I had a 22 year old model 49, original owner, carried it everywhere for years and would shoot it once a month two to stay confident. January of 2012 I took it down to the range to shoot it left handed as my right shoulder was about to have surgery and I want to be able to hit something. On about the 30th round I fired a double tap and the recoil told me that something was not right. The left side of the barrel support on the frame was missing. I searched the area for the quarter sized piece of frame and never found it. I make a wall hanger out of it convinced that it was an ammo issue and nothing could be done. On to mid-summer and a gunsmith friend of mine came by and saw the wall hanging M49 and asked me about it. I told him that it blew up on me and he asked if I had ever contacted S&W customer service as it has a "lifetime warranty" to the original owner. I checked safe deposit box and gun safe and could not find the original recipt. He encouraged me to email S&W and explain that I was the original owner but did not have a receipt. So I did, within a week they sent me a call tag so off it went. About 5 weeks later I get a form letter from Smith that says it is in the repair process and will be addressed when time allows. January 2013 I get a call from "Larry" in repair telling me that my gun cannot be repaired because of the lack of original parts. I told him that "it is not a problem, just send it back to me and I will use it as a wall hanger" Well apparently they run the sn# and found I was the original buyer, and he then told me that "they were sorry that the black m49 could not be repaired as original because they had discontinued the 438 so it would be replaced by a 638 instead and would be shipping as soon as possible, who is your gunshop, name and phone #" We hung up and it took me a bit to realize that S&W customer service is still alive on a 22 year old revolver! Today I picked it up at the local gun shop, we did the paper work and when I asked what I owed for the paperwork, the store "Gun Den" told me N/C, it was a "repair". Everything is good today! jb