Model 469 Recall questions....

[Pinoy-Pirate]

I recently acquired a model 469. And discovered that there is a recall on it. Anyone ever deal with S&W with a recall being this old??? Whats my chances of them correcting it after all these years???

 

[GJH77]

Pinoy-Pirate,
Based on my experience with S&W, your chances are 100% of them fixing it at no cost. I bought a 469 in Dec 2009, and found out about the recall a couple of months later. Took me another several months to decide to send it in, but when I did, it was done and back in my hands in a week or so.
In hindsight, due to the nature of the recall issue, I am not sure I needed to send the gun in. And it did take a while to work the decock lever back into the same feel that it had before the work was done.

 

[Pinoy-Pirate]

Pinoy-Pirate,
Based on my experience with S&W, your chances are 100% of them fixing it at no cost. I bought a 469 in Dec 2009, and found out about the recall a couple of months later. Took me another several months to decide to send it in, but when I did, it was done and back in my hands in a week or so.
In hindsight, due to the nature of the recall issue, I am not sure I needed to send the gun in. And it did take a while to work the decock lever back into the same feel that it had before the work was done.

I appreciate ya'
Im gonna call S&W tuesday morning.

 

[W.E.G.]

You might want to see whether you even NEED to send it for service.

from Firearm Recalls and Safety Warnings- FirearmsID.com

469 recall notice:

SMITH & WESSON
MODEL 439, 459, 469, 539, 559, 639, 659 & 669,
9MM CALIBER, PISTOLS

RECALL: This warning is issued for Smith & Wesson 9mm Semiautomatic Pistols which were shipped from the factory between May 1, 1983 and February 26, 1986. Included are Models 439, 459, 469, 539, 559, 639, 659 and 669 but only with serial numbers in the following ranges:

A745000-A865000 and TAA0001-TAL9999

The pistols within the serial number ranges listed above must be inspected for function from the half-cock notch. The safety mechanism will function in a perfectly satisfactory manner in many of these pistols, as well as in all pistols with serial numbers outside these ranges and in all pistols shipped from the factory after February 26, 1986.

Every one of these models bearing a serial number within the ranges listed above should be carefully inspected by the owner for this special condition. To determine if your pistol has this condition, do the following:

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction.
2. Completely unload the pistol. Check both the magazine and chamber to assure they are empty of live rounds.
3. With your finger off the trigger, operate the manual safety with the unloaded pistol fully cocked and fully uncocked so that you can recognize how the manual safety looks and feels when it is fully in the safe position. The hammer will fall from the fully cocked position into the "at rest" position when the manual safety is moved down toward a safe position. When you are thoroughly familiar with placing the manual safety fully in the safe position, place it up in the fire position.
4. With the manual safety in the fire position, place the hammer in the half-cock notch:

For the Model 439, 459, 539, 559, 639 and 659, put the hammer of your pistol in the half-cock notch by pulling the hammer to the rear slowly until you hear the first click and then releasing the hammer so that it catches between the full cock and the "at rest" position.

For the Model 469 and 669, put the hammer of your pistol in the half-cock notch by inserting an empty magazine and slowly pulling the trigger until you hear the first click and then releasing the trigger so that the hammer catches between the full cock and the "at rest" position.

5. With the hammer in the half-cock notch, push the manual safety down toward the safe position. If you can push the manual safety fully into the safe position and the hammer falls into the "at rest" position, your pistol does not require modification. If you cannot push the manual safety fully into the safe position or the hammer does not fall into the "at rest" position, your pistol is being recalled for modification free of charge.

Recalled pistols should be sent promptly to a Smith & Wesson Warranty Service Center for modification. Call 800-633-0164 for the name and location of the one nearest you or for answers to nay questions you may have. Law enforcement departments who have pistols, which exhibit this condition, should contact the Smith & Wesson Service Department to arrange for modifying the pistols.

Source:

* AFTE Journal, July 1986; Volume 18, Number 3:68
* AFTE Journal, January 1987; Volume 19, Number 1:36
* American Rifleman, July 1986; page 12
* Shooting Times, August 1986; page 23
* California Department of Justice Firearms Safety Note 86-2

 

[Pinoy-Pirate]

Yup, did the test. And my safety wont go down when half cocked. So it looks like I'll be sending her in.

 

[GJH77]

After I found out about this, thought about it, and asked more knowledgeable folks here, I am not sure why there would be a half cock position on a 469. Apparently something about the holdover from earlier guns without the hammer block and the transition period to the 3rd Generation guns which eliminated the half cock. There are several different versions of the manuals for the 2nd/3rd gen guns which you can find the later versions do not come with the half cock notch. With the bobbed hammer, and the DA first shot, I cannot think of a reason to be carrying the gun in a half cock manner to begin with. So in hindsight not sure why you need the fix done. But I did, just in case there was something else that would result from the fix. If nothing else, they will look at the gun and make sure everything is good. Congrats on the purchase, as you will find it is a nice gun to have!

 

[Pinoy-Pirate]

Im addicted to the older S&W's. Planning on getting as many of them as I can.
My first is a 4006 that is now my EDC, then a 915, now this 469. The wife actually Loves the 469. She plan to carry it. So I will probably send it in to have them check out the recall and so they could give it a once over.

 

[jz2sw]

459 recall

are the 459's that are sent in for the recall marked in anyway, or is the only test proper function as outlined above. thanks

 

[NevadaBob]

jz2sw...Check to see if your serial # is part of the affected batch. I sent my "new-to-me" 669 in earlier this year simply because it didn't pass the procedural test. And my serial # was on that list.

 

[chiefjack]

I contacted Smith & Wesson last week about my Model 469 and received a reply today that they "Will be glad to take care of my 469" and provided me with shipping info.

As old as this recall is, I was pleasantly surprised by their response.

 

[chiefjack]

Gun was at Smith & Wesson for about 2 weeks. Got it back repaired, cleaned, and lubed. Really happy that they repaired it with such an old recall!!!