Another one goes back to Springfield

[H Richard]

This is why Nighthawk, Ed Brown, etc. custom makers have prices that start around $2000, and a several month/year waiting time to get one.

 

[old&slow]

I'm a big smith fan. But the last two I've purchased, I've been less than happy with the quality. I have serious doubts about buying any new S&W without going over it with a fine tooth comb..

Sure hope they get their act together SOON.

 

[BE Mike]

I'm a big S&W fan, but at the last NRA convention in Indianapolis I was not impressed with the quality of the guns that S&W had on display. I would have thought that they would want to put their best foot forward. There were some real problems with some guns, i.e. model 66's back in the early 80's when the demand for stainless went through the roof. S&W still make very good guns, but the internals and general fitting and finish can be less than what one would expect from an expensive sidearm. All that being said, I still think that they make some very nice pieces and overall, the chance of getting a problem gun is pretty small.

 

[Edmo]

Three of four current production S&W revolvers I've purchased in the last few years (BG38, 642, & 640 Pro) had to go back to the mothership. Two had to be replaced and the third was repaired. The fourth gun, another 642, continues to be flawless.

S&W has great customer service and a great warranty. They will stand behind their products and make things right. However, my ratio of successes to failures has been less than stellar on recent production guns.

On the plus side, several years ago the hammer stud broke on my early '80s model 60 "no dash" and no local gunsmith would touch the repair. I sent it to S&W and they did a superb repair job and even slicked up the action.

Edmo

 

[perrazi]

for those who got less than great guns, did nobody look at them before you brought them home. with all the glaring problems, why not leave them at the gunshop and let them deal with them or refund your money?

 

[Edmo]

for those who got less than great guns, did nobody look at them before you brought them home. with all the glaring problems, why not leave them at the gunshop and let them deal with them or refund your money?

That could work for some issues on some guns, however not all problems are noticeable when giving them the once-over at the gun counter...

For me, the BG38 and 642 were great in all respects until they suffered from internal failures several hundred rounds into ownership.

The 640 Pro was shipped directly to my LGS from S&W as a replacement for my broken 642. The LGS didn't sell me the gun, but rather was just selected to conduct the transfer. Since this gun was sold to me by S&W as an upgraded replacement, the LGS owned no responsibility in obtaining a repair or replacement.

I think the real "what the heck?" moment happened as my LGS guy was copying down the serial number on the 640 and the rear sight fell off! I heard a "thunk" on the wooden floor and asked "what was that?" He just chuckled and shook his head...

I had the 640 in a box headed back to S&W the next afternoon. It is all fixed now.

Edmo

 

[Mushki]

I must be one of the lucky ones. I have only sent one gun back and it was a high dollar custom 1911 that would not reliably feed hollow points. I am not naming the maker because it was one of my first handguns and truth be told I was probably limp writing it. They did polish the feed ramp and kiss the slide though so who knows. I have not had a "problem" with a single gun since then that wasn't due to wear and tear. That 1911 has been rock solid with nearly 18000 rounds since the return. I have new springs waiting to go in once it starts acting up but I'm beginning to think they are only good for collecting dust.

I just remembered that I do have a pair of shotguns that have issues. One the bolt broke on, it's an old charles daily and I still check regularly for a replacement on gunbroker. I have moved on to a different hunting shotgun. The other is an over and under that when set to fire the bottom barrel first sometimes does not fire the top. Now I just fire the top barrel first. The gun is warrantied but I'm fine with it as is.

 

[jrandyh]

I have owned Sigs since my first 226 in 85. I have around 17 at this time. I bought a 239 earlier in the year and it was a mess. Sig made excuses and was nasty to me. I ended up having to pay 179.00 for a trigger job on a new gun to make it like my other ones. The gun misfed hollow points every round also. I had bought an early 220 extreme right when they came out. I sustained injuries and was ot able yo shoot for 8-9 months.i put the 220 in the safe. In the mean time I bought 3-4 more New Sigs. I started shooting them and left the 230 in the safe. About 14 months had gone by since I bought it and just went through the issue with 239 so was preparing to take it to the range. I tried to get the slide off and it would not come off. I called Sig and they told me to lock it back and let it basically fly off. It came off but when I put it back on same issue. I had to shoot it off again. Then the barrel was in so tight you had to force it out of the slide. They told me to send it back but they wouldn't pay since it was over a year old. This infuriated me with all the money I had spent with them. After getting it fixed I will only buy older German Sigs now. Now I just sent my PC 686 2.5 back for numerous issues.
JR

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

I think S&W hit their quality pinnacle in about 1996. That was about 10 years after Tompkins had bought the company from Bangor Punta. Tompkins sunk some serious money into S&W, bought a lot of new machinery, improved QA procedures, really made an effort to put out a better product.

Then something happened. I think S&W took it in the shorts when they lost all their bread-and-butter LEO business to Glock. There were some dark days in Springfield following that era.

 

[hoc9sw]

Let's see. Trips back to the homeland - seems they are for recent buys.

All bought new in the last 2 years.

Ruger Single-Six - two trips
Ruger bearcat - one trip
Ruger SR45 - four trips, never resolved, sold at a loss
Kimber .45 - two trips
Sig .45 - one trip
Sig .22 - one trip, second in process.
Shield 9 - four trips

Never needed to be sent back or repaired -
Colt .25
Ruger .308
Ruger 10/22
Ruger Security Six
Remington Rand .45

 

[north211]

I have got a 627-5 pc coming...this thread is making me very nervous

 

[rbert0005]

I ran out of bread and cheese going thru this thread.

Bob

 

[old&slow]

for those who got less than great guns, did nobody look at them before you brought them home. with all the glaring problems, why not leave them at the gunshop and let them deal with them or refund your money?

The last two S&W that I purchased, and had quality issues with both, were not in stock at my LGS and were ordered. A limited run Model 25 and M&P Pro . The Pro had gouges mid way down the inside of the barrel that I didn't notice until I got it home and cleaned it ( never shot it ). Plus the trigger pull was terrible compared to my other two regular off the shelf M&P's . The model 25 had no visible forcing cone chamfer and a friend that is a gunsmith, fixed it..
Use to be, you purchased a S&W you didn't have to worry. You knew you were getting a good firearm. You didn't have to go over it with a magnifying glass. Now I'm not sure I even want to buy a new S&W..

This isn't the only thread on this forum about S&W Quality ,, or lack there of..
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/402424-929-finally.html

 

[jrandyh]

It's all of the guns now. They rushed to get them out. There is a glut now so maybe they will have to improve CS.
JR

 

[Anton Chigurh]

Mea culpa on not checking the 66 more thoroughly. Kind of a forest/trees thing, as I was checking for other things.
Got an email saying it shipped out of Springfield yesterday so that was pretty much the 3 week turnaround I was told to expect.
As to the 617, I was just glad to get back the TT and TH and the dealer said there was no charge to anyone for a situation that was clearly on the previous owner. Still feel it's weird they would send it back with visible, although minor, rust on the side plate.
Hope I didn't seem a whiner, was just a bit stunned by such an obvious QA slip up. As I said in the original posting, I was otherwise impressed with the revolver.

 

[BE Mike]

I ran out of bread and cheese going thru this thread.

Bob

Oh, love is blind.

 

[Topcat32]

I am a long time S&W owner. My first center fire purchase was a model 19, it was my only firearm that failed during use. During my police academy firearms qualification the hammer return spring broke it was sent to the service center for repair I was out of work for 6 weeks waiting for repair. The department did not supply firearms and I could not afford a spare. I have owned many firearms since. The only ones that have needed repair were new smiths. The last 4 I have purchased had problems. Model 25 mountain gun the rights idle stock broke in half, model 640 barrel canted, 9 mm sigma magazine would not stay seated, M&P 9c tool marks inside the barrel reamer had damaged the lands, model 63 misfires caused by tight chambers. All these were eventually repaired, but no more for me.

I have purchased 4 new firearms from another maker this past month. Every one of them was free from problems and has worked perfectly.

I have owned Colt, Browning, Walther, taraus , Glock, Springfield, Rock River arms, smith and wesson, armalite, Ruger and many more.

I have had problems only with Smiths.

I had a 5943 in academy. The slide grooves were not machined all the way through so it ate the frame. Sent back, frame replaced, they put the same slide back on, same result. Smith bought that one back with tax. Went through the academy using loaners, 5 months and 2 weeks in total. Before that a 629, sent back cylinder binding. Model 66 sent back, hammer wobble. Smith made PPK sent back new unfired, rifling stopped short of chamber throat (no joke) barrel replaced. My older Smiths are nice, I love them but I don't think I can stomach buying a new one again, even with good customer service. The only other anything I ever had to send back was a Marlin lever action that was hanging up.

 

[SuperMan]

..must be just lucky...I currently own 30+ of all frame sizes from J-X the earliest made in 1951 the latest 2010...AirLite, AirWeight, steel, stainless and several 6906s and 622/422s...and never a one gone back to the factory for a "factory defect".

That said when I was a dealer I did get a 617 for a friend that although looked perfect was so mismachined that when it was sent back Smith destroyed the gun and sent him a new one...

And recently while visiting a friend in Colorado, he pulled his 342 from the holster to show me and the only thing sticking out of the end of the frame was the ejector rod.



Bob

 

[zelda]

l have seen bobbed Smiths before but your picture is my first peak of a ''polled'' one.

 

[Ceapea]

..must be just lucky...I currently own 30+ of all frame sizes from J-X the earliest made in 1951 the latest 2010...AirLite, AirWeight, steel, stainless and several 6906s and 622/422s...and never a one gone back to the factory for a "factory defect".

That said when I was a dealer I did get a 617 for a friend that although looked perfect was so mismachined that when it was sent back Smith destroyed the gun and sent him a new one...

And recently while visiting a friend in Colorado, he pulled his 342 from the holster to show me and the only thing sticking out of the end of the frame was the ejector rod.



Bob

If he were to unscrew that ejector rod, he would have the ultimate ultra-deep concealment gun...

(He might have to tape the cylinder closed though...)