Just looked at my 642-1 and lo and behold the frame is cracked right underneath the barrel in the yoke area. Called Smith, they're sending a return tag, and the service rep was like "ho hum we see this alot".
Since this is a no lock, they better send a no lock in return, no locked up gun for me. Going to check the other J frame Airweights I own this evening.
Here she was in better days: RIP

That's a shame Mike.....be sure to send it to them with some Goodyears on it and keep those nice smooth wood stocks.

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On the Oak Savannah

Oh, you know that!

Before you send her off, can you check something for me? Is the front sight canted a little? Another member said they are over tighting the barrels. Just wondering. Sorry to hear about yours!

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2 Timothy 1:7

It sure is, off to the right a bit, looking towards the front sight. I've seen so many posts thru the years about cracked frames on this forum, now I know how it feels.
Thing is I've been carrying this gun for awhile and checked for cracks not that long ago. Appears it can be fine one day and not the next.

Just had to send my 617 in today because of intermitent FTF's. Tried different types of ammo and still the same. Called Smith and they said it might be end shake. I bought this brand new, 2 months ago. I'm begining to wonder about their QC on their products. Always use to stand by their quality in revolvers, now I'm begining to wonder.

Can you post a photo of the cracked area for us? I'd like to see what to check for in the future. Sure hate that for you, good luck on the replacement.
Sad that a once great company just seems to be slipping so much in the QC and Customer Service departments, I can't think of two more important aspects of a business from our standpoint, from thier's I gues it's just 'Profit and Profit'.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

Well, thanks a LOT!

I checked my no-lock 642 and there is a line, running partway between the barrel and front of the frame, that looks like a crack. I can't catch it with my fingernail, so I am not sure. I have one of those lights with a magnifier, but just can't tell.

I will take it to the handgun range Wednesday and put a hundred or so factory rounds through it and see if it changes.

I've had this quite a while and sure hope it's not the dreaded crack.

You may recall I had a beautiful Cobra that had a frame crack (it is loaded and living in my kitchen, suppose it could handle a cylinder full if needed), but I don't want to lose my 642.

Bob

In living color

Wow that's terrible. I am with Smithhound, I would like a pic since my wife now has a 642 w/lock (has been disabled).

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M66, M&P 360, 642, M85 UL/Ti

Thanks for posting that. It is much more pronounced that what I see on my 642, but in the same place just not as long (starts at the front, goes a ways back) and not as wide.

I just don't know so shooting it seems to be the way to decide (absent calling S&W and sending it in).

Bob

I had an 042 that had the same crack; S&W sent a new no lock 442 and took care of it, but it wasn't the same so I sold it off. I have a 642-1 as well, and it has no sign of it. I thought it was because of overtorqueing the barrel, but apparently it can occur just from regular shooting. Kinda disturbing; it's my most carried gun BY FAR.

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MARK

Wow, sad to see that on something you may need to defend your life with.

I doubt they will send you a "pre-lock" one in return but what do I know.

FWIW, I had the same crack in my 637 and had gutted the lock. Sent her back on their dime with no grip and no ILS. They sent her back with no grip and only the part in the hole for the key was put back. They didn't put the flag, the pitchfork, or the springs back into her. The logo on the side opposite the swing out isn't centered anymore either. It's high up to the right. I got a new barrel and frame and the rest was from my original gun. I assume they mill and finish frames, set the barrels, and then set them aside like this. Turn around time on mine was almost exactly two weeks. As they are currently making ILS free 642's I would think that is what you will get in return... Be glad this didn't happen a little over a year ago...

The new guns are nice but I am sticking with my model 36 from 1972.

Darn! Darn! And double-Darn! I looked at old photos here and they look just like my "crack." Called my FFL buddy and he's sending it in Monday.

I really hope it's just my overactive imagination, but, better safe than sorry.

Bob

Yes, the crack occurs when the barrel is over torqued causing the frame to flex and crack the frame underneath the length of the forcing cone. This is a problem that has reared its head at the factory going back to the no dash airweights and airlites.

The good news is with S&W producing the 642-2 without the internal locks you should get a no lock frame replacement.

My condolences Mike..............

Wow that sucks Ladder13. I hope they make it right for you. Good luck! Regards 18DAI

Thanks all, since they're producing no-locks it shouldn't be an issue. Actually being offered ANY no lock J would work, maybe a M&P 340 perhaps?

Louie, I may have to get the new gun shipped to Richie, I don't know if Smith ships directly to the owner.

That stinks Bob, but at least you'll have a new gun, better than having a Kimber with a 1 year warranty. Btw, Smith is sending me a shipping label, so no charge to send it back.

I'd call them and clear that up, a ride to Richies is always a good day!!!!!!!!

Fudd that I am, that is why I prefer the Feel of Steel.

Yep, you never know what else is coming home with you.

So there I was, minding my own business, reading through this thread. I have a 20 or so year old 442 with satin finish. It's the one I just go through replacing the rebound and main spring on to lighten the trigger pull. Going to be my pocket gun.

I decided to casually walk down to the gun safe and take a quick peek at mine just be sure I didn't have a frame crack. I don't have 500 rounds through this, so how likely is it? Cant' be, right?

I opened the safe, took out the piece, opened the cylinder and - HOLY GUACAMOLE!

A huge crack, easily twice as wide as the one in the photo.

I'll probably wait until I go out to the factory for a tour in April to bring it in.

Thanks ladder 13 for starting this thread. It would be bad enough if the barrel fell of at the range, imagine if I actually had to use it for self defense.

I'm checking all my other Airweights in the morning. Sorry to hear about yours.

That is ugly. I'm going to check mine right now.......

Thanks. I'm sure they'll make it right, but I don't know if they even have that finish any longer.

[QUOTE=GaryS;136367734]So there I was, minding my own business, reading through this thread. I have a 20 or so year old 442 with satin finish. It's the one I just go through replacing the rebound and main spring on to lighten the trigger pull. Going to be my pocket gun.

I decided to casually walk down to the gun safe and take a quick peek at mine just be sure I didn't have a frame crack. I don't have 500 rounds through this, so how likely is it? Cant' be, right?

I opened the safe, took out the piece, opened the cylinder and - HOLY GUACAMOLE!

A huge crack, easily twice as wide as the one in the photo.

As I said this problem has reared its head all the way back to the no dash variants. I am sorry your guns are effected by this and the only good thing is that S&W "ALWAYS" makes good on this.

Gary, there's no brushed nickel 442's being made anymore.

I expect that they will. If all they do is take the guts out and put them into a new frame/barrel, that's fine. I'd hate to think that I have to restore mine to as built in order for my springs not to be lost.

I would love to test a cracked one and see what really happens. My guess is it would not fail catastrophically.

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Centennial Every Day

It depends on your state's requirements. Florida law required mine shipped back to an FFL. Each state has it's own regulations...

I'm getting mine sent back ASAP, before the deluge, they may run out of frames.

I'll make you a good deal on this one if you want!

$50 for the gun and I'll even provide the ammo and explosion proof gloves.

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Centennial Every Day

Oh no, I want $1,000.00 for the gun. After all it's a highly desirable destructive testing version.

And you have to fly me back and forth to Texas.

And buy me BBQ.

Everyone knows real BBQ is pork.


j/k folks

I just checked my 642-2. No canted sight and no crack. I have fired about 100 +P loads plus some spicy handloads in it.
Have you shot yours much?
It would make sense to me that overtightened barrels would correlate with cracked frames, since overtightening pre-stresses the frame in an area where it is thin and will be stressed more every time a round is fired.

Sad to hear about this, Ladder. I went through the same thing last July with a 642 I bought in 1991. I had shot mine a lot. I had it with me more often than any other gun I own, using it for a back-up at work and warm weather off-duty gun.

Mine cracked while shooting it, I believe. I put a box of 50 through it one day and found the crack when cleaning it the next day. It was functioning just fine. My guess is that it would have shot another five rounds or more without me noticing anything was wrong. I had shot a qualification with it probably a month earlier, and it wasn't cracked when I cleaned it after that range trip.

S&W took care of it in fine fashion. When they called me to ask what I wanted them to do, I asked for another 642 with no lock. They didn't have a standard one in inventory at that moment and so sent me one of the 'Pro' models cut for moonclips. They sent the replacement directly to me; I guess that may vary from state to state.

I was fond of my original gun and hated to lose it, but mechanical things wear and can break, and S&W takes care of their customers better than the makers of anything else I have owned. When the tranny went out on my 20 year old pickup truck, as an example, Ford didn't offer to send me a new one!

Thanks for checking that out for me! As others have already stated Smith will take care of you, as they have always done in the past.

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2 Timothy 1:7

No, everyone knows that BBQ is Brisket. And real Chili has no beans!

I've been shopping for a 4" 29 and checked out a new one at a local gunshop and with the MIM parts it just left me Cold!!!! Gonna buy a rifle instead.

If you can, can you post your photos of these cracks also? Sounds like we have some from just starting to really bad. Then I think this thread should become a sticky for future reference. What do you think.

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2 Timothy 1:7

My wife always laughs when I tell her Chili has no beans. She stoped one night when we were watching the Big Bang Theory and Sheldon asked if there was beans in the Chili? Yes was the reply and he stated, Then it's not real Chili... lol.

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2 Timothy 1:7

I'll have to check my new no lock 442, but I guess I'll be keeping my 640-1 as well.

I love The Big Bang Theory. I get the Texas jokes, at least some of them, and they are a nice bit to go with Sheldon's character.

One one episode he started singing "Deep In The Heart" of Texas and clapping to the chorus. Nice touch.

One picture, from my cell phone. I'll see if I can get better one later on with a real camera.

Send it back Gary, that's not good.

I just checked my 2 other 442's, a 38-3, and a 37-2...NONE of them have cracks....FOR NOW
Took the 640-1 out and filled her up.

Yeah, it's going back. I'll call S&W on Monday and talk to the service department. If they are just going to stuff my "good" parts into a new frame and barrel, I'll send it back with the Pachmayr grips and Wolff springs. If they are going to replace it with a whole new pistol, I'll put the factory springs and grips on. I don't want to lose those.

I might wait to actually bring it in to the factory in April. One of the nice things about living in MA is being able to drive to the factory and drop a piece off for service.