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S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


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Old 03-02-2012, 04:28 PM
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Default X-frame cracking forcing cone.

460 appears to have cracked forcing cone last time out. Been feed a steady diet of only 200-gr Hornady 460, no homeloads.

Repairable?




Last edited by whoever; 03-02-2012 at 05:14 PM.
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Old 03-02-2012, 04:32 PM
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I'd email S&W a copy of that photo.
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Old 03-02-2012, 04:42 PM
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Just curious...what is your approximate round count?
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Old 03-02-2012, 04:44 PM
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Just curious...what is your approximate round count?
300ish ....
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Old 03-02-2012, 05:05 PM
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Seems a little ridiculous, huh?
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Old 03-02-2012, 05:08 PM
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Warranty Repair Shipping Form - Smith & Wesson
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Old 03-02-2012, 05:11 PM
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THIS ^^^^^^^^^^, they'll send you a shipping label to return the firearm. Just sent in a 642 on Tuesday.
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Old 03-02-2012, 09:26 PM
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that is impressive - talk about high performance - to do that much damage in 300rds - wow
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Old 03-03-2012, 09:49 AM
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New barrel would fix that but I'm pretty surprised at the amount of erosion that it's showing also, especially after 300 rounds.
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Old 03-03-2012, 01:13 PM
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The sad part is that is the repair work they do going to last any longer because 300rds isn't that many. It would be a shame on S&W if they haven't found a way to prevent this from happening. I still think along with poor quality control they just cheap out on the materials they use to make their guns these days. A few cents saved on every gun can make a huge bottom line profit for them at the end of the year.
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Old 03-03-2012, 01:34 PM
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Sounds like it's time to get S&W to fix it then sell it and buy a "Normal" 44Mag, M-29. If you can't kill it with a 44Mag you don't need to be hunting it in the first place. JMHO, YMMV.
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Old 03-03-2012, 04:13 PM
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I sort of agree with Frank on this -- the 460 is super-powerful -- and a lot of bragging rights go with it. But a 44 magnum is more practical and probably a lot easier to shoot -- however, I am not a big guy, so my perspective is biased in that regard.
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Old 03-03-2012, 05:15 PM
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I think a 4" M29 with wooden grips is uber cool. Had one and really loved it. You could actually carry it and even with 44spl it still packed a pretty good punch for Home Defense. JMHO, YMMV.
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Old 03-03-2012, 07:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by team sidewinder View Post
The sad part is that is the repair work they do going to last any longer because 300rds isn't that many. It would be a shame on S&W if they haven't found a way to prevent this from happening. I still think along with poor quality control they just cheap out on the materials they use to make their guns these days. A few cents saved on every gun can make a huge bottom line profit for them at the end of the year.
Really, just how many 460 Magnums do you think they sell in a year, I suspect that it's well under 1000. Means that if they save 3 cents per gun by using inferior materials it'll add up to a huge 30 dollars at years end.

Personally I suspect that the ammo choice may play a role in this erosion. While I don't own a 460 Magnum I suspect that a 200 gn. bullet is is rather light for this caliber. As a result what we are seeing may be a product of flame cutting. Sum it up and with a 300 gn. bullet we may not see these results.

Good news is the warranty will cover the damage and S&W will return it with a new barrel installed. Points up that it's a good idea to give your gun a good looking over any time you clean it so you can see something like this developing before it causes any real damage or injury.
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Old 03-03-2012, 08:36 PM
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Really, just how many 460 Magnums do you think they sell in a year, I suspect that it's well under 1000. Means that if they save 3 cents per gun by using inferior materials it'll add up to a huge 30 dollars at years end.

Personally I suspect that the ammo choice may play a role in this erosion. While I don't own a 460 Magnum I suspect that a 200 gn. bullet is is rather light for this caliber. As a result what we are seeing may be a product of flame cutting. Sum it up and with a 300 gn. bullet we may not see these results.

Good news is the warranty will cover the damage and S&W will return it with a new barrel installed. Points up that it's a good idea to give your gun a good looking over any time you clean it so you can see something like this developing before it causes any real damage or injury.
I did not mean S&W is cheaping out on the 460 but on all their guns which adds up to way more than $30. Less quality control and cheaper materials all add up and it doesn't take long reading posts here on this forum to see how many unhappy S&W gun owners are on here with new guns. They just aren't making them like the old days.

And even if warranty does fix it which they will nobody wants to be sending their gun in every 300rds.
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Old 03-03-2012, 08:43 PM
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Look at the rear edge of the forcing cone. It looks rounded off and chipped, as if too-large bullets had been forced through it. I wonder if the inner diameter of the forcing cone might be undersized.
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Old 03-03-2012, 10:19 PM
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Quote:
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I sort of agree with Frank on this -- the 460 is super-powerful -- and a lot of bragging rights go with it. But a 44 magnum is more practical and probably a lot easier to shoot -- however, I am not a big guy, so my perspective is biased in that regard.
My 500s are almost that far round-count wise and nowhere near the erosion.
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Old 03-04-2012, 08:33 AM
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The first picture tells me this gun was shot with cast bullets. 200gr Hornady wouldn't leave those gray deposit. I may be wrong but that what I feel. Also, 300rds? My be true but forcing cone gets like this evntually. No big deal as the factory will fix it.
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Old 03-04-2012, 10:21 AM
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Quote:
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I did not mean S&W is cheaping out on the 460 but on all their guns which adds up to way more than $30. Less quality control and cheaper materials all add up and it doesn't take long reading posts here on this forum to see how many unhappy S&W gun owners are on here with new guns. They just aren't making them like the old days.
Do you have access to S&W's Balance Sheet to support this drivel or are you just spitting on the stove?
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Old 03-04-2012, 10:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by team sidewinder View Post
Less quality control and cheaper materials all add up and it doesn't take long reading posts here on this forum to see how many unhappy S&W gun owners are on here with new guns. They just aren't making them like the old days.
I've said it before on this forum, shooters/writers with what I suspect have far more experience than the vast majority of shooters here and who have industry ties, say the exact opposite of what you do. Today's materials are far better than in the past, there's just less hand fitting.

We should be eternally grateful that many things aren't made like the "old days". Gosh how we should miss 1965 Mustangs with wheezing, in line sixes, 16 mpg, horrible emissions, lousy brakes, ****** point style ignition and reliability and on and on. Today, we have turbocharged 4 cylinders that can kick tail on old style 400 cu in V-8s. Yes, let's give that all up!!!

The 460 is a very intense, high pressure cartridge and the materials of "old days" wouldn't even begin to withstand the abuse it hands out. I seriously doubt that cracks such as those the OP's gun have are at all common.

For everyone who is pleased with his/her new modern revolver, there seems to be far more who want to shout to the internet world about how dissatisfied they are for the most minor issues. Don
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Old 03-04-2012, 10:56 AM
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No big deal as the factory will fix it.
Everyone says stuff like this is "No Big Deal", well, what if you were some places where you couldn't send the gun into the factory or what if the SHTF and your life is now depending on your firearms to defend you and to hunt with for food. It IS a big deal when you spend that kind of cash on a gun and it goes belly up in 300 rounds. This would never happen to a Ruger Revolver(357Mag Blackhawk aside), S&W just doesn't build them heavy enough to take the constant pounding. I say sell it and get a Super Redhawk in 454 Casull if you want a big, powerful handgun. JMHO, YMMV.
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Old 03-04-2012, 08:32 PM
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surprised by what? It sends a 200+ grain bullet down the muzzle at 2200fps. Not real conducive to long revolver life!
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Old 03-04-2012, 08:43 PM
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TNFrank,
Okay, I got your point. If you have faith in Ruger, then you should stick with Ruger. I for one happen to be a S&W guy and after shooting hundreds of thousands of rounds through them, I realized some parts need replacement sooner or later. Still, I personaly have no plan to switch to Ruger. Just my personal choice, you and all others have their choice, too.
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Old 03-05-2012, 12:22 AM
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TNFrank,
Okay, I got your point. If you have faith in Ruger, then you should stick with Ruger. I for one happen to be a S&W guy and after shooting hundreds of thousands of rounds through them, I realized some parts need replacement sooner or later. Still, I personaly have no plan to switch to Ruger. Just my personal choice, you and all others have their choice, too.
I've owned a large number of S&W revolvers, never had a problem with em but personally I'm a "Get the Gun That'll Work" kind of guy and if the 460's aren't holding up then maybe it's time to admit that they're not God's gift to Big Bore Revolvers and go with one that actually works.
I don't care who makes it, if it breaks then it's not worth owning, warranty or not.
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Old 03-05-2012, 12:42 AM
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Exclamation

whats really neat is when one guy comes on a internet board and shows a gun that has a problem, then all the internet know it alls say the entire gun line is bad and my different brand gun has never done that.
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Old 03-05-2012, 01:55 AM
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Just a thought here, but how many of these "failures" have we seen? Anyone else got photos of one or have documentation of others? This is the first I have seen of this in this gun. just my two cents on this. Kyle
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Old 03-05-2012, 01:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TNFrank View Post
I've owned a large number of S&W revolvers, never had a problem with em but personally I'm a "Get the Gun That'll Work" kind of guy and if the 460's aren't holding up then maybe it's time to admit that they're not God's gift to Big Bore Revolvers and go with one that actually works.
I don't care who makes it, if it breaks then it's not worth owning, warranty or not.

frank...the ruger warranty dept.is kept quite busy because they break too....i guess a ruger is not worth owning?
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Old 03-05-2012, 01:44 PM
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Just a thought here, but how many of these "failures" have we seen? Anyone else got photos of one or have documentation of others? This is the first I have seen of this in this gun. just my two cents on this. Kyle
I'm curious how many people would put themselves through the punishment of 300 rounds through a 460? And then, how many of those that would shoot all that, could spend the money to do it? Then, how many of those that would could and have are on forums to make it known?
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Old 03-05-2012, 02:04 PM
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A comment from someone who actuall has a 460. I realize that it shouldn't matter, but it does. Stop shooting the 200 grain bullets. They are too light for this gun. I dont shoot anything less than 250 grain and the gun really prefers 300 grain. And yes, send it back to S&W for repair. As to comments about getting a 44 mag because it's more "practical" - screw that. I shoot a 460 "because I can"! Dont need much other excuse.
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Old 03-05-2012, 03:04 PM
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I shoot 200 grain 460's, not from a Smith revolver, but my 20" T/C barrel.
I love the round and too compare a .44 to it...well why not compare a jet to a cesna!
I feel sorry for this guy. He spent big money on that S&W. 300 rds. or not, 200 grain or not, it is broken. What a slap in the face.
However, this is the first S&W .460 that I have seen with physical damage. It does not mean that every S&W .460 is junk, let alone other models. Keep in mind how many New S&W's roll out the door everyday compared to those models that get sent back for repair.

I had a starter fail with only 5k miles on it. My Brother bought a brand new Sharp TV. Motherboard is junk.

It happens!
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Old 03-05-2012, 03:19 PM
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400 rounds through my 460v 5"...Hornady 200 SST's

250 rounds through my 500 4"...Hornady 300 SST's

Purchased in 2006/2007...zero problems

Kaboom!
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