I am a S&W heretic

[UncleEd]

Looked up a few definitions of heretic:

Anyone who does not conform to an established attitude....

Dissenter from established religion or dogma......

A person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally
accepted.....


So here's my heresy:

I think today's S&W revolvers are wonderful, slick and reliable.
They offer better triggers than the older models and despite
their MIM parts or the internal lock, they do just fine.

I've handled Smiths since the '70s with models going back into
the 1940s and on. The triggers were stiff, the actions weren't necessarily all that good out of the box, and seldom to never did I handle one that couldn't be improved. (I think old time gun smiths hate the new products because their livelihood is threatened.)

This conclusion has come from comparing three new 686s to recently acquiring a Model 14, a Model 520, a Model 10, Model 28 and a Model 15 from the good old days. all from prior to the end of the pinned and recessed days in 1982.

Besides the three 686s, I've also had experience with such recently produced classics as the Model 27 and Model 586.
They've also been slicker than the older models.

Just for the record, at one time I owned half a dozen pinned and recessed Model 27s and what seems like countless K-frame
models from the old days.

Keep in mind I'm expressing a view based only on my experiences. I'm sure others will come forth and say
those experiences are far different than their own.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Hey, Uncle Ed! (I actually had an Uncle Ed ) I'm going to go get some popcorn, but I'll be right back. This should be fun to watch.

I'm guessing you are one of those guys who throw gasoline on fires, too.

 

[rwsmith]

Did....

How many older guns came with canted or overclocked barrels?

Were there as many returns out of the box in the old days?

Why do so many people like pinned barrels?

Was getting cut for moon clips is a custom job?

I'm not picking a fight, it's just that i don't think EVERY aspect is better now. I love S&Ws new and old.

 

[Absalom]

However impassioned any following posters may debate and dispute this, it's largely meaningless. Where do you draw the line between modern and the old days? Functional irrelevancies like pinned vs. non-pinned or 5 vs. 4 vs. 3 screws that loom large in aficionados' imaginations have no practical meaning as quality benchmarks. S&W has had its ups and downs in the field of quality control, related in part to corporate ownership issues. Any generalizations of old vs. new are unlikely to do justice to reality.

 

[Kevin J.]

For entertainment purposes I am going to toss out an analogy. Which is better a new Mustang GT with ac, power steering, blue tooth stereo, and gps, navigation....or a classic Mustang muscle car?

Discuss.....

 

[Ranger514]

For entertainment purposes I am going to toss out an analogy. Which is better a new Mustang GT with ac, power steering, blue tooth stereo, and gps, navigation....or a classic Mustang muscle car?

Discuss.....

Well, for my money, it would have to be the 1968 Mustang Fastback GT 500, simply because I grew up in the Muscle Car Era, and that car is an icon. Sometimes technological advances don't outweigh user satisfaction. I drove a 2015 Corvette Z06 for a couple of hours today on mountain roads. It has 650 horspower, and more bells and whistles than I could hope to mention. It's a phenomenal machine built for track and sport driving, but if you offered me a choice between the two, I'd choose the '68 GT. Two different driving experiences altogether. BTW: When it comes to technological advances, comparing automotive design improvements to handgun improvements is like comparing apples to oranges. IMO, handguns, especially revolvers, haven't advanced any where near as much as motorized vehicles have in the past 40-plus years.

 

[S42N8]

Ok, I'll bite.

I have several 29s (no dashes,' -2s, one -3 and one -5) I had one 29-10, which was intended to be a range gun. Guess which didn't stay?

Yup, the -10.

A tolerably useful gun in most respects. The MIM parts were not a problem, but the cheesy grips, the (relative) lack of consistent finish (the extractor was not evenly finished, and the frame looked...odd.) The lock was't a deal-breaker (range gun, not a SD gun). Action was ok, but nothing great.

And absolutely no soul.

The no-dash and -2s clearly show hand finishing in the action and polishing. The -3 is a carry gun (field) and the -5 for SD. Neither of those two can hold a candle to the no-dash action; but even the -5 has the feel of a weapon crafted to be used. The -10 felt like a shadow of its past.

The above is clearly subjective, which bothers me not a bit. In the end, iffn you like the new guns, buy on, and keep the mothership in business. For me, I'll buy the guns made by men, not machine; the guns made to be a weapon, not a commodity; and the guns that feel real, not a imitation. Oh, and the gawdaful laminated grips? Weak. I'll buy real wood old stock (or Keith Brown or John Culina grips), not plywood. Making the secondary interface feel like a Ford Festiva interior is a bad choice.

Merely my opinion; YMMV.

 

[finesse_r]

HERETIC! HERETIC!! HERETIC!!! Oh the horror of it all.

 

[bigride]

https://youtu.be/Nf_Y4MbUCLY
I enjoy blue revolvers. Hard to find a modern revolver with a fine blue finish. Aesthetics aside...an accurate reliable gun will get my attention regardless of age. But I'm no expert.

 

[Dave]

Well, that tears it. A few of you boys start gatherin' kindlin' wood, the rest of us will get the stake pounded into the ground... Oh, and somebody git some rope an' matches...

 

[sheepdawg]

How about some hot tar and feathers?

 

[Onomea]

Excellent. Less competition. Keep it up!

 

[gbuseman]

I have a 29-10 Engraved, very nice revolver. Grips are extremely nice, but it is an engraved model.

 

[kozmic]

For entertainment purposes I am going to toss out an analogy. Which is better a new Mustang GT with ac, power steering, blue tooth stereo, and gps, navigation....or a classic Mustang muscle car?

Discuss.....

You can readily find an old muscle car with a/c and power steering, etc. and add a kick-butt, bluetooth stereo in the glove box and you are livin' the dream my friend.

As for the ol' S&W which is better trap....I'll just say "I likes 'em both". However, I don't have any internal lock S&Ws!!!

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Well I'd rather have a 1982 FJ40 than one of the new yuppiefied ones. Actually I would REALLY like to kave an old model BJ40
Pass the canapes please.

 

[Grayfox]

Ed, you are most certainly entitled to your opinion.
Even if you are wrong.

 

[Rock185]

I've owned quite a few S&W revolvers, mostly .357, .41 and .44 Magnums with an occasional .22, .38 and 9MM along the way. Most purchased new. The double action triggers were generally not as smooth as the current MIM filled guns I've shot and/or owned. I did have the barrel on one unpinned Model 547 revolver start unscrewing at the range one day. In the '70s, several of the new S&W revolvers I purchased new did not carry up properly, barrel/cylinder gaps were uneven side-to-side and/or excessive. Anyway, I continue to prefer the pre MIM/pre lock guns even though the triggers may not be as smooth as the MIM guns and timing may be a bit Lazy, or worse, as received......ymmv

 

[BAM-BAM]

Two angels on my shoulders.....................................



Get thee behind me Satan......thou art an offence unto me........heretic !!!!!!!



Forgive him; for he knows not .....what he's talking about!!!!





Opinions are like .........you know....... everyone has one!!!!!!!


LOL ....more popcorn

 

[yashua-p]

I miss the old days, ya know, back when Scandium was the hot item, and I am an old fart, too. (71). I have a few of the N , L and J frame revolvers plus M39 and M59's, and a couple of latter day Simi-auto .22's. Some fancy but most plain. I like them all, P and R and otherwise. Some more than others. Smith has had a good long run with a few rough patches and it appears that it will continue for quite a while. Good for them. All in all, I am a loyal customer and fan of the brand. It is getting to the point that I don't see so many these days that I MUST have. Just my two cents.

regards

yashua

 

[625-7]

My 66-3 has the best fit, finish and clockwork of any I own.
625-7 with MIM parts is my favorite carry gun. 3 inch big bore 45 colt snubbie, dependable and carries well. No lock to think about, safety mechanism is rear of firearm.