5906 Refinishing

[iflyem1]

Has anyone sent their 5906 to S&W to get refinished. I called them today and the customer service girl said they don't work on 5906's. She said their is a list of guns they no longer do refinishing work. I find it hard to believe that S&W won't bead blast a stainless pistol?

What do you guys think? Am I getting misinformation by this customer service rep or is this legitimate?

 

[Sevens]

S&W Customer Service definitely has the reputation of being a phone call lottery. Plenty of folks have reported that calling on two different days will often get you two wildly different answers.

As a side comment... on one hand I absolutely understand when any gun owner wants to do anything to one of their much-loved guns. But on the other hand, refinishing a 5906 kind of seems to me almost kike refinishing a 1975 Model 10 with a four-inch barrel and Magna stocks.

They made a gujillion of them and they work just as well if they look fresh or they look beat-up and it's easier to find four more of them than it is to find someone who will refinish it, and the cost is probably closer than you might guess.

But yes, I support it if you want to do it.

 

[Sevens]

We also have probably at least two gunsmiths active on this forum that might take on the work you'd like.

 

[jsbethel]

From looking at their website, they do advertise that service - Precision Gunsmithing

I would personally just have BMCM do the work - http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...en-business.html?highlight=bmcm+open+business

 

[Heinz]

I think a stainless 590 that shows some handling wear just looks "honest". But if you like pretty it should not be too hard to find a competent bead blaster. Just make sure you see some examples of some of their work first. It can be overdone.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

I second BMCM . I sent my 5906 to Guzzitaco for his PC cut and some cleaning up . Either member will do you right .

 

[MartinSW41]

I sent my 5906 Target Champion to S & W to be refinished and gone through back in February. I generally got different answers from each telephone operator, from work to be done, to time frame, to even return to the shipping FFL only. Recommendation from the site was to send it to BMCM.

I pulled the gun from S & W prior to even getting an estimate and had the gun shipped to Bill at BMCM. He has been honest, up front and kept me abreast of work with pictures. Can't wait to get it back. I would send my future work to Bill. (BMCM)

 

[Classic29]

From looking at their website, they do advertise that service - Precision Gunsmithing

I would personally just have BMCM do the work - http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...en-business.html?highlight=bmcm+open+business

Ditto for BMCM. He did a fabulous smith job on my 1013!

 

[Tntcwg3]

I agree with most of what's already been posted above. As common and available as the 5906 is, If I wanted a pristine 5906, then I would continue my search to acquire a LNIB example. In your case, I'd use the money for refinishing to transform your diamond-in-the-rough into a custom, specifically tailored to your taste. Chances are your custom, done right, would come closer to retaining the value that you put into it.

 

[Trooper224]

Ford no longer supports the Model T, Chevy no longer supports the Chevelle. I don't know why people are constantly agog with disbelief over S&W no longer supporting their out of production products.

I'd send it off to one of the aforementioned smiths on this forum. It will be done quicker and better. I wouldn't trust the drunken monkeys at S&W to flush a toilet these days.

 

[Sevens]

I totally agree with you -- halfway!

Starting in the very late 80's or possibly early 90's, S&W had a very energetic advertising campaign where they pushed their LIFETIME warranty on new guns to the original purchaser. Things like this are certainly a valid reason why random folks hope/ask or even expect that S&W has -some- kind of answer for them, especially on a flagship 3rd Gen cornerstone model.

On your second part, bwahahaha, I agree, I think S&W would be best off subcontracting work for even the flushing of a toilet. They've certainly already relocated their QC department, it is now located in the hands of the buying public and while this position in the company can be enjoyable, this is a thankless and unpaid position.

 

[rosewood]

To me Lifetime means lifetime. It doesn't mean until they discontinue the model. If that is what it means, is should state that. Granted I can understand being replaced with a current production "equivalent" which the warranty should continue.

Rosewood

 

[dsk]

I believe it is lifetime repair, not lifetime refinish. That being said, beadblasting a stainless gun is so simple I don't understand why they couldn't do it.

 

[GaryS]

I'll only note that neither Ford nor Chevy offered a lifetime warranty. Of course technically that was only for the original owner, but over the years they were pretty good about covering repairs for second, third, tenth owners.

It's disappointing, but expected that at some point that was going to stop.

Ford no longer supports the Model T, Chevy no longer supports the Chevelle. I don't know why people are constantly agog with disbelief over S&W no longer supporting their out of production products.

I'd send it off to one of the aforementioned smiths on this forum. It will be done quicker and better. I wouldn't trust the drunken monkeys at S&W to flush a toilet these days.

 

[stansdds]

Lifetime repair warranty... until they run out of replacement parts.

 

[mscampbell2734]

I think the issue here is not so much bead blasting stainless as it is having staff knowledgeable in detail stripping a gun that has been out of production for 15 plus years.

 

[rosewood]

I think the issue here is not so much bead blasting stainless as it is having staff knowledgeable in detail stripping a gun that has been out of production for 15 plus years.

I can do it and I have 0 gunsmith training. It ain't complicated. If they can take apart any gun, they can do it to a 3rd gen.

Rosewood

 

[rosewood]

I believe it is lifetime repair, not lifetime refinish. That being said, beadblasting a stainless gun is so simple I don't understand why they couldn't do it.

I wasn't necessarily referring to refinishing. Someone mentioned that some companies stop supporting products after time. I was pointing out they shouldn't give a lifetime warranty if they don't mean it.

Rosewood

 

[jrm53]

Where I used to work we etched reamers and endmills and if some one typed the wrong #'s on the shank we had a liquid vapor blast that removed the numbers and left a very fine satin finish, I have see bead blasts done with very coarse material that looks rough, I doubt if you could find any one with a vapor blast machine. Jeff

 

[iflyem1]

Well I called a few days later and you all are correct. I got a different customer service representative and a different answer. They do refinish the 5906. So to answer some of the concerns or comments about honest wear and not refinishing. I don’t mind normal wear and the only reason I’m willing to refinish is that I want to gift this gun to one of my sons. I think having a new looking gun would go over a little bit better than handing him something that looks like it crawled out from under a rock. Just my 2 cents.

 

[rosewood]

Just curious, is the single action trigger smooth or have a hitch in it? If a hitch is there, the trigger play spring may need replacement or adjustment. If so, they will do that under warranty, be sure to ask them to do that while they have it.

Rosewood