I just bought a 629 Deluxe. I ordered it and so didn’t get to inspect it first. When I picked it up, I didn’t notice the gap between the barrel and frame along the top of the gun. I can literally slip a .008 feeler gauge between the frame and the barrel shoulder. The folks at S&W wanted me to send it back so I did. That was about a week and a half ago so I decided to call and just check on the status. I’m glad I did. It was headed to shipping to come back home. Here is the odd part. I asked the rep what had been done. No mention in the work order of my concern being addressed. However, she said that they replaced the hammer, sear, yoke, and ....grips???? I ask why they did this and why there is no mention of my detailed description and photographs of the actual reason it was sent back. She couldn’t say. She asked if I wanted her to place a hold on the return and have them look again. Yes, I suppose they should. Anyway, I called back a little while later hoping to get better info from someone else. Long story short, I talked to three people who couldn’t tell me if my problem had been addressed. They did say they would talk to a supervisor in that dept and get back with me. At this point, I’m not sure what to expect. If it goes through the service process again, it may be there another three weeks and there’s no guarantee the issue will be addressed then either if it is considered “within spec”. I can’t even find that out though. They don’t know and I’m not allowed to talk to anyone who actually works on the guns. I understand that, but more info would save time and shipping costs for them. Please understand that this is not a rant or bash. I love Smiths. I’m just not sure how to proceed.

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I’d send that picture to CS. Talk to them again and ask for an email address.

That picture speaks volumes about QC at S&W.

It's in their hands, There is not much anyone here can say or do. You just have to wait untill you get it back, to see if all is corrected. Must of the CS people have no idea what the actual gunsmith or whatever title did or is doing to every gun that is in the giant factory.
Sometimes you get a gun back, and there is not paper that says what they did.


Have faith and patience. (it is a bad time out there for all factories)

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Still Running Against the Wind

I feel your pain! I had to send my SSR 686 back twice to get the barrel properly "clocked".

I had to send a detailed sketch explaining the problem. Apparently barrel installation "HARD"!

Smiles,

Well, it comes back tomorrow. I’ll post an update and whether it goes back again. Fingers crossed.

That is some poor quality assembly work. I know the barrel actually tensions on the shoulder, but there should not be a 0.008" difference between the shoulder and the rib.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

So, it came back this week. It does have a much better trigger, but the gap remained. The technician’s notes said that they the relief cut between barrel and frame was within spec. So, still being concerned with the sloppy fit, I called them again. The pictures I had sent were the then looked at by a “supervisor” and he told the phone rep that it didn’t “look right” and that it should be sent back a second time. This is EXACTLY what I told the previous rep might happen if they sent it back before verifying that the barrel had been fixed. I got a response that went something like “they are very good in the service department so I’m sure they fixed it”. Again, I pressed them to actually speak with the tech and verify this. Nope. It came back without anything being done to the barrel. Now they say to send it back again, and so I’m faced with the possible scenario that it goes for another 2 week trip for the same end. I think I’ll call again and make sure I’m sending it in for the resolution implied by that supervisor. BTW- No one knows why they replaced my grips during the first tour back.

Next time you call, keep asking for the next person up in the chain until you get someone who can help you.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

C'mon S&W, you're better than that!

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Μολὼν λαβέ
NRA Life Member

So they replaced /fixed everything excepting what the problem was? I am simply disgusted,and I`m not even the owner

Write a letter detailing all of this to the CEO, sending it certified mail so it has to be signed for. Include copies of all paperwork you received back from S&W and names and dates of people you spoke with.

Three times back and ignoring the actual problem is just plain incompetent, zombie apocalypse or not.

This is one of the best recommendations for dealing with the issue. While not a gun story, I had a similar situation with getting a refund for a cancelled cruise. After 3 contacts with representatives and getting 3 different stories I sent an email to the CEO of the cruise line. I received a response in less than an hour (and this was on a Saturday), with a refund in my hand in less than 10 days.

I recall the sign above a welding shop near Gillette, Wyo: "If I can't fix it, it ain't broke."

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"Don't Give Up the Ship"

I have a similar story with Sirius/XM. They couldn't get my account correct because of having two cars with Sirius. I sent the detailed letter to the CEO. It turned out that the CEO has his own customer service team that's completely separate from the regular team. Those folks got it resolved PDQ.

So, it’s there now. I’m going to periodically call and get updates so it doesn’t just get routed through the same process and returned with another note saying it’s “within spec”
I was assured they would address it and a supervisor did say it needed to go back. I’m hoping this actually does get resolved this time and I will have a much better gun (in several ways) than I started with.

It came back from its second trip without anything additional being done to it. It didn’t even have the normal notes from the technician explaining why nothing was done. So, of course, I made another call. This time, I politely expressed my frustration for the merry go round like experience with customer service. This guy, sensing my growing frustration, placed me on hold. I have a feeling he actually spoke with a technician because, when he came back, he gave me a detailed explanation of the new crush ring barrel assembly process. Basically they attach barrels to frames using a ring that compresses to create the requisite tension when torquing a barrel. This aids in “timing” and eliminates the need to machine anything to achieve that timing. I am thinking it is similar to using a crush washer to time a muzzle device. So, some of these barrels that end up on the larger end of the specs may show more gap where the relief cut on the barrel touches the frame. Lucky me ended up with the “larger gap but still within spec” gun. Lesson learned. I know what to look for when buying next time. It’s still a gorgeous gun, and it may shoot like a laser. We shall soon see. Smith and Wesson customer service could have at least saved the money, and me the trouble, if they would communicate with their techs on an issue like this. I was ASSURED the problem was fixed when I asked about the suspiciously quick turnaround the second time. When I asked the rep to verify something had actually been done before they shipped I back the SECOND time, he basically said don’t worry as he knew they would have done “something” because they are “very good.”
I understand that this is, according to S&W a cosmetic issue. They could have saved a lot of trouble by better communication between the CS and the actual technicians. I know that time is money, but so is shipping. Plus, the CS manager that looked at my pics said it “needed” the come in. Looking on he bright side, is still have a lovely gun with a trigger that was improved on the first trip back.

Personally, I would probably still go the CEO route and give him all the specifics. I would explain that the gun might be within their specs, but it's definitely not within my specs as far as having a gun that looks like a quality product that I can rely upon and will retain a value for possible eventual resale.

It doesn't cost them much more to screw another barrel on it that's going to properly hit the frame. None of the people you've been dealing with are empowered to do that. The CEO will be. Just tell him what you expect for him to do that will make you 100% happy.

Be glad it wasn't Colt. In the 90s I bought a Defender for a carry gun. Took it to the range, and there were feeding problems, extraction problems, and sometimes live rounds ejected when I fired it. I sent it back to Colt 3 times. UPS air costs added up, and i had to pay it. Couldn't get anybody on the phone, except once when somebody made vague promises. I wrote to the CEO (retired USMC general), no response. I gave up and bought a competitor's product.

The firearms industry gets away with a lot.

I keep hoping we'll see this "have a lovely gun with a trigger that was improved on the first trip back.", besides that first picture of the gap I mean.

I think that would bother me too, to be honest. But it may just be pretty enough and shoot good enough, that it could be eventually overlooked.

I have guns that are not perfect to look at.

That all goes out the window when I start shooting them.

It may be within spec, and it may shoot fine, but it is pitiful in the appearance department!!
I have a bunch of Smiths, all but two are prelock and not newer than a .500 that was first few months production, way back about 15 years ago!
I would not buy a new Smith!!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Ok. Here is the whole gun. It looks great (despite that key lock)
I actually did call again today to ask how I could contact the CEO. That seemed to really motivate this CS rep to make it right. She even got another guy on the phone and both were eager to help and sent me a third label to ship it back again. HOWEVER, this came to an abrupt halt when a third person got on the phone and repeated the “within spec” argument. He said he would speak with a manager that oversees the techs, but he’d have to call me back. I guess he meant tomorrow because I got no call back. He did offer to sell me a custom shop package that would tighten up the sloppy cylinder gap and, possibly, Improve the barrel to frame fit.

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I finally got to shoot it. The group was fired from 15 yds. The load is a 240 gr cast swc in front of 8 grs of Unique. I’m pretty happy with the results.

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Hey Clerk, Can I inspect this new revolver for sale? " Herm, Un hun, oh, Ahh, I'll take it now." "I'll just get you another in the box." "NO, I want the one I just looked at." "We don't do that." "Ok see ya."

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"Don't Give Up the Ship"

I emailed the CEO of Home Depot some years back, He was a Ex Marine, so I made my E mail conform to MC DI talk. a week later The District Manager for HD called and resolved my issue ( Kitchen remodel gone bad). Go to the top Person in the Org.

Well, the update is that there is no update. I wrote a letter to the CEO but never even got an acknowledgment. It’s been almost 2 months since mailing it. Oh well. It’s still a nice gun