I have had many S&W firearms over the years and up until this year all my experiences with them were good.

Wondering if anyone else has experienced an issue with S&W not covering grips under warranty. I had inner tabs on both left and right grips crumble off, seems to have dried out from age, which happens with some plastics.

In calling S&W customer service was advised that grips are NOT covered under the lifetime warranty. Thought that was interesting so pulled out the written warranty that came in the box which states

"There's real peace of mind in knowing that Smith & Wesson will repair any defect in material or workmanship without charge to the original purchaser for as long as you own the gun."

Not sure what kind of peace of mind that is as I do not see anything that exempts coverage for grips. Would be interested in knowing if anyone else ever experienced this.

I would speak to someone else at S&W especially if it is a 3rd generation gun. They have been fantastic to me!
Randy

Having owned dozens of 3rd Gens over the years I have never heard of a plastic grip tab "crumbling". I live in the great white North so my delrin grips see -50 winters and 100+ summers and no issues. I would call S&W and talk to someone in the know. Did you buy your S&W new and submit the warranty card?

I also have owned a lot of them
Even had a few of the recall grips from way back
Never heard of this issue either
Which model and how old?

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PC semiauto collector

I guess the grips exceeded their "lifetime."

Yes, certainly agree SMSgt, that the grips exceeded their 'lifetime', just think that S&W should explain in their warranty they boast about that their definition of lifetime was -however long the pistol lasts and not the owner's lifetime-, interesting distinction!

It is a CS9, the grips were nothing great to begin with, as evidenced by the considerable number of owners looking to change grips, which may be why they sort of lost interest in the pistol.

After being a long time loyal S&W fan, this is disappointing, looks like things may be changing at S&W.

I have sent a polite email inquiring, with no response that changes the rep's statement that grips are not covered by the lifetime warranty.

Grips are such an inexpensive part of the package, and S&W's reputation for fixing serious issues is so good that I personally wouldn't have even bothered trying to warranty a $20 set of Hogue grips. It isn't worth my time or frustration for something so easy to replace, but that's just me.

Big Dog looks like he's making a better-than-stock aftermarket option, or a nice set of wood grips might be a good fit for the CS9.

Member 0849

How about sharing the model number of the S&W your referring to. What type of grip did the gun have. Do you know how old your gun is.

Do you have pictures available?

The CS9 grips are not made by S&W, they are made by Hogue. Maybe you should contact them. While I have never heard of this issue I would not speak ill of a company's warranty after a single brief email. Again did you buy it new? Did you send in the warranty card? Did you call and talk to them about it? Did the warranty card say it covered grips?

Personally, I'd not have thought to expect the company to warranty long term use, aging and general wear & tear on grips (plastic or wooden).

When there was a problem with the formulation used in the early 3rd gen grips, yes, they replaced them. From your description, this doesn't sound like that, though.

I'd expect them to make good on a plastic (Zytel) frame produced within the period after they started offering a lifetime warranty to more than just their LE/Gov customers, but a grip?

I just noticed it's a CS9, right? The grips are made by Hogue. Call them and see how they warranty them.

BTW, their vendor supplied night sights aren't covered under a lifetime warranty, either.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

The written warranty that came in the box when I purchased it new reads as follows:

"There's real peace of mind in knowing that Smith & Wesson will repair any defect in material or workmanship without charge to the original purchaser for as long as you own the gun."

By saying 'any defect' that clearly indicates the whole gun is covered. They should not say something in a formal written warranty if they do not intend to live up to their promise. They should keep their word, simple as that.

I sent you a PM.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

You need to talk to S+W customer Service.If you send me a PM I might be able to find my old Hogue grips and can send them off to you.Big Dog makes a set of custom CS9 grips that make this a great carry gun and you should give him a call and consider changing over to his.I have Grip set #1 on my CS9 and I was the stimulus for G to develope his grips for this model....Mike

I have read through these posts and have a question. It sounds like S&W warrents the original owner, not the gun. Is that true?

Taurus warrents the gun. They don't care how or where you got it.

Just asking,
Ed

S&W warrantee covers the gun, not the owner.

Sounds to me like they don't consider the grips as "part of the gun"
Maybe because they are so easily change out.

Then again, they may just not have any more. They can't stock everything forever. The warehouse would be just too big.

EBay 12 bucks or so.

Bob

I am looking at the statement explaining the Limited Warranty, found on page 39 of the manual that came with one of my S&W 1911s (I assume the same statement would be in all of the manuals) which says:

"The Extended Service Policy covers functional defects; it does not include the handgun's finish, grips, magazines, or sights."

Apparently, the entire handgun is covered for the first year of ownership, and then the Extended Service Policy begins (predicated on returning the registration card, or registering online) which has the limitations quoted above (unless your state law precludes any limitations.)

I have bought Hogue replacement grips for some of my 3rd Gen guns and I have broken the tabs installing them, probably my fault. I have some Hogue grips that are 20+ years old with no issues (as long as I do my part).
All of this being said, I have never had a gun problem that Smith wouldn't fix. I even sent them a used 29 that someone had removed the transfer bar, and a hatchet job on the trigger- they fixed it.

Give them another try on your problem.

In general terms a "defect in material or craftsmanship" does not refer to something that normally gets worn out over time and/or with use and/or from abuse. The OP stated that the grips "dried out from age." Sounds like normal wear and tear to me.

GKC,

The warranty that came in the box with my pistol is not the same, there are no exceptions indicated. If at some point they changed their minds on what they warranty, they still need to honor the warranties that they did issue.

I have been a long time S&W fan. However, looking at the matter objectively, and not as a big forum lovefest for S&W, if a warranty states something and does not indicate any exceptions, then they should keep their word, simple as that. Even if something is a consumable or expected to wear, if a warranty says it is warranteed for life, then they should keep their word. Just as some of the car parts places sell brake pads and mufflers with lifetime warranties, they know those parts wear but they still offer lifetime warranties and my experience has been that when I purchase something with a lifetime warranty, it should be and has been honored up until now. Companies like S&W that are peddling their products offer things like lifetime warrantees as a gimmick to get you to buy their product.

I have a Bersa pistol that is 30 years older than this S&W, and I have used much more than the S&W and the grips are still fine.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Personally, I wouldn't make an issue of it...kind of a "fight the battles worth fighting" thing...but that's just me.

Before reading this thread, I thought S&W made great products and provided great service...and you know what, I still do.

I suspect your owner's manual says the following;
Smith & Wesson will not be responsible for:
• Defects or malfunctions resulting from careless handling,
unauthorized adjustments or modifications made or attempted
by anyone other than a qualified gunsmith following Smith &
Wesson authorized procedures, or beyond the disassembly
instructions in this manual.
• Use of defective or improper ammunition, corrosion, neglect,
abuse, ordinary wear and tear, or unreasonable use.
• Criminal misuse, negligence, resale, use under the influence
of drugs or alcohol.
Smith & Wesson reserves the right to determine what constitutes
ordinary wear and tear.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have
other rights that vary from state to state.
Note: All liability is excluded in the event that the instructions in
this manual are not observed.

My owner's manual says;
"The extended service policy covers functional defects; it does not include the handgun's finish, grips, magazines or sights".

The difference is that in mine S&W essentially defined the parts they considered part of ordinary wear and tear. In yours they simply state they reserve the right to determine what constitutes ordinary wear and tear.

PS In my owner's manual they state the Extended Service Plan only covers original owners who return the registration card or register online within 30 days of purchase.

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Gene

Unbelieveable thread. Life is waaaaay to short for this stuff.

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1st Signal Brigade, RVN '70

Right on Denver Dick!

I agree with this, I wouldn't even think to have them replace a wearable part like grips unless they were bad the day I bought it and I purchased it new.

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

Doesn't availability have anything to do with this type of situation?
A warranty is not a guarantee; it's a warrant against serviceable parts and products, no matter what the manufacturer is. It the grips are no longer available because they are no longer produced by anybody it pretty much ends the conversation.
ALL plastic products deteriorate in time, period. The soft grips like the Hogue's will deteriorate very quickly if they are ever exposed to any petroleum product or petroleum type fumes. This also includes and cleaning fluids or solvents (Gun cleaning fluids/cleaners) If you ever exposed these grips to any petrochemical or solvent to the fumes of such products you automatically void any warranty that the grips may have had to begin with.

I work in the plastics industry and we always hold disclaimers against intentional or accidental miss-use of the product and exposure to chemical contamination in all of our manufacturing contracts.

Call Hogue and see what they say. Be considerate and soft spoken, it'll pay off in the end weather you get new grips or not.
Good luck

Your gripe is with Hogue not S&W. Call Hogue. To say that you are pissed at S&W for a part that they did not produce and a part that is inexpensive on top of it is a bit off base to me. I think that you're looking for a reason to be pissed. If you want to see bad customer service then buy a SIG or HK.

0849,
I see you are from New England, if it's Connecticut,
there it something in the laws that state you do not have to send any warranty cards in to have the registration be valid,
a sales receipt is all you need.
Regards,
BM1

i had a 4506-1 that the grip cracked at the pin hole ...called them up and told them ..got a mew set of grips in 3 days....when you call ask for paul or dan

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Scott from Canton Ohio

federal laws states that a manufacturer can't retroactively change a warranty. If his card has no exclusions, but exclusions were added in later years, his pistol is grandfathered in. FEDERAL LAW.

Nor is the owner required to mail something in for the warranty to be active. That is excluded in either the same, or a second law.

Now, that doesn't say they have the parts though.

Purchased new/original owner? They have replaced grips for me in the past.

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NRA Certified Instructor

S&W sent me a replacement set of grips.

Glad you stuck to your guns on this one and it worked out for you.

I own several S & Ws, but have only had one experience with a warantee claim and it was very positive. Recently, I noticed a crack in the main body of the safety of my 4596, which I've used as a duty weapon and carry piece for more than 20 years. S & W repaired and returned the gun within 15 days and paid the shipping in both directions. Based on that, I'm very surprised that they sidestepped your claim for a relatively inexpensive pair of replacement grips. I recommend that you take it up again with Customer Service.

Oh good, because I didn't want to post that they just sent me a set of replacement grips for a 3rd gen manufactured in 1990.

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NRA Certified Instructor

Don't know about the grips, but I have never had a problem with warranty service on any S&W. I have sent 4 in for service over the last couple of years, all of them over 20 years old, 3 of them I bought used. Things like decocker malfunction on a 3906, timing problem on a 640, etc. In each and every case they paid for shipping both ways, returned my gun in less than 3 weeks, and never once asked if I was the original owner. In my book, that is top shelf service.

Excellent!! I'm glad that S&W took care of you...

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S&W 645, 3913, 59, 669

I have three TSW's all were bought used. Two of the three didn't come with warranty cards and Smith has always fixed em', no questions, no problems.

I have a bunch of S&W handguns and most have seen more use than an average gun. Never needed their warranty but called them twice on other matters and they immediately took care of the situation for FREE.

Then I read this thread and see a person that is upset over a very cheap set of grips and bad mouths a company for something not their fault or problem.

Then I see the company corrects the problem and he gives a single sentence reply without saying that he may have been wrong in his judgement of S&W.

I look at it this way. Go buy any NEW car you want. Have a tire, battery or brake shoe go bad. The car may be under warranty but the out sourced parts are not. I bought a new Cadillac a few yrs back. The battery went dead four months to the day that I bought the car. Batteries are not covered by warranty and I was out $130 diagnostic fee to tell me a battery was dead when I already knew that, $114 battery that I could have bought elsewhere for $20 less and a $60 service charge at the dealer for installing a battery that took less than 5 minutes that I could have gotten installed for free where ever I bought a replacement battery.

Even better, I bought a motorhome for over a quarter million dollars. While it was under warranty with less than 4,000 miles and three months old, a fan belt broke. I called Freightliner and they sent a man out (50 miles one way) he replaced the belt. I was charged $482 for belt replacement and a road service charge. Granted, the belt is not something that the owner can replace but it is also not covered by warranty. I got a lot madder about the repair bill than I would have over a S&W grip price.

Grips will be a grey area. They are subject to abuse. They are more prone to breakage. They are not made by the gunmaker. I would not blame the maker for parts out of their control.

Also I noticed that the OP had an issue he was wanting assistance with on a same model gun during mid last year where he was wanting to change or modify a pair of grips to place on a CS9 and then later the gun was placed for sale here.

X2 Oldman... I'm with you. This was ridiculous, I'm sitting on my keyboard cause I don't want to get nasty..

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Jack C

end of story.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett