My Two Cents
I picked up a 360PD in January that I really liked. Barbara liked it more so I went for a 60 LS. Nice enough, but I thought I wanted something light and without an external hammer so I grabbed an M&P 340. Man, that was the ticket, but I still wasn't completely satisfied so I went back to 100% stainless steel with that Tritium front sight -- and a pair of them on the rear, too -- and bought a 640-1 Pro.
I love all these new J's, but the 640 came with baggage.
Its front sight was dead and the action felt like the gun had been assembled in a sand box. Upon its return to me the sight was bright and the action was ok. I shot the heck out of it -- the mildest .38s, some +P's, and lots of magnums. The action got better and better. Wow, I was in love. Then I cleaned it.
Two really disturbing milling flaws appeared beneath the grime. Back to its original home it went. I told the customer service supervisor I had been buying S&W revolvers for 40 years and had never seen such poor workmanship. He said "Things have changed," the chatter mark inside the ejector rod shroud and the ugly nick on the frame below the barrel are "within S&W's current specifications," and "you can't see them when the cylinder is closed." The factory sent it back a few days ago with no action taken.
Back to the theme of the thread. I carry the 640, I'll continue shooting the heck out of it, and I still love it. As an old Chief in the 'Force once told me, "Just because the baby's ugly doesn't mean we don't love the baby." Ok, fair enough.
__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob
|