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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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  #1  
Old 04-26-2017, 08:47 PM
DaStray DaStray is offline
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Hi y`all (I am from SC after all)
Long time S&W fan here from the 80`s. I have a modest collection of firearms of all types of which I have a 686, Model 19, Model 17 and Model 60 Ladysmith which was a gift to my wife.
The Ladysmith was initially cleaned upon receipt and taken to the range with a mixture of 38`s and 357`s. Recoil with the 357`s was darn near brutal so only a few cylinderfulls were fired with them. At round count 73 the gun refused to function! Hammer wouldn`t move and the cylinder wouldn`t turn. I was stunned so dejectedly we returned home and the gun was returned to S&W. Seems the hand broke and it was repaired and returned to me. I had planned upon making this my EDC gun but after that episode it was relegated to nightstand/range use only as I had lost faith in it. Since that time only 38+P have been fired in it.
Couple of years later I purchased a 686-6 4" which I love. Although I have various Rugers, a Colt Defender, Walther PPKs, among others, my S&W`s have always held a special place for me.
Last range trip and upon cleaning when I returned home I noticed that the firing pin bushing had a hole at about the 10 o`clock position and the hammer nose was "rough". I dug up some of the fired brass and saw that the primer had a funny "U" shaped indention with a small hole in it too. It appears that a small piece of the hammer somehow broke which then started piercing the primers which then caused the hole in the firing pin bushing.
Pretty bummed out actually. Sent it back to S&W and they received it on 4-11 and I`m now just waiting for some word on when it will be returned.
Basically, of all the S&W`s I`ve bought, 2 of 3 have had to be returned to S&W due to problems (the Model 17 no dash was inherited).
I`ve never had any real problems with any other gun/manufacturer aside from determining which ammo the Colt Defender prefers.
Am I the only one to have these problems or have some of you had the same problems and if so, is there a trend or decline in S&W quality?
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Old 04-26-2017, 09:27 PM
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Default Hmmmmmmm

I know of some problems with more recent S&W guns, but nothing like what you describe. My experience is that if an S&W is good at the beginning it stays good. Not that they don't break sometimes, but it sounds like you've go more than your share.
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Old 04-26-2017, 09:38 PM
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I've heard of the hammer nose breaking off but never have had it happen to anything I own. I have 5 (soon to be 6) model 27's from -2 to -5 models and none have given me problems. My oldest, a 5" barrel gun I bought new in 1974 has had easily 30k-40k rounds through it and the only thing I had to change out was the trigger as it started messing up when firing single action and that was with quite a few rounds down the pipe. The other 4 are newer to me but have had quite a few rounds down the pipe with no mechanical breakdowns. I also own a 627 Pro, a 629-3 Classic and my wife has a 3" barrel model 60-15 and none of those have given me problems either. All of these span shipping dates of 1974-2016. So I guess my luck is good or you just happen to have gotten a couple of guns that had problems. BTW, I wouldn't worry about carrying that Ladysmith. S&W fixed the hand issue and that is very unlikely to be a problem in the future.
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Old 04-26-2017, 09:58 PM
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I have 2 later model Smith&Wesson revolvers purchased New.

Both have the dreaded lock and MIM parts.. The 629 has 10 thousand

rounds thru it..No issues or the side cover ever removed.. 686 made its

First trip to the range last Friday.. After 100rds no problem either.. I fully

expect it to make the 10K mark also. After almost 50 yrs shooting S&W

revolvers l would rate the latest one as good as the first in 1970

Last edited by sw282; 04-26-2017 at 10:01 PM.
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Old 04-26-2017, 10:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaStray View Post
...Am I the only one to have these problems or have some of you had the same problems and if so, is there a trend or decline in S&W quality?
My friend, you are not the only one. In the past several months I've purchased two new S&Ws, both of which have had to go back for multiple defects to be repaired.
My older (25-30 year old) S&Ws are flawless.
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Old 04-26-2017, 10:35 PM
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The only things I've noticed in the last two S&W revolvers:

686+ purchased in 2011 has a canted barrel. It bugs me, but not enough to send it back. I adjusted the rear sight, and it works for me.

629 Vcomp has a loose front sight. I did send this one back at S&W's request. I told them I had glued it back on with blue loctite, but they insisted I send it back, since they wanted to make sure the dovetail had been cut into the barrel correctly.

It's important for any manufacturer to field good products, but everyone knows that from time to time, even the best people make mistakes. I respect a company willing to look into & fix what they consider to be results that are not up to their standards.
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Old 04-27-2017, 07:25 AM
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Welcome to the forum!! I am also in SC and own several S&W's I've only had one give me trouble, and S&W fixed it for free, even though I was not the original owner and the weapon was made in 2004. I've had to send a few guns back to various manufacturers for defects, Magnum Research, Ruger etc. but as long as they fix it I'm only out some time.
It can be frustrating, but hang in there, just let S&W fix it and it'll be all good. Especially if they fix it right the first time!! I had to send my Ruger Alaskan back 3 times before the issue actually got fixed!! But it DID get fixed with no money out of pocket....just out about 2 months going back and forth!
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Old 04-27-2017, 08:26 AM
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How old are these guns?

I have had a total of 8 S&W revolvers. Out of those 3 had problems and 2 of them were sold. None of them were younger than early 80s.

Model 12 cylinder bound up
Model 27-2 (1960s) issues with primer strikes
Model 13-2 broken firing pin.

So what does that say? Apparently if you read enough into it it says that S&W sucked back in the 60s. In reality guns break. No such thing as a perfect gun. There are two kinds of guns....... broken guns and ones that will break.

Don't read too much into it. Get it fixed and carry on or move on to something else

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Old 04-27-2017, 09:08 AM
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My 686 went back after a couple months when it would lock up on full house magnum rounds. They shipped and repaired it free even after I told them I wasn't the original owner.
My Son's 1911sc started beaning us between the eyes when the ejector end chipped. Called S&W wanting to buy a ejector and they said let us take care of it. Again I told them neither me or my Son were the original owner and they didn't care. Had it back in about 3 weeks and it's been perfect.
With service like that I won't hesitate to buy a new S&W and have. Bought a 627 pro last year that's been perfect in function and the fit and finish none to shabby either. A couple days ago bought a 69 with 2.75" barrel online. Should there be a problem I know S&W will take care of it.
I have have friends and met club members that have had problems with about every firearm manufacturer you can think of. Talked to a guy that spent $12K+ on a Perazzi shotgun only to have it break.
To me, how a company takes care of me after they have my money speaks volumes about them and if I will buy from them again.
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Old 04-27-2017, 09:57 AM
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I bought several new S&W's over the past 2 years, and everyone of them is great. But that doesn't seem to be everyone's experience as the board receives numerous posts citing issues with new guns, especially from new users. Many people will post on the net when something is wrong, just to bitch, while others mistake this site as being affiliated with S&W. Regardless of the reason people post, ruling out trolls of course, the number of posts indicate S&W is experiencing a relatively high rate of reported problems. S&W apparently recognizes this in that they now offer a lifetime warranty, which is good for us consumers, but having to send a brand new gun back and wait an additional month to six weeks for it's return is a turn off for customers. The sooner S&W tightens up their quality control the better off all parties will be. Quality doesn't cost a company, it pays.
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:49 PM
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The Model 60 Ladysmith was bought in Jul `04 and the 686 approx. `06 or so since it`s back at S&W and the paperwork is in the box with the weapon. I forgot to take the paperwork out of the box when I sent it back (I normally keep the paperwork underneath the foam lining in the box it came in to keep it all together) Both these aren`t really recent but they aren`t that old either.
I do realize that mechanical things break on occasion but I`ve always trusted revolvers much more so than auto`s but I`ll have to admit that my confidence has been shaken.
As far as round counts are concerned I`d guess the Ladysmith has 300 or so rounds fired, mostly 38+p and the 686 800-1000 with about a 50/50 mix of 38`s and 357`s. With the round count on them both low and in particular the 686 I didn`t expect any problems with it. The Ladysmith I`ve pretty much written off as a fluke with perhaps a bad batch of hammers.
Stuff happens and I just hope that the 686 is returned soon and I don`t have to wait months to get it back. I`ve seen where some people got them back fairly quickly and some had an extended wait. We`ll just have to see I guess. My assumption is that this won`t cost anything as I`ve seen the mention about the lifetime warranty and just hope it applies here.
Thanks for the replies.
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Old 04-27-2017, 06:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Autonomous View Post
My friend, you are not the only one. In the past several months I've purchased two new S&Ws, both of which have had to go back for multiple defects to be repaired.
My older (25-30 year old) S&Ws are flawless.
Could you be more specific? What models did you purchase? What were the multiple defects which needed repair? Did both guns exhibit the same defects or were they unique to each model? That's the type of input that Could provide a helpful contribution to the discussion at hand.

Thanks.
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Old 04-28-2017, 02:31 PM
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I don't care what name brand gun out there they all will have a few sour lemons. It strikes me funny how people are fan boys for a certain brand to the point they will not admit their favored brand new or old gun is also subject to, has had, and possibly will have problems.
There isn't a perfect name brand gun on the market. There are perfect guns but perfect makers is a lie. The most important thing to consider is how well does the manufacturer stand behind their products. I have seen some gun products that basically state you bought it so live with it.
S&W and Ruger have excellent customer service. I am not afraid to buy either brand.
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Old 04-29-2017, 01:41 AM
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Not that I never will, but I own four S&W revolvers and eight S&W semi-autos most for ten years or more with no problems. I know S&W is imperfect, but I have had good experiences.
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Old 04-29-2017, 09:36 AM
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In October, I bought a new Model 60. Cleaned it and went to the range. Upon firing, the trigger would not return to the forward position. Out of 100 rounds, it did it more than 50% of the times fired. I brought the gun home, pulled the sideplate, and removed the rebound block. Upon in inspection, the block was very rough with no sign of polishing, and was placed in the gun as it fell from the mold. It took some judicious polishing on the both sides and the bottom of the block to get the revolver functioning as it should. The gun is now 100%, but this revolver should have never left the factory in this condition. My old Model 60-7 never has had a problem. I guess that is why older used Smiths are so expensive......
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Old 04-29-2017, 09:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaStray View Post
It appears that a small piece of the hammer somehow broke which then started piercing the primers which then caused the hole in the firing pin bushing.
DaStray,

I am amazed that no one else pointed this out to you! They just took your misunderstood description of what happened and accepted it. This has nothing to do with quality, materials or workmanship of your revolver!

You have the sequence of events backward. What has happened is the primer failed allowing high velocity gas to escape. This escaping gas eroded the pit in the hammer nose bushing and eroded the tip of the hammer nose (firing pin)! This is not unusual at all. My first guess was you were using Remington ammunition or primers. While other makers primers fail from time to time they are nothing like the failure rate of Remington 1 1/2 primers.

Don't blame the gun. This is an ammunition failure!
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Old 04-29-2017, 10:52 AM
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I remember putting together an order of 8 S&W model 66 4" revolvers back in the early 80's for officers who wanted to carry their own gun instead of an issued one. Out of the 8 we had 3 or 4 with problems...some major (lopsided cylinder) to rear sights. I later saw a barrel unscrew during qualifications, It was supposed to be one of the first non-pinned versions. I'm saying this because S&W quality, since the 60's, has been all over the place. I was not impressed with the quality of S&W revolvers at the NRA Annual Meeting I attended a couple of years ago. That being said, I've seen problems with Remington shotguns, Kahr pistols, and just about every manufacturer you can name. BTW, I own new and older Remington shotguns, and a Kahr pistol. My advice is to send the guns back for warranty repair. Shoot them enough to gain confidence in them and carry on. I don't remember seeing a gun returned for repair work, except Taurus (long ago..I think they are better now) where there were any problems that persisted or raised their ugly heads again.
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Old 04-29-2017, 08:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by D Brown View Post
Could you be more specific? What models did you purchase? What were the multiple defects which needed repair? Did both guns exhibit the same defects or were they unique to each model? That's the type of input that Could provide a helpful contribution to the discussion at hand.

Thanks.
M&P Bodyguard 38 Special. After one box of ammo:
1) Front sight was falling off
2) The trigger had a nasty hitch in the take-up
3) The cylinder was not locking securely in place
4) The timing was going bad

S&W 22 Victory. After a couple boxes of ammo.
1) Frequent jams
2) Dangerous, inconstant trigger.
a.The trigger would be fine for a few rounds.
b. It would become hard and there would be a 1/4 second delay before it would fire with no further movement of the trigger.
c. The gun would then fire before all the trigger slack was taken up, before any resistance was felt!

Last edited by Autonomous; 04-29-2017 at 08:27 PM.
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Old 04-29-2017, 09:07 PM
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Alk8944,
I suspect you could be right as I have fired quite a bit of Remington ammo through it. Could this have happened with only one pierced primer or would it have taken multiple defective primers to have caused the damage?
I`ve been shooting for many years now, from the mid 70`s I`d guess, and I`ve yet to have this happen. However, it seems possible although somewhat improbable for it to have happened from only one round but I guess stranger things have happened.
Hope S&W fixes it and they don`t tell me that it was a ammo issue and therefore not responsible for it
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Old 04-30-2017, 11:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Autonomous View Post
M&P Bodyguard 38 Special. After one box of ammo:
1) Front sight was falling off
2) The trigger had a nasty hitch in the take-up
3) The cylinder was not locking securely in place
4) The timing was going bad

S&W 22 Victory. After a couple boxes of ammo.
1) Frequent jams
2) Dangerous, inconstant trigger.
a.The trigger would be fine for a few rounds.
b. It would become hard and there would be a 1/4 second delay before it would fire with no further movement of the trigger.
c. The gun would then fire before all the trigger slack was taken up, before any resistance was felt!
Thanks for the details.
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Old 04-30-2017, 01:20 PM
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Quote:
Could this have happened with only one pierced primer or would it have taken multiple defective primers to have caused the damage?
I don't know about this problem but I have seen one pierced primer cause serious problems. I saw a piece of brass get shoved up inside a firing pin channel destroying the firing pin and spring. If that piece had just stuck inside there it could have caused problems like the ones described with the trigger on the 22 Victory. I'm not at all familiar with the layout of that pistol but the problem I saw with the firing pin was on a semi-auto but it was a rifle. I would think that a piece of brass in the wrong place could definitely cause the type of problem described with the Victory.
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Old 04-30-2017, 06:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Autonomous View Post
M&P Bodyguard 38 Special. After one box of ammo:
1) Front sight was falling off
2) The trigger had a nasty hitch in the take-up
3) The cylinder was not locking securely in place
4) The timing was going bad

S&W 22 Victory. After a couple boxes of ammo.
1) Frequent jams
2) Dangerous, inconstant trigger.
a.The trigger would be fine for a few rounds.
b. It would become hard and there would be a 1/4 second delay before it would fire with no further movement of the trigger.
c. The gun would then fire before all the trigger slack was taken up, before any resistance was felt!
That might have taken a bit of time to make the post, but it's much more informative than your first post. And yes, those are some really severe problems you encountered and I'm glad you posted these problems up, so that other folks can be aware of what you ran into.

Thank you.
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Old 05-01-2017, 03:41 PM
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I've purchased 4 S&W firearms in the last year or so, a Victory, 640 Pro, 3" 63, and a 627 PC 2.62 incher.
The Victory and the 627 are, to me, flawless performers, with terrific triggers, finish, and construction. The 640 Pro is also great, just doesn't have quite the DA pull I was hoping for, although my most standards it is fine. I'm working on it. The 63 also has a so-so DA pull, but that isn't extremely important on the type of gun it is. It also has the Ruger-looking finish that seems to come with the SS rimfire revolver models. All in all, I feel pretty lucky, compared to some of you.
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Old 05-03-2017, 05:44 AM
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I have 5 Smiths, only had problems with the 929,
The ejector rod kept coming loose causing the cylinder not to close. Finally I locktited it, then the cylinder release button kept coming loose , did the same. I have one Ruger a GP 100 problem free. I am not downing S&W products I am happy with the ones I have, but the overall quality of the Ruger seems to be better, fit and finish, closer tolerance in cylinder fit. Just my own two cents
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Old 05-03-2017, 03:52 PM
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Quote:
the overall quality of the Ruger seems to be better,
That certainly isn't the case with my one and only Ruger. I know they make some fine firearms but they make some cheap stuff too. I have a LCP .380. FWIW the Smith M&P Bodyguard .38 Special isn't top of the line stuff either IMO. My daughter bought one because I suggested it. It works well enough for what it is but I generally expect more from S&W and most of the time I get it. It's just that the Bodyguard isn't in the same league as the S&W .357 revolvers my dad had hid everywhere you might sit down or the S&W's I own, which are truly great firearms IMO. My big problem with the Bodyguard is the accuracy or precision is you will. It just won't put the bullets on target like the classic S&W revolvers will. I know it's a pocket pistol designed for short range only but still - I have 2 Taurus pocket pistols that will shoot like Sig P210's. I shoot empty cartridges at 20 yards with one of them. My buddy set them up and asked to see what I could really do. He about lost his mind when I hit every one of them. With a Taurus - BTW that is one great pistol. Not one failure in 5000 rounds or so and insane accuracy and how they get so many rounds in such a small package is spooky. Must be some storage in a parallel universe or something. It's crazy how many rounds they get in that thing. It's a PT-145 for the record. .45 ACP - 10 + 1 of them in a gun you can hide with your hand and it shoots comfortable as an old shoe.

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Old 05-08-2017, 08:40 PM
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Originally Posted by DaStray View Post
Alk8944,
I suspect you could be right as I have fired quite a bit of Remington ammo through it. Could this have happened with only one pierced primer or would it have taken multiple defective primers to have caused the damage?
With high pressure loads a single failed primer can cause the observed damage. Think about it, if it took multiple failed primers then the failure would have to occur in the same location on the primer multiple times. The chances of this happening are extremely low.
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Old 05-09-2017, 06:45 PM
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in the same league as the S&W .357 revolvers my dad had hid everywhere you might sit down
I never met him, but I already like your dad.
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Old 05-09-2017, 06:56 PM
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I'm sure glad Lee's asleep so he can't enforce his "no bashing" rule!

When you buy a new gun, or new to you, it does make sense to really inspect the gun. OK, you can't inspect ammo except for the headstamp. And even with that, Remington hasn't always been bad. For a while in the distant past, it was what we call "top shelf" ammo. Even the 22s that are now known for their misfires. Its the same reason folks won't ever buy another Ferd, too.

And as others have stated, its not if they have a problem with one of their products, its how they fix it. And how they treat you along the way.

If you buy a used S&W, and then you discover a problem, someone else may have discovered it and decided to sell it. Not go through the hassle of returning, waiting, then returning it again. Its a time honored tradition to just sell off a problem gun. Its one of the things we see at gun shows all the time. Collectors won't even touch a gun with a rework mark, or at least unless its way cheap.
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Old 05-09-2017, 06:58 PM
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Hi y`all (I am from SC after all)
Long time S&W fan here from the 80`s. I have a modest collection of firearms of all types of which I have a 686, Model 19, Model 17 and Model 60 Ladysmith which was a gift to my wife.
The Ladysmith was initially cleaned upon receipt and taken to the range with a mixture of 38`s and 357`s. Recoil with the 357`s was darn near brutal so only a few cylinderfulls were fired with them. At round count 73 the gun refused to function! Hammer wouldn`t move and the cylinder wouldn`t turn. I was stunned so dejectedly we returned home and the gun was returned to S&W. Seems the hand broke and it was repaired and returned to me. I had planned upon making this my EDC gun but after that episode it was relegated to nightstand/range use only as I had lost faith in it. Since that time only 38+P have been fired in it.
Couple of years later I purchased a 686-6 4" which I love. Although I have various Rugers, a Colt Defender, Walther PPKs, among others, my S&W`s have always held a special place for me.
Last range trip and upon cleaning when I returned home I noticed that the firing pin bushing had a hole at about the 10 o`clock position and the hammer nose was "rough". I dug up some of the fired brass and saw that the primer had a funny "U" shaped indention with a small hole in it too. It appears that a small piece of the hammer somehow broke which then started piercing the primers which then caused the hole in the firing pin bushing.
Pretty bummed out actually. Sent it back to S&W and they received it on 4-11 and I`m now just waiting for some word on when it will be returned.
Basically, of all the S&W`s I`ve bought, 2 of 3 have had to be returned to S&W due to problems (the Model 17 no dash was inherited).
I`ve never had any real problems with any other gun/manufacturer aside from determining which ammo the Colt Defender prefers.
Am I the only one to have these problems or have some of you had the same problems and if so, is there a trend or decline in S&W quality?
Interesting the hand broke. Yes, SW has more QA problems but a part breakaga is relatively rare. I suspect its because it's a long thin piece and the MIM process is specifically unsuited for long thin pieces since any typre of grain defect will cause it to break.
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Old 05-09-2017, 07:02 PM
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In October, I bought a new Model 60. Cleaned it and went to the range. Upon firing, the trigger would not return to the forward position. Out of 100 rounds, it did it more than 50% of the times fired. I brought the gun home, pulled the sideplate, and removed the rebound block. Upon in inspection, the block was very rough with no sign of polishing, and was placed in the gun as it fell from the mold. It took some judicious polishing on the both sides and the bottom of the block to get the revolver functioning as it should. The gun is now 100%, but this revolver should have never left the factory in this condition.
That really is the difference. S+W now uses it's customers for their final QA. They used to have their people actually inspect the guns.
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  #31  
Old 05-09-2017, 07:27 PM
Wise_A Wise_A is offline
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(1) Navigate to S-Wforum.com
(2) Create account
(3) Bash quality of brand based on gun you bought

Rinse and repeat, old news.

Almost as good as, "I have bought one Ruger, and I have bought one S&W. One had a problem and the other did not, therefore one is trash and the other is quality!"

GTFO, then.
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  #32  
Old 05-09-2017, 07:53 PM
Wise_A Wise_A is offline
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Regardless of the reason people post, ruling out trolls of course, the number of posts indicate S&W is experiencing a relatively high rate of reported problems. S&W apparently recognizes this in that they now offer a lifetime warranty, which is good for us consumers, but having to send a brand new gun back and wait an additional month to six weeks for it's return is a turn off for customers. The sooner S&W tightens up their quality control the better off all parties will be. Quality doesn't cost a company, it pays.
Tom, last year Smith and Wesson did $657.62 million in sales. In 2012, that number was just $412 million. In 2004, they sold just $112 million. Let's presume that gun prices didn't quintuple between 2004 and 2016.

My question is this:

"Does the general public have such a poor understanding of how things work, that when a company increases its sales, they think that the presence of more complains means that quality is slipping? Are fractions, percentages, and proportions really that bloody hard to understand?"

Also, hasn't S&W been offering a lifetime warranty since...well hell, as long as I've been alive?

I'd also point out that I've seen so many guns return for such absurd nonsense that, with just 1500 employees total, it's no wonder that warranty repair is a 6-week turnaround.

Last edited by Wise_A; 05-09-2017 at 07:54 PM.
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  #33  
Old 05-09-2017, 08:30 PM
Mr.Harry Mr.Harry is offline
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Not trying to make excuses for S&W or any other firearm manufacturer for that matter, but I do know that the labor pool for skilled machinists (among many other professions) is in a sad, sad, crippling state of decline & shortage. Know this from acquaintences who worked for Ruger, who work for Sig here in NH, and although I don't 'know' anyone on the production floor at S&W, I'm quite sure it's the same there. I also think this has something to do with the move to MIM parts (which I honestly am not averse to) being that if you can't find or train or hold on to enough HIGHLY SKILLED machinists CAPABLE of mass-producing the 'difficult' parts like hammers and triggers to tight specs, well then by all means man, incorporate the technology that can make-it-so. It's a conundrum. I just want my dollars to get me a high quality product.
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  #34  
Old 05-09-2017, 09:04 PM
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I'd also point out that I've seen so many guns return for such absurd nonsense that, with just 1500 employees total, it's no wonder that warranty repair is a 6-week turnaround.
Good point. I'm seeing a lot of "send it back", for what I think are simple solutions. It seems that many owners have no mechanical abilities at all.
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Old 05-09-2017, 09:55 PM
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Good point. I'm seeing a lot of "send it back", for what I think are simple solutions. It seems that many owners have no mechanical abilities at all.
Yeah, I'm with you on that. When I got my 627 Pro and when we got my wife's 60-15, both had little issues that I corrected without having to send them back to S&W. With the 60-15, the trigger was a little rough in double action and when I cracked the sideplate open I found that the MIM rebound slide had a slight edge ridge that was cutting into the frame slightly. I stoned that side and it was good to go. With my 627 Pro I was having light strikes on double action. I just changed out the mainspring with a full power Wolff mainspring I had lying around and it was good to go. I don't know if the stock spring was arched wrong or what, but since I had a spare spring it didn't matter.
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  #36  
Old 05-09-2017, 10:01 PM
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I've had eight S&W revolvers over nineteen years. Still have six purchased in the last few years from 2012 to present.

A 2009 production 22-4 purchased in 2013 had a proud side plate. It was repaired and refinished with a two week turnaround.

A 2015 642 purchased in 2015 has a bit of a hitch in the trigger before it breaks. In slow fire it's noticeable. In rapid fire it's not. It also has an odd tool mark on the inside of the top strap. I wasn't able to hand pick that one, but I can live with it. The finish on the backstrap after a couple years of ankle carry has seen better days.

A ratty, well worn ex-police 10-8 is the best shooting fixed sight gun we have. A red dot equipped, run of the mill 67-5 is the most accurate handgun in the house, period. A 442-1 which is the oldest of the current bunch has had the most use, both in carry and shooting...with a steady diet of +p is still going plenty strong.

Some of you guys have some terrible luck.
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Old 05-09-2017, 10:06 PM
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When it comes to using this forum to say anything negative about S&W's current quality, the lock, or provide praise for a certain polymer brand of firearms I have learned to abide by the "Thumper rule"...

Edmo

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  #38  
Old 05-10-2017, 12:01 AM
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Default Fact is, things change.....

It used to be easy. You could say, "Craftsman tools are very good" and you'd be right. That day is gone, The road that our manufacturing infrastructure has been on has necessitated some changes in order not to just keep up in business but to stay alive. I hope S&W keeps making smart decisions to stay afloat. Some of these decisions are probably very hard to make.

It's a simple fact that the demand for plastic semis have gone through the roof while demand for revolvers, though still there, has decreased a LOT, at least in comparison to more modern guns.

I just hope that I always have some firearms that give me visceral satisfaction just by picking it up, holding it and looking at it. And then live up to it's name on the range.
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Old 05-10-2017, 12:19 AM
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Originally Posted by Alk8944 View Post
DaStray,

I am amazed that no one else pointed this out to you! They just took your misunderstood description of what happened and accepted it. This has nothing to do with quality, materials or workmanship of your revolver!

You have the sequence of events backward. What has happened is the primer failed allowing high velocity gas to escape. This escaping gas eroded the pit in the hammer nose bushing and eroded the tip of the hammer nose (firing pin)! This is not unusual at all. My first guess was you were using Remington ammunition or primers. While other makers primers fail from time to time they are nothing like the failure rate of Remington 1 1/2 primers.

Don't blame the gun. This is an ammunition failure!
I tend to lean in the direction that pierced primers caused the described problems. In higher pressure cartridges (rifle, 30-06) this damage is even worse when a primer or 2 was pierced.
Smith may not tell you what the cause was but you will get a quality repair.
Jim
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Old 05-10-2017, 10:05 PM
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Well I bought two NIB S&W's in the past three months. A 638 and a 67. Both had issues right from the box before I even put a round through them. The 638 was an easy fix, it was bound up tight due to an ejector rod not being screwed in all the way. The 67 had inconsistent timing from chamber to chamber with the two last ones not locking up before the hammer dropped in DA mode or locked back on SA mode. It has been at S&W for a month so far.

Seems there is not the best quality control there at the moment. Really bums me out to see it that way.
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Old 05-16-2017, 01:09 PM
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Finally got my 686 back from S&W yesterday. Took 5 weeks to get it back from the time I took it over to FedEx to the time FedEx brought it to my door yesterday.
Took a good look at it and I have to say I`m pleased with the work. No buggered up screws or extra scratches that I can tell. They replaced the firing pin bushing and firing pin and it all looks good a far as the "seated depth" of the bushing. However, I notice that both the firing pin bushing and firing pin appears to be blued as opposed to stainless. While I`d rather they be stainless as the original was I`m not really complaining as it cost me absolutely nothing to get it fixed aside from time and aggravation.
Overall, it`s not that big of a deal as I`m not planned on going swimming with it and do tend to keep it dry.
Thankfully it was "only" 5 weeks I had to wait as opposed to some I`ve read about being months even (although not necessarily S&W with the months-long wait)
I`d rate S&W an A- due to the blued replacement parts.
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