DRankin
Member
There are two types of dash 10's. Already broken and gonna break.
Check the frame under the barrel threads.
Check the frame under the barrel threads.
Another broken 625-10 for sale.
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"extensive signs of use"
bananaman
Member
Have you contacted S&W to see what they can do for you? Worth a try. Bob
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DRankin
Member
You might think so, but one I had broke with less than a box of factory ball.
The problem is the design assumptions.
This is pushing the "crush fit" barrel installations past their limits. Crush fit barrels have a tapered cone machined into the barrel shank and the frame has a matching funnel shape.
The whole thing is torqued together under serious pressure, basically driving a steel wedge into an aluminum frame.
Steel N frames are strong enough to withstand such forces, but that does not carry over into less robust frame materials.
S&W got away with it most of the time with aluminum J and K frames, especially back in the pinned barrel days. That crush fit wedge-force was less pronounced when a pin kept the barrel from turning. Older 37's and 12's still had occasional frame fractures, but it was not endemic.
Later Model 12's (dash 4's) failed in this same manner. Again, I think, in the transition from pinned to crush fit.
My 625-10 experience was about 20 years ago. S&W replaced it with a new dash 10 even though they were no longer cataloging that model.
An unusually honest service department guy told me they were getting a lot of them back and they were just about out of replacement guns and parts.
He also said it was a windfall for him personally because he was allowed to take the used forged internal parts home and retrofit some of his mim equipped guns.
OP
DRankin
Member
This isn't my personal gun, but I heard that in recent years S&W has cancelled all warranty claims for this model.
Are you saying - "We have lifetime warranty unless something breaks"?
I had one years ago and it cracked too. S&W didn't have replacement frames available. The ended up giving me a 945-1 as a replacement!
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Not the same but a good trade.
I have to look and see what 625 dash I have. I can't see them canceling any warranty. I bought mine new I would expect them to take care of it if it fails.
bigggbbruce
Member
Just be sure to test fire in location where you can find the barrel
Reading this me makes me wonder about the 325 Thunder Ranch I bought a short time ago. Has there been any problems with them?
OP
DRankin
Member
Totally different barrel mounting system.
325's (and 329's) have no "wedge" to split the frame. Instead the barrel is tightened, tensioned against an outer sleeve and are much kinder to the frame integrity.
I have a 325 PD that I carry (cautiously) with low pressure factory target wadcutters. Strictly a carry gun.... no real range time other that adjusting/confirming zero.
BTW... after I sent a cautionary email to Firearmland this A.M. they pulled the auction.
I don't believe it.
OP
DRankin
Member
I see 5-6 of these a year on Gun Broker and maybe 1 in 6 looks intact, but sometimes the pictures are not detailed enough to tell.
The warranty coverage issue was feedback from a seller who cancelled an auction after I blew the whistle and told me there were no remedies offered to him.
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"Update: Listing will be taken down" so somebody gave him the what-for.
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DRankin
Member
.........and they didn't even thank me............
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They're probably not too happy to be stuck with scrap....
tygar
Member
Just looked at my 625 I've had forever. A dash 3 all steel. It is my .45 gun used for my tactical practice & the "on my bedstand gun" & I run +P+ thru it all the time with never a problem. I can see where a alloy gun would not stand up to what I run thru mine. Now - I have a 325PD carry gun that is alloy & run hot stuff thru it but only after a session when we all run our carry ammo thru to ensure accuracy etc. If they are not fixing these guns it's time for a little court action since they are supposed to stand behind them. Now I just a couple days ago received a new set of grips for my 360 .357 pocket gun that split on me. (again shooting hot stuff) without a problem. Told the lady & she said they are in the mail today. Sure hope they are not going bad on their customer service as S&W are my revolvers & have been for 60+yrs.
tygar,
Do not worry too much. The 625s in question are only the pug nosed -10s and -11s. These two variants utilize Scandium alloy frames.
ALL Smith & Wesson alloy framed revolvers (Scandium and Aluminum alloys)have been cracking in this same spot since their introduction 60+ years ago
I currently own and shoot more than 15 Scandium revolvers and probably another few dozen Smith & Wesson revolvers with the aluminum alloy frames.
There is no way to predict if it will happen to your revolvers and there is nothing that can proactively be done to prevent it from happening. While this is an incorrect and ugly incident, this is not a catastrophic failure. So enjoy your firearm
Not that I would intentionally take a cracked frame out to shoot, but I would fire one if my life was at stake.
The majority of the millions of alloy J, K, L, or X framed Smith & Wesson revolvers in the World will not crack. It is an unfortunate by-product of the wonderful connectivity that our Internet World has provided for us that those who feel a Manufacturer has wronged them, now have a bigger megaphone.
It is extremely seldom that a happy buyer will go off to every website he/she knows to tell the world how great this new Widget is.
Under their current warranty statement, I am certain that the Factory will never tell the retail purchaser of one of their products that "no remedy will be offered. "
Do not worry too much. The 625s in question are only the pug nosed -10s and -11s. These two variants utilize Scandium alloy frames.
ALL Smith & Wesson alloy framed revolvers (Scandium and Aluminum alloys)have been cracking in this same spot since their introduction 60+ years ago
I currently own and shoot more than 15 Scandium revolvers and probably another few dozen Smith & Wesson revolvers with the aluminum alloy frames.
There is no way to predict if it will happen to your revolvers and there is nothing that can proactively be done to prevent it from happening. While this is an incorrect and ugly incident, this is not a catastrophic failure. So enjoy your firearm
Not that I would intentionally take a cracked frame out to shoot, but I would fire one if my life was at stake.
The majority of the millions of alloy J, K, L, or X framed Smith & Wesson revolvers in the World will not crack. It is an unfortunate by-product of the wonderful connectivity that our Internet World has provided for us that those who feel a Manufacturer has wronged them, now have a bigger megaphone.
It is extremely seldom that a happy buyer will go off to every website he/she knows to tell the world how great this new Widget is.
Under their current warranty statement, I am certain that the Factory will never tell the retail purchaser of one of their products that "no remedy will be offered. "
unspellable
Member
I don't get the model number. 625 should be stainless.
