Thats how I feel right now. My dream revolver purchase was a mistake.

I scanned it at the gun shop when it arrived, checked for a canted barrel, looked everything over, and took possession. Got home, and then i noticed the following on my brand new, un touched 627 Performance Center, which is about a $1000 revolver.

1. Front sight canted. Barrel doesnt seem canted, just the sight, note that barrel and sight are misaligned, not barrel and frame. its CLEARLY adjusted to the left (from the factory) to make up for the rightward lean.


2. Grips fit like poo. This is the gap along the front of the nice fancy hand fit hand assembled handgun.


if i loosen the screw and squeeze the front together, heres the back.


they are nowhere even CLOSE to fitting the frame in the back.


3. the hammer is rough as hell, the edges are SHARP and if i cocked it in a hurry i guarantee the burr on the back would draw blood. looks like it was chromed and then never touched up, lots of "extra" material along the sides and rear, flashing is what i want to call it but not sure if thats the right term. its along both sides of the hammer.


4. minor imperfections in frame. these are finished over, so i assume they are from forging or casting or however the gun is made. not sure if its an issue, but i'd need to be reassured it doesnt represent any structural issues. note the L shaped imperfection and forward of that it looks like the frame was improperly milled.


5. here's the mother of them all. THE CROWN. look at that. Looks to me like the rifling was cut after the "counter bored" crown was forged or milled or cut or what. The lands in the rifling extend out past the crown, it was never touched up, theres a ridge around the whole crown, its rough and sharp.


Admittedly this was all my fault because i accepted the gun from my dealer, but seriously?!! what the hell! Am i being too picky here, am I being crazy? Are these all acceptable from a performance center $1000 hand gun? Neither my 66 no dash nor my 3" 65 have anything even close to this amount of rough finishing.

I guess they really dont make them like they used to. I'm super upset, i'm soured on what should be my dream revolver. I have an email int to smith but have a mind to call them in the AM. I'm going to have to send my brand new unfired $1000 performance center gun back to the factory to have it finished how it should have been from day one....

You will probably need to call. Email is probably the least effective method of communication with S&W.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

#1 front sight needs to be drifted more.
#2 yes! Those grips fit badly. Either they're badly warped or made badly all the way around.
#3 the hammer does have metallic burrs and I would agree, it would wear on the thumb more! But if you Bob it, it'll go away! jk! You can have them replace it with a better one.
#4 are you talking about that little dimple in the frame???
#5 didn't get the crown pic

Yes. I would say this is a good candidate to send in for "refinement "! Yes, it sucks they missed different issues with the same gun. (Maybe it's this guy named "bubba" I keep hearing mentioned! But on some worthy note, you could request "bubba" not work on your gun again! Hope this helps!)

I've had to send in my guns back and it blows chunks. But, you may get an excellent, more satisfying piece back; something you will like! A 627 when in perfect shape is a Swiss watch AMERICAN style! Just shot my 627 the day before yesterday, 5k plus miles on her, I could not think a moment not having her.


Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

It is difficult to see everything when you're buying the gun. At least everything seems repairable except the marks on the top strap. The grips I believe are altamonts which I have found don't fit as well as the Ahrends I have. I would send it back because I have had stellar results from S&W customer service. I'm going through my own ordeal with Dan Wesson CS. It's back for the 2nd time for not feeding the last round reliably & my gun was nearly twice what you paid so I really know how you feel.

What I love about new Smith revolvers is they make you feel like you are part of the manufacturing teem! Don't you love working in quality control. They dont have anyone there doing it!

I hear your pain. Some you get are just fine & others have problems. Your's seems to have it's share. I'd suggest calling too. It's more annoying but you'd get a quicker response.

Not sure I can tell exactly what's wrong with the front sight, it does look odd in the first picture though.

The PC muzzles almost always look like yours & I agree they're poorly done. I chamfer mine myself.

All my PC hammers are sharp like yours too. I take a bit if fine wet & dry to them to knock off the CNC'd sharpness of it. I agree it's too aggressive though.

No excuse for the grips.

Make a list of everything you see wrong with it & would like fixed & include it with the revolver when you return it so there'll be no doubt what needs fixing.

Take a look at the barrel-cylinder gap, as well as the forcing cone's finish, as they are sometimes a problem too. Might as well address everything at once.

Best of luck! Let us know how it come out.

.

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Waiting for the break of day

That is unacceptable. I would demand that S&W make it right or replace it with a new one. It's sometimes difficult to see these things until you get it home and inspect it closely. It's easy to miss things while looking for two minutes at the gunshop surrounded by other customers and salesmen. I have read too many recent stories like this about new S&W purchases with defects. What is going on over there? They seem to be slipping. Just like everything else today trying to make things cheaper and faster while quality falls by the wayside. Those grips are the worst fit I have seen in awhile.

You should take your post, and add it to an email to Smith. You did a god job on posting the problems. Sorry about the gun. If it makes you feel better, 3 of the last five Rugers I bought went back. Two were unrepairable, so they sent me a new gun. I have two Rugers left. I used to be a Ruger person. At one time I had 29 Rugers, not no more.

If this was a 300 revolver it would be typical ... but for a $1k gun you have the utmost right to be royally pissed off. Looks QA was a tad lacking on this build. Friday afternoon production. Sorry for your problems... hopefully mfg will sort it out for you

That does appear to be sloppy work on a $1k. revolver. There really is no excuse for those blemishes. I guess quality control is job none.

Another example that would drive me towards Ruger were I in the market for a brand new revolver. I guess I got lucky with my 442 purchased last year.

But I've got a safe full of Garands and Carbines that I'd trade for the S&W's of old.

One or 2 minor imperfections are one thing. Your gun is something else. The things that really stick out to me are the hammer spur, (which could have been eliminated by a quick pass on a slack belt grinder with say 240 grit) the stocks that are just kindling, and the muzzle, which could have been quickly remedied in the shop.

What is especially disturbing is all this on a "Performance Center" gun!

How can S&W in good conscience call it a Performance Center and turn out a finished product like that.

I love my S&W guns, but somebody or somebodies needs a wake up call.

How much is the premium on a PC gun over a standard one anyway??

All I can say is that's disgusting I hope you can work it out, but this has become all-too-familiar with S&W, Ruger, and most other current manufacturers.

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John

Performance center is now just a marketing term used to separate a few more bucks from your wallet. As for quality control they figure it just cheaper to fix the ones that come back than fix them all before they ship.

Most of my Rugers have been sent back for rework. It seems too much is left to CNC machines. You can't get or afford good help these days. You can't even be particular in who you want to hire.

Be sure to shoot it before you send it back.

PERFORMANCE CENTER!!!! Yes, that is the part that unfortunately demonstrates how much time the performance center is spending on these. Wholeheartedly agree with Tubby and others that this is now just a marketing term because it is clear that anyone who has any aptitude with guns would have fixed these issues. I mean on a standard production model, there should have been a high probability of catching some of this. Performance Center, completely unacceptable. Really quite a shame that they are ruining the performance center label by doing this..

In a brighter note, I have no doubt that they will address the issues if you return it to them.

I'll keep my older PC guns and won't bother with the newer ones.

IC

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

WOW. I went through similar heart break with a brand new 629. With yours, I'd demand they replace it with another model, or refund your money. The barrel isn't even crowned. It was obviously missed completely.

S&W needs to just go out of business. This way, hopefully someone who actually cares about quality can buy the patents and reproduce them again, properly.

That's an embarrassment - I'd be really PO'd also.

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Pass it on.
Mark

Just a nightmare. I would also be terribly upset with a purchase like that...

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NRA Benefactor

Are you serious? They have problems but going out of business will solve nothing.

Check the complaints on all of the gun forums. Complaining is so much easier now that we have the Internet. I remember having to send pistols in for repair that were considered S&W's flagship models. I just couldn't complain about it publicly past my circle of friends at my gun club.

FWIW, the OP's gun needs to go back.

Sadly this isn't the first firearm I've seen from S&W, and the Performance Center, that had piss poor quality.

I've been buying S&W firearms for over 40years. Use to be, the quality was so good on S&W's , you probably didn't even have to open the box to check the firearm. Fit, finish, & quality was that good.
For the past few years, I will not buy,, and I tell my friends not to buy, a new S&W unless it is checked out completely from open end to the other.

Very Sad !!

You should be upset, that revolver is just terrible. You deserve an explanation as to how that escaped the factory. Please post the results of your experience with S&W.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

I mirror what everyone else is saying, send it back in with a long (and detailed) list of complaints.

I bought a 627 Pro last Dec and it also had some problems...and I had to send it back in. My chief complaint? A garbage barrel crown, just like yours. Like you, I tried to look it over when I bought it...but I just missed things that I didn't see until I got home and really dug into it. I'm sure this is a common thing. You're excited, you want to get it home...you just want to leave. Most (including myself) will not take the time to bust out the microscope on the thing.

They had it pushing a month or so, but they fixed it and sent it back.

It is frustrating, that's for sure.

Thanks everybody at least I now know that I'm not the only one who sees the problems and I don't feel like a lunatic for thinking it's messed up.

Off to call S&W

That is horrible. I hope the 686 I have on order was built with a lot more care.

I wish you luck in getting it all sorted out.

The only way to force S&W to improve there quality is stop buying there product. As long we purchase there guns and send them back it will not improve. This is a numbers game it is cheaper to fix the few that are sent back than to improve the process. How many people don't even notice the poor workmanship compared to the few that complain on this and other forums. We will have to do without for a wile till they get the message but in the long run every body wins. I spent 45 years in manufacturing and I can tell you the know how is there. This is a numbers game and the only way to too put a stop to it is look over the gun at the store and if you don't like what you see walk away after you tell the shop owner why. I for one won't buy a gun if I cant cycle the action and test the trigger with snap caps if they won't remove the trigger lock because of store policy I walk out. I don't buy a car without driving it nor will buy a gun without dry firing it. I for one won't play the send a new gun back to do what they were paid to do when they built it game.

You should have learned something here. Go in and initially inspect it and fondle it. Then go get lunch and relax. Come back after lunch and reinspect with a fine tooth comb before taking possession. You would have saved yourself some time.

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This≠DodgeCity&You≠BillHickok

The PC seems to have started going down hill around the turn of the Century..... with slab sides and porting vs 'building" semi-custom guns.

Looking at your gun the PC shop is now totally off the rails.

It's sad to see one like this slip through the Performance Center. It should serve as a reminder to all purchasers of new S&Ws to look them over throughly before accepting them. However, this isn't limited to S&W because I have seen some similar examples from other makers. I am certain that more good examples leave the factory than bad ones. We just hear about problem guns more than proper ones.

Well, called, explained, and have a shipping label.

Guy on the phone was completely nonchalant about it. "okay what did you say was wrong?"

Not so much as a "sorry about that" or an "oh that doesn't sound good" or any kind of empathy or anything, lol, just "okay, okay okay, address? okay, the label is being sent......okay bye"

OH well. I printed out a letter detailing the issues. Back from whence it came.....

Pity you received that kind of reception. I'm guessing S&W is going absolutely balls-out with the crazy prices and rebates on a few pistols. According to their last year's annual report, they've faced past "capacity constraint" issues. So, I can imagine what happens when maybe the best selling pistol in the world (Shield) is sold under half price (saw a post here yesterday with the 9mm offered at $200 after rebate, delivered).

The only thing I would have added during the phone call (and it would have been a complete waste of breath) would be requesting someone call me back after inspecting the gun to tell me whether they feel it is even up to their "normal" standards (forgetting PC).

We're all looking forward to knowing what happens. Don't forget us please.

The newest S&W I own is a 627 Pro series I bought new about 3 years ago. I have to say it came to me in perfect condition; fit, finish, accuracy, function, are all the equivalent of my older Smiths (except for the IL). Send yours back as many times as it takes. You will be rewarded with the fine revolver you bargained for.
I don't think I will ever spend the extra money for "Performance" Center work. Any reasonably competent gunsmith would do better work.
Good luck to you in getting this resolved quickly and well.
Scott

Just saw the picture of the crown. It looks typical of the target barrel the performance center has. Many of them are like that. Although, the target barrel on my 986 Pro didn't have those extruded reliefs that show how the grooves and lands are present.....
I've called them on this(SAW) alone. Just be aware you may get something similar back.

I use a Brownell's crowning tool to clean up mine. Just because to me, they don't look aesthetically pleasing even if I noticed that even ****** looking, they actually shoot really well sometimes......

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

This post and dozens like it, as well as personal experience like seeing late model S&Ws in a gun smith friend's shop for repair/alterations to make them suitable for competition is why I will no longer consider a new S&W. For the average $1000 prices they ask, I can buy fine old pre-lock, pre-MIM & pre-CNC S&Ws and not only enjoy them but take pride in owning them.

Yea, all the other gun makers are going down the toilet too. That's not an excuse for S&W to take the same route.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

A VP at my company did just that. He was walked out the door after the lawsuit was filed against us.

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

A picture is worth a thousand words and you have some excellent pics you can send along with the gun to help explain your very legitimate complaints.

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John

Really? I bought an used stainless M65-2, mfg in 1977 for $300. My used $300 S&W is flawless, especially compared to that PC built handgun. Everything is aligned, clean and smooth. Maybe S&W had better QC decades ago.

My 65-3 and my 66 no dash are well built too. No comparison to this new gun.

Not sure I understand.

that sucks OP. when I got my 627 PC, I though the sight was crooked/canted as well but it was the white outline on the rear sight that was actually off. Not that, this is the case for you.

Hope SW replaces that gun because I don't know how they can correct that defect in the top strap.

Well it's off because I don't waste any time lol. I'll update when I know more. Sent it with a lengthy description similar to my original post here and a bunch of highlighted pictures.

Good luck! I hope they make good on it!

I had one PC gun from the 90's that was perfect in every way. Of course I sold it. That gun never should have left the factory floor. Good luck.

I probably should have just picked up a 2.5 or 3" 686 plus and saved $250...

$250 is a lot to pay for one extra round and a major headache and wait to get a proper gun back...

Yes it's bad...

Reputable online dealers tell you inspect closely "before" accepting the gun.

I rip it apart before I sign for it. I let the paper the LGS is shoving at me sit on the counter.

If you are to embarrassed to properly inspect your investment that is on you. Sorry they told you to inspect.

You don't know that the 686 would be any better.
I bought a 627 like yours on 3-1. It couldn't be any nicer. Everything is aligned/straight/dimple and ding free/great trigger in both SA and DA.
The only thing is those damn Eagle stocks. They don't fit me well, and while not as awful as yours, had their fair share of non-beveled corners. S&W should move away from them. Maybe get Pachmayr to finally make a Compac Pro in N frame and use those.

Glad I don't have that problem as I don't buy their new stuff. In general, it looks like they are in a hurry and don't care what the product is they send out. I agree with all your points.