442 not so impressed

VonFatman

VonFatman

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I bought a new 442 yesterday for my daughter. She's going to get her CCW shortly and I wanted to buy her a hammer less revolver. As of today, I'm wishing I'd stayed with my gut and bought the Ruger LCR.

I let myself be talked into the S&W even though the Ruger's DA pull was much smoother and had much better consistency. Oh well, I've been a Smith guy for a long time so it's my own fault for not using my instincts.

The pull is erratic and every fifth round binds up so bad she can't pull the trigger. I attempted it myself and found it real hard to pull...beyond the gun shop pull the day before.

I attempted to measure the pull but it went off the scale.

So, now that I'm stuck with this fine revolver, does anyone have a suggestion other than "run a few thousand down the pipe, it'll smooth out"?

I need to make it CCW ready and do NOT want a target trigger, just a smooth pull DA would be great.

I would sure appreciate some help. I've purchased over a hundred S&W revolvers and this one is so far below the worst I've ever owned, at this time I'm ashamed/unwilling to take it anywhere.

Thanks.

Bob
 
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I have a 442 and when i originally bought it 3 years ago, i believe the trigger pull was around 12 pounds, I put a wilson combat reduced main spring in it, costs around $12 if you can find it, check wilsoncombat. com. Next i put in some snap caps and proceeded to sit and watch tv and squeeze the trigger around 1000 times, broke it in quite nicely, or just take it to a local gunsmith for a trigger job..... can't really explain the bind on the fifth shot, what kind of rounds were you shooting were the some hot +P? could be unseating the rounds in the chamber causing some problems. Don't really know, definitely shouldn't be binding the trigger..... Might want to contact smith and send it to them for evaluation, its totally free of charge.... just fill out the warranty authorization return form on their website and they'll send you an rma for free shipping to their repair facility....
 
Dry firing with snap caps will smooth out the trigger.

442 fits my hand perfectly but LCR is a fine weapon too.
 
Is the fifth shot always on the same chamber? I had a 28 that would do fine clean, but all it took was a little firing and it would bind the cylinder against the forcing cone in one area. I took a extra fine file and after a few strokes across the face of the forcing cone I never had another problem. DLB
 
Well if it binds to the point that you can't pull the trigger, then you have a mechanical problem of some kind and it needs to go back to the factory to be repaired.

Rugers aren't perfect either. I bought a new LCR 375 a while back and it shot way off to the left of point of aim.

I sent it back, and they determined it couldn't be fixed, and sent me a replacement gun.

The new LCR is fine.

It seems to me that QC at gun factories these days is so poor that sending a gun back for warranty repair is par for the course.
 
I'm going to focus on your 'binding' comment: that's a problem. I'd call S&W, send it back and have them 'fix' the trigger problem while they're at it.

I bought a new 642 last year, also handled/dry fired several others. All of them that I handled and dry fired - the trigger was fine...I would even say 'nice', as it is on the 642 I bought. The Ruger LCR uses a cam-something-or-other to smooth out the trigger pull, so that's a different animal. I would agree though that the trigger pull on the LCR is lighter than on the Smiths - in my recent experience. That said; I actually want a bit heavy trigger pull on my CCW. No 5-lb glock trigger pull for me!
 
Cylinder bind on one charge hole

If there is no debris under the extractor star, and the ejector rod is not loose, a bind on one chamber such as you describe may be due to a "long ratchet" for that charge hole. If you have this condition, the trigger will often stick back on the charge hole that is affected. While this could wear in, with enough dry firing, any work on the extractor star to correctly fit the ratchet should nt be attempted by someone not trained how to do so properly. It is not difficult to fix, but take too much off, and the cylinder won't carry up on that charge hole, and you have another problem to fix.

I love my 442, and I am sorry to hear you got one that should have had a better inspection prior to leaving the factory.

Just my $0.02
 
Thanks for the feedback. I suspect that since three of us (my daughter, my daughters instructor & myself) all found this problem, I will call for a shipping label on Monday. I expect they will pony up for shipping.

This reminds me of the issues all the Marlin guys are experiencing with their Remlins.
 
slabside2 said:
What's going on at S+W? I just keep reading thread after thread about bad guns. From 642 to proformence center guns.
Click to expand...

Most likely its because volume of gun production has spiked. They are making guns as fast as they can, and in the rush to get them out the door, QC is suffering.

Also, with the Internet we hear about problems quickly. A single problem with a single gun can be posted on multiple forums and discussed or referred to many times.

I my view, we should just keep sending guns with problems back for warranty repair.

If we are willing to accept second rate products, then that's what we will get from a manufacturer.
 
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Sorry to hear of the bad luck with the 442. When you get it back you will like it. They are great little guns. I suspect what was said is true about quality problems being more common right now in the rush to get guns out the door. Not to worry - S&W will fix it.

One thing about 442s and the ladies in general is that some have a little trouble with them. I am going through that with my daughter right now - and her 442 has what I consider a very good trigger, but she has trouble with it. She thinks it is too heavy and claims she cannot manipulate it. She is used to shooting her K22 single-action, so getting her to work her way into double-action shooting is a bit of a struggle. It pains me to say it but we may have to try a couple of other guns, or else enroll her in some finger-exercise classes. :D
 
Cal44 said:
Most likely its because volume of gun production has spiked. They are making guns as fast as they can, and in the rush to get them out the door, QC is suffering.

Also, with the Internet we hear about problems quickly. A single problem with a single gun can be posted on multiple forums and discussed or referred to many times.

I my view, we should just keep sending guns with problems back for warranty repair.

If we are willing to accept second rate products, then that's what we will get from a manufacturer.
Click to expand...

Agree. I could see that being the case with a $429.00 642 but not a P.C. Gun that cost over $1200.00. Your right as long as we keep buying them they will keep putting out sub parr guns. We have to stop saying
(don't worry send it back S+W will take care of you)
 
gtmtnbiker98 said:
Apex kit, install + ammo = problem solved.
Click to expand...

I would not do that to a carry gun. Lighter springs can give light hammer strikes, providing misfires. There is a good reason factory springs are set up the way they are.

VonFatman, have you tried a thorough cleaning of the gun, as was suggested in an earlier post? It could be just a piece of foreign material creating this problem.
 
Somebody commented about performance center guns....i can attest that they apparently don't Q.A. these guns anymore than standard production guns, Last two I bought, 627pc 2 5/8" 8 round, had a twisted barrel not square to the frame ( i had ordered this gun or would have never taken posession of it), and a 629pc 7.5" 44 mag, that the cylinder locked up on the third round down the barrel, couldn't pull the hammer, trigger, or open the cylinder. Combined I think I paid in the vacinity of $2000.00 for both guns. I love smith but here lately they are seriously slipping on their quality. Sad to say I could have probably bought a pair of taurus's and they would have ran forever....
 
Sorry for your inconvenience and the disappointment. Send it back, and I hope it is fixed quickly. I'd be ticked because it's for your daughter . . .

Take good care,

R
 
Just thought of something;

Now follow along here and, if I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.

The problems may be related and due to a mere loose sideplate screw: If the (forward) sideplate screw is loose, the cylinder does not hold 'tight'. This might be reflected by the front of the cylinder scaping the forcing cone. Another result is a 'harder' trigger pull. It's possible that, regardless of cylinder position, by the time you get to that 5th shot, you can't pull the trigger at all - even though it may have been rubbing the forcing cone the whole time.

It's easy to check, oh, be sure to use a properly sized screwdriver so you don't 'booger up' the screw.

Again, feel free to correct me if I'm technically incorrect.
 
Send it to S&W and/or sell it and buy the Ruger you really wanted.

The extra length on the Ruger is a slight issue for me as the length/depth of pockets is an important factor in pocket carry.

Good luck.
 
Thanks for all the great replies I read them all and have looked the gun over....it sounds like it needs a trip to S&W. It's sure doesn't make me warm for more new production S&Ws.
I'll be sure to add any information after my call to S&W.

Best wishes to you all.

Bob
 
I bought a 442 last Monday. I'll agree with the trigger being alot to be desired. I've dry fired mine about 500 times and it seems to be a little better. My trigger finger sure is stronger. I go to pull the trigger on my lcr and it feels like a hair trigger.

Sent from a NSA phone
 
I had a 625 years ago that would bind up on one charge hole. I was able to determine it was the same one every time. I placed blue masking tape on the cylinder on either side of the top strap when it was clocked right and ready to bind. I could still pull the trigger and rotate the cylinder with the tape in place, and I could tell exactly when it was going to bind.

I sent it off to a warranty repair shop with an explanation of the placement of the tape and when it would bind. I don't know what they did to fix it, but it works fine now.

Bill
 
Bad luck but guns give you trouble sometimes. I just had to sent my Ruger LC9, which I love, back to Ruger because it stopped working right. It got there on the 3rd and is going to be back on the 11th.

It almost sounds like the trigger or hammer pin has broken loose. That happened to a buddy of mine's brand new 642. Smith took care of it. It may be the ejector rod is bent. I bet Smith will take care of it.

It is hard to claim the new guns are equal to the older ones quality wise. I have seen some pretty bad ones in the past too though.
 
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Well, the gun is back and I can not tell the difference in trigger pull. They must use lawyers to "fix" these guns. Oh well, I guess I will spend MORE money now to make the gun work well enough so it won't have an off-the-scale trigger pull. I have not even gone out back to try the gun to see if its still binding.

This is absolutely the final straw with S&W. I'm never going to buy another gun from them. Ever. I'm done. I won't recommend them either...not even to folks I don't like.

Man, I have had a safe full of S&Ws...oh well, live and learn.

So moving on...to make the gun work like it should i need.....a Wilson Combat main spring....or an Apex kit....or....

Time to figure out what to do.

I'm happy so many of you are happy with your 442s...sorry others are having/had problems.

Bob
 
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