New Smith & Wesson Revolvers

[Geblynch]

As an owner of S&W revolvers since 1964 and a Toolmaker from the same era I'd just like to say that through all the changes and revisions, S&W is still tops. Lock or no lock, pinned barrels or no pins, Recessed cylinders or no recess and recalls, a Smith & Wesson revolver can not be beat....in my opinion.

 

[UncleEd]

Here here and three cheers!

 

[Ashlander]

What a nice message. Sometimes folks on this forum practically apologize when they admit to buying a new S&W revolver. I agree -- all the new revolvers I have bought since 2008 have been far more than satisfactory.

 

[qballwill]

Right on! Even though manufacturing processes have changed, revisions have been made and some not so popular political decisions have been made, I would still prefer a Smith over any other current revolver maker.

 

[colt_saa]

I love my Smith and Wessons (of any era)

I own many current, modern Smith and Wessons and I am not afraid to say that they are GREAT guns and I like them.

However, I will not blindly declare them the best revolvers. If we look at the Germans, they have some spectacular examples of the gunmaker's art from Janz or Korth. There are probably other examples from around the world that we do not get to see on a regular basis here in the States.

Not all manufacturing revisions were done to reduce costs. Thanks to CNC machining, improved metallurgy and altered designs we now have J-frames capable of handling 357 Magnum. If you were to ask me about Magnum pocket guns when I started shooting Smith and Wessons I probably would have had you committed.

Those same advancements have gotten rid of the week point in the K-frame Magnum revolvers, just look at the current model 66. We have giant X-frames capable of what was unthinkable power back in Dirty Harry's day. Thanks to the change to multi piece barrels we have revolvers that now have the same accuracy advantage that made Dan Wessons so sought after during the Metallic Silhouette days

I know people blame political events for several things that they do not like about Smith and Wessons, but there have been no political changes in the products. I hate it when folks refer to the lock as a "Hillary Hole." Neither of the Clintons or the administration had anything to do with the lock being incorporated into Smith and Wessons. Why is it so hard for some people to accept that when a Lock Company bought Smith and Wesson that the products would end up including a Lock?

Yes the lock is ugly. However, it has NEVER stopped my from buying any of Smith and Wessons newer designs, I just totally ignore it

 

[sw282]

Smith & Wesson produces a revolver the "working man" can afford and shoot...Kinda like a Ford truck....Korths are for rich people...l don't like Korths

 

[MCorps0311]

Who am I to disagree ? I believe in S&W too!

 

[KSDeputy]

I have owned S&W revolvers for many years. I bought a model 637 with a lock, I ignore it. I sold some fine revolvers in order to afford semi-autos when we changed to the 645, and later 4506. Except for the Bodyguard .380, every Smith I have owned has been a great gun.

 

[UncleEd]

Bill Jordan, famed Border patrolman and "father" of the S&W Model 19 was given a Korth to test.

His conclusion that it was a beautiful revolver which shot wonderfully but not more wonderfully in his hands than the Model 19. So was it worth the cost in a practical way. No, he concluded.

That said, I wouldn't mind being impractical if someone gave me a Korth or if I could really afford one. And add a Manurhin M73 as well. And a brand new Classic Model 19. Oh, wait, Smith doesn't produce a Classic Model 19. Pity.

 

[TTSH]

I love a good lovefest!

 

[ISCS Yoda]

The key, because I agree, is not the dollars that companies charge but whether they make a gun so superior that it overwhelms your parallel sized S&W. I doubt that anyone does or ever really did when the guns are apples to apples. Which explains why I don't waste money on Pythons. Gorgeous, yes. Better somehow than my M27 Classic, or my L frames, etc?


NO.

 

[K Frame Keith]

I'm with Bill Jordan, even have a set of his grips!

 

[Kifaru]

There are pros and cons to everything, and a handgun by its very nature is a compromise. Some of the new features are very desirable, while others are less so. Personally, I've never owned a revolver with a lock, and I don't especially care for them in principle. For a self-defense gun, I prefer not to have any external safeties, locks, or other encumbrances, but that's just me. However, I wouldn't be opposed to the IL if the firearm was something unique and interesting, say a 3" Model 69 (hint, hint--are you listening S&W?).

 

[BigBill]

Funny before we judge high dollar guns on you tube a Tisas(turkey&400) 1911 passed some tests a kimber couldn't at twice the cost.

I never hid in the closet with my new s&w n frames. I been up front and personal about them. I own old and new s&w revolvers.

 

[silentflyer]

The only thing that comes close are the Dan Wesson's in terms of accuracy for the dollar, the Python's are nice but considering the cost these days they aren't 3 times the gun of a S&W.

 

[LarryMNH]

My first revolver and handgun was a Ruger Single Six Connvertible. My second was a M28-2 6" and the next was a M29-2 8 3/8. I still shoot the Ruger regularly. The 2 Smiths make me believe that S&W makes the finest revolvers. I have a M19-5 and a M60-15. I just acquired a M60-1. All have been and are fine pieces of workmanship. I have not had the slightest issue with any of them and I shoot them all regularly.

Nice to see a post with mostly praise for some mighty fine works of art.

 

[wrangler5]

Just for some balance - my latest new S&W was a 432PD I managed to get from Bud's during the couple of days they were in stock. I've mentioned elsewhere on this forum that it came with a hammer pin that was standing proud of the frame below the cylinder latch, and that the bolt wouldn't come flush with the recoil shield, maklng cylinder opening a bit notchy. I called S&W before shooting it, they said take it out and try it, see if anything changed. So I did - about 100 rounds worth.

I really llked the gun - much more tolerable to shoot than my (roughly equivalent) 442, even with supposedly full H&R Magnum loads. But the hammer pin and bolt didn't fix themselves, so S&W sent a FedEx label and back it went to the mother ship. Where it was promptly condemned.

Can't be fixed, and there are no 32 caliber anythings available to replace it. And none in prospect (I told 'em I'd wait for one if they were going to make a run of 32 Anything in the foreseeable future.) Sorry about that. I'm hoping they'll give my my money back.

Assuming they make me at least partially whole, I now have the decision on what to do next. I am smitten with the 32 caliber as a round to shoot, even in small light guns. I can probably find another 432PD on Gunbroker, but I feel sort of snake bit by this experience. For the same money I can get a Ruger LCR in the much more potent 327 Federal. (They also offer that chambering in 3 other frames - I can't imagine Ruger loses money on all of 'em, and have to wonder why S&W doesn't want to offer even one gun in that chambering.)

Now I will admit that the 442 no-lock and the 638 (with a lock that I promptly PLUGged) were bought new and have functioned exactly as expected for years. But the 432 experience has me looking at Ruger (again - I bought several Rugers before my first S&W, although I'm now down to a lone 3-screw Single Six in my Ruger handgun stable) as I think about a new gun.

 

[BigMuddy]

It's not the lock that turns me off. It's not the frame mounted firing pin..I actually prefer them. BUT due to all of my recent observations on the lack of Quality Control I won't be buying anything new from S&W. The poor quality along with the indifferent attitude toward customer service will have me looking elsewhere.

Dan

 

[BigBill]

Leave the new ones for me. Ruger has been using the frame mounted transfer bar style firing pin for many decades. That won't stop me from purchasing new s&w. My first ones were $699.

 

[g-dad]

The poor quality along with the indifferent attitude toward customer service will have me looking elsewhere.

Dan

Sorry you had a bad experience with them.

Just yesterday I contacted C.S. looking for a missing screw for 622 I just picked up. Frank B. answered the phone and I stated my need. He ask if he could put me on hold for a moment, located a schematic for the 622 and told me which screw I needed and would have it to me within a few days - no charge. That's customer service in my book!