I thought I'd run this by the collective. My new 327 TRR8 has a flame shield that is off on one side of the cut out. It's closer to the cylinder than the other side. Close enough to concern me that a 2nd line one the cylinder may develop. Anyone else seen this before? Going to the range tomorrow and thought I'd ask before going. I hate to think I'd have to send it back for this. Am I just overreacting?

Edit to add. The first picture has a small speck on the cylinder that lines up to the area in question. Matter of fact the three test fired cylinders have the same speck. None of the others show this. I'm very upset at this point. What is it going to look like in 100 rounds? or a 1000? I'm just sitting here shaking my head. The speck is loss of finish. It's making contact. It's not lead, powder or anything else.

Yeah...that just looks like sloppy work. I’m sure they’ll replace the shield and correct the problem, but how on earth did something that obvious make it out the door? The scratch on the cylinder from the bent shield should get you a new cylinder...

Yeah, I'm sending it back. For reasons of my own this was the last thing I needed. Not even getting to shoot it tomorrow is a real kick in the groin.

Does anyone think I could tape it off and file some material off? The specks on the cylinder aren't going to kill me as long as no more occur.

I can hold it up with some backlighting and see light under the shield. The light comes from the center of the shield where the cut out for the screw is.

I wouldn’t touch it...Let Smith deal with it. Impatience works against you on things like this. It’s a nice gun, won’t take much to make it 100%...

If it was mine & I felt I could fix it myself, I would & avoid the hassle. (I have.)

And if you were going to send it back I'd definitely fire it & make sure it didn't have any other issues (since it's not a safety concern) that could be fixed all in one trip. Just think how mad that would make you?

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Waiting for the break of day

Is there a ding on the forcing cone rim (or just a light photographic artifact?).
I realize it would be a merely esthetic issue, but once you send it back, you may want to have 100% fixed.

Attached Images

IMG_forcing cone rim.jpg (263.7 KB, 60 views)

Agree: don't give S&W a pass on it. Send it back. Too many examples of poor QA/QC coming out these days

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John

I would file that down a bit. Then again, I'm a certified Bubba.

Upon further review, it is a ding. Good eye. The ding is more impressive in person. :-(

Send it back, but could that have been done by mishandling in the supply chain after the factory?

The most impressive thing to me is how they were able to cause a ding in that point, but don’t be upset about. Not about being unable to detect the imperfection at the time of purchase (live & learn… and you’ll become an expert upon experience everybody needs). Nor for the ding: guns are just a piece of metal, whose use intrinsically implies on the long run dings, scratches, loss of finishing etc.
Very obviously all this doesn’t prevent your right to get an immaculate tool when brand new, but I wouldn’t get crazy about. The real issue will be how well your gun shoots, and how is you feel with it ( I couldn’t stand the original grips: likely due to the low density frame too, shooting was painful to me, an apparently very manageable recoil notwithstanding) . So don’t mess up with it and your mood: send it back to the QC-uncaring staff and serenely wait for having it back fully fixed as I wish you get soon.

Dings and wear caused by normal use don't bother me. I used to compete in 3 gun and have my fair share of wear marks on my guns. The ding on the outside diameter of the forcing cone doesn't bother me either. What does bother me is that the flame shield is improperly installed and has made contact during factory test firing. Test fired chambers have corresponding marks on the cylinder. What do you think this will look like after 1000 rounds? How effective is the flame shield with the gap between it and the frame?

HOUSTON RICK
I chased that rabbit in my head as well, but concluded it wasn't. This wasn't a gun in the display case. I ordered it at my local gun shop. The supplier or dealer would had to have pried the shield without leaving a mark on the frame. Not to mention adding suspicious marks on the cylinder(that line up perfectly with questionably installed flame shield) only on the factory test fired chambers.

I chose not to fire this, because the only thing that's going to do is cause more damage. That just against my DNA. I'm sure it will fire and i'm sure the sight can be adjusted. I'm also sure, just like any other firearm I'll have to find a load that the gun likes. I'll have to break it in and there just isn't any sense in getting to know it until it fixed.

I'd remove the flame shield and gently tap it straight, if it happens to come out by removing the top tap screw...does it?. Then re-install. It looks bent to me. Not file it at this point, that could make a mess.

Those shields are installed while installing the barrel. It's going back to S&W. Trust me, I wanted to shoot this gun today. Went through a lot recently and was looking forward to getting lost with a highly anticipated new(gun I always wanted) gun.

If it makes you feel any better, I had a Kidney Stone this week...

I agree that you should shoot it before sending it back. Any other issues it may have will make themselves known, and to fix the issue with the cylinder finish they'll have to replace it anyway. It looks to me like the flame shield is bent slightly putting it in contact with the cylinder upon firing. I wouldn't accept the cylinder finish issue, but would instead expect that the cylinder would be replaced or a new finish put on it .

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