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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 04-13-2018, 02:52 PM
steelhog steelhog is offline
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Default 686 Performance Center 4” Canted Barrel

Hey all. New to the forum and just snagged a brand new 686 performance center. I was super excited to snag the 686pc and much to my disappointment after bench shooting it I realized the barrel is canted. I have the rear sight adjusted almost all the way to one side with no more room to adjust. Had 3 other people shoot it - same result. Looking over the gun with less excitement it’s visible to the eye.

How does this happen with a performance center gun? Sorry for the angry post - I just expected more for the price and a gun marketed as an out of the box competition gun.

Guess it’s back to the factory for warranty work or hunt for a good local Smith in the NOVA area. Any one able to recommend a good revolver smith in Northern VA?
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Old 04-13-2018, 03:00 PM
sodacan sodacan is offline
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Let the factory fix it. Why pay for a repair and void the warranty. Good luck.
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Old 04-13-2018, 04:53 PM
iouri iouri is offline
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As sodocan said - send it back. The only "drawback" is you have to drop it at FedEx hub (Chantilly in NoVA). S&W will pay shipping and it will be shipped back to your home address - no FFL required.
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Old 04-13-2018, 08:25 PM
steelhog steelhog is offline
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Hey thanks guys. The reason I was leaning towards a local smith was that customer service said they have a 4week turnaround and couldn't guarantee they would fix it. Left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth and unsure about sending it back for 4weeks to possibly not have a fix.
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Old 04-13-2018, 09:56 PM
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S&W Rover S&W Rover is offline
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Back to the factory is usually a good idea -- since, among other things, they will absorb the cost.

Sandy Garrett, of Northern Virginia Guns Work, 7518K Fullerton Rd, Springfield, VA, is a real gunsmith with the training and experience that implies. He did some very good work on my Anschutz .22 rifle (draw-filing rust off a barrel without damaging the roll marks, and then rebluing superbly) a few years ago. He works on S&W revolvers, too.

>> Sandy Garrett | American Pistolsmiths Guild
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Last edited by S&W Rover; 04-13-2018 at 11:26 PM.
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Old 04-13-2018, 11:20 PM
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This is unacceptable, especially on a performance center Revolver.

You are paying top dollar for a PC gun, a close visual inspection is certainly in order, or at least ken would think.

Be aware that sometimes S&W will return the gun without fixing the issue, simply saying that the fit on the barrel is within spec.
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Old 04-14-2018, 08:15 AM
ultratec00 ultratec00 is offline
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My 629 PC light hunter has the same issue. Great firearm, but the cant is problematic with a scope mounted. Debated sending it back to Smith, but the fact it was delivered in that condition would likely be explained as "in tolerance". For me, I'll most likely send it to a reputable gun smith that has experience fixing such issues.
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Old 04-14-2018, 08:38 AM
steelhog steelhog is offline
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I had the same though as (ultratec00) after talking with customer service. If its a PC gun it has to have meet the initial QC process and had extra eyes on it. If it was an off the line gun I can see there being errors but a PC gun I'm guessing has an extra QC check. Any idea what a gun smith usually gets to fix this issue? I will also likely have a fiber optic front sight put on as the front sight is really off as well.
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Old 04-14-2018, 09:04 AM
steelhog steelhog is offline
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A few photos for those who are interested. S&W 686 PC Canted Barrel and front sight. - Album on Imgur
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Old 04-14-2018, 09:34 AM
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American1776 American1776 is offline
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Man that is *way Off* in terms of being canted. Not even close to 12 o'clock. I've seen more S&W revolvers whose barrels are off than are on.

totally unacceptable. In my opinion, the response should not be "well, S&W has great customer service". Our wives, our siblings, our parents, our grandparents, our children, are all betting their lives on these guns. Our lives depend on these guns working right, from the first shot. A gun that doesn't shoot straight from the factory, and that costs close to a grand, is pretty shameful.

Totally unacceptable
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Old 04-14-2018, 11:45 AM
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Bob1943 Bob1943 is offline
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Yep, that is way off. No excuse for that kind of workmanship.
Unfortunately, the canted barrel issue is becoming the norm. I looked at over 10 Model 617s before finding one with no cant. Similar experience when I was shopping for my 686.
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Old 04-14-2018, 02:12 PM
Protocall_Design Protocall_Design is offline
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The barrel and front sight are both pathetic. Tell us your location, maybe we can point you to someone local for help. It's a pretty minor fix for someone with the tools and knowledge.
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Old 04-14-2018, 02:53 PM
steelhog steelhog is offline
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I'm in Northern Virginia. I travel a good bit for work so anywhere between Richmond and DC is good. (S&W rover) recommended Sandy Garrett.
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Old 04-14-2018, 05:14 PM
Joe4d Joe4d is offline
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Wonder if Smith realizes how many sales **** like this is costing them.. Usually the Guns I am interested in ARNT in stores,, but no way in hell I would order a Smith sight unseen. Just dont want to deal with their issues.
My 686 Pro series went back for a crooked cut and un crowned barrel
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Old 04-16-2018, 11:00 AM
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I've got a nice 8 3/8 .357 Magnum from about 1952 that is canted a bit too!

But, that is too much. Is it canted too much to be sighted in? If so, that would be a significant issue. At least the factory pays for shipping both ways on warranty work. And it is expedited.

Good luck.
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