Goodbye Smith and Wesson!! You don't get my business anymore.

[Smakmauz]

Grandma called this "Cutting off your nose to spite your face."
Stock barrel $85 at Midway is what I would do. I LIKE my plastic M&P and an officious flunky is not going to keep me from it.

You got excited for a second, but sadly, no... I need the 5" .40 barrel that nobody has and can't seem to find out if they'll get anymore.

 

[ImDrRich]

Smakmauz - - -

Before you swear off S&W, write a letter and address it to the Director of Customer Service in Maryville, TN. I recently dealt with the guy on some disturbing issues with my BG 2.0 and was totally impressed by the level of service I received. Complaining here gets you nowhere, and what happened to letter writing to pursue your problem? Sheesh.

Recently, I had an issue similar to yours at SigSauer. Customer service told me they do not sell flush floor plates for magazines. After I got over the shock, I sat down and wrote a nice letter to the CEO and 48 hours later I received the two floorplates I needed, for free, in an overnight FedEx box.

If you want something badly enough, go after it the right way.

 

[Smakmauz]

Golly.


I've found and bought all manner of parts in great shape from auctions of "kits" of seized/cut guns on GunBroker. Might not still have that "factory smell," but they work. Not to mention aftermarket, etc.


Given the tone of the posts in this thread, I'll assume there's a reason that's insufficient in this particular case. But, gee: is it worth getting that upset about the refusal to write several spitting-nails posts on a friendly site where afficionados of the brand gather? Hey, I'm a hothead myself sometimes - here's hoping things look better to you soon.

I appreciate your candor sir, but I'm a little confused as why anyone thinks my posts are inappropriate in some way. I just like to respond in kind to people who simply like to stir the pot by making some snarky comment about a very simple subject. To me its just a conversation but if my words were offensive, then herein lies another problem with our society. I believe that if you're going to dish out that kind of attitude, you should be able to take it being thrown back at you. I was making a simple post to share my experiences with others and then responding to statements that really had no place in this subject other than to stir up testosterone. This forum has kind of always been that way with people trolling and then not being able to handle a response. Don't worry, I won't be coming back here either. I just wanted to post my experience so other smith and wesson owners can use it or not.

 

[Llance]

This conversation: BORING.

 

[Smakmauz]

Sounds like their "customer service" is right up there with their quality control, i.e. non-existent.

I have over 50 S&W's, but I won't buy a new one without spending a great deal of time going over it to look for flaws. I wanted/want one of the new 432 UC Titanium, but the only one I have held in my hand had the barrel installed incorrectly, clocked to the left. I passed on it.

For sure. I have definitely seen their quality go way down over the years. But the prices still go up! They gotta pay for that fancy new facility in Tennessee. I was thinking hard about one of their new lever guns but not anymore!

 

[Smakmauz]

This conversation: BORING.

Oh good, I'm glad you came by to contribute. Troll

 

[Harv 24]

It's not just S&W, Ruger is no different. We (Society) created this Sue Happy- I'm not responsible for my own action's world, which forces these company to simply adapt to survive.

I'm sure you're a good guy and just want a barrel, but it's your neighbor, or the guy in another state, who has the gun blow up because he put the new barrel in his out of Spec handgun and now got himself a "Better call Saul" lawyer to assist in the 20Million dollar negligent lawsuit.

It's the world we made, now we have to deal with it. And keep in mind, this is a company that got bullied into adding a built-in lock for no good reason, just to deflect some political heat to stay solvent.

Same reason the slides have a wall of text engraved on them telling you how not to shoot yourself.

Freedom is scary, that why it's hard to hold onto... People scare easily.

 

[Beju]

Grandma called this "Cutting off your nose to spite your face."
Stock barrel $85 at Midway is what I would do. I LIKE my plastic M&P and an officious flunky is not going to keep me from it.

He could do that, but then he'd have a 4.25" barrel in a slide designed for a 5.0" barrel.

S&W has quietly discontinued 5.0" 40 S&W models due to low sales. There's a reason that CDNN has been selling FDE 5" slides for $50-60 on ebay for the past several months. They clearly bought up S&W's excess inventory. I bought one of the slides for under $50 with an eBay coupon, then realized that 5" 40 S&W barrels were unobtanium.

40 S&W has become a niche caliber. It still outsells .38 Special in the US, but 9x19 outsells it by over 25 to 1. That steady demand for ammunition is not indictative of new pistol sales; one of the big problems for new .40 S&W pistol sales is that LE agencies have rapidly switched back to 9mm over the past decade. This means that new pistols are competing with lightly-used LE trade-ins.

Man, I wish other gun manufacturers used the m&p magazine pattern cause my state is going total commie and I have a ton of full capacity mags. Guess I'll be looking at glock and CZ pattern stuff from now on. Sad to see them go but it must be done. Good luck to everyone else with the aging of their guns and hopefully finding parts.

Glock and CZ aren't going to solve any theoretical parts issues for you. Glock has announced to dealers that everything in .40 S&W is getting discontinued, and it remains to be seen if there will be any replacement models.

Even before then, .40 S&W Glocks were down to batch production when enough LE agencies made orders for them. Some Illinois State Police officers commissioned 100 year anniversary commemorative Glock 17s, which is somewhat humorous because the ISP has never issued a Glock in 9mm. However, there wasn't going to be a .40 S&W batch anytime soon, so they settled for G17s.

As for CZ... there are legions of Shadow 2 OR owners who can tell you just how non-existent extended safeties can be for months at a time. IIRC, the only current production 40 S&W CZ is the TS2, which clearly isn't designed for carry at 48.5 oz unloaded and a <2 lb trigger.

The best outcome that S&W could plausibly make for you is replace the pistol with a current production pistol in a different caliber, or a different 40 S&W in 4.25". I've met a police officer who shot his 45xx enough to crack the frame; S&W replaced it with an M&P 2.0 in 45 ACP, as 45xx production had stopped ~20 years earlier.

 

[ken158]

Grandma called this "Cutting off your nose to spite your face."
Stock barrel $85 at Midway is what I would do. I LIKE my plastic M&P and an officious flunky is not going to keep me from it.

Take advantage of the warranty and send it in. If it is indeed a barrel issue, they will replace it and it wont cost you a dime.

 

[Erich]

I appreciate your candor sir, but I'm a little confused as why anyone thinks my posts are inappropriate in some way. I just like to respond in kind to people who simply like to stir the pot by making some snarky comment about a very simple subject. To me its just a conversation but if my words were offensive, then herein lies another problem with our society. I believe that if you're going to dish out that kind of attitude, you should be able to take it being thrown back at you. I was making a simple post to share my experiences with others and then responding to statements that really had no place in this subject other than to stir up testosterone. This forum has kind of always been that way with people trolling and then not being able to handle a response. Don't worry, I won't be coming back here either. I just wanted to post my experience so other smith and wesson owners can use it or not.

Oh, I don't think you're inappropriate: I'm just surprised you're letting something so minor get under your skin to such an extent. Anyhow, I hope other good things more than make up for your disappointment in this matter and supercede the irritation.

 

[Smakmauz]

Smakmauz - - -

Before you swear off S&W, write a letter and address it to the Director of Customer Service in Maryville, TN. I recently dealt with the guy on some disturbing issues with my BG 2.0 and was totally impressed by the level of service I received. Complaining here gets you nowhere, and what happened to letter writing to pursue your problem? Sheesh.

Recently, I had an issue similar to yours at SigSauer. Customer service told me they do not sell flush floor plates for magazines. After I got over the shock, I sat down and wrote a nice letter to the CEO and 48 hours later I received the two floorplates I needed, for free, in an overnight FedEx box.

If you want something badly enough, go after it the right way.

I've been jaded by too many years of doing things "the right way" and getting nowhere. I used to do things like that and never got any reaults except canned responses and zero action. I suppose I could do like you did but I don't have a serious warranty issue or anything that could affect safety, I don't think they would care about my issue. I wouldn't know how to find that person's info but I have contacted them in the past about other things and never impressed. Didn't think they would leave all of us high and dry though.

I'll take a closer look at what I can find and see if there's any other contacts I can find, it's worth a shot. But honestly I don't think it would change my mind, because you shouldn't need to write a letter to the CEO or jum through a bunch of hoops to get the company to do the right thing. Like I said, it's the integrity part that bothers me most. Thanks for the idea

 

[326MOD10]

Oh good, I'm glad you came by to contribute. Troll

I thought you were leaving and not coming back?

Sounds like you are the one that cannot take it. You make political comments that have nothing to do with Smith and Wesson not replacing your barrel. Someone flips that back at you and you double down.

Insults and curse words are usually used when we can't formulate a good argument.

I am sorry for your situation but if you use the same problem solving skills and charm you used here I don't see the situation getting resolved.

Good luck.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Because of liability concerns more and more gun makers aren't selling parts directly anymore...if they don't install the parts themselves they cannot accept liability for what someone else does that may be unsafe.

Whether that's what's behind S&W's decision on this I can't say...but it seems in line with other makers.

 

[Smakmauz]

Oh, I don't think you're inappropriate: I'm just surprised you're letting something so minor get under your skin to such an extent. Anyhow, I hope other good things more than make up for your disappointment in this matter and supercede the irritation.

Oh, sir, you're very kind, thank you. There's really not anything getting under my skin, I'm already a bitter, jaded, a-hole so nothing here is gonna make that worse. I honestly just hope seeing my experience can help someone, in either direction really... we all need stepping stones for our paths from time to time what that may be. That's what sharing info is all about. You have a great day and keep being positive, I have yet to figure out that part of myself.

 

[moralem]

Just buy a replacement gun, they are cheap enough.

 

[Smakmauz]

It's not just S&W, Ruger is no different. We (Society) created this Sue Happy- I'm not responsible for my own action's world, which forces these company to simply adapt to survive.

I'm sure you're a good guy and just want a barrel, but it's your neighbor, or the guy in another state, who has the gun blow up because he put the new barrel in his out of Spec handgun and now got himself a "Better call Saul" lawyer to assist in the 20Million dollar negligent lawsuit.

It's the world we made, now we have to deal with it. And keep in mind, this is a company that got bullied into adding a built-in lock for no good reason, just to deflect some political heat to stay solvent.

Same reason the slides have a wall of text engraved on them telling you how not to shoot yourself.

Freedom is scary, that why it's hard to hold onto... People scare easily.

Ok, yes, I totally agree that our self inflicted litigious society can create problems like this and I can stand on a soap box for a long time on that issue alone but, here's the deal.... they sell barrels on their retail site. They sell optic capable slides so you can upgrade your older slide to a CORE slide. They just don't offer MY barrel. That's not a problem with legality issues. They even used to sell very select small parts like trigger bars and recoil springs and stuff before this last website overhaul. So this is just them being very inconsistent with their policies and then defending bad policy with "because I said so". See what I mean?

I can appreciate a policy like that if they weren't blatantly selling another version on their website. Also the barrels they are selling are all 9mm threaded models or comped barrels so the people who have to live in states that don't allow those are totally screwed.

 

[eb07]

Like I said, good for you. Obviously you just like trolling if you're one of those "Tupperware" guys and spending time on an M&P forum. I bet you've complained about new smith revolvers and there frame locks plenty of times which is why you buy "vintage" guns that you probably hardly ever shoot. There's almost always one of you on every thread trying to make yourself feel better about whatever it is. And if you think what I said before was an insult then you should probably be insulted more.

Done with Smith and wesson. Still here. Goodbye sir.

 

[iPac]

But since you mention it... most things in everyday life ARE political, because they've wormed their way into EVERYTHING we do, everything we buy, our health, our entertainment, food, clothes...ev-er-y-thing! It sucks but it's the facts.

I was going to say because it is involved in everything too, but you summed it up better...

 

[Cheyenne WYO]

My only other option with be to fork out at least $185 for one at KKM who seems to be the last one left doing M&P .40 barrels in 5". And yes I've also checked Brownell, ebay, and midway.

If S&W did offer an OEM replacement, I doubt it would be cheaper, or enough cheaper, to make a difference.

 

[Beju]

Ok, yes, I totally agree that our self inflicted litigious society can create problems like this and I can stand on a soap box for a long time on that issue alone but, here's the deal.... they sell barrels on their retail site. They sell optic capable slides so you can upgrade your older slide to a CORE slide. They just don't offer MY barrel. That's not a problem with legality issues. They even used to sell very select small parts like trigger bars and recoil springs and stuff before this last website overhaul. So this is just them being very inconsistent with their policies and then defending bad policy with "because I said so". See what I mean?

I can appreciate a policy like that if they weren't blatantly selling another version on their website. Also the barrels they are selling are all 9mm threaded models or comped barrels so the people who have to live in states that don't allow those are totally screwed.

Your fight is with market realities and S&W responding to them. They're in business to make money at the end of the day.

5" 40 S&W M&Ps have been discontinued.

40 S&W has been rapidly declining in popularity since the FBI switched to 9mm in 2016, and longslide models have become more niche as optics have reduced the benefit of long sight radiuses.

People generally don't buy OEM replacement barrels because less than 1% of handgun buyers will ever shoot out their barrels, and the vast majority that do will replace it with a tighter fitting barrel. Thus, most of the people replacing their barrels with an OEM fit barrel want threaded barrels (for comps and suppressors) or ported barrels.

You might say, 'why not sell caliber exchange kits like SIG does?' Turns out, those don't sell either. SIG discontinued their P320 caliber X Change kits because they sold terribly.