In the manual, it says that the extended service plan is predicated on the owner completing the warranty card and sending it in (or registering it online) for coverage past one year. In practice, though, it has been my experience that S&W will repair their products, even for second owners, as long as it is not a matter of abuse, modification, etc. There is apparently an age limit, though...they won't work on older guns past a certain age. I bought a used revolver and I called to find out the DOB...it was 1968...they said it was on the verge of being out of the range they would work on, but they still would.