Brand new S&W...and some problems

[rjgnwdc]

I feel the same way

-Reading this thread made me realize am not alone in my PC revolver issues.

-I am both sad and upset that a company with the reputation of S&W would allow this to happen to their product which for so many years was "simply the best".

-I hope to hear from the Manager at S&W Tuesday in regards to my resending back my revolver. I am going to ask for a refund if they cannot make it right.

-I fear I may have to wait for S&W to "get their house cleaned up" before I purchase another firearm from them again. I never thought I'd feel this way toward S&W, but there is no excuse for what is going on.

Here is the letter I wrote S&W after send back my brand new 629
Dear Sirs,

I purchased a new Smith & Wesson, Model 629 on December 30, 2010 and returned it after the firing pin broke after the first 2 shots I fired through it. Your company was very expedient in the shipping process and repair of the gun (order# 804827). However, today I returned to the firing range and for the first time after the repair and receipt of the gun, the firing pin jammed again!

At my 45th shot the trigger, hammer and cylinder locked up tight and, when I could not open the cylinder I ask the Firing Range Officer for assistance he was able to get it open after jiggling the hammer, trigger and cylinder and advised that I return it for repair or replacement. The firing pin is again stuck – poking half of the way out. I was firing Blazer brand ammunition I purchased from a reputable dealer.

I believe this gun may be defective and should be further examined by your company; there seems to be more wrong with this gun since the firing pin continues to have a jamming problem. I would like to return the gun not for repair, but for your company to replace it! I have been inconvenienced, and my enjoyment of the gun delayed, by the shipping and waiting for a repair to the firing pin that obviously didn't work. I believe this gun should be replaced with one that will work.

Although I haven't had much of an opportunity to shoot the gun, it is a joy to shoot. However, if I have to continue with shooting, locking up, running back & forth to FedEx with the gun, I may need to ask for a refund; I would like the opportunity to enjoy this gun and hope for your consideration of simply replacing the gun with one that will work. I did choose this Smith & Wesson gun over several other gun makers and would like to consider buying more sometime in the future.

Sincerely, Robert J. Gravelle

 

[Robinett_11B]

This does bring up the question: how can current manufacturers think it's okay to charge astronomical prices for firearms that often need replacement parts, won't shoot to poa, look like they were finished on a belt sander, and have questionable cylinder throat diameters. The throat thing may be history, but come on. Buying a new firearm for $600-$1000 that requires additional work to function properly and reliably is absolutely and completely absurd. Some people buy new handguns and immediately send them out to by accurized or tuned. I have a hard time imagining that for $1000 msrp they can't work out the bugs, tighten up the fit and finish, and produce a great gun consistently.

Okay, I've vented. I feel better. I understand about quality control, acceptable percentages of call-backs vs price of hand-inspections, and the expected miss-rate for human inspections overlooking flaws. Nevertheless, we're not talking about soda bottles or single component goods here. Are these guns going from automated production machine to box without being handled or tested? You shouldn't need to buy a performance center gun, or have a new one worked on, to expect reliable, accurate performance. Am I out of my mind on this, or what.

I'm with you 100%, friend...the only newer guns I've bought from S&W are a no-lock 442 (which had to be sent back for a mis-fit barrel) and a 43C (if they ever ship!). Other than those, I only buy pre-lock and pre-MIM examples. They seem to be good about fixing and returning the firearms they mess up in the first place, but S&W's QC is very disappointing.

 

[donvieira]

-How can we persuade S&W to "stop lacking discipline" and get the standards back to where they used to be??

-This company cannot keep up a pace of poor quality.

 

[Robinett_11B]

Yes they can...because people will keep buying their new guns, then returning them to get repaired and buying some more. Especially if they keep coming out with such novel designs like the "Governor" and "BG38"

 

[PMRet]

One reason my rule of thumb buying Smith's is "pinned and recessed". Good luck.

I usually buy only pre-MIM guns. Not that I have a problem with MIM parts specifically, but I have had very few problems with early 90's or older S&W's.

 

[donvieira]

-The more I read the more "complacent" I have become over S&W quality. As a child that was all my Uncles talked about was S&W revolvers, etc.

-I have to laugh thinking I bought the 325 thunder ranch for my wife because I wanted her to have a "guaranteed 6 pulls of the trigger..." because I worried her Kimber elite carry way fail in some way.

-I should have known when my gunsmith said, "make sure to bring the PC revolver in so I can look at it.." I thought "That's BS it's a S&W performance center piece it's perfect. LOL

 

[cp1969]

S&W recently named a new CFO (Jeff Buchanan) and filed a form 8-K (whatever that is) with the SEC on 14 January.

Whatever it is, there's a lot of "$000,000's" involved.

SMITH & WESSON HOLDING CORP - FORM 8-K - January 18, 2011

I'd like to have some of those 9.5% notes they issued. On the other hand, maybe I wouldn't. They wouldn't have to pay that much if their credit was good.

FWIW, it isn't just Smith & Wesson having quality problems. Marlin has gone down the tubes as well.

It's amazing that the people running these shows, undoubtedly Harvard Business School grads, think nothing of letting their companies' reputations get ruined.

I hate to think that S&W will be just another Taurus or Rossi, but that's where it's headed unless somebody at the top puts a stop to it.

 

[ExMachina1]

FYI, I'm the OP and my revolver is now @ S&W along with a detailed listing of the eight deficiencies I found on this "factory fresh" gun. I'll post when I get the gun back.

I wonder how many people who bought a gun in the condition that mine was in would a) notice and b) care? Perhaps that's the calculus that the S&W CEOs are using...

 

[44Frank]

While reading this thread, it came to me that maybe S&W
is farming-out/outsourcing the manufacture and/or assembly
of components for their products.Maybe Taurus is doing it for them....
Hmmmm.............. just a wild thought.These days anything is possible.

 

[allglock]

FYI, I'm the OP and my revolver is now @ S&W along with a detailed listing of the eight deficiencies I found on this "factory fresh" gun. I'll post when I get the gun back.

I wonder how many people who bought a gun in the condition that mine was in would a) notice and b) care? Perhaps that's the calculus that the S&W CEOs are using...

My "NIB" 340 PD came with 4 MAJOR deficiences.
(1) the cylinder would fall off on ejection.
(2) the trigger would lock up and not pull all the way back.
(3) the barrel was not straight to the frame (waay off)
(4) the frame had deep sratches in it
This is an $850+ gun!!
I waited over two months to get a refund after they sent me a new gun that was almost as bad as the first! ( I even asked them to physically look at it, before sending the new one)?? The new one had a crooked barrel, and the cyl. fell off on ejection)??
No more new S&Ws for me unless I can actually look at it before buying.

 

[Joebklyn]

ditto on send it in

 

[ExMachina1]

Just got my gun back today! That was just over a week turn-around, so very fast.

S&W replaced pretty much every component of the cylinder locking mechanism, including the cylinder.

Much much better now and I'm pleased. Finally functions as it should.

S&W did not address the finish defect the frame but now that I am on record with having registered this complaint, I feel alright about going ahead and shooting the gun.

Only complaint left is a minor one--the new cylinder like the old one has the flutes slightly off center from the chambers. Not a big deal but it does look a little weird--(if cared to, I think I could have the flutes widened slightly to make them line up)

Shouldn't of had to go through this mess in the first place, but I'm satisfied with S&Ws response.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Sorry to hear of your 22-4 troubles. I ordered and took delivery of a NIB 22-4 back in December. BEFORE I payed for it I examined it in fine detail. No problems. No problems after several hundred rounds. Mine's been a perfect Smith revolver.