Gouges in frame?

[Well Armed]

What could cause this type of damage?

 

[Hawg Rider]

It looks to me like a machining process issue with the CNC machine, or perhaps when the revolver was having its barrel installed. The gouges shouldn't affect the revolver's performance, but they are definitely unsightly and don't look like they can be easily fixed. Is this a new revolver? You may want to contact S&W Customer Service for a replacement or resolution. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[stansdds]

The close up pictures are really grainy, hard to tell exactly what is going on there. My guess is that someone might have been clearancing a tight spot with a file in the most sloppy manner possible. If it's a used revolver, who knows, tight spot or lead build up and Bubba took a file to it?

 

[chief38]

Poorly manufactured frame or a defective piece of steel, a chip from machining the part, dropping a tool or sharp object on it, and lastly poor final inspection or not correctly performed.

 

[Well Armed]

I took the photos with my pos cellphone camera. I'll clean the gun up and will take better photos in a few. I might contact S&W and see what they say. I doubt they'll do anything, but we'll see.

 

[DT75]

From what can be seen from the pictures, it looks like a machining mark to me.
It's not likely to cause an issue, other than being unsightly.

Did you buy the revolver new or used? If bought used, who knows what a previous owner might have attempted to "fix". If bought new, it's worth contacting S&W to see what they say.

A 460V I once owned had an awful machining gouge on the cylinder face, which should not have passed QC/final inspection, but somehow still did.

 

[TheBronze355]

I was going to say putting a lock or handcuffs through the frame, but then those marks on the cylinder don't make sense.

 

[65-2x2]

It looks like somebody's tool got away from them. I don't think that I would lose a lot of sleep over it.