So a few months ago I sent my severely out-of-time model 17-8 (10 shot aluminum cylinder, matte black finish). Its been in need of repair for 7 or 8 years, I've just been too scared of losing it in the mail to send it in (it was my first handgun and a gift from my dad). Instead, I just purchased a Browning Buckmark to fill the .22 gap for a few years.
I bit the bullet and sent it in at the end of December, fully expecting not to hear from S&W for a few months. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a phone call less than 2 weeks later, stating that S&W had received the gun and diagnosed it; it would need a new cylinder. Thanks to some correspondence on this forum, I knew this would be the case, as others with 17-8s had the same problem with the aluminum 10 shot cylinders. The customer service guy confirmed this, stating he had personally seen this problem several times. Unfortunately, the only 10 shot cylinders S&W has anymore are stainless. The CS guy was very pensive and cautious about telling me this, but I told him I was fine with that because I knew that was the case, and I just wanted my shooter back. He was relieved, because he said he had been chewed out by several other 17-8 owners for not being able to get a black/blued cylinder.
In any case, the gun was returned to me a week later with a new stainless cylinder, at no charge to me. I am absolutely tickled to have it back. The weather finally got nice enough last weekend the gophers were out, and shooting her was just like shaking hands with an old friend. I am very impressed with S&W customer service, and don't know why I didn't send it in sooner.
I bit the bullet and sent it in at the end of December, fully expecting not to hear from S&W for a few months. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a phone call less than 2 weeks later, stating that S&W had received the gun and diagnosed it; it would need a new cylinder. Thanks to some correspondence on this forum, I knew this would be the case, as others with 17-8s had the same problem with the aluminum 10 shot cylinders. The customer service guy confirmed this, stating he had personally seen this problem several times. Unfortunately, the only 10 shot cylinders S&W has anymore are stainless. The CS guy was very pensive and cautious about telling me this, but I told him I was fine with that because I knew that was the case, and I just wanted my shooter back. He was relieved, because he said he had been chewed out by several other 17-8 owners for not being able to get a black/blued cylinder.
In any case, the gun was returned to me a week later with a new stainless cylinder, at no charge to me. I am absolutely tickled to have it back. The weather finally got nice enough last weekend the gophers were out, and shooting her was just like shaking hands with an old friend. I am very impressed with S&W customer service, and don't know why I didn't send it in sooner.
