I just bought a 48-7, lock and all. I plan to ignore the lock, which doesn't bother me anyway, and enjoy the new pistol as I don't have to worry about any InterWebz "gunsmiths" having messed up its innards any.

When I look at what some so-called gunsmiths post on the web, I worry...
No-one here (that I know of) but there are some beauties if you search. If my innards are going to be messed with, i'm going to so it myself.

I bought a 442-2 (ILS version) in 2013. It was my first new S&W handgun since 1987. It serves as a pocket carry gun and has the finish wear to prove it. The lock has given me zero problems in about six hundred rounds of live fire and countless dry fire trigger strokes. I have been very pleased.
A six shot lightweight .38 +P revolver with no ILS, double action only, bobbed hammer, and three inches of barrel would sell like hot cakes. I would buy at least two. The only thing in Smith's current revolver line that even tempts me is the new M66 with the 2.5 or so inch barrel.

I've been shooting S&W revolvers for over a half century now. I like 'em & shoot them better than the auto's now in vouge.

Last year I purchased a 629 Talo and a 686 plus 357 3inch both of them. No complaints about either ones and ordered a 627 pc 2.62 bbl which should be here this Thursday I hope. So far no problems will report back when the new one comes in!

I was about to bust out laughing until I saw this thread is from 2011.

Holy Necro-thread-bump, Batman!

I buy them for shooting and conversions, I'll be gone before the mimmed and locked guns are fetching collector money.

Some of my pre lock/mim guns are worth to much to shoot.

I’m a big sucker for the old “working” guns like the plain but timeless Model 10 or 64s.

Both are about the cheapest guns that can be had pre-lock, pre-MIM, etc. I really am not a collector so even the 27s and 19s often sell for a little too rich for my blood.

But new ones? Please but no thank you. I’ve my reasons.

Last year I won a lightly used J frame on Gun Broker. I didn't notice it had the lock and was disappointed when I received it. At the range however, I will say that it didn't have any functional problems and it did fine.

Ended up selling it partially because of the lock. The main reason was it didn't make sense to me for CC like I thought it would. I got it so I could deep conceal at work and for the times when I didn't feel like putting on a holster. The problem I ran into was it took up my front right pocket. Phone in front left, wallet in back pocket. Now where do I put my keys??
I guess I could have gotten a small holster, but screw it.

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Smith & Wesson — and me.

My LGS didn't have many revolvers in stock. They said they sell them as soon as they hit the shelves. They had many semi-autos in stock.

S&W must be selling plenty of new revolvers or they wouldn't keep making them. I agree with RdrBill above that new, younger and presumably less experienced buyers typically go to their local gunshops to look for a new gun – a gun that they can hold in their hand and visually inspect with a warranty. If you don't really know what you are doing and what to look for, buying a used gun online as-is can be very daunting. And there is also the fact that buying something brand new has its own appeal. If the new guns were made like the old guns, the market for older guns would be far smaller. Was there an active market in the 1980s for revolvers manufactured 20-30 years earlier?

However, even some experienced buyers are purchasing the newer models and many profess not to care about the internal lock. In particular the model 69 has a cult following on this forum. More MIM parts, automation, CNC machining and cheaper-looking finishes may produce functionally reliable guns at a lower cost – and there's nothing wrong with that – but personally I think the older guns have far greater aesthetic appeal and with few exceptions the same functionality (normal wear and tear notwithstanding), which in my opinion outweighs any perceived "imperfections" resulting from forged parts and hands-on craftsmanship.

In most cases, you can see that an older gun received greater personal attention from a gunsmith who took pride in his work. Some people may discount this as mere sentimental value, but I have never been filled with joy holding a new S&W revolver in my hand. No new gun I have ever examined at a local gunshop has given me the sense of pride and satisfaction that, for example, my 66-2 has every time I pick it up. Maybe it's a generational thing. If you grew up in a time when most products were manufactured by skilled craftsmen, you came to expect a certain level of quality even if you took it for granted. People nowadays in their 20s and even 30s don't value that sort of quality because it has generally been a matter of exception for their entire lives.

MY HERO!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love that I am not alone! An old gun guy once told me that I should clean my guns in February but if I miss that there is always next February.

I admit I have cleaned my guns from time to time but only when I am bored or feeling guilty.

Back to the subject at hand:

All bought new in the recent past:







Okay, the 3" 686+ was NEARLY new. These guns were what I wanted when I wanted them and I didn't let the IL or any MIM parts get in my way. They are all elegant, fine shootin' firearms!

I buy the Mimmed & Locked guns to shoot (like my M&L 629-6s) so I can sell my safe queens to folks like you when I retire.

I thank you for increasing the value of my NIB 5" S&W 625-5 in 45 Colt and my 5" S&W 629-4.

Collectors are the reason I can't justify shooting that 45 Colt and instead sent a NIB 6.5" 629-6 Deluxe off to get converted to 45 Colt, I also only shot 12 rounds through my 5" 44 Magnum and instead bought a much cheaper M&L 44 Magnum to shoot.

So, Jack Huntington thanks you too.

The next few guns on my list are a 6.5" M&L 629-6 in 44 Magnum to match the one I just converted and a M&L 67 because I won't spend $1k for a. 38 spl just to shoot.

I'm not a collector and I don't consider a weapon an investment, but rather a tool. I use every gun, knife, and bow in my possession. If I determine that I don't have or foresee a practical use for them and they start to collect dust, they get sold... like the 629-3 in excellent condition that I just shipped out to someone who may get more use out of it than me. So I guess you're welcome if buying and selling guns is your hobby; but I suspect you'd make more money prudently investing in the stock market.

You just described my Sig P365

My newest revolver is a 24-3, I can't possibly wear out what I have and am really only interested in the good old stuff when it comes to a purchase. If I were going to get into something like action shooting I would probably get a newer stainless model but otherwise the new stuff has no appeal to me.

If you don't have it in your hands, you don't own it.

And thanks for helping to increase the price of my 629-4!

While i prefer the pre-lock models, and they comprise the larger part of my collection, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any with the lock. However, I've removed the locking mechanism and plugged the hole in the frame. In the past, I wasn't wild about MIM, either. However, I've got to say that I've had no issues related to the lock or MIM parts. Even though I prefer the pre-lock models, I'll still buy the newer models if I see something that particularly interested me.

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Dave Frost

I have a 2.75" M66-8. I plugged the lock hole and removed the flag. It is an accurate and reliable revolver. It has some improvements over the pre-lock models, including improved design to prevent forcing cone cracking under 125 gr. and less magnum fire. The improved metallurgy and design has improved many, if not all of the shortcomings of the earlier models.

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Dave Frost

There is no need to thank me for my infrequent firearms transactions. For it is really people who are buying older guns such as your 629-4 and holding them expressly for the purpose of making an opportune profit that are helping to increase their market prices by adding a layer of one or more transactions between the original owner and an eventual buyer who wishes to purchase the gun as an addition to their collection or as a tool for use. Such a hold-for-sale strategy adds zero value to the gun to justify any price increase. At best you can hope to offer a potential buyer a gun whose value has not been diminished through use.

In contrast, the sum total of all such hold-for-sale purchases makes the older guns much more scarce for collectors and users. Such demand on the part of hold-for-sale buyers creates an artificial scarcity in the market that drives up the prices of older guns much more than demand alone on the part of collectors and users. So I guess you can pat yourself on the back. But don't thank me

My "working revolvers" are a 442-1 made recently, but no IL; a 629-3 5" or a 686-4 Plus 6" (both mildly collectible but holsters won't hurt them) for the woods; a hard-chromed 34-1 that's pretty much impossible to wear out; and a K-22 Outdoorsman that came to me with honest wear already.

Everything else is a collectible that, while they can be shot, I don't treat as tools. They can be enjoyed (a little and with care) and will still appreciate in value over time.

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Psalm 27:2

I bought a new model 60 snub nose, and a model 66 snub nose. I changed the rear sight on the model 66 to a fixed sight, I don't like adjustable ones.

Oh dear!

I feel I've developed a much more militant attitude over my disinclination to buy current firearms manufacturers' goods since 2011 when I first posted in this thread.

The favorite old guns that had served so long and so well for me in 2011 are still going strong and those are the kinds that hold my interest yet.

I was on a Scandium kick last year.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

What did your hands ever do to you?

Good luck when the frames start cracking. I have two. the 325 cracked all the way through under the barrel. I have a 386 NG that I will never shoot 357 Magnums through again and the 38s I may shoot won't be +Ps...or I'm gonna just sell it.



Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

I have Purchased many new style S&W keyhole Revolvers, and a few Rugers too. Now it seems that Colt is Coming back to the D/A Revolver, and Kimber is finally making a DA/SA one also. I just Bought one last month and I'm very pleased with it. So it will be interesting to see what the future brings.

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Ancient thread, but a topic I have been considering recently.

A few years back I started shooting revolvers again due to finding a recent manufacture 637 PC that just has a staggeringly good trigger.

Here it is with a Taurus grip I experimented with. It has S&W rubber boot grips now.



Since then, I've bought at least a half dozen each of new and old S&W revolvers. Some of the old ones have amazing triggers, some of them are only ok; the same can be said for the new guns. I had a recent manufacture 625 PC that had an amazing trigger, and I had a recent manufacture 686 PC that had the wrong strain screw and had a horrible trigger until I figured it out. My pre-37 trigger is kinda rough and heavy, my pre-36 trigger is like warm butter.

The biggest problem I have dealt with is light strikes from new guns. Even with stock springs, I have had a couple of new guns with internal firing pins that would fail to ignite. I had a 325 that wouldn't ignite reliably even with stock springs and a Apex extended firing pin (a slightly longer Cylinder and Slide pin fixed it after much frustration). I'm at the point where I just replace the firing pin with a C&S before I even test it.

So, I have started to gravitate toward pre-internal firing pin guns. The lock has never been an issue for me.

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I shoot more 38 spl ammo than any other ammo so what does that tell you? Looking at the all the posts on this site there are a whole lot more posts about revolvers than semi autos.
Last new S&W was a revolver 627-5 and the last used S&W was also a revolver. 28-2. I don't care to much for semi autos. I don't imagine S&W will stop making revolvers any time soon.

I wouldn’t buy a new S&W revolver even if they were on deep discount.

I own seven Smith revolvers, but the frame lock is a no go for me.

I can tolerate MIM, internal fp’s, round butts, crappy thin grips, funky looking cylinder latches, sleeved barrels and the like, but the key hole is the last straw.

I worked over time, saved it and looked for a vintage S&W. Ended up with a new Talo 686 three inch barrel. I shoot it as poorly as all the other guns I own. Haha, I miss 7 times with the new one, though.

Here’s my two cents.....

I own one 686 with a lock.
I own several pre-lock Smith’s (66, 60, 19, 29, 629, etc...).

The 686 with the lock is a nice gun.... It works great and I have no concerns of it failing to operate correctly. I just don’t love it due to the little hole. To some it’s not a big deal. To me it is a sad reminder of a bygone era of classic revolvers.

The pre-locks come out of the safe most often. To me they are akin to looking at old family photographs. I will keep them until I’m gone and they will be passed on to someone whom I know feels the same way.

Just one man’s opinion....

I’m one of those “young” people that will buy new models. I’m indifferent to the lock, provided the rest of my wanted features were there.

There was a way to get a 686 SSR with anything but the lock, but I very much love how that gun handles for me. So the lock is what it is.

My 60-4 doesn’t have the lock. I wanted a 3” J-frame with target sights that was built for 38s, not 357s. The only way to get that was a pre-lock model.

My wife enjoys my 60-4 enough that she wanted a version of her own. She handled a bunch of options yesterday and ultimately brought home a 60 Pro. It has a lock, but it also has everything else she wanted.

The lock is what it is at this point. I will continue to buy based on the features I want and if it means I have a lock model than I have a lock.

Just got a new 627-PC 2.6 in bbl has the Hillary hole as do my 629 and 686 + but I cant see them when I shoot. Everybody has a complaint about some firearm manufactures practices that's their right, MIM and Hillary holes don't bother me guns shoot fine no problems. everybody complained about Kimber using MIM, my STS 2 has over 8k thru it no issues and that's my Duty weapon. Ruger has about 3 pages of info on their barrels and Hi point just keeps on ticking!!!

Yes they are. Next question.

Fingers crossed, but no problems yet.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

Can't blame you I have lock and no lock models. The 329PD bug bit years ago which was the first lock model I ever bought. And the same gun that brought about the Lock Delete. Had to have a Titanium part to fill in that hole. Usually I'll shoot neutered modern revolvers and leave the prelocks for fondling, oiling, and handing down to the family at some point

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R/S
J.D.

I fully agree, have been collecting S&W wheel guns since 1980, got about 80 by now. Have not bough any new S&W for over 20 years, prior to 1990 most in my collection were bought brand new. Then it all changed, lock, unfluted cylinder hammer without firing pin no no except for old 22's or model 547. Yes I know technically the later ones are probably often as good in spite of production savings, but they don't always feel right or look right to me. A round butt N-frame with rubber grips and finger grooves full under lug and unfluted cylinder ugly as sin to me . Well I'm a stubborn old timer loving counter bored chambers, pinned barrel and hammer mounted firing pin that's the way a real S&W should look. Yes I know about opinions, all got one and they........However many nice older classic S&W bought later, especially the pre model numbered species and some rare odd balls, real bargains since of no interest for target shooters over here but still very nice pieces in excellent condition with superb workmanship.

"If it saves one kid's life, it's worth it." How would one know if it saved one kid's life. A standard argument and not necessarily true. If you banned the sale of handguns, it would no doubt save a kid's (several kids' lives) but is it worth it? It's a straw man argument, can't be proven that locks have ever saved a life that I know of. It came about as an agreement with Smith (or whoever owned it then) and the Clinton administration. Pure politics..

Been shooting Smith revolvers for over 30 years now and not too long ago won a bid on a new 586-8. The revolver actually looked very nice out of the box although not comfortable all to shoot with the wood grips. They are pretty nice looking though.

The 586-8 shot way to the right for me - first Smith I ever owned that exhibited this. And is the first Smith revolver I have owned that has some creep or a gritty feel in the SA mode- sort of reminds me of shooting a Ruger.

Not long after I picked up a 586-4 with combats and it has the nice crisp glass rod break that Smith is known for. And the windage with the rear blade centered is pretty much spot on.

Most likely I will sell the 586-8 and hang onto the 586-4. For me I'll probably stick to the "old school" revolvers from now on.

I'm new to guns but not first time buyer. Last year I bought a model 60 and last May I bought model 686 plus. I have regretted both purchases.

They both have the same ejecting spent shells issue. On model 60 there is one chamber that I have to pry the empty shell with a finger nail, and the 686 has two chambers with same problem.

I haven't had the time to check if there is a statement "Made in China. Assembled in USA" anywhere on the guns or boxes.

Have you reached out to S&W about the issue?

I just a couple hours ago bought a 642-1. Guy works a counter at a local shop and got it cheap as a trade. I doubled his money and still saved $150 over new. He shot it once and it momentarily tied up. I got it running immediately but he wanted rid of it. Finished cleaning and slicking it up and I will shoot it with a variety of ammo. If no failures, I'm keeping it. Joe

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Keep Today Fresh

Since these guns were for home defense, I want to have a peace of mind. Even if they were fixed by S&W, I will still have doubt.
Thus, I plan to buy a Ruger SP101 for primary defensive gun. The S&W will be back up.

Thanks

Around here, and gun prices aren’t particularly high here, a nice 27-2 for $550-650 isn’t likely to happen. I doubt you can find a 28-2 for that sort of money in these parts.

I have a couple older model 10’s, a 38, a 36, and a 442 with no lock. I have a 640 and a 66-8 with locks.

They all shoot great. All feel great. And they all look great.

When it’s time for show and tell, I bring out the prelock guns. When it’s time for putting in real work, I bring out the newer guns.

Just out of curiosity, what if the Ruger has issues?

I’d have them looked at it, corrected and then shoot them until you feel comfortable again.

The last new S&W I purchased was a mod 63 stainless “ kit gun” in 1982.

In the past 2 years, I have purchased 2 640 pros, an m&p 340 (all no locks) and a 19 carry comp and a 586 L comp (both with locks) and I have had zero issues with any of them. The 586 L comp is my main CCW and EDC.
Mike