HELP: Preparing the gun for a big match

[OKFC05]

1. If you're never had a gun break, you just haven't shot enough. No matter the brand or cost of the gun, mechanical devices can fail.

2. ALWAYS carry a backup gun to a major match.

I hard broke a revolver at an OK state IDPA match, and had to switch to a backup revolver. Since I was running very close with another competitor, the rotten score on that one stage cost me the Plaque, but I at least got to finish.

Some guns are better than others, but the perfect gun that never fails is made of unobtainium by the mythical gun elves.

Fill out this form for fastest S&W repair service:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...4_750001_750051_761651_-1_757814_757812_image

 

[SW CQB 45]

While this will probably never happen again, the emergency drill for a right-handed shooter is:

• Right thumb on the safety to hold it down.
• Left thumb on the slide stop to hold it down.

Handy to know if the next time it's more than a trophy on the line.

Buck

haggis as simple as this is....I have never thought of that before. HOLY PLUNGER TUBE BATMAN!!!!!!!!

thanks for that info!!!!!!!

I have never broke a plunger tube before, but I have had them loosen up. I always replace with a HD unit with longer tabs, ball dremel the inside of the frame, red loctite on the tabs and stake them in.

I know of a gunsmith who puts super strength adhesive on the staking tabs as added insurance. he did that on my Colt Officers ACP and it has been going strong since the early 90s.

another area to think about....what caused the plunger tube to break or come loose....
poor staking by the factory
hard clicking thumb safety.

if your thumb safety detents unusally hard (meaning the click on and off)...in my opinion, it could put added stress on the plunger tube.

I have seen some plunger tube detents and thumb safety detent dimples that are not smooth.

Hilton Yam also suggest a grip panel that actually fit up against your plunger tube for added insurance. all my G10 grips help hold the plunger tube.

thanks again Haggis for that info.

 

[Arthury]

Don't mail a letter then wait for a shipping label, call S&W in the morning and talk to the PC Shop. Explain the situation and they'll send you a shipping label. You will need to include a brief letter with the gun explaining what is wrong (even if it is plainly visible, also mention it is your competition gun). They usually get duty and competition guns repaired and back to you pretty quick.

My best round trip on a PC gun, called on Monday had the label on Wednesday, shipped to S&W on Thursday and had the gun back by Wednesday the following week. Mind you, this gun broke two weeks before the PPC Nationals and I received the repaired gun the day before I was leaving and the gun was shipped from CA to MA and back.

I will call them tomorrow and see how it goes.
Do you think the customer service guys would pass me to the Custom Shop smiths?

 

[growr]

Ask....and ye shall receive! Yeah, I am sure they will do so. I too had an amazingly short turn around on my M&P Pro that had too loose a dovetail on the front sight.
Went out on a Monday AM and was back to me on the following Tuesday PM which is great with shipping both ways.
Randy

 

[Arthury]

Looks like S&W is inundated this morning. I asked for Perf Center and operator put me on the queue for Customer Support. Waited for 20mins, no one pick it up.

On a separate topic, I found this article written by the owner of 10-8 Performance (Hilton Yam). Obviously, many of the preparation/maintenance for a duty gun overlaps with those for a competition gun. IMHO, an operational duty gun has far more stringent requirements than a competition gun. So, here is it is ...
Police Magazine article by Hilton Y.

One thing he mentioned about the Plunger Tube is this:

Properly designed grip panels in the G.I. pattern can keep the plunger tube in place even if the staking has come loose. This can be a life saver — literally.

Questions:

• Can someone explain this a little more? Is he saying that the top edge of the grip is touching and supporting the underside of the plunger tube?
• Is he also saying losing the plunger tube is safety issue?

 

[growr]

Q1. Some grip panels come up high enough so as to act as a support for the plunger tube. Not sure if they were designed this way on purpose or not but the end result is an elevated degree of support. My Herrett grips are this way.

Q2. You already know the results of a plunger tube failure...does it make the gun unsafe? Not exactly, but it does render it in-operable for a time being. Simply inspect yours from time to time after it gets back from Smith for you own piece of mind.
Keep us posted on S&W's handling....yes, Monday's are busy with calls from all of us week end warriors!
Randy

PS....I shot a USPSA match on Sat. with my CZ 40B in Limited10 and had a firing pin break and had some of the parts hit me in the cheek. Good thing I like Zeiss Scopz shooting glasses!

CZ, just like S&W is taking VERY good care of me on that one.

What are the chances of a firing pin breaking like that and then have the parts hit me in the face anyway...things happen when we race them!
This gun only had about 10,000 rounds downrange so it was almost broke in instead of broken!

 

[OKFC05]

Looks like S&W is inundated this morning. I asked for Perf Center and operator put me on the queue for Customer Support. Waited for 20mins, no one pick it up.

To repeat myself, the fastest way is to use the online form to get a shiping label and get the gun shipped. You can put a letter with the gun with all the details.

Warranty Repair Shipping Form - Smith & Wesson

 

[Arthury]

To repeat myself, the fastest way is to use the online form to get a shiping label and get the gun shipped. You can put a letter with the gun with all the details.

Warranty Repair Shipping Form - Smith & Wesson

I gave up on calling and have submitted the request via the online form you suggested. What's the next step?

 

[SW CQB 45]

plunger tube support from the grip panel

 

[OKFC05]

I gave up on calling and have submitted the request via the online form you suggested. What's the next step?

They email you a prepaid shipping label, you put it on the packaged gun, and take it to the designated shipping carrier.

Warranty repairs get priority. My last turnaround was 3 days at S&W plus shipping times. It will be returned free.

 

[Arthury]

plunger tube support from the grip panel

Based on this, I think mine was fully supported by the grip. The top of my grip is flat is directly underneath the plunger tube.

 

[Arthury]

All hell must have broken loose this last weekend. The S&W boys are not answering the phones nor sending out the mailing labels. It's almost the end of the business day where they are located ... feels like I am working with a gov't agency.

 

[OKFC05]

S&W Warranty Stations:

Domestic

• USA
  
  ACTIONS BY GENE INC.
  720 ASH PLACE
  ANCHORAGE, AK 99501
  Phone: (907) 563-9797
• USA
  
  BOLSA GUNSMITHING
  7404 BOLSA AVENUE
  WESTMINSTER, CA 92683
  Phone: (714) 894-9100
• USA
  
  MEL CHUNG - GUNSMITH
  39 ING PLACE
  P.O. BOX 1008
  KAUNAKAKAI, HI 96748
  Phone: (808) 553-5888<LI sizset="302" sizcache="30">USA
  
  LSG
  10059 HWY 1476
  COMANCHE, TX 76442
  Phone: (325) 885-2700
  Email: [email protected]
• USA
  
  GANDER MOUNTAIN
  6801 120TH AVENUE
  KENOSHA, WI 53140
  Phone: (262) 857-3757

 

[Arthury]

Online request for prepaid label on Monday.
Received label Wed. 2 days turnaround.

As of today, CS Dept phone is still not accepting calls due to high call traffic.

Shipping it out today.

 

[growr]

Keep us posted as to how it all turned out.
Randy

 

[Arthury]

I finally managed to find a person in S&W and I was told that the system routing incoming calls have some technical issues. Sure took them a long time to fix it. As of Wed., the CS dept phone was still down.

According to FedEx, the gun should arrive tomorrow.

 

[Arthury]

According to FedEx, gun arrived Fri.
S&W announced that they are closed today for Hurricane Irene.

 

[Rule 303]

What bothers me about this is the fact that this was just a match. What if it had been a gun that was to be used in combat/LE. If you can't trust the little things on a firearm, what can you trust about a brand.

Rule 303

 

[growr]

Again, this is not a brand problem. It is a design problem in the 1911. If the plunger tube is not properly staked on it can separate from the frame and cause a problem. It is rare problem, but it does happen.
no need to dis-trust...simply check it for awhile until you are sure that it is solid.

The 1911 has been reliably for a hundred years and has proven itself in combat and LE millions of times over.

Randy

 

[Arthury]

For those who have sent their guns to S&W, do they send you an email with a tracking # when the gun is shipped back or does it show up without warning?

My obvious concern is that that I wouldn't be in to receive it and it will take another trip to FedEx to pick it up.