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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 06-21-2017, 08:28 PM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Default Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?

I'm asking because here in MI I keep finding clocked barrels at all the Gun shops. I want to buy a 5" 629, but it's near impossible to find one that isn't out of whack.
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Old 06-21-2017, 08:44 PM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Based on your observations, it appears that the issue is alive and well.
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Old 06-22-2017, 07:38 PM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Well, hopefully in the next decade CS can listen to the Repair guys and figure out a way to fix the problem. How much money do you think S&W loses by extra man hous fixing the issue, freight charges and bad publicity to new buyers?
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Old 06-22-2017, 11:13 PM
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Canted barrels? I checked my s&w revolvers I need to look again.

I guess the'll never be the maytag repair guy with no repairs to make. My last job the whole world wide company was after zero call backs. Anything less was unacceptable. They did do it my life testing there new products more.
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Old 06-23-2017, 06:57 AM
MichiganScott MichiganScott is offline
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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The first revolver I ever shot was made in the late 1950's. I don't remember the actual model, but I remember the adjustable sight was moved about 2/3 of the way to the left before the groups were centered. The original owner had owned that particular pistol for close to 20 years before I fired it.

I guess you could say they are still having problems with clocked barrels. The Internet just makes the problem more widely well known.
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Old 06-27-2017, 04:55 PM
dogdoc dogdoc is offline
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I am afraid a little clockingmust be ok for their specifications . I have clocked some on purpose to adjust point of impact. If it bothers you get a barrel wrench from brownells and correct it or send it to smith. I am putting a 6 inch barrel on one of my 629s right now and spent some time last night lining it up perfectly. My luck will be that I have to clock a few thousands to get my sights so they do not require extreme right or left adjustment after I test fire.
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Old 06-28-2017, 03:47 AM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?
What goes around keeps going around.


.
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Old 06-28-2017, 04:52 AM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Yes. It's gone away. IF you buy one of the models with the two piece barrels.
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Old 06-28-2017, 07:22 AM
silentflyer silentflyer is offline
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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"Yes. It's gone away. IF you buy one of the models with the two piece barrels"

Or an older gun that was built when S&W took pride in what they shipped out the door...
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Old 06-28-2017, 08:11 AM
Arik Arik is offline
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Originally Posted by silentflyer View Post
"Yes. It's gone away. IF you buy one of the models with the two piece barrels"

Or an older gun that was built when S&W took pride in what they shipped out the door...
You mean like this one

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The first revolver I ever shot was made in the late 1950's. I don't remember the actual model, but I remember the adjustable sight was moved about 2/3 of the way to the left before the groups were centered. The original owner had owned that particular pistol for close to 20 years before I fired it.

I guess you could say they are still having problems with clocked barrels. The Internet just makes the problem more widely well known.
Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Last edited by Arik; 06-28-2017 at 08:12 AM.
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Old 06-28-2017, 08:20 AM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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You mean like this one



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I've been compiling a list of issues with the older guns, and will post them sometime to quell the misinformation so often posted.
Might do it sooner as not to overwhelm the uninformed.
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Old 06-28-2017, 09:59 AM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Not every single Smith built before 1980 was a prime example of craftsmanship and pride in workmanship. But, there is little question that the standard has been lowered a bit. Example: apparently a .012 B/C gap is now acceptable. Just because its older doesn't necessarily make it better.
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Old 06-28-2017, 11:13 AM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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"Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?"

That phrase caught my eye---not because I frequent this section of the forum----just because it was there.

The very first thing one learns in Problem Solving School is to determine what the real problem is----so as to spend your resources solving it----rather than on treating with symptoms of the real problem.

So what's the real problem?

Philosophy----one of only two.

Each and every manufacturing/service providing entity in the entire world functions in accord with one of only two philosophies. Those two philosophies can be articulated thus: We will be successful if we build our product/provide our service at the lowest possible cost------OR-----We will be successful if we build the best possible product/provide the best possible service for the price.

It's a fairly simple matter for the consumer to determine the philosophy in effect any given point in time. Each entity chooses their philosophy---and is most certainly free to change it as they see fit. Those who subscribe to the lowest cost philosophy see fit to change when they come upon hard times. Hard times are sometimes slow in coming because there are lots of fish in the ocean. Those who subscribe to the best product for the price see fit to change when they come to believe the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

'Twas ever thus---and will keep on keeping on.

Ralph Tremaine

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Old 06-28-2017, 11:43 AM
MichiganScott MichiganScott is offline
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by epj View Post
Not every single Smith built before 1980 was a prime example of craftsmanship and pride in workmanship. But, there is little question that the standard has been lowered a bit. Example: apparently a .012 B/C gap is now acceptable. Just because its older doesn't necessarily make it better.
My 28-2 that I purchased second hand in 1973 had a barrel gap that was 0.006" on one side and 0.002" on the other without significant end shake. It did not take many .38 Special target loads before it bound up. I suspect that was why it was up for sale.
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Old 06-28-2017, 02:50 PM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichiganScott View Post
My 28-2 that I purchased second hand in 1973 had a barrel gap that was 0.006" on one side and 0.002" on the other without significant end shake. It did not take many .38 Special target loads before it bound up. I suspect that was why it was up for sale.
Yep, the quality issues are definitely not a recent thing. I believe current issues are slightly more prevalent nowadays due to less "hands on" build techniques and wider accepted tolerances. However, thinking the older guns were perfect and issue free is just a mistake.

I look at it like this, the modern age of gun manufacturing started after WWII, and by the '60s companies were looking to cut costs. So anything made then until now can have issues. All anyone has to do is research and study to discover this.

I'm a Colt guy and have studied the "premiere" Python, among other models, for years. One can easily track the cost cutting steps Colt initiated from the late '50s to the '80s. One can even observe the drop in polishing quality as they entered peak production ('76-'82), and through the strike years. Start smithing and working on Colts, while communicating with other smiths and people who have built careers around Colts, and you're eyes will get opened real quick. They have just as many issues with quality as any other gun company. That is one reason why I don't understand the pedestal everyone puts Colt on, like they produce a perfect product. In fact, you would never see me buying a peak/strike production Python unless the price was under $1K. That's how inferior I view them.

Any gun should be examined and evaluated individually. They will all vary. It's up to the buyer to make sure they get a good example for cost. Which means one has to study and become proficient with revolvers. With today's mindset and mentality, it is rare to find people doing that. Just look at the Python market.

Last edited by iPac; 06-28-2017 at 02:56 PM.
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Old 06-28-2017, 04:20 PM
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My 625-3 built in 1990 had a few things wrong with it.

The cylinder face was not square and rubbed the barrel on two charge holes.

The pockets between the lugs on the extractor were so rough the hand ground to a near stop on all pulls.

Careful handwork with a stone and it came to life..

So QC issues are not new.
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Old 06-28-2017, 06:17 PM
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Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away? Has the clocked barrel issue gone away?  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silentflyer View Post
"Yes. It's gone away. IF you buy one of the models with the two piece barrels"

Or an older gun that was built when S&W took pride in what they shipped out the door...
The only one I ever saw that was not at 12:00 was a no dash 686. So was that before S&W took pride on what they shipped out or are you just joining the haters group?
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