Is this normal?

[Jambalaya]

I recently purchased a new Performance Center model 637 for summer pocket carry from Sportsmans Warehouse online store, and picked it up from the store today. Once I got home I noticed that there is some serious scraping from what looks like the ejector rod pin on the recoil shield (Picture included). I also notice that on two of the five cylinder chambers the cylinder release is very stiff and it's hard to push it from the frame. The other three chambers feel normal.

This is my first revolver purchase from S&W, so I'm not sure if this is just a performance center thing that there is extra testing of some kind which adds some aesthetic wear to the frame, or if this is a manufacturing issue that should be fixed by S&W.

Any advice helps, thank you!

 

[ContinentalOp]

I'm no gunsmith, but I just checked my 642-1 and it's got the same groove in the recoil shield. However, I've opened and closed the cylinder several times in the years I've owned it. So far, no functional issues. With my experience with airweights, I think it's probably a self-limiting situation.

As to the issue with stiffness on specific chambers, I can't help there. I checked my 642-1 and it's fine on all chambers. I don't know what the issue could be. It may just be in need of breaking in, or there could be something wrong.

Hopefully another, more knowledgeable member will chime in with help. Worst case scenario, you contact S&W and see if they'll look at it under warranty.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

I hope you get it worked out to your satisfaction.

 

[Injunbro]

Looks normal to me. Things tend to not stay pristine if they're used for what they were made for.

 

[Jambalaya]

Thanks

Thanks Continental, what you said was helpful! Reassuring at the very least.

Looks normal to me. Things tend to not stay pristine if they're used for what they were made for.

Absolutely, I wouldn't be surprised to see this kind of marking if I had put some rounds through this thing, the reason it raised my hackles was because it was like that fresh out of the box. I'm glad I'm seeing some consistency that this is normal wear conditions for S&W though and probably not some freak manufacturing error.

 

[Dragon 1]

I hear you brother that’s normal I’m always worried about that too after a while you will also get a mark right underneath the forcing cone it is scratch. You won’t get that yet but that’s also from opening and closing the cylinder you’ll see it after a while it almost looks like a crack but it’s not it’s a scratch. Those guns if they’re going to crack will be above the yolk under the barrel. I have a lot of those guns and I’ve never had a crack some people have I had one time on a 340 PD but that’s a Pressed in barrel what you have is perfectly normal no worries. Good luck and shoot it and it’s performance gun nice.

 

[thundertrap]

As others have stated, the mark is normal and in my opinion, generally worse with the alloy frame guns.
Regarding the stiffness in opening only on certain cylinders, it is likely an imperfect fit of the ejector rod. If the tip of the ejector rod and the internal shaft arent just right you get the rods at a slight angle to each other and when you push the cylinder latch button, which pushes that internal rod to unlock the barrel at the front as well as the rear, they will not be perfectly line up and it’s stiff or sometimes extremely difficult to open the cyclinder.

I’m going to attach a picture, look closely at the area highlighted and examine your gun carefully while turning the cylinder and opening the action. Might just need a few swipes with a file to slick it up. Of course you should also make sure the rod hasn’t unscrewed itself ever so slightly as well. If neither of these fix it, send it back to S&W

I am no expert, these are just my opinions, but I have personally seen this a few times in my 35 years of tinkering with guns, hope it helps.
John

 

[Protocall_Design]

I think the center pin may not have enough of a radius on the back end, or maybe too rough. That seems like a deeper than average gouge in the frame. If the center pin is smoothed up and runs in and out freely, it probably won't get any worse. Sometimes these things are hard to diagnose without seeing the gun in person.

 

[Invictus357]

Send a picture to SW and tell them of your issue.

If something is wrong they will make it right.

 

[Bill Lear]

I recently purchased a new Performance Center model 637 for summer pocket carry from Sportsmans Warehouse online store, and picked it up from the store today. Once I got home I noticed that there is some serious scraping from what looks like the ejector rod pin on the recoil shield (Picture included). I also notice that on two of the five cylinder chambers the cylinder release is very stiff and it's hard to push it from the frame. The other three chambers feel normal.

This is my first revolver purchase from S&W, so I'm not sure if this is just a performance center thing that there is extra testing of some kind which adds some aesthetic wear to the frame, or if this is a manufacturing issue that should be fixed by S&W.

Any advice helps, thank you!

That grooved arc is quite normal. Aluminum is much less dense than steel, even though the surface has been hardened by anodizing. The hardened steel ejector pin is under significant spring force and will deform the recoil shield surface - it's much like the process of "peening" used in the manufacture of military helicopter components to "densify" the metal and make it more resistant to bullet damage. The difference it the surface is being "roll-formed" as the rounded ejector pin rides in and out repeatedly. The condition is normal and self-limiting.
The ejector pin protrudes quite a depth into the center hole.

As for the stiffer cylinder opening when certain chambers are aligned, there are no components engaged or interfering with cylinder opening, however the outer circumference of the ratchet teeth tend to rub as the cylinder is pushed open and there can be enough variation in a new gun to make it noticeable on certain cylinders. Whereas the aluminum substrate is soft enough to be deformed slightly by the ejector ball, where the ratchet contacts is steel against hard anodize and will wear enough with cycles to be a non-issue.

Also pay close attention to FULLY pushing the cylinder release latch forward and holding before pushing on the cylinder. Lots of times we tend to be holding a bit of pressure on the cylinder as the release is pressed and it can create a perception of binding.