Shot half a box of Blazer .44 mag ammo in a 329 Night Guard today and all functioned as they should. Recently purchased a 325 Night Guard and the 329 Night Guard and shot them both today. Was cleaning them afterwards and noticed that the screw holding the rear sight on top of the frame was loose on both. It does seem like the lightweight revolvers take a pounding. Which, of course, I knew before I bought them. Starting to wonder whether S&W did any type of real world testing with these. While I won't shoot these as much as a 625 or 629, it's really disappointing that S&W is moving all of these light-weight guns out the door and we're hearing about so many issues.
329 Night Guard - 1sr range trip - FTF
- Thread starter Bear Country 88
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conchmariner
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I always tighten all the screws on my 329 NG after a range session. I suppose to be fair to S&W on that score, these aren't meant to be range guns. However the FTF issues that some of us experience shouldn't be happening with such frequency in a gun marketed as a self defense weapon.
Same problem........
I just bought a BNIB 329NG and had 50% failures to fire right off the bat!
I am PO'd.
The FTF's were with my .44 sp reloads, and they went bang the second try. MAGTECH 240g factory ammo would not fire even after repeated attempts.
I took the gun back to the shop. They will order the part and install it. I trust them. I also ordered a spare C&S longer firing pin just to have a spare in case I get the nerve to replace it myself. Shop says they've been getting a lot of S&W's in with this problem.
I have 2 Ruger Redhawks and the firing pins are noticeably longer and they are totall reliable, but even the 4" is rather heavy to carry. I thought of getting a 329PD but the one I saw looked like it had a short FP too.
I really like the 329 and hope to get it functioning soon.
Had to buy a Springfield EMP to ease the pain, and that goes for its first range test tomorrow.
I just bought a BNIB 329NG and had 50% failures to fire right off the bat!
I am PO'd.
The FTF's were with my .44 sp reloads, and they went bang the second try. MAGTECH 240g factory ammo would not fire even after repeated attempts.
I took the gun back to the shop. They will order the part and install it. I trust them. I also ordered a spare C&S longer firing pin just to have a spare in case I get the nerve to replace it myself. Shop says they've been getting a lot of S&W's in with this problem.
I have 2 Ruger Redhawks and the firing pins are noticeably longer and they are totall reliable, but even the 4" is rather heavy to carry. I thought of getting a 329PD but the one I saw looked like it had a short FP too.
I really like the 329 and hope to get it functioning soon.
Had to buy a Springfield EMP to ease the pain, and that goes for its first range test tomorrow.
OP
Bear Country 88
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Update...
The gun is still sitting at S&W, since May 19th. Each time I call I'm told "it'll be shipped soon". Today they told me "it takes at least 4 weeks" because "they're pretty backed up back there".
They seem disorganized and in a rush to get off the phone. I didn't want to buy a S&W with that damn Hillary Hole - and now I know this will be the last one I buy. Quality matters, and guns that have to go back to the factory and sit for a month or longer while waiting for a 45 minute fix... well that's just plain unacceptable.
I just called and canceled the action job. The guy gave me a hard time, had an attitude, and I just told him to cancel the work, credit my card, and ship the gun back to me. The longer firing pin they installed under warranty should have fixed the FTF, and now I'll either throw the gun in the back of the safe or sell the piece of junk and be done with S&W.
The Nightguard is supposed to be a self-defense weapon. I've lost faith in it. Goodbye S&W.
;(
The gun is still sitting at S&W, since May 19th. Each time I call I'm told "it'll be shipped soon". Today they told me "it takes at least 4 weeks" because "they're pretty backed up back there".
They seem disorganized and in a rush to get off the phone. I didn't want to buy a S&W with that damn Hillary Hole - and now I know this will be the last one I buy. Quality matters, and guns that have to go back to the factory and sit for a month or longer while waiting for a 45 minute fix... well that's just plain unacceptable.
I just called and canceled the action job. The guy gave me a hard time, had an attitude, and I just told him to cancel the work, credit my card, and ship the gun back to me. The longer firing pin they installed under warranty should have fixed the FTF, and now I'll either throw the gun in the back of the safe or sell the piece of junk and be done with S&W.
The Nightguard is supposed to be a self-defense weapon. I've lost faith in it. Goodbye S&W.
;(
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FinnMike
Member
I installed the C&S "longer" firing pin on my 325 from the git-go. Easy - the pin is held in my a pin that can be pulled with tweezers after the side plate is removed. FYI the replacement pin IS NOT "longer". the slot in the firing pin body is cut longer so the pin can move forward more. A "longer" firing pin would of necessity protrude from the frame at all times. Just wanted to clear this up. An enterprising person could file off part of the slot in the firing pin body to achieve the same increased travel distance.
Mike
Mike
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whelenshooter
Member
If you don't mind me asking... What was the total length of time Smith & Wesson had your handgun? I found out if you send a gun back for warranty work and have them do Performance Center action work at the same time that it does extend the amount of time they have it. You would think that a Performance Center guy would sit down with the gun and take care of both things at the same time, but it evidently doesn't work that way. Evidently the warranty work is done in a different part of the factory, then they send it to the Performance Center to do what they do. This means the gun has to sit through two separate work order lists (the first for the warranty work, then the second for the Performance Center work.)
I had problems with the cylinder of my 396 Night Guard unlocking and backing up from recoil. I sent it back to have that repaired under warranty, then had a duty tune action job done at the Performance Center. They had the gun a little less than two months, which I felt was quite reasonable. I just got it back early last week and I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Using snap caps and doing some dry-fire drills, the action is amazing now!
For the last few months it seems like getting through to Smith & Wesson on the telephone is like pulling teeth. The waits are terrible, or they give you a message saying the call volume is high and to try back another time. They need to hire more Customer Service people. The existing ones seem terribly overworked. You can't tell me S&W is losing money and can't hire more help. It is almost impossible to find certain models of new Smith & Wessons in the gun stores, which tells me they are selling everything they make as soon as they make it. If this isn't the case, then they aren't making anything and are about to go under, and I doubt that.
OP
Bear Country 88
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Total time as of today: 6 weeks and counting. What bothers me is the fact that I get a different story each time I call. When they say "it'll be there before the weekend" that means it'll be delivered on Thursday or Friday. So I stick around the house, waiting for FedEx.
Then at the end of the following week I call and I'm told "it'll be another week or two". What the heck is that? And they have an attitude. How about telling me the truth - and following through on your story? If it's going to take 2 months - tell me it's going to take two months. Don't tell me it'll be there in a couple days and then tell me it'll be there in a couple weeks.
It doesn't matter anymore. S&W Customer Service didn't come through for me. So (for me) - I shop elsewhere from now on. Glad they're busy, but I'd like a quality product for my $900+.
Then at the end of the following week I call and I'm told "it'll be another week or two". What the heck is that? And they have an attitude. How about telling me the truth - and following through on your story? If it's going to take 2 months - tell me it's going to take two months. Don't tell me it'll be there in a couple days and then tell me it'll be there in a couple weeks.
It doesn't matter anymore. S&W Customer Service didn't come through for me. So (for me) - I shop elsewhere from now on. Glad they're busy, but I'd like a quality product for my $900+.
whelenshooter
Member
You're right; they shouldn't blow smoke up your butt when they are giving you a time estimate. I always tell any gunsmith that I want a time estimate, but I want a real one. I tell them that if they tell me two months and it takes three I will be upset, but if for the same work they tell me a year and they get it done in 11.5 months I will sing their praises far and wide. It is just the way I'm made. I get anxious to receive something I'm promised. I can wait, if need be, but I get upset with promises made but not kept.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with them. When it comes to warranty and Performance Center work I have ALWAYS been very happy with Smith & Wesson. The only problem I've been having with them is trying to get the magazines promised me by their "Holiday Handgun Promotion" for my M&P .45. It has been seven months and I haven't received a thing. This wouldn't bother me if there were no M&P .45 magazines anywhere, but they are available from Midway. This tells me Smith & Wesson is selling them to other companies , but not meeting their obligations made to individuals under their promotional deals. I've called and left messages with the person who I was told by another customer service representative is the contact person for Smith & Wesson promotions, but the guy hasn't called me back. If I don't hear from him tomorrow I'm going to call and ask to speak to a supervisor on Friday.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with them. When it comes to warranty and Performance Center work I have ALWAYS been very happy with Smith & Wesson. The only problem I've been having with them is trying to get the magazines promised me by their "Holiday Handgun Promotion" for my M&P .45. It has been seven months and I haven't received a thing. This wouldn't bother me if there were no M&P .45 magazines anywhere, but they are available from Midway. This tells me Smith & Wesson is selling them to other companies , but not meeting their obligations made to individuals under their promotional deals. I've called and left messages with the person who I was told by another customer service representative is the contact person for Smith & Wesson promotions, but the guy hasn't called me back. If I don't hear from him tomorrow I'm going to call and ask to speak to a supervisor on Friday.
SWID
SWCA Memebr
Don't those Night Guard things have locks on them? They all did at the NRA convention.
Why would anybody buy a defense gun with a lock on it?
"Honey somebody's breaking down the door, where's the key to the gun?"
"Uh, I don't know, it was OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
PS. I don't know how many thousands of rounds I've put through my various N, K, I, and J frames, but FTF is zero. (I have fiddled around with the strain scrrew and generated them, but that was no surprise.)
Why would anybody buy a defense gun with a lock on it?
"Honey somebody's breaking down the door, where's the key to the gun?"
"Uh, I don't know, it was OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
PS. I don't know how many thousands of rounds I've put through my various N, K, I, and J frames, but FTF is zero. (I have fiddled around with the strain scrrew and generated them, but that was no surprise.)
cunwat
Member
I bought and new 386 Night Guard on Monday. Fired it tonight for the first time. It failed to fire 18 out of 21 rounds. I used Speer Gold Dot, Federal Premium and Hornady Personal Defense Ammo. I paid almost $ 900.00 for this revolver and am really upset that they let something out of the factory at that price which will not fire. I bought the gun for personal defense, but don't know if I will ever trust it. I plan to send it back to Smith and Wesson, but have heard lots of horror stories on the various forums. Any suggestions out there?
whelenshooter
Member
Call them and get a shipping label to send it back so that they pay the shipping. After that, don't call and ask about it for AT LEAST a month or month and a half. Unlike the other fellow on this site, I have NEVER had any problems with their warranty repair, but they need time.
It is amazing to me that so many people are having failures to fire with what is supposed to be a self-defense gun! They need to get their act together on this one. Probably the reason their customer service people are so busy is because of the number of guns that won't work. Why would ANY company send out guns that won't fire? This makes NO SENSE AT ALL!
cunwat
Member
I called them today and got a good response. They're sending me a shipping box and paid label from FEDEX and said they would fix it or replace it. I just want a dependable gun. Hope it works out OK.
Old Navy
Member
Be like me, only one relative new S&W (610-3) and it is just the range gun, but never a FTF except the time I put in a primer backward. 
Otherwise my SD is S&W 610 5" no dash with hammer mounted firing pin, a 1086, but the home defense gun is a Para 1911 14-45 Gun Rights, that had one FTF but I had forgot to chamber a round. My current car gun and CCW is a G29 SF in 10mm as you might guess.
The reason for the Para 45ACP as HD gun is 14 rounds of 45 ACP and in a 1911 which is not small child easy to load or work all the safeties. The 1086 is rather rare like the 610 5" and both of those are safe queens and seldom used.
Otherwise my SD is S&W 610 5" no dash with hammer mounted firing pin, a 1086, but the home defense gun is a Para 1911 14-45 Gun Rights, that had one FTF but I had forgot to chamber a round. My current car gun and CCW is a G29 SF in 10mm as you might guess.
The reason for the Para 45ACP as HD gun is 14 rounds of 45 ACP and in a 1911 which is not small child easy to load or work all the safeties. The 1086 is rather rare like the 610 5" and both of those are safe queens and seldom used.
cunwat
Member
My 386 NG Came back today
My 386 NG went out to Smith and Wesson on July 13th. They sent me a paid shipping label from FEDEX for two day service. I got a letter on the 16th of July saying they had it and would try to get it back to me within three weeks. It came back to me tody by FEDEX with a letter saying it had a new firing pin and had been tested to the factory's standards. Today is the 22nd of July. NINE DAYS.
If it fires tonight when I shoot it, I will once again be a happy S&W fan. The service turn around made me feel much better.
My 386 NG went out to Smith and Wesson on July 13th. They sent me a paid shipping label from FEDEX for two day service. I got a letter on the 16th of July saying they had it and would try to get it back to me within three weeks. It came back to me tody by FEDEX with a letter saying it had a new firing pin and had been tested to the factory's standards. Today is the 22nd of July. NINE DAYS.
If it fires tonight when I shoot it, I will once again be a happy S&W fan. The service turn around made me feel much better.
Jerry in SC
Member
Yesterday, I put a 100 rounds (a mix of Federal, Winchester, Buffalo Bore, and Speer) through a 315 NG with no fail to fires (or any other issues).
Being a .38 Special +P makes a difference I'm guessing. Also, the 315 doesn't have a gas shield since it's not a magnum. The melonite finish sure cleans up easily. This one needs some trigger work (heavy), timing is perfect.
Weighs 21.3 oz with Hogue bantams.
Being a .38 Special +P makes a difference I'm guessing. Also, the 315 doesn't have a gas shield since it's not a magnum. The melonite finish sure cleans up easily. This one needs some trigger work (heavy), timing is perfect.
Weighs 21.3 oz with Hogue bantams.
dkees
Member
Please understand that this is just me....No way in hell would I sink more money into a piece that was new and a failure (sending it to the performance shop before you could test fire it. You'll never know if warranty fixed it or the performance shop did$$$.) I was interested in a NG.....for about 2 minutes.
They're ugly, made out of beer cans, and when I saw the suggested retail price of $1,000+...no way. I have 16 S &Ws, none built after 1978....and they all work......all the time.
Once again, just me.
They're ugly, made out of beer cans, and when I saw the suggested retail price of $1,000+...no way. I have 16 S &Ws, none built after 1978....and they all work......all the time.
Once again, just me.
"They're ugly, made out of beer cans, and when I saw the suggested retail price of $1,000+...no way."
LOL dkees!! I almost spit my soda on the keyboard. Better put on your flame suit, as the fanboys should be by here shortly to roast you to a cinder. Best regards, 18DAI.
LOL dkees!! I almost spit my soda on the keyboard. Better put on your flame suit, as the fanboys should be by here shortly to roast you to a cinder. Best regards, 18DAI.
Crazy K38
Member
just buy the apex firung pin and decalifornia it and you will be fine
329 problem also
i have a 329pd ak. backpacker. i too had problems with miss fires. i had some buffalo bore ammo that they say is for the light scand. guns. well 3 out of the first 5 did not fire. i was thinking that it was the gun, but a friend loaned me some reloads of all sorts to try. they all fired. so we tried the miss fired ones from buff. bore in his 629's. in all 4 different 629's we got nothing but ckick/misfires. i kinda think it was something wrong with buff. bore. im gonna write them and ask for a refund or something. i mean what if that happened with a animal charging you??????think about that!
i have a 329pd ak. backpacker. i too had problems with miss fires. i had some buffalo bore ammo that they say is for the light scand. guns. well 3 out of the first 5 did not fire. i was thinking that it was the gun, but a friend loaned me some reloads of all sorts to try. they all fired. so we tried the miss fired ones from buff. bore in his 629's. in all 4 different 629's we got nothing but ckick/misfires. i kinda think it was something wrong with buff. bore. im gonna write them and ask for a refund or something. i mean what if that happened with a animal charging you??????think about that!
Old Navy
Member
I will stick with my 610 no dash 5" NIGHT GUARD thank you all very much. No lock and 6 rounds of smoking 10 MM hell raisers as far as revolvers go.
However as of late I been using a Para XTP 14-45 Gun Rights double stacker that shoots everything I run through it without fail.
Having grandkids in the house I have decided even a lock box with a loaded revolver is too much chance of a discharge if left unlocked. So I switched to a 1911 again.
However as of late I been using a Para XTP 14-45 Gun Rights double stacker that shoots everything I run through it without fail.
Having grandkids in the house I have decided even a lock box with a loaded revolver is too much chance of a discharge if left unlocked. So I switched to a 1911 again.
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