Harbinger_of_lead
Well-known member
I thought I would post about this issue as I know others have had similar problems with the M&P R8.
I have about 1,500 rounds of .357 magnum through my R8 since I bought it new. I keep it in my nightstand for home defense. Last night I was changing out the "around the house" ammo to speer gold dots and noticed the barrel shroud was loose. I see from other posts that it is a fairly common issue and will require a trip back to S&W to get properly tightened.
Although this is rather unfortunate and a bit of a hassle, I am not upset about the need for service. I understand that due to the use of an alloy shroud the torque of the nut is a bit of a challenge. Considering that re torque after initial use is common on all kinds of alloy items (like head bolts on engines), I wonder if S&W should evaluate its procedure for these guns before sending them out the door. I also wish there was a way to have the user torque the nut to avoid the downtime. I can't imagine that the process is so difficult that a user couldn't perform it at home with a proper torque wrench and keyed tool.
I called S&W and found out they are closed between Xmas and New Years. I guess there will be a bit of a backlog after the break. I will update as I progress through the warranty repair process.
In the meantime, the 629 will have to take the place of the R8 in the nightstand.
I have about 1,500 rounds of .357 magnum through my R8 since I bought it new. I keep it in my nightstand for home defense. Last night I was changing out the "around the house" ammo to speer gold dots and noticed the barrel shroud was loose. I see from other posts that it is a fairly common issue and will require a trip back to S&W to get properly tightened.
Although this is rather unfortunate and a bit of a hassle, I am not upset about the need for service. I understand that due to the use of an alloy shroud the torque of the nut is a bit of a challenge. Considering that re torque after initial use is common on all kinds of alloy items (like head bolts on engines), I wonder if S&W should evaluate its procedure for these guns before sending them out the door. I also wish there was a way to have the user torque the nut to avoid the downtime. I can't imagine that the process is so difficult that a user couldn't perform it at home with a proper torque wrench and keyed tool.
I called S&W and found out they are closed between Xmas and New Years. I guess there will be a bit of a backlog after the break. I will update as I progress through the warranty repair process.
In the meantime, the 629 will have to take the place of the R8 in the nightstand.
