I just picked up a brand new model 69. Same problem here (that's how I found this thread). Front sight canted to left. Ball detent for cylinder barely catches. Just called S&W customer service. They said to send it in, BUT, they are closing for two weeks. I bought this revolver to take on a pack trip to Wyoming in three weeks.
Is this a canted barrel? M69
- Thread starter magnumfreak
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Snapping Twig
Member
Take it with you and use it, then send it back to the mothership.
One thing this alignment issue won't do is prevent bullets from coming out the business end.
One thing this alignment issue won't do is prevent bullets from coming out the business end.
I agree, sight it in and take it back packing then sent it in. By the way the ball detent is designed to be just engaged. This causes the spring and ball to maintain a more constant inward force on the yoke that would not occur if the ball was centered in the V. My model 69 barrel the same way. The barrel rib grooves are also a bit off, but, the front sight is vertical.
BuckeyeS&W
Member
Try putting barrel in a vice with padded jaws ,with a little clockwise turn of frame serrations lined up. I posted this earlier,one other benefit is it smoothed out opening and closing of cylinder. Just go easy and take your time and don't force it .
BuckeyeS&W
Member
BuckeyeS&W
Member
Please, please tell me you're kidding. I suspect you're not, unfortunately.
Of course he's not kidding! When a company is being managed ONLY to maximize bottom line profits for the next quarterly statement - as opposed to being managed to best benefit the company's LONG-TERM health - then that is what you get. I see it every day.
CEOs are getting awarded big bonuses for turning in good quarterly profit statements - to drive the company stock prices UP - so that is how they manage the company. Nobody is paying them to make sure the company reputation stays high - which is what will keep them in business for the long haul.
So how do they maximize immediate profits if having a company reputation that will sustain the business for the next 20 years is no longer a consideration? Pump as much product out the door for the lowest production cost possible. What is the most expensive component in producing quality examples of this kind of product? LABOR! Paying skilled people to hand fit parts and CHECK the fit and finish of the parts costs WAY more than the materials or the computer-controlled machining. Especially if you loosen up the tolerances on the machining to reduce or eliminate rejects by widening the range of what is "acceptable".
So as long as you don't care about maintaining the company's 100-year reputation as one of the finest manufacturers in the world (a.k.a. managing the company for long-term success), then cranking out MORE of a lesser-quality, less expensively produced product is the quickest way to short term profits. Especially at first - while you still have that great reputation - you can continue to charge a corresponding premium for your product (even though you've lowered those quality standards that GOT you that reputation in the first place).
Of course, eventually it catches up to you. Your reputation is damaged to the point people are no longer willing to pay the premium price for your product (sound familiar?). Then sales - and profits - start to drop off - sometimes to the point of the company going bankrupt (can you say COLT?). Or, you have to cut prices dramatically and live on slim profit margins for a time until you rebuild your reputation.
Which way will S&W go? Hopefully they recognize the damaging effect that their pursuit of next quarter's bottom line is doing to their reputation in time to turn it around - before they follow Colt into the toilet. Time will tell...
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Sorry ment EFR not Buckeye,
I have two M69s. Just looked at both guns.
"Detent" is like above pics, and as indicated above, it is designed that way (obviously with w/mfg tolerances).
Also looked at barrel alignment. One gun looks perfectly aligned, the other is a little worse looking. Both guns shoot to point of aim horizontally with no windage adjustment.
Round count for one gun is 1,600+, the other, almost 4,500. No problems with either so far.
I say shoot the gun to verify POI and then take it on your trip. If, after your trip, you are still unhappy, then by all means, ship it off to S&W.
I really like the M69.
Good Luck,
Paul
I have two M69s. Just looked at both guns.
"Detent" is like above pics, and as indicated above, it is designed that way (obviously with w/mfg tolerances).
Also looked at barrel alignment. One gun looks perfectly aligned, the other is a little worse looking. Both guns shoot to point of aim horizontally with no windage adjustment.
Round count for one gun is 1,600+, the other, almost 4,500. No problems with either so far.
I say shoot the gun to verify POI and then take it on your trip. If, after your trip, you are still unhappy, then by all means, ship it off to S&W.
I really like the M69.
Good Luck,
Paul
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nipperdog
Member
TNX for your statement concerning the Ball Detent engagement on the M69. I was concerned about mine, but the slight engagement appears to be normal. My Barrel Shroud alignment was perfect out of the Box.
Gentlemen: Thanks for the advice. I will shoot it, sight it in, and take it with me to Wyoming. I am just disappointed with the lack of quality control.
BuckeyeS&W: I considered rotating the barrel (shroud) myself (I have done that with a 8 3/8" 29 before), but it appears there is a notch in frame that locks into a recess in the shroud. I'm not sure what S&W will do.
I live about 30 miles from Smith and Wesson and have several friends that work there, most in engineering and management positions, as well as the training academy. What BC38 says is not far off. I hear from S&W employees about cost cutting and general institutional apathy a lot.
When Smith and Wesson bought Thompson Center I was very disappointed. I told a good friend of mine that is an engineer for S&W this, and he asked why. I told him that Thompson Center made an excellent product, had excellent service and warranty repair (if you ever needed it) and that S&W could only screw it up. I further told him (and sincerely believe) that S&W quality was all over the map. To me, being a S&W doesn't mean much: it could be the best of the breed, or a mess, depending on when it was manufactured.
BuckeyeS&W: I considered rotating the barrel (shroud) myself (I have done that with a 8 3/8" 29 before), but it appears there is a notch in frame that locks into a recess in the shroud. I'm not sure what S&W will do.
I live about 30 miles from Smith and Wesson and have several friends that work there, most in engineering and management positions, as well as the training academy. What BC38 says is not far off. I hear from S&W employees about cost cutting and general institutional apathy a lot.
When Smith and Wesson bought Thompson Center I was very disappointed. I told a good friend of mine that is an engineer for S&W this, and he asked why. I told him that Thompson Center made an excellent product, had excellent service and warranty repair (if you ever needed it) and that S&W could only screw it up. I further told him (and sincerely believe) that S&W quality was all over the map. To me, being a S&W doesn't mean much: it could be the best of the breed, or a mess, depending on when it was manufactured.
trooplewis
Member
I know this is an old thread, but I was cleaning my M69 today an noticed that the top strap serrations did not line up. A quick Google search brought me to this thread. Mine looks identical to the photo in the OP, but shoots dead on at 12 yards, so I think I will leave it alone.
If anyone else has done their own "barrel straightening" to align the grooves (successfully or not), I'd like to read about the results you got and if it changed the POI.
Oh, BTW, a speedloader made for a Charter Arms Pit Bull .44 works just fine with the M69. In case you are curious...
If anyone else has done their own "barrel straightening" to align the grooves (successfully or not), I'd like to read about the results you got and if it changed the POI.
Oh, BTW, a speedloader made for a Charter Arms Pit Bull .44 works just fine with the M69. In case you are curious...
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BigBill
Absent Comrade
Shim the hammer so it doesn't rub to one side.
DocB
Member
Yup, your Dad was the smart one. Next time find him one from the 1980's or earlier. I'll bet he will want it and be happy too.
offset serration
I ordered one of these after reading this thread, knowing the serrations probably wouldn't line up, and sure enough they didn't. I said it wouldn't bother me so it doesn't, but if there's an easy fix, let us know. Everything else is *perfect*. Haven't shot it yet, as it's in the California 10-day gun jail.
I ordered one of these after reading this thread, knowing the serrations probably wouldn't line up, and sure enough they didn't. I said it wouldn't bother me so it doesn't, but if there's an easy fix, let us know. Everything else is *perfect*. Haven't shot it yet, as it's in the California 10-day gun jail.
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The model in the OP has a two-piece barrel. Folks, the two-piece barrel consists of a non-movable shroud and a barrel screwed into the frame. Attempting to rotate the shroud will likely cause permanent warping to the frame, or a complete shearing off of the locator tabs. DO NOT DO IT.
The bad advice in this thread just gets worse.
I wish the moderators would lock this thread before someone destroys a revolver and S&W refuses to fix it because it was damaged by attempting to rotate a part that is NOT designed to be rotated.
The bad advice in this thread just gets worse.
I wish the moderators would lock this thread before someone destroys a revolver and S&W refuses to fix it because it was damaged by attempting to rotate a part that is NOT designed to be rotated.
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