Mounted a rail on my 8 3/8" 500. This is the Warne M500S rail that allows you to reuse rear sight, and includes a front sight pre-mounted on the rail.

I could visibly see that it looked as though the mounted rail was pointed a little towards the right. Sure enough, mounting an Ultra-Dot red dot shows dot far to the left, and requires 20+ right clicks from zero to get it to center. This same red dot on 2 other guns then requires 2 or 4 clicks left from zero to center.

How can I determine which is built wrong, the rail or the gun?

Has anyone had issues with revolver machining not being accurately done for a base?

Has anyone dealt with Warne for warranty such as this, or even seen anything like this? Is this not unusual?

Yes, I can simply use the adjustments and make it all work. But with Warne QD, and moving it to 3 various guns, I don't think I should have to adjust clicks that much going to and from the 500. Can't be good for the UltraDot.

Should be easy enough to inspect the rail to insure it is straight and the holes are right down the middle. If it is and they are and it truely bolts up crooked, then it has to be the gun. And that should be easy enough to mesure and verify as well, but Id start with the rail

Just tried various ways to try and get measurements, but with my limited tools, not very successful. Digital caliber that I use for reloading is about it. Could not obtain any numbers that showed anything different.

But, using a carpenter's bubble level, With rail removed and on a level bench, I was able to see where the Warne rail was fairly close all the way around. Mounting revolver to bench, and the bubble shows the top of revolver was way off where rail mounts. So rail good, revolver bad. First used flat of barrel as reference to zero bubble. Then placed level on frame above mounting holes, and bubble was way to the left (right side low). Stepping a few feet away, and this is easily seen with 3ft level tilted down on the right, which is the same way rail points when mounted. Barrel twisted? Checked frame vertically on flat portion directly above grip on right side, and it was square with barrel, so barrel did not twist.

The 500 is newest version, only a few months old, and just got it back for defects in cylinder and forcing cone 2 weeks ago. Sucks, but might just live with it.. My confidence in S&W is not very high, as forcing cone still appears to have issues with plating build up along the inside top after a few low power rounds that I never saw before they worked on it.

Will make the call and see what they say.

Thanks.

EDIT: Added photo of how level it is. Barrel and the boxes along side are all leveled.
Would this be considered normal and acceptable, and nothing I should be concerned about?

Attached Images

P5220281a.jpg (107.2 KB, 43 views)

I think in your last edit you are asking the wrong question, just because something is considered normal does not make it acceptable. I would send it back to S&W and if they can't fix it let them replace it. It may not be a "big deal" but if I spent $1000+ on a handgun I expect everything to be properly put together.

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Son of a Gun...Smith