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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 10-11-2020, 07:47 PM
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Is this normal on my 686? Is this normal on my 686? Is this normal on my 686? Is this normal on my 686? Is this normal on my 686?  
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Default Is this normal on my 686?

Hey everyone, got myself a brand new 686 2.5 inch and took it shooting for the first time. After getting home and cleaning it I noticed these lines on the inside under the forcing cone. Is this normal? Thanks in advanced for any help you might give,
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Old 10-11-2020, 07:50 PM
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Milling machine marks. Looks ok (normal) to me.
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Old 10-11-2020, 08:35 PM
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As for quality of internal finish,I've seen better!But the gun is safe to shoot.
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Old 10-11-2020, 09:13 PM
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As for quality of internal finish,I've seen better!But the gun is safe to shoot.
Thanks. That was my main concern to make sure it wasn’t cracking. This is the first new Smith & Wesson revolver I have purchased. My father left me his old 66. I do enjoy the 686. The stainless steel shows a lot of swirls but I suppose that is normal if it’s not a nickel finish. A couple of pictures of it along with the 66.
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Old 10-11-2020, 09:24 PM
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You made me go look at my new 686 Plus. It does not have similar milling marks.
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Old 10-11-2020, 09:28 PM
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You made me go look at my new 686 Plus. It does not have similar milling marks.
Yeah I guess it’s just that famous Smith and Wesson quality control I hear so much about. The question is do I send it back for warranty work? I doubt they would even do anything with it.
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Old 10-11-2020, 09:59 PM
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Talking Normal poor finishing of internal surfaces

The marks you show are normal since about Y2K. I can assure you S&W is not alone in this attitude. I bought a brand new Colt Python at a local gun show back about 1990. The gun has a bright stainless exterior finish but I found the internal surfaces were unfinished and rough.

I shot the gun quite often in the early 90s until I discovered the magic of S&W tuned actions.
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Old 10-11-2020, 10:00 PM
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Also look at these swirls. They seem excessive. It could just be my OCD but the finish doesn’t look the best. Even the barrel has spots that are dull compared to the rest.
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Old 10-11-2020, 10:40 PM
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All normal, and usually desirable.

Does anyone know of a way to restore that finish without polishing it to a gloss?
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Old 10-11-2020, 11:36 PM
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All normal, and usually desirable.

Does anyone know of a way to restore that finish without polishing it to a gloss?
What do you mean desirable? The swirl marks?
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Old 10-11-2020, 11:42 PM
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Just get some Mother's Mag polish, and you'll have that stainless gun looking like a nickel finish without the swirls.
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Old 10-12-2020, 12:21 AM
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Mother's Mag polish will indeed address the swirls but be careful, it doesn't take much polishing to produce a mirror finish!

And if the milling machine marks under the forcing cone bother you just take some sandpaper and smooth them out to your liking. I wouldn't bother to send it back to Smith, it's easier and quicker to deal with it yourself - that's the advantage of stainless steel!
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Old 10-12-2020, 12:59 AM
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I bet the finish comparison between your 66 and the new 686 hurts. I love the satin sheen of my 66-1. Perfect!
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Old 10-12-2020, 01:13 AM
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Thanks for the advice guys, in all honesty if this is within the norm of newer smith and Wesson 686 I’ll just have to live with it. As long as it shoots. I just wanted to make sure everything was ok or what SW QC considers acceptable. I usually use mothers to get rid of burn marks on the cylinder but I am not to keen to polish my 686. Again thanks for the advice.
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Old 10-12-2020, 01:51 AM
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What do you mean desirable? The swirl marks?
Upon further review, those do seem a bit more than the factory finish. Personally, I prefer the brushed stainless(as applied at the factory) compared to a polished stainless.

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Old 10-12-2020, 08:03 AM
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My 686-4 has no such machining marks. In fact, if a revolver could be fit and finished nearly perfectly, my 686-4 is it.
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Old 10-12-2020, 08:16 AM
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If you think that’s bad you should check out new Rugers.
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Old 10-12-2020, 08:16 AM
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My early 80s no dash 686 as a few marks there, similar but vertical, where the OP's are horizontal. No cracking visible.
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Old 10-12-2020, 12:02 PM
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Attached are photos showing my 686 no dash(and 629-1). They are not meant to be shiny. They are brushed Stainless, which most prefer based on my limited research. You may not be able to see the brushed marks in these photos, but they are there.
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Old 11-20-2020, 08:23 PM
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I hope you didn't hit that with Mother's yet. With a green Scotch pad, I would have that looking near as nice as an early stainless finish in about an hour.Then maybe...a soft hit with the Mother's.
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Old 11-20-2020, 08:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Christopher View Post
Just get some Mother's Mag polish, and you'll have that stainless gun looking like a nickel finish without the swirls.
For more than 40 years, I've used Simichrome polish on gold, stainless steel, chrome, etc., and can recommend it without hesitation... :-) Many motorcycle shops carry it, or you can get it on Amazon... Happich Simichrome Polish | Metal Polish | As Low As $7.99
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Old 11-20-2020, 10:26 PM
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I used Flitz on mine couple years ago
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Old 11-21-2020, 10:08 PM
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My 668+ finish out of the box. Looked like it was cross hatch finished with a grinder. The pic doesn't show how really rough it looked. A little time and some Mothers and it looks better IMHO. Have since put a set of Pachmayr Compac Pros on it.

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Old 11-21-2020, 11:00 PM
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no offense, but I think some of you guys have gone entirely too shiny
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Old 11-22-2020, 07:22 PM
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To the original poster, all I would do with your revolver if it were mine is just take the inside of an old sweatshirt and rub the surface with decent finger pressure, no simichrome, mothers polish or anything, just dry. It will soften those swirl marks some and will look much nicer than an overly glossy finish. JMO.
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Old 11-22-2020, 09:27 PM
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To the OP,,
Your question is,,
"Is this normal?"

The real issue is that S&W "normal" finish is ALL OVER THE MAP!!

So, there is no real,,, normal... answer with S&W

Now, IMHO, Ruger has a more standardized finish,,

You can expect this:



Under the "blue" you can see the blued gun is finished almost identically to the stainless,,



Heck, Smith can not even get the cylinder to look like the rest of the gun,,



BUT, I do not buy Smiths to look at them,,

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Old 11-22-2020, 09:34 PM
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BUT, I do not buy Smiths to look at them,,
I do...And also to carry, shoot, love and cherish...A thing of beauty is a joy forever (until the divorce papers are served)......Ben
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Old 11-22-2020, 09:37 PM
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I do...And also to carry, shoot, love and cherish...A thing of beauty is a joy forever (until the divorce papers are served)......Ben
I buried that between the pics, thinking no one would catch it!!
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Old 11-22-2020, 09:50 PM
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Quote:
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My 668+ finish out of the box. Looked like it was cross hatch finished with a grinder. The pic doesn't show how really rough it looked. A little time and some Mothers and it looks better IMHO. Have since put a set of Pachmayr Compac Pros on it.
Wow, just bought that gun last week. Thankfully looks nothing like that!

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I do...And also to carry, shoot, love and cherish...A thing of beauty is a joy forever (until the divorce papers are served)......Ben
I'll agree with Ben...

There are cheaper guns/brands. If ugly is suddenly ok, I'll just go that route.

EDIT: I will also say this, modern cameras are harsh. Held mine in person and it looked much better than when I expanded a photo from my iPhone. These cameras are turning into magnifying glasses. I know I look horrible in every pic .

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Old 11-23-2020, 05:13 AM
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I buried that between the pics, thinking no one would catch it!!
You can run, but you can't hide......Ben
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Old 11-23-2020, 11:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by S&WIowegan View Post
...The marks you show are normal since about Y2K. I can assure you S&W is not alone in this attitude...
Both of my 1986-era 686NDs have such milling marks, nothing new about this condition.
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Old 12-24-2020, 06:40 PM
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Little update if anyone is curious. I sent the pictures to Smith and Wesson. I basically told them I purchased the gun new and was a little concerned with the finish. I told them if this was standard quality for a brand new gun that I would be fine with it. She said it did look a little rougher then usual and sent me a pre paid shipping label. They have had the revolver for about a month now. Called them yesterday and was told they have not looked at it yet. Lol. So looks like I’m in it for the long haul. Not a big deal I’m patient. I’ll keep you guys updated on what ends up happening. I have a feeling they are going to send it back with a note saying it’s normal. If that’s the case I’ll end up selling or trading it for a model 19 or something.

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Old 12-24-2020, 07:07 PM
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Quote:
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Little update if anyone is curious. I sent the pictures to Smith and Wesson. I basically told them I purchased the gun new and was a little concerned with the finish. I told them if this was standard quality for a brand new gun that I would be fine with it. She said it did look a little rougher then usual and sent me a pre paid shipping label. They have had the revolver for about a month now. Called them yesterday and was told they have not looked at it yet. Lol. So looks like I’m in it for the long haul. Not a big deal I’m patient. I’ll keep you guys updated on what ends up happening. I have a feeling they are going to send it back with a note saying it’s normal. If that’s the case I’ll end up selling or trading it for a model 19 or something.
I pretty much default to the advice given on this forum. With shipping issues and all of the other nonsense, I think sending it back to the mother ship is typically the last bit of advice you'll read here.
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Old 12-26-2020, 08:19 AM
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The variation of my S&W SS guns is odd to me, my 629-1 has some cross hatching if you look closely, my 625-3 is pretty much perfect, and my 66-1 seems to be parts assembled from different sources or finishers and the barrel is a nice satin, the frame is a little roughly ground with machine marks in some places, and the sideplate is shinier than the rest of the frame, by far. It came like that, a friend bought it new. It's buried in the back of the safe, so no pics, but I think I'm going to finally order a scotchbrite pad and see what happens. It's not "NIB" by any means, so I doubt it would hurt the value of it. Shoots fine and looks good from a couple of feet away, so it's no big deal.
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Old 01-04-2021, 06:06 PM
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So as I read more and more about these new SW revolvers a common denominator is that Smith and Wesson will not refinish the gun for me. If that’s the case they have had it for a bit over a month for nothing. When I get the email stating the gun is ready to be shipped back I will call them. If they did nothing I may just have them keep it and buy the Combat revolver package. They bead blast it and smoothen the trigger among other things. Would be curious to see how a bead blasted 686 2.5 inch looks. Or if I can just pay to have it refinished. Anyone go this route?

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Old 01-04-2021, 08:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mod34 View Post
I pretty much default to the advice given on this forum. With shipping issues and all of the other nonsense, I think sending it back to the mother ship is typically the last bit of advice you'll read here.
Actually you see it all the time for all manner of defects. Some folks seem to think Smith is the only place qualified to work on a revolver.
Personally, Smith would be the last place I would send a gun to be repaired unless it was a blatant warranty issue that required the gun be replaced in whole.
If they could not get it out the door originally in proper order, what would ever give you confidence they can fix the issue with any level of competency?
Given the constant flow of posts here about current QC at the factory you can bet the issue runs all the way from the top of the company to the shipping clerks. It is culture. They either have a culture that produces quality or they do not.
Find a local gunsmith that deals in revolvers and you will most likely be much happier.
I have two gunsmiths I work with. One for rifles and handguns and another who specializes in double barrel shotguns. I am blessed in the fact that the shotgun guy is local but nationally recognized for his quality and the other guy has just never sent me back a problem, only solutions.

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Old 01-05-2021, 12:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Jermz1987 View Post
Yeah I guess it’s just that famous Smith and Wesson quality control I hear so much about. The question is do I send it back for warranty work? I doubt they would even do anything with it.
...It meets minimum specs. Like those barrels clocked 5 degrees off.
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Old 01-05-2021, 02:14 AM
jeffrefrig jeffrefrig is offline
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I have two 6" stainless revolvers; one is a Ruger GP100, the other is S&W Model 629-6. Both have almost the exact swirl marks. The only difference is the Ruger guys turned all of its internals into razors. I'm no gun mechanic, but I did change a couple springs in the Ruger. I think there is still some of my blood in that gun! It got to the point that I just left the lid unscrewed on my bottle of Krazy Glu liquid bandage for easier access. With these new guns, as long as they go bang every time and hit the target, I'm really not that concerned about the looks. If I want pretty I'll take out a mortgage on a new something else, blued and wood.
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Old 01-06-2021, 11:05 AM
raygixxer89 raygixxer89 is offline
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Originally Posted by jeffrefrig View Post
I have two 6" stainless revolvers; one is a Ruger GP100, the other is S&W Model 629-6. Both have almost the exact swirl marks. The only difference is the Ruger guys turned all of its internals into razors. I'm no gun mechanic, but I did change a couple springs in the Ruger. I think there is still some of my blood in that gun! It got to the point that I just left the lid unscrewed on my bottle of Krazy Glu liquid bandage for easier access. With these new guns, as long as they go bang every time and hit the target, I'm really not that concerned about the looks. If I want pretty I'll take out a mortgage on a new something else, blued and wood.
You aren't kidding about Ruger razors! When I bought my Redhawk I stripped it down to clean/inspect and sliced my finger trying to put the trigger assembly back in. It was such a clean cut I didn't even feel it!
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Old 01-06-2021, 12:46 PM
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dear Jesus,I`ve seen that on so many guns, I thought it was standard practice!
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Old 01-06-2021, 10:55 PM
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Originally Posted by scruffy View Post
My 668+ finish out of the box.
]
Yikes
A toddler with a screwdriver failed to color in the lines there.
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Old 01-06-2021, 11:06 PM
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My 686+ I got last year looks identical when I shine a light on it
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Old 01-18-2021, 04:14 PM
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Sooo got the call today that my gun is ready and is being shipped back. I should have it tomorrow. When speaking with the rep I was told the finish was not up to Smith and Wesson standards and they refinished the gun. I’ll post pics tomorrow when she comes in.
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Old 01-21-2021, 04:58 PM
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Here it is. I think it looks a lot better. Swirls aren’t as bad and the finish looks more even...they refinished it.
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Jermz1987 View Post
Here it is. I think it looks a lot better. Swirls aren’t as bad and the finish looks more even...they refinished it.
I think it looks great. I wonder how they get that finish...
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:40 PM
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What about the area of the frame under the barrel extension you showed us in your original photo in post #1? Was there any work done there?
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Old 01-21-2021, 06:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermz1987 View Post
Here it is. I think it looks a lot better. Swirls aren’t as bad and the finish looks more even...they refinished it.
I sure hope that you habitually tip the shoe-boy who shines your shoes outside your "sit..ayee" job. You never know when THAT will come in handy...
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Old 01-21-2021, 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by stratplexi View Post
I think it looks great. I wonder how they get that finish...
Still looks the same, they said that was normal. I’ll take their word on it.
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Old 01-21-2021, 08:49 PM
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I think it looks great. I wonder how they get that finish...

I am curious about this as well. It should’ve come from the factory looking like this to begin with. Especially at the price tag.
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Old 01-22-2021, 07:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by armorer951 View Post
What about the area of the frame under the barrel extension you showed us in your original photo in post #1? Was there any work done there?
Just to pick nits, The horizontal lines were generated when a broach was run through the frame window. The uneven nature of it could be due to chip build up between the cutter teeth (the chips work harden so are able to scratch the parent metal), a worn broach, or grit in the cutting fluid. Or any combo thereof.

You'd be hard pressed to generate those marks in that direction with a rotating cutter!

Sorry, machinist nerdery.
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