New 642 - frame casting defect or crack?

[Slowpoke642]

I am new to the forum and picked up my first Smith and Wesson handgun a few days ago. After LOTS of thought as to what I wanted in a concealed carry piece (reliability / ease of maintenance, stopping power, concealability) I settled on a SW 642 airwieght.

After getting the gun home on friday I noticed an extremely thin hairline crack which appears to start just under the bottom screw on the right side of the frame (near the bottom of the trigger guard) and runs horizontal (towards the front of the gun) around the frame corner stopping a few mm inside the trigger guard area of the frame.

I tried to photograph the crack but it is so thin I could not get it to show up on camera (flash would just white it out).

Is this an area of the frame that receives any stress during shooting? I'd like to think this is a casting / cosmetic issue and the gun is ok to shoot. This is a carry piece so blemishes are not an issue with me. Just thought I would ask the question to the experts and see if I should send it in or shoot the heck out of it

 

[RGMoore]

Welcome to the forum

Welcome to the forum. A 642 was also my latest S&W acquisition and I like them very much.
The crack you are seeing is the joint between the side plate and the frame. If you look closely you should be able to see it continue up the frame behind the recoil plate up to near the rear sight and back down to the lower screw near the grip. It is there to allow access to the hammer and various inner workings.

 

[snubbyfan]

Welcome to the forum. A 642 was also my latest S&W acquisition and I like them very much.
The crack you are seeing is the joint between the side plate and the frame. If you look closely you should be able to see it continue up the frame behind the recoil plate up to near the rear sight and back down to the lower screw near the grip. It is there to allow access to the hammer and various inner workings.

Welcome from the panhandle of West Virginia.
That's it, now take it out and shoot the heck out of it.

 

[OLDSTER]

Welcome from North Dakota. I also have a 642 and love it and shoot it frequently. The "crack" you're seeing is the joint between the sideplate and the frame.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Welcome!! As stated above, that is perfectly normal. Here is a photo of my S&W 63 with the lower screws removed to show the gap.

 

[Slowpoke642]

Thanks folks for the kind welcome!

I'd like to think thats all it is...and I can see the interface with the sideplate. In my case though this looks like a different mark as it wraps to the inside of the trigger guard on the frame (i.e. the frame surface on the inside of the trigger guard behind the trigger). It is definetly a defect, just not sure if it matters or is cosmetic. I may have to try again with the camera until I get a good shot.

 

[kudzu3]

Rub some chalk or lipstick on it to make it show up in a photo. Colored chalk will work better.

 

[InTheWoods]

Nope, that is still part of the sideplate. It does wrap to the inside of the trigger guard behind the trigger, extends forward, and then comes up on the side of the frame to wrap around the screw above the front of the trigger guard. This seem is quite noticable on some guns and quite hard to see on others, depending on the quality of the sideplate fit.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Without good pictures, I agree with the other posters.

One more bit of information, S&W revolvers are forged, not cast.

 

[Imaposer]

Without a pic I can't say for sure what it is you're referring to. But if this is the "crack" that you're seeing, then it is indeed a portion of the sideplate seam. The part to the right of the trigger is the sideplate with the rest being the frame. This area being removable allows the trigger to be placed on, and removed from, its pin in the frame.

 

[Slowpoke642]

I stand corrected. After closer inspection I can see my "crack" does travel up the inside of the frame in the trigger guard as shown in Imaposers pic.

Darn near impossible to see unless you REALLY look for it. I am now a happy and relieved new S&W owner.

 

[jaymoore]

Worry not. You are far from the first person to have interpreted the seam as a crack. And some folk can't be convinced otherwise! Back in the '80s when I was working my way through college in a gun shop, it happened more than once. Even had to buy one or two back (at a discount) due to that "problem".

 

[Slowpoke642]

Worry not. You are far from the first person to have interpreted the seam as a crack. And some folk can't be convinced otherwise! Back in the '80s when I was working my way through college in a gun shop, it happened more than once. Even had to buy one or two back (at a discount) due to that "problem".

Thanks for the consoling words...but geez, what a "noob-like" thing to do!

Quick, someone ask me a question about a 1911!

 

[Hillbilly77]

Quick, someone ask me a question about a 1911!

Ok, here goes...
Who would want a 1911 with all these perfectly good revolvers around?


Welcome aboard.

 

[OLDSTER]

crack

Thanks for the consoling words...but geez, what a "noob-like" thing to do!

Quick, someone ask me a question about a 1911!

Feel comfort in the outstanding quality control of S&W handguns with parts that fit to perfection

 

[Delos]

It is perfectly logical to question everything. I am still pondering why they installed a key lock when they could have put in a remote electric lock so my wife could lock or unlock my revolver from a distance if she feels I might be endangering an alleged burglar coming in the window? Or endangering a mountain lion (big kitty cat) that is carrying off our dog or one of our sheep.

 

[rock doc]

Thanks for the consoling words...but geez, what a "noob-like" thing to do!

Quick, someone ask me a question about a 1911!

Another noob question asks 'what does CTG mean?' At least you didn't do a two-fer.

What make is your 1911?

 

[Slowpoke642]

Another noob question asks 'what does CTG mean?' At least you didn't do a two-fer.

What make is your 1911?

It is a Rock Island, which became my test subject for learning the platform. Over the last 3 years I replaced every part on the gun with high end stuff (WC, Ed Brown, C&S) and also treated it to a new duracoat finish. The M1911.org forum provided all the information / support I needed.

 

[jaymoore]

Ok, here's a pertinent 1911 question:

What 1911 variants have had sideplates? (There's at least two that come to mind immediately.)

 

[wrangler5]

Ok, here goes...
Who would want a 1911 with all these perfectly good revolvers around?

Troublemaker.

Jaymoore, what would those confused customers have done if you'd removed the grips and the sideplate screws and tapped the frame to pop the sideplate completely off? Gone ballistic and demand a full refund for breaking their new gun, or thanked you for the education and taken their gun to the range?