325 Thunder Ranch Quality Issues

I purchased a 325 earlier this year and am now dealing with a third problem with this weapon. The three issues are as follows:
-Short firing pin resulted in light primer strikes. A longer firing pin fixed the problem.
-Second problem was a loose barrel/ shroud. Revolver sent back to S&W and was repaired and returned.
-Third problem was a cylinder binding. Diagnosed as a defective locking bolt.
Earlier today I spoke with Miguel Santiago S & W Customer service and advised that they refused to replace the revolver or refund the purchase price.
I advised that with the poor quality record of this weapon Miguel needed to take this up with their quality people asking them if they would trust this weapon with their lives given the poor quality record. I am waiting a response from S & W however am not encouraged that they will make this right.
I am curious if anyone has experienced the same problem with this poor quality of revolvers coming out of the S & W Perfomance shop. I fully intend to pursue this further with S & W since they are unwilling to admit to the manufacture of a defective weapon that puts anyone using it for self defense in danger.

Yep, my 627 v-comp was replaced by one with an underclocked barrel. (Same issue with the one they replaced) sent that one back and it was returned untouched. They said it was fine. I wound up having TK Custom fix it for me at a reasonable price. I won't buy a new Smith again.

philipweitzel said:

I purchased a 325 earlier this year and am now dealing with a third problem with this weapon. The three issues are as follows:
-Short firing pin resulted in light primer strikes. A longer firing pin fixed the problem.
-Second problem was a loose barrel/ shroud. Revolver sent back to S&W and was repaired and returned.
-Third problem was a cylinder binding. Diagnosed as a defective locking bolt.
Earlier today I spoke with Miguel Santiago S & W Customer service and advised that they refused to replace the revolver or refund the purchase price.
I advised that with the poor quality record of this weapon Miguel needed to take this up with their quality people asking them if they would trust this weapon with their lives given the poor quality record. I am waiting a response from S & W however am not encouraged that they will make this right.
I am curious if anyone has experienced the same problem with this poor quality of revolvers coming out of the S & W Perfomance shop. I fully intend to pursue this further with S & W since they are unwilling to admit to the manufacture of a defective weapon that puts anyone using it for self defense in danger.

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Morning philipweitzel

Yes, almost all of the S&W revolvers (about half of them PC models) that I have bought in the last 10 years have either gone back to S&W (some more than once) or should have been sent back to S&W but I repaired them myself.

Not a one of the PC revolvers that I have bought in the last few years have come with decent trigger pulls, or without cosmetic imperfections, or some problem that should have never been allowed to leave the factory let alone the PC center.

Some I have bought sight unseen from on-line vendors & some have come from local gun shops. The ones that have come from local gun shops are usually inspected first & I usually pick the one that looks the easiest to fix at home.

I just bought a new 625-8 PC about a week ago (on-line) & it came in with 12.6# rough feeling DA trigger pull & a 5.5# SA trigger pull that had a slight snap just as the trigger started moving. It also has a few non-fires on a couple of cylinder holes (took a longer firing pin to cure), the crown looks like it was cut with an ax & chisel, & the muzzle looks like it never got near the polishing wheel, & 2 cylinder positions barely make carry-up (it won't be long before they don't) .The Performance Center name now is only a marketing gimmick & a coupe of parts added to be able to distinguish the PC model from the standard assembly line junk. (no hand fitting or personal adjustment & they use the same blind quality inspectors)

BUT!!!!-- with about a weeks worth of work, including some hand polishing, & new longer firing pin, a good trigger job, new front sight, new grips, a new crown cut, trigger & hammer shimming, cylinder shimming, the darn gun now shoots straight, has a nice feeling 6.8# DA trigger pull with a 2.75# SA trigger pull & so far has ignited on all 6 holes with CCI primers.

I guess I should have just sent it back to the vendor for an exchange but it is one of the few S&W's that I have bought lately that had a straight non canted barrel & my range rod slid smoothly into all cylinder holes.

It is going to make me a decent gun but it won't be long before it either has to go back to S&W for the late lock-up problem on those 2 cylinder holes or I will have to fit a slightly oversized hand myself.

I am sorry to hear this about your 325. Never had one, but always figured it was the best caliber for the alloy N frame platform.

Never had it happen with a S&W, but, when the supplier of a product doesn't make it right after a couple chances it is hard to keep the faith.

Hopefully they will at least replace the gun with one that has been thoroughly inspected.

Maybe there should there be a gun "Lemon Law"?

S & W Thunder Ranch Quality

I heard from Miguel Santiago last Friday. Mr Santiago indicated that it was not S & W's policy to just replace a gun even with the multiple issues I experienced with my 325. I indicated that I really did not want them to return the revolver but rather replace it with a comparable revolver since it is obvious that the 325 was not well engineered. I am waiting to hear back from Smith. It is a sad commentary on the Performance Center's quality with all of the issues I have had with this weapon.
I wonder if anyone from Smith monitors this site and if so I would like them to explain the problems of this weapon out of their Performance Center.

I feel your pain. But, it isn't an engineering problem,but, a quality control problem. If they will put the gun in the hands of a true CRAFTSMEN he would be able to make it right.

Thunder Ranch Quality

I believe that craftsmanship and Smith at least for the time being is a contradiction in terms. A short firing pin causing light primer strikes, a loose barrel, and now a defective locking bolt is inexcusable. Coming out of the Performance Center is a bad joke.
I am waiting to hear from Smith on how they will make good on this.
Philip Weitzel