New 617 with issues

[Stainz]

I guess I am the inverse of everyone else. My older S&W experiences, all thankfully someone else's problems now, were beset with QC issues. My recently made purchases, over a dozen bought new since '02, have been fine - save a scrunched ejector spring in my 696 and a poorly fitted grip set on my latest - a 2 5/8" PC627. They sent replacements for both. Nothing to deter from the proper operation in any of them, although the front sight and rear sight on that PC627 were at opposite extremes (I always set my sights for my loads anyhow!).

Now - don't get me started on Rugers... Of necessity, I became quite a Ruger 'smith! They are gone - I live in S&W-only land now.

Stainz

 

[shootinghoosier]

Question for you guys...I took my brand new model 617 to the range yesterday and it seemed to shoot straight, but as I mentioned in my earlier post, the barrel is not properly aligned with the frame. When I put the target in my sights, the front sight is canted to the left by a few degrees. The pictures that brif posted originally look very similar to my gun. Would you guys send it back to S&W and have them correct it? What's the risk of them screwing it up? It ticks me off that I paid $670 for it and it's not perfect.

 

[SW357Addict]

Question for you guys...I took my brand new model 617 to the range yesterday and it seemed to shoot straight, but as I mentioned in my earlier post, the barrel is not properly aligned with the frame. When I put the target in my sights, the front sight is canted to the left by a few degrees. The pictures that brif posted originally look very similar to my gun. Would you guys send it back to S&W and have them correct it? What's the risk of them screwing it up? It ticks me off that I paid $670 for it and it's not perfect.

I would send it back and have them fix it. They will do a good job and if not, keep sending it back.

 

[tquieng]

My 617 I got 4 years ago had to go to factory 3x---the gun just frozen up --cylinder will not open, hammer will not cock, and the gun was shooting too high.

 

[zombie44]

Would certain models have better QC than others, say the Performance Center line or their 500 S&W models or have there been issues pretty much across the board?

 

[brif]

Just wanted to give an update on this. After waiting nearly 2 weeks to receive my shipping label; I received it. Smith has had my revolver for over 3 weeks now. They sent me a letter saying the repair would take 2-3 weeks. I figured since they had the firearm, why not have a fiber optic site installed while it was there? I called today and talked to a very rude lady. She tried to tell me they had the revolver less time than they actually did, luckily I wrote down the date it was delivered, who signed for it, and the time. I was told it will take them 3 weeks to get an estimate on how much it will cost to install the site, then they will be able to do the work. To be quite honest with ya, I find this unacceptable. The lady told me how many firearms go through there each week, blah, blah, but in the end I don't really care. I work in a manufacturing environment. If something like this got through, someone would be getting written up. I probably sound like a prick here, but if the gun would have showed up in good condition initially like it should have; this all would have been avoided. I'll call back next monday and if they don't have an estimate for me; I'll just have them send it back.

 

[Wayne M]

Would certain models have better QC than others, say the Performance Center line or their 500 S&W models or have there been issues pretty much across the board?

Have no fear: the PC models have there share of QC problems too. I've seen several Thunder Ranch 45 revolvers with the two piece barrels have loose shrouds right out of the box(two years ago now I think). Just carefully inspect the gun prior to purchase, you may still need to send it back but that inspection might just save you the trouble too!

 

[avery53]

Just wanted to give an update on this. After waiting nearly 2 weeks to receive my shipping label; I received it. Smith has had my revolver for over 3 weeks now. They sent me a letter saying the repair would take 2-3 weeks. I figured since they had the firearm, why not have a fiber optic site installed while it was there? I called today and talked to a very rude lady. She tried to tell me they had the revolver less time than they actually did, luckily I wrote down the date it was delivered, who signed for it, and the time. I was told it will take them 3 weeks to get an estimate on how much it will cost to install the site, then they will be able to do the work. To be quite honest with ya, I find this unacceptable. The lady told me how many firearms go through there each week, blah, blah, but in the end I don't really care. I work in a manufacturing environment. If something like this got through, someone would be getting written up. I probably sound like a prick here, but if the gun would have showed up in good condition initially like it should have; this all would have been avoided. I'll call back next monday and if they don't have an estimate for me; I'll just have them send it back.

They must have a pile of them being sent back for that kind of backlog.
Hope they get it right the first time, so you don't have to deal with the old bag again. lol
Good luck

 

[stevieboy]

I'll be a contrarian just to add a tiny bit of balance to this. My little collection of S & W handguns goes back to 1965. Very few of them have had issues. I purchased a 686SSR with a defective return spring. Smith fixed that in a matter of a few days. I also purchased a Smith 1911 that would not take down, even after pounding on the slide stop with a rubber mallet. Smith replaced the slide stop and the gun shoots like a dream.

My interactions with Smith's warranty service folks have always been courteous and they have dealt with my problems efficiently.

My take on all of this is that Smith, like every mass producer, occasionally issues a lemon. So does Ford, Toyota, and GM, btw. It's a function of trying to turn out a product as cheaply and efficiently as possible. Sometimes -- and inevitably -- quality gets sacrificed for speed of production. A sign of the times, perhaps.

 

[stantheman86]

Don't feel bad, I have a 581 made in 1983 with a canted barrel. It was an ex-LEO gun, apparently it works well enough to have been used by a cop for a decade or so.

It irks me to look down the sights and see the front sight canted to the left, but if it works it works I guess......For $330 I ain't complaining too much, I bought it as a range blaster anyway. The Ghost of Bangor Punta comes back to haunt me 27 years after it rolled off the line.......this was one of the last guns in the last year of BP ownership too, back when they were really cranking out some turds.

Either way it's a nice looking 4" 617 and they are probably lacking on QC because the demand for these is sky-high and they are trying to get more of them out the door......I had to search high and low to find my 6" 617 and it's now one of my favorite guns of all time. A 4" is high on my list, dealers at gun shows are getting $800+ in NIB condition for these right now, people just want 'em!

I would also not accept a .22 capable of match grade accuracy like a 617 with a canted barrel.......I mean, what's the point? It's a target gun, not a snub nose .38 where the sights are kind of an afterthought.

 

[Nightowl]

It is very difficult to get a good sight picture with canted sights, at least for me. I need all the help I can get anyway. Definitely needs to go back.

 

[Snowbandit]

To let crap out the door like that is nuts, especially for the prices they are charging now days. After reading these stories I don't think I'll be ordering any new guns from Smith and Wesson, or anybody else for that matter, for a long time. Better to stick with the ones on the dealer shelves that you can touch and feel before laying down all that hard cash.

 

[stantheman86]

I actually took the hit and ended up paying probably $100 more when I got my 617, just to be able to walk out of the store with it. Sure I could have saved a few bucks doing a GB deal, but I wouldn't be able to see what I was getting.

.22 LR revolvers are hot right now, and there's no other alternative besides blecchh Taurus Shooters are "rediscovering" the versatility of a rimfire wheelgun, and S&W has the market cornered on .22 revolvers that are any good.

The 581 I have with the crooked barrel was a GunBroker deal, but for the price I paid for it I probably would have bought it anyway, crooked barrel and all if I saw it in person.

 

[brif]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. The thing I just can't get over is I have to wait up to 3 weeks to just GET the estimate to put a fiber optic site on. The gun is repaired right now.

They are telling me the 3 week wait is to get a price to install a fiber optic site. I wonder how long it would take to install it; a month? Maybe I am being crazy, but I was thinking maybe they would have ate the cost of the site install and just charged me for the site itself for my inconvenience during this whole deal. I didn't have a problem waiting to get the gun fixed. I mean you would think they have a flat rate to install a front site and I don't think in this day and age a fiber optic is any thing exotic. I am really bewildered by this all, 3 weeks to just get an estimate to install a front site. Nuts!

 

[Janitor]

That's crazy.

Why do they even need your gun to do an estimate? Don't they know what a 617 looks like?

I would have thought that the cost of putting on a fiber optic site would be a known and in their shop catalog. It seems to me that someone should have been able to look it up and email you back with a cost weeks ago.

 

[brif]

Yeah, I figured it would have been a fixed cost. They also told me I would have to prepay before they start the work. I find that a bit funny because they already have my gun. I don't think most people would refuse to pay for a $30 site and a few bucks for the install if it meant they wouldn't get their $700 revolver back. I was going to send my smith 41 back to have a new red insert put in the front site, now I think I'll hold off. I'd probably never see it again.

 

[Racklover]

Problems like this would be less if S&W upon getting the gun and confirming there was a problem, made the person who signed off on it at the factory start paying for shipping costs at least. If it is a training issue, take care of it. If someone at the factory does not care about their job, find someone who does.

 

[pea shooter]

617 barrel

I had the same problem with my brand new 671
I also didnt notice it until I got home. The dealer sent it back and I had it back in less than three weeks.The problem I have now is with the accuracy.The best group I can get using CCI mini mags 36 gr hp at 23 yards with the gun clamped securly in a vise with a red dot is 2.25",I sent it back again an they said it was within spect using cci ammo.For a 700 dollar gun this is unacceptable.My browning buckmark and the 970 taurus I traded in on the 617 shoots better groups with fed bulk.I am going to shoot it for a time and if it does not get any better I am going to get rid of it and buy something else maybe another taurus?

 

[carbofan21]

have you checked the muzzle crown for any burrs or imperfections? how is the timing in SA and DA? is the cylinder locking in-place prior to hammer drop?

I had the same problem with my brand new 671
I also didnt notice it until I got home. The dealer sent it back and I had it back in less than three weeks.The problem I have now is with the accuracy.The best group I can get using CCI mini mags 36 gr hp at 23 yards with the gun clamped securly in a vise with a red dot is 2.25",I sent it back again an they said it was within spect using cci ammo.For a 700 dollar gun this is unacceptable.My browning buckmark and the 970 taurus I traded in on the 617 shoots better groups with fed bulk.I am going to shoot it for a time and if it does not get any better I am going to get rid of it and buy something else maybe another taurus?

 

[pea shooter]

The only thing I see is the barrel looks a little rough compaired to my buckmark. I just got it back from S&W and they said it was within spects but they didnt tell me what those spects are.I thought they would send a target back with it.What really upsets me is the 970 Taurus I traded in would shoot 1.5" groups using fed bulk