It would be wonderful if all the guns S&W produced got the care in production of the legendary Registered Magnums. It would also mean very expensive prices, very few sales and no more S&W. Many people may hate MIM, but, I think few actually understand it. It does work and works well.
They have had their QC problems and needd to get and keep them addressed. But, in MA how many really good craftsmen are you going to ba able to hire, train and retain for say $20 an hour. Raise that up to $30 and that adds about $12 an hour to the cost per hour. Spend another 2 hours on each gun. Right back to high prices competing against companies who have gone lower cost. Not going to fly. Thing is all my new guns work very well. I have a 325, a 396, a 500 with MIM parts. All function perfectly. The locks are safe in plastic bags though
They have had their QC problems and needd to get and keep them addressed. But, in MA how many really good craftsmen are you going to ba able to hire, train and retain for say $20 an hour. Raise that up to $30 and that adds about $12 an hour to the cost per hour. Spend another 2 hours on each gun. Right back to high prices competing against companies who have gone lower cost. Not going to fly. Thing is all my new guns work very well. I have a 325, a 396, a 500 with MIM parts. All function perfectly. The locks are safe in plastic bags though
). That was long ago. Whether we like it or not, it’s a modern world. S&W is now involved in making money for shareholders and, like most other U.S. companies, trying to survive in a market where a majority of their customers likely could care less about whether the product they are buying is made by their fellow countrymen, or comes either in part or in whole from halfway around the world. In short, the company will do what it thinks is necessary to survive. I’d rather they be here than not. They still make stuff that interests me and I’m pretty sure that, with patience, I can get it fixed - if necessary.
