Had a Warranty Question

[Capt_Destro]

I might be buying a 9mm off of somebody soon, it's barely used because of the shortage of ammo (not even 50 fired). So I had a question, do I lose out on the warranty if I buy it 2nd hand?

If it hasn't been registered through their website, or sent in prior I should be good correct? I know Ruger is really good about this I wasn't sure about S&W.

 

[Tundra5.7]

If I'm not mistaken the owners manual states the warranty is for the original purchaser.

 

[JNewell]

If I'm not mistaken the owners manual states the warranty is for the original purchaser.

Probably true, I never bothered to read the warranty and I've had no trouble with getting S&W to do (excellent) warranty service on guns I purchased used.

 

[Jyezahn]

Never heard of anyone having to register with S&W for the warranty. Nor have I heard of anyone needing to prove that they are the original purchaser in order to get warranty repair. Assuming the gun hasn't already been in for warranty work, (in which-case, S&W might have the original owner info tied to the serial number) then you should be good to go.

 

[Denversteve]

Technically you get no "original owner" protection. If it's been registered at Smith you could have an issue. That said, I've been shooting over 30 years and never had a need for any warranty service on any pistol I've ever owned. Don't worry about it, get a good deal and enjoy it.

 

[Tundra5.7]

Technically you get no "original owner" protection. If it's been registered at Smith you could have an issue. That said, I've been shooting over 30 years and never had a need for any warranty service on any pistol I've ever owned. Don't worry about it, get a good deal and enjoy it.

Not sure I understand what you are trying to state here. Page 32 of my owners manual for my M&P Shield does state, in the first paragraph, that the warranty is for the "original owner".

Here is a link to S&W's site(see page 32, 1st paragraph):

www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWesson2/upload/other/M&P_Shield_Manual_04-02-2012.pdf

 

[Jyezahn]

Not sure I understand what you are trying to state here. Page 32 of my owners manual for my M&P Shield does state, in the first paragraph, that the warranty is for the "original owner".

Here is a link to S&W's site(see page 32, 1st paragraph):

www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore/SmWesson2/upload/other/M&P_Shield_Manual_04-02-2012.pdf

I think the point was, that if it hasn't already been in for service, S&W has no way to know who the original owner is. And since you don't have to send anything other than the gun, when getting warranty repair, it should be no problem.

 

[RussC]

I think the point was, that if it hasn't already been in for service, S&W has no way to know who the original owner is. And since you don't have to send anything other than the gun, when getting warranty repair, it should be no problem.

I thought there was a warranty card or something I did online when I purchased my Shield.

Personally, after owning a Kahr that went back 3 times and a Beretta Nano one time for warranty work I figure including postage the 4 trips x2 (paid both ways) plus the labor (approx 6 hours x$50 per hr) I received back in value the price of one ccw.

I will never buy used for that one reason--warranty. So what if you save $100 buying used one trip back will offset any savings and I did it 4 times with 2 weapons.

Russ

 

[Jyezahn]

Possibly, but I've never had anything alluding to a warranty card (snail mail OR online) in any of my new gun boxes.

 

[feelinlucky]

From the S&W warranty;

...a copy of the bill of sale in the owner's name, or copy of ATF formm 4473, indicating date of purchase must be included.

This is why no warranty registration is necessary. Lots of companies are doing this now.

Also interesting, the warranty is for one year only.

 

[Jyezahn]

From the S&W warranty;

This is why no warranty registration is necessary. Lots of companies are doing this now.

Also interesting, the warranty is for one year only.

That brings up a good question. Anyone here ever send their gun back for repair after a year? Interested to hear more inputs, as I have neither the original bill of sale, nor the 4473 for all of my guns.

 

[hardknoxni69a]

Smith is extremely reliable when it comes to warranty work dont worry if the guy hasnt registered it you will be fine

 

[NinemiLL]

Since this is a warranty post, would changing the coat/color on the S&W Shields slide void warranty??

 

[JNewell]

That brings up a good question. Anyone here ever send their gun back for repair after a year? Interested to hear more inputs, as I have neither the original bill of sale, nor the 4473 for all of my guns.

I have - to S&W - no issues, no questions, just fast turnaround and fixed right the first time (YMMV). And those were a couple of guns purchased used, not new.

I did once ask about an older S&W that was sold when the warranty was different, and that didn't get the same warranty coverage that the newer guns get - fair enough.

 

[Tundra5.7]

I have - to S&W - no issues, no questions, just fast turnaround and fixed right the first time (YMMV). And those were a couple of guns purchased used, not new.

I did once ask about an older S&W that was sold when the warranty was different, and that didn't get the same warranty coverage that the newer guns get - fair enough.

Good to see S&W stand behind their products. I personally think companies should warrant their products regardless of who originally purchased the item.

 

[JNewell]

Good to see S&W stand behind their products. I personally think companies should warrant their products regardless of who originally purchased the item.

I may be a little conservative on this question, but if I were running a firearms company I would want to be pretty generous about warranty coverage. In the first place, it's great customer relations. In the second place, I would rather spend a few dollars paying my own staff to fix something that might be a direct or even an indirect safety problem than pay lawyers to defend claims afterwards.

 

[Maddmax]

From the S&W warranty;

This is why no warranty registration is necessary. Lots of companies are doing this now.

Also interesting, the warranty is for one year only.

Never had either of those problems. As far as I know it's always been lifetime. That's one of the reasons I've stayed with S&W all these years. NO questions asked,they send the shipping code and away it goes and comes back.

 

[Maddmax]

I may be a little conservative on this question, but if I were running a firearms company I would want to be pretty generous about warranty coverage. In the first place, it's great customer relations. In the second place, I would rather spend a few dollars paying my own staff to fix something that might be a direct or even an indirect safety problem than pay lawyers to defend claims afterwards.

I do know S&W will remove any items not OEM and send your weapon back in original factory condition and your "parts" may or may not be returned. Normally they are returned... It's also a legal thing too.

 

[JNewell]

I do know S&W will remove any items not OEM and send your weapon back in original factory condition and your "parts" may or may not be returned. Normally they are returned... It's also a legal thing too.

Yes, and they're not alone, either.

 

[Dikinalaska]

I do know S&W will remove any items not OEM and send your weapon back in original factory condition and your "parts" may or may not be returned. Normally they are returned... It's also a legal thing too.

I wondered a little about this too. What about customized things? The thought crossed my mind about coloring and such, but I more mean like polished parts. Would people that had polished various things to try and improve performance get those parts removed and stock ones put in?

 

[Jyezahn]

I wondered a little about this too. What about customized things? The thought crossed my mind about coloring and such, but I more mean like polished parts. Would people that had polished various things to try and improve performance get those parts removed and stock ones put in?

I wouldn't think so, if it's a stock part that's just polished. The original finishes tend to wear off through use anyway, I don't see why they'd swap a polished stock piece out with a regular stock piece unless it was broken. But I haven't had to send mine in for repair, so I don't really know. It just makes the most sense to me.

 

[isaidme1]

Thinking about sending my 9c in. When I bought mine used I noticed a bunch of gunk in the the slide serations but thought it would clean up. Turned out to be rust spots that pitted into the metal some. I have installed an Apex sear and was wondering if I would need to swap it back out for the original or if they would just want the slide back?

 

[Jyezahn]

You probably want to call them and ask that, as only they would truly know.

 

[Maddmax]

I wondered a little about this too. What about customized things? The thought crossed my mind about coloring and such, but I more mean like polished parts. Would people that had polished various things to try and improve performance get those parts removed and stock ones put in?

That is a tricky one on the boarder. As long as the "coloring" didn't have anything to do with the actual functioning of the weapon,you should be ok.

At worst with "your" hand polished parts (also depending on actual function on the safety side),they'd replace what you did and "maybe" send your polished parts back or not. Safety and OEM is their main concern.

 

[Dikinalaska]

That is a tricky one on the boarder. As long as the "coloring" didn't have anything to do with the actual functioning of the weapon,you should be ok.

At worst with "your" hand polished parts (also depending on actual function on the safety side),they'd replace what you did and "maybe" send your polished parts back or not. Safety and OEM is their main concern.

That was kind of what I was thinking. Like polished trigger parts to lessen the trigger pull. I would guess they would want to return it to stock parts to make it a stock pull for liability reasons. I would think they wouldn't want to let it leave the factory with a lighter trigger. That's why they put the trigger at that pull weight anyway right?

 

[Maddmax]

That was kind of what I was thinking. Like polished trigger parts to lessen the trigger pull. I would guess they would want to return it to stock parts to make it a stock pull for liability reasons. I would think they wouldn't want to let it leave the factory with a lighter trigger. That's why they put the trigger at that pull weight anyway right?

Right Just look at it this way. You get a new trigger (if need be) and you already know how to make the new one better. "If" you get the old one back,you have a spare.

 

[Dikinalaska]

Good way of looking at it. Kind of like I had been told if I have to send it back for warranty work not to send any mags as there has been stories(but you know how stories go) that depending on their mood you might get one back.

 

[Tundra5.7]

I do know S&W will remove any items not OEM and send your weapon back in original factory condition and your "parts" may or may not be returned. Normally they are returned... It's also a legal thing too.

Ruger does this as well, or so I'm told. I bet a lot of companies do the same thing.