Bought a 686 Plus PC 5" have some questions.

[RMFnLA]

So bizarre and no, not normal.

My Shield came with this little spring rattling around in the box.

I’m a fairly competent gunsmith so I checked the gun out and it seemed to be fine.

Also looked at exploded parts diagrams to see if it was part of the gun that might have come loose.

It wasn’t.

Lastly contacted S&W Service to see if they could offer any insight.

They couldn’t.

My advice is if you are comfortable doing your own diagnostics clean it, shoot it, and decide if you want to keep it. (That’s what I did, and it’s been fine).

You also could take it back to the shop and see what they think. When I was ‘smithing for a shop I’d have happily cleaned and checked for you.

Lastly, you could send it back to S&W, but their response so far has been less than encouraging.

 

[kaaskop49]

Only 2 of the 7 chambers would let OP chamber a round!!?? Totally unacceptable. It goes back. Let it take 8 weeks if necessary.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[Dave686]

Is getting a revolver packed full of small metal shavings normal?

No.

However....They are fully aware of the problems at Smith & Wesson. They don’t care. Send it in and get it fixed. That’s all you can do.

After CS didn’t fix a lemon I got from the Performance Center, I wrote letters to the president of S&W and the firearms director. About three days later I got a call from a CS “supervisor” that said he just left the firearms directors office and was told to fix my problem. I sent the gun back and they returned it to me again without fixing the problem and saying it was “in spec”.

I told them if my gun was ever in the “Performance Center” it was on a cart passing through and never got off. It doesn’t look like yours ever got off the cart either. I think they are playing fast and loose with the “Performance Center” stamp.

 

[panamajack310]

That is some donkey doo…The S&W performance center in s supposed to be a special section not just an assembly line. That being said even on the assembly line I cant see that gun leaving the factory like that. S&W used to have great customer service. I dont know when they went down hill but i would call back and ask for a supervisor if the customer service rep is not helping you out. At minimum they should email you a shipping label and tell you to send the gun in to be inspected worked on and returned to you.

 

[Petrov]

No.

However....They are fully aware of the problems at Smith & Wesson. They don’t care. Send it in and get it fixed. That’s all you can do.

After CS didn’t fix a lemon I got from the Performance Center, I wrote letters to the president of S&W and the firearms director. About three days later I got a call from a CS “supervisor” that said he just left the firearms directors office and was told to fix my problem. I sent the gun back and they returned it to me again without fixing the problem and saying it was “in spec”.

I told them if my gun was ever in the “Performance Center” it was on a cart passing through and never got off. It doesn’t look like yours ever got off the cart either. I think they are playing fast and loose with the “Performance Center” stamp.

I sent my previous S&W twice in for serious and obvious mechanical problem and both times they said that it was "within spec".
They dont give a hoot and its a waste trying to get them to fix it.
Honestly for the amount of money it takes to fix their **** I am surprised we dont have a domestic competitor besides the Colty Python.
I know Korth and another German manufacturer make good revolvers just a bit pricy.

 

[Peak53]

Well, the OP's pics are pretty much disgusting. Sounds like you have the ability to properly clean inside/outside. If you can't get a .357 bore rod down the barrel or insert rounds in chamber, do not fire and do send back with a nasty-gram.

 

[Dave686]

Only 2 of the 7 of the 7 chambers would let me chamber a bullet.

Because it wasn’t finished to the proper diameter, or because it was dirty?

 

[Dave686]

I sent my previous S&W twice in for serious and obvious mechanical problem and both times they said that it was "within spec".
They dont give a hoot and its a waste trying to get them to fix it.
Honestly for the amount of money it takes to fix their **** I am surprised we dont have a domestic competitor besides the Colty Python.
I know Korth and another German manufacturer make good revolvers just a bit pricy.

I still think Smith & Wesson makes the best revolvers on the planet. They just obviously don’t have good quality people, or CS people.

Ruger makes great revolvers. Kimber has dipped their toe into the revolver market, their pricing is just a little silly.

I don’t buy foreign guns for self-defense. If it gets to a point where I can’t buy quality American; I’ll quit buying them. I’m pretty well set anyway.

Smith & Wesson has been through a lot of owners, including the brits. It may take another round of owners to put them back to the quality and reputation they held for decades.

Colt turned on us years ago. They didn’t want to sell to ordinary citizens. I owned three Pythons in the 80’s. Sold them. I was shooting PPC and could shoot a K frame or L frame better.

How many companies have to go under because of crappy customer service and quality before they learn.

 

[Petrov]

Because it wasn’t finished to the proper diameter, or because it was dirty?

Metal shavings.

 

[Petrov]

I still think Smith & Wesson makes the best revolvers on the planet. They just obviously don’t have good quality people, or CS people.

Ruger makes great revolvers. Kimber has dipped their t
oe into the revolver market, their pricing is just a little silly.

I don’t buy foreign guns for self-defense. If it gets to a point where I can’t buy quality American; I’ll quit buying them. I’m pretty well set anyway.

Smith & Wesson has been through a lot of owners, including the brits. It may take another round of owners to put them back to the quality and reputation they held for decades.

Colt turned on us years ago. They didn’t want to sell to ordinary citizens. I owned three Pythons in the 80’s. Sold them. I was shooting PPC and could shoot a K frame or L frame better.

How many companies have to go under because of crappy customer service and quality before they learn.

They have good QC people and CS people.
This is a publicly traded company. It is run like one.
I want to make my bonuses so I make the floor people push out revolvers no matter what, issue with QC? I have a contract to deliver X amount of units by Y date, push them out.

Consistent complaints? Well its still cheaper to fix the ones that people complain loudly enough about it instead of fixing the problem.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Richardson View Post
Did you buy it new? Did you return to the store that sold it and show them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

I bought it online and had it shipped to my state. Because I live in the Soviet Union err I mean the Peoples Empire of New York State it is a huge pain in the butt for me to ship it back.

______________________________________________

So, didn't understand the question asked, or didn't want to answer it? I love a good mystery!

 

[Petrov]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Richardson View Post
Did you buy it new? Did you return to the store that sold it and show them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

I bought it online and had it shipped to my state. Because I live in the Soviet Union err I mean the Peoples Empire of New York State it is a huge pain in the butt for me to ship it back.

______________________________________________

So, didn't understand the question asked, or didn't want to answer it? I love a good mystery!

Bought it new, did not return it to the store. I will pay to have a strange man fill my hole.
No wait this sounds wrong. I will have a gunsmith plug the hillary hole, add CNC trigger hammer and slide and replace the springs, chamfer the extractor and cylinder and have the chambers honed.
I dont want S&W people touching this as it is. Im just thankful that the barrel on straight.

 

[rwsmith]

That's why I buy old revolvers...

WOW - sorry for your woes!!

This is just WRONG!!! S&W's quality control has been going down the toilet for 30 years now but it seems just when it can't get worse..... it does! I've said this before and I will say it again, QC comes from the top down.

IMHO whoever is the CEO should be dismissed today! There has got to be at least one person there who can do better and if not they need to get an outsider. You know there are times I actually think they secretly want to fail as a manufacturing company. As silly as that sounds how do they not get this after so many years, complaints, returns, etc. ?

I'd disassemble, clean, properly lube and put it back together before firing one round. All that manufacturing metal dust/chips can scratch and foul things up. Hope you get it straightened out quickly.

Their semi pistols are ok, but I only buy old revolvers.

 

[Petrov]

Their semi pistols are ok, but I only buy old revolvers.

As long as those semi autos didnt have any problems... If they didnt just say its within spec!

 

[686-380]

I only have one other suggestion.

Going back to where you bought it and have THEM call customer service,
with you present. This sounds like the death knell for S&W.

If you bought it new (or even used), I would not do anything to it and first take it back to the store and see if they would refund your money or exchange it. If not, call S&W back and get someone on the phone who seems to have some sense and tell them the problem with it and hopefully they will take care of it. Whoever the idiot is at S&W who told you to disassemble the gun inside and out before shooting should be reported and fired. Most companies frown upon an individual taking the gun apart, especially a new one, to work on it on their own; could void the warranty.

 

[Petrov]

Going back to where you bought it and have THEM call customer service,
with you present. This sounds like the death knell for S&W.

I get it but I wasted my time trying to get S&W make it right before. Not worth the effort, im going to get the same line.
Not my first S&W purchase either and I am particular about my revolvers.
So I already budgeted for sending it off to a smith as soon as I bought the darn thing regardless.

New hammer, trigger, slide, springs, Clinton hole delete and cylinder honing and chamfering among a bunch of other small things.

I can send this to S&W and maybe just maybe after too much effort and time they may fix some issues and cause other issues or damage my gun while handling it.
Or I can send it to some one who has a passion and knowledge and can get it fixed and improved and modified to my liking.

I just thought that with the original obama rush followed by whatever political crisis next the demand has slowed down a bit and S&W could afford to pay attention to their products.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Petrov explained the situation in post #30 pretty well. This sort of thing comes down from (mis)management. The people actually doing the work have to do what they're told, regardless of how they feel about it. Been there, done that.