Scandium revolvers need to go back to smith every 1500 357 mag rounds?

dan-g · Nov 29, 2011

Alright ive heard this a few times and I really want to find out if this is true or not. I have a 340 m&p and two scandium 327's and I do fire 357 mag out of the 327's all the time.

I keep reading in peoples posts that the little blast shield protecting the top strap on the 340 needs to be replaced every 1500 357mag rounds. Does this applies to all scandium 357's and did someone just make this up or is this from smith somewhere?

Ps: I wouldn't have spend over a grand apiece on guns that need service every 1500 rounds. At 5000 I expect to replace the springs and thats about it. Would really appreciate some clarity from some veteran forum members.

colt_saa · Nov 29, 2011

I have NEVER needed to send a Scandium revolver back to S&W

My 340PD has in excess of 5000 rounds of 357Magnum through it so far.

My 327PC, 327JM and 327NG probably have 6000-7000 between them. My 327 TRR8 is too new for a picture and probably only has 300-500 through it so far.

My 357PD and 357NG have about 4000 between them.

None of the above revolvers have ever seen a round of special ammunition put through them in the many years I have been shooting them

Remember if it works, don't fix it.

It only needs to go back to S&W if something breaks.

mick238 · Nov 29, 2011

This is the first I've heard of this but I am also new here haha. I would like to know about this.

dan-g · Nov 29, 2011

Thank you Colt-saa. Ive put about 2000 through my snub 327 and it doesn't even have a scratch on the shield. This seems like another case of someone making something up and the same day some people start repeating this ****.

Makes me so annoyed, I want to knock the person who started this over the head with one of my "fragile" scandium/aluminum guns.

Dragon88 · Nov 29, 2011

dan-g said:
This seems like another case of someone making something up and the same day some people start repeating this ****.

That's the beauty of the internet. I bet a lot of guns get sent back to S&W for "problems", when in fact the guns are within specifications. People read BS on the internet and start chasing squirrels around their head, convincing themselves they have a problem that doesn't exist.

Another phenomenon I have seen: Some people want to find faults in their guns, want to have problems, so that they can start threads on internet forums and garner attention.

dan-g · Nov 29, 2011

What squirrels! oh my god there everywhere, I must chase them.

I guess the only reason this bugs me so much is there is a huge amount of members who view the scandium guns as weaker or they just plain don't like them; these people seem to keep making **** up to justify there dislike. It might be to justify there stainless revolver collection or anything new Smith and Wesson. The big beef I have with targeting the scandium guns in they are the only handguns I own anymore. Due to finances I had to sell off everything but I decided that the guns I most wanted to keep were my scandium smiths and now I depend on them for everything CCW, home defense, hunting, backpacking you name it. Before I made that decision, I researched the hell out of my guns to make sure they would be the best keepers and they were.

eddieb1 · Nov 30, 2011

Damn, I hope you can get a great shipping rate from USP because, if you shoot like I do, you'd be shipping your gun back every 3 to 6 months for "repair". I love all of the internet experts.

mick238 · Nov 30, 2011

Glad to see all the happy scandium users out there. It is reassuring

alaskavett · Nov 30, 2011

Looks like yet another "urban myth" literary shot to hell. Glad to see these things are holding up just fine. Got to have some serious recoil from that short bbl in a light weight frame for sure. Maybe that's the reason for the BS? Some folks.... Thanks, Kyle

BobR1 · Nov 30, 2011

I read a post a while back where it was stated that A Night Guard had been sent in 2 times to have the blast shield replaced at around 1500 rounds each time. As best as I remember a second poster told of a second gun that had also been sent in for the same problem at an even lower round count.
I do not remember any comment about what bullet weight was fired in them.
I am glad to hear that we have some hi round count 340's and Night Guards with no blast shield problems. It is starting to look like the 2 guns referenced were not the norm.

Bob

chief38 · Nov 30, 2011

I don't own a Scandium Model, but after shooting a few, I highly doubt that you will ever put more than 1500 Magnums through it anyway (painful), so it's almost a moot point.

If I am wrong and you do intend shoot a lot of 357's, you would be better off doing so through an N or L Frame. Those will last just about forever and they are a whole lot more pleasant to shoot. Nothing like a M27 or M28 for banging away with 357's.

Chief38

Gearhead Jim · Nov 30, 2011

I don't know about the gun, but I know my hand would need to be sent in for repair after 1,500 Magnum rds in my 340PD.

K1500 · Nov 30, 2011

My guess: it depends on the loads and the powder used. I can see how a full power load using a powder that is 'abrasive' could cut the shield in fairly short order. There are verified cases of the shield being cut at a low round count.

We have also seen many thousands of rounds through a gun with no visible damage. Perhaps the powder or barrel-cylinder gap is different on these guns.

Just because the other fellow has an experience that is different from yours doesn't mean he is full of it. There are other plausible explanations. FWIW, I have a 329pd, but I have not shot it enough to comment on the shield.

Chili Vega · Dec 1, 2011

I think the myth was started by a closet Rugerphile.

deerhtr · Dec 1, 2011

that is the problem with the internet anybody can post anything they want and alot of times people act like its the word of god. you own a gun use it have fun and as you should check it when you clean it and either send it back to S&W or to a gunsmith when you question something on it.

and if anybody out there is a believe everything they read on the web I GOT SOME SWAMP LAND IN FL. THAT IS REAL CHEAP

moxie101 · Feb 27, 2012

I just got a 327 TRR8 is it normal for the trigger stop to hit the back of the frame,it's not hitting hard,but it's enough to scratch the black off the frame.

roundgunner · Feb 27, 2012

I have this 340 SC that I bought used.

I had to send it back because I cleaned the protective coating off the cylinder face. Without the coating the titanium burns.

I guess the book warns about this but I never got the book. I sent it back and Smith fixed it without a problem or even a “hey dummy”

I really like to keep my guns clean but this one will have the cylinder with soot marks.

Austerity · Feb 27, 2012

mick238 said:
Glad to see all the happy scandium users out there. It is reassuring

Very reassuring. +1

CAJUNLAWYER · Feb 27, 2012

Uhhhhh....I think I started that one about 1 year ago. Surprised it took so long to hit the forum.

Sorry

Scandium revolvers need to go back to smith every 1500 357 mag rounds?

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