to just send the gun back. They said that they would not do that until I paid for their time. I wonder how to tell there is nothing wrong with a gun without removing the squib in the barrel. That is some real customer service.

If anyone reads this they may dissagree with me. To me the lesson I have learned is, when you buy a gun from a dealer and have a problem, their reply is "that is between you and the manufacturer", and if the manufacturer is Smith and Wesson, just take it to a gunsmith and bite the bullet without all the hassle. It's not worth the extra money for the "so called" quality of a Smith.

Over the years I have owned about a dozen Smith guns and still have 5. I guess it is time to look elsewhere for quality and customer support. I am not a gunsmith but in my opinion the quality that Smith used to have just isn't there anymore. I hope I never have to use any of my guns for self defense, but if I do they surely need to fire properly.

Hi there folks, been a member a while, just don't post much. I bought a used 629-2 4 inch and the trigger had a bad push off, called customer support and sent in the gun, not under warranty. From the time I sent it till I got the letter on cost, $78 to put in new hammer. Not flashed chrome, but case hardened, I had them replace trigger to match. Total, new trigger and hammer, and hand was $128. Work done to and back 4 weeks, supper work. I am a retired Deputy, and for all the shooting and dealing with Smith, too Me the quality, service is the BEST. I know in anything there is problems. I say please be patient follow the information they give you and you will be very pleased.

I've only had one experience with the customer servivce / repair department. While is seemed like a Chinese fire drill, in the end they fixed the problem and that was the important thing to me. I sent the unit on 18 Oct, overnight courier. Two weeks later, no one could tell me anything about the unit. At four weeks same story. Finally two different people said they would check and call me back, never happened. I tried calling management, no return calls. Then on 6 Dec the unit arrives at my house with a note saying it was repaired and tested - a printed out sheet with a yellow sticky note on it. And, best part of the story, on 6 Dec I received a letter US Mail, from S&W saying they have received the unit and it will be two - three weeks before they can tell me what they will do.

S&W received my M15-4 on Jan 21st. They just got around to letting me know that there is a six week turn around. That's 6 weeks from now. In the past, I have on two separate occasions, sent a gun back to them and had it back in 10 days or less.
They will have my M15 for over 10 weeks this time. Maybe longer. Something is going on. Maybe a whole lot more problems with the newer models than we are hearing about.

I sent my wifes new 442 back to S&W because after firing two rounds it would not fire again...very faint indent on the primer.

I sent it back three days before we went on vacation with a note telling them to not send it back until after February 14, 2011. I checked the Fedex tracking and found that they received the gun on the 7th. While at my son's house in Florida on the 10th, I checked my emails and had one from S&W telling me that the revolver was in transit to my house to be delivered on the 11th.

I did some calling and had Fedex to hold the package for delivery on the 14th when I knew I would be home. I also emailed S&W about my request both in the letter I sent with the gun and the email I sent requesting it not be returned to me until after the 14th. I still have not received a reply to that email...not that it matters now anyway.

Very, very short turn around. They said they replaced the firing pin. I have been laid up with a bad foot since getting home so I have not had a chance to shoot it.

Very good service but poor reading skills on someones part.

.
data point: my revolver just got turned around in less than a week.

My brother is about to send off his rifle for warranty/repair work (15-22,OOB). I will see firsthand how they take care of a customer.

The things that drew me to the S&W name were two things:

S&W .357 I had time with was a beautiful pistol. Man I wished I owned that revolver. (Quality)

S&W had a good reputation as far as I knew. (Reputation)

I will see soon enough.