43c Reliability Issues

[Ron Patrick]

43C

My brand new 43C marks a new low in S&W product. Misfires, trigger stuck down, trigger locked up, and had to pound out the shells from the start. Tried 4 ammos. You know, I've been buying S&W stuff from the 1970 and I don't remember a single gun that didn't go back to them within the first 100 rounds. That's 50 years of trouble. About time I stopped buying their ****. It is dangerous to think that you can protect your life with a S&W. I'll send the gun in but if it comes back and doesn't work, I'll want my money back.

 

[Gater]

I purchased my M43c used. I ran 300 rounds through it with only 6 misfires. I rolled the cylinder agin and they went bang. I was shooting federal champion out of it. I took it to a gunsmith for trigger job. I have killed two groundhogs with it and one mole.

 

[HUNTER BILL]

Hey all!

Made an account to post about my experiences so far with a brand new 43c. I've owned a pile of Smith J-Frames, with a 351c and 43c being the most recent ones to acquire. I write for a website, and wanted to test these two revolvers out as part of an ongoing pocket gun series that I've been working on over the last two years. Both guns were purchased brand new, and had no external signs of wear.

The 351c works great, despite some glaring QC issues, however, the 43c does not work. On 2/8 of the chambers, the gun will not fire. I've been able to replicate this with live ammo, snapcaps, and no ammo. Yes, I know that you cannot dryfire the 43c, and I have not been doing so. However, I have notated the two chambers that do not work, and can replicate the issue regardless of ammo being in the gun.

I'm baffled by this issue, as my online research has not turned anything up on this specific issue. I've got a video of this, which I will link below.



This is a shame, as this will both delay my testing of the gun, but also reinforce the mentality of Smith's bad revolver QC as of late. At least my 351c works, even if Smith forgot to put half of their logo on the gun.

 

[HUNTER BILL]

I OWN SEVERAL S&W PISTOLS AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN SORRY UNTIL I BOUGHT A S&W MODEL 43C. IT WILL NOT FIRE 2 OF THE CYLINDERS. I BOUGHT THIS GUN EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT IT WAS OVERPRICED BASED ON MY PAST GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH S&W PISTOLS. THIS GUN IS A POOR EXCUSE FOR A GOOD REVOLVER...... DON'T BUY ONE!!!