624 recall

[Andy Taylor]

I recently picked up a 4" 624 S/N AHB17XX. I sent an email to S&W over a week ago to check the status of this gun on the recall and have not yet recieved a reply. Is this normal? When I checked my 6.5" that I bought a few years back, I recieved a reply within a few hours. Joyfully that one was shipped after the suspect guns were shipped.

Does anyone have a direct email for Kate Freddette? I prefer to do this by email and not the phone as I prefer to have something in writting.

 

[Snapping Twig]

Fredette, Kate
E-mail Address(es):
[email protected]

 

[Calliope]

Kate answered my e-mails quickly.
Mine was on the list and needed some trigger work too. I sent it in over a month ago, still no word from S&W. This is really making me nervous, wondering if I'm going to get it back at all.

If I had to do it over, I would not have sent it in. I would have just had the trigger fixed by another gunsmith.

Then I could be posting in the '624 satisfaction' thread instead of this one.

 

[augy]

I also bought a model 624 awhile back, and was concerned about the cylinder problem. My gun did not have a box, so I didn't know if it had the "Red Circle" when I bought it or not. I called S&W and gave the serial number over the phone, and within a few minutes, I was told my gun was shipped before the problem existed and was ok.

Try giving them a call.
augy

 

[EarlFH]

I recently picked up a 4" 624 S/N AHB17XX. I sent an email to S&W over a week ago to check the status of this gun on the recall and have not yet recieved a reply. Is this normal? When I checked my 6.5" that I bought a few years back, I recieved a reply within a few hours. Joyfully that one was shipped after the suspect guns were shipped.

Does anyone have a direct email for Kate Freddette? I prefer to do this by email and not the phone as I prefer to have something in writting.

I thought that they also stamped the frame after they were inspected, if they were OK. Did you look under the grips?
EarlFH

 

[Cashdog]

Kate answered my e-mails quickly.
Mine was on the list and needed some trigger work too. I sent it in over a month ago, still no word from S&W. This is really making me nervous, wondering if I'm going to get it back at all.

If I had to do it over, I would not have sent it in. I would have just had the trigger fixed by another gunsmith.

Then I could be posting in the '624 satisfaction' thread instead of this one.

I'd give em a call and try to check on the progress. Hopefully you'll find out that the hold up is related to the line your gun is waiting in for the trigger work. When I sent my 624 back to be checked (within the last year) it was returned to me within two weeks, but i didn't have any other work done to it. Point is, the recall check shouldn't take long.

 

[EarlFH]

If it's no good,(doesn't pass) you won't get it back. They have been out of spare cylinders for a long time. They will probably offer you another gun. They are still making the 44 specials, but with the locks, in blue or fake case colored.

EarlFH

 

[Calliope]

Yeah, I'm calling Monday morning. The suspense is killing me.

I ordered a Ruger Bisley in .44 special just in case I don't get my 624 back. If they offer me something else, I'll probably choose a .22lr of one form or another. I wonder if they would let me pick a Walther?

 

[Snapping Twig]

I've heard that they have blued cylinders...

Maybe get one of those, have a 44Spl pinto.

Just sayin...

 

[Nightowl]

Mine just returned Tuesday, it was gone 12 days, including two weekends and a holiday. The repair statement just said it needed no repair. No mention of any marks to say it was marked as ok. The trigger work is what is probably taking longer. Hope you get it back soon.

 

[Calliope]

Thanks, glad you got yours back.

 

[Andy Taylor]

I thought that they also stamped the frame after they were inspected, if they were OK. Did you look under the grips?
EarlFH

They didn't stamp the frames on the 624 recall like they did on the 686 recall. I wish they had. On the 624 recall they only stamped the boxes. Seems kind of short sighted IMHO.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Fredette, Kate
E-mail Address(es):
[email protected]

Thank you

email sent

 

[Calliope]

I called S&W this morning and they told me they mailed me an estimate for the repairs.
I guess the good news there is it must have passes the cylinder test, the bad news is I'm on the hook for the repairs.

Andy Taylor, I hope you don't mind that I hijacked your thread.
You might want to hold off on sending yours in until we can clear up whether it's a metallurgy issue or if it was that some were reamed to .44 magnum chambers.

 

[EarlFH]

It was a heat treat problem.

 

[Andy Taylor]

I called S&W this morning and they told me they mailed me an estimate for the repairs.
I guess the good news there is it must have passes the cylinder test, the bad news is I'm on the hook for the repairs.

Andy Taylor, I hope you don't mind that I hijacked your thread.
You might want to hold off on sending yours in until we can clear up whether it's a metallurgy issue or if it was that some were reamed to .44 magnum chambers.

No problem Calliope. Keeps the thread active.

I still haven't heard back from Kate. I really don't want to risk loosing it, but I have heard that very few (like maybe one) have ever actually failed in recent years. I have to wonder if most of the guns that would fail were found pretty early on (when the distributors sent them back in '85) and the only reason we keep having this issue come up is because of a silly marking system (box only) and lack of records as to which guns they already checked. Seems like they should start a better marking system and/or record keeping now. It is better late than never.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Recieved a reply from Kate today. My 4" was shipped in April of '85, so it is included the recall. She will be sending me a shipping label.
I asked about just sending in the cylinder and also asked if I could supply a known good cylinder from my 6.5" if the one on my 4" is bad. I explained that if one of the guns has to be lost, I would prefer it be the 6.5" gun. I will update when I have a reply.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Her very short answer was "I would send the entire gun please"
So nothing said about whether I can supply the cylinder from my 6.5" or do a barrel swap if the cylinder is bad.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Shipping label recieved this morning.
Guess I am sending it in. Don't really want to, but I bought it to shoot, and don't want to risk the cylinder giving way.
Glad others seem to be getting their 624s back. That gives me hope.

 

[Calliope]

After waiting another week for the estimate to arrive, I called this morning and talked to a more helpful person at S&W. I paid $140 by credit card over the phone to get things rolling again. He said it should be about three more weeks before I get my gun back, right about the time I'll be getting called back to work. (I've been laid off since mid May) Oh well, I'm going to head out to the range today, should be plenty warm, and shoot my new .44 special Bisley Blackhawk to stave off my .44 special jones.

Andy Taylor, good luck with yours, I'm sure it will take only a couple of weeks, and like you said, you don't want to be worrying about shooting full power loads.