Is this normal?

[tomhaka]

Hello, I'm stressed.
This is my 2nd S&W 686 6shot,6" barrel revolver in the last 2 weeks. After shooting 100 rds at the range saturday, I decided to clean and lube it. Plus an inspection, being the first time out. I noticed something on the firing pin housing, and have attached 4 photos (somewhat redundant) to show you. It appears that there is a flaw right next to the firing pin tunnel(sorry for the terminology) like the start of an erroneous drilling hole, just off center. Is this indentation suppose to be there? If not, what is your opinion, and what should I do about it? Would you take it back to and ask for "another" gun ? , which now, would be the third. I have already returned one for a new one due to breakage.
Stressed, and asking for help.
thank you, haka

 

[tomhaka]

Hello, I'm stressed.
This is my 2nd S&W 686 6shot,6" barrel revolver in the last 2 weeks. After shooting 100 rds at the range saturday, I decided to clean and lube it. Plus an inspection, being the first time out. I noticed something on the firing pin housing, and have attached 4 photos (somewhat redundant) to show you. It appears that there is a flaw right next to the firing pin tunnel(sorry for the terminology) like the start of an erroneous drilling hole, just off center. Is this indentation suppose to be there? If not, what is your opinion, and what should I do about it? Would you take it back to and ask for "another" gun ? , which now, would be the third. I have already returned one for a new one due to breakage.
Stressed, and asking for help.
thank you, haka

 

[BruceM]

Just have S&W replace the bushing. Call them. They'll send a prepaid shipping label, in all likelihood. It's a simple repair.

Bruce

 

[tomhaka]

I know I'm getting a little paranoid, but how much wear should there be on the "ejector" bushing hole, in terms of a rounded edge ?
Does this ever wear out to the point that it needs smithing or frame replacement?
Sleepless in Seattle. One last question, Is is easy to replace the firing pin bushing?
thank you, haka

 

[tomcatt51]

The center pin hole looks like some normal rounding of the edge. As for the firing pin bushing, did you buy the gun sight unseen? That should have been obvious the first time you opened the cylinder. There's a trip to S&W in it's future.

 

[tomhaka]

I guess I don't have the experience that some have, but you are right, I should have caught it. Unless it happened while shooting? I heard it takes a couple months to get it fixed?
thanks for your help, maybe the dealer will exchange it, I have only had it for 2 days! This will be the 3rd 686 if he does.

<<<<<<< bleep

 

[tomcatt51]

You're right, you should have noticed. Sorry if I sounded harsh, but you should have. It's a learning experience. If you call S&W they will most likely send you a prepaid pickup and will fix the bushing and anything else they find. Their turnaround on this is quite prompt. You'll most likely get a better gun back than you'd get exchanging this one for another.

 

[tomhaka]

thanks tomcatt,
I do appreciate your help. Maybe it did sound a little harsh, but I definitely deserved it. As you say, I will chalk this up to experience. What really irks me is this is the 2nd Smith I've gotten in 2 weeks. I expect better from S&W, everybody seems to brag about the quality. The cylinder yoke came out of the last one and was damaged, the pin that held it in was defective. Maybe he'll give me another? This $%@$ shouldn't happen.
thanks, haka

 

[tomcatt51]

Originally posted by tomhaka:
thanks tomcatt,
I do appreciate your help. Maybe it did sound a little harsh, but I definitely deserved it. As you say, I will chalk this up to experience. What really irks me is this is the 2nd Smith I've gotten in 2 weeks. I expect better from S&W, everybody seems to brag about the quality. The cylinder yoke came out of the last one and was damaged, the pin that held it in was defective. Maybe he'll give me another? This $%@$ shouldn't happen.
thanks, haka

I agree this shouldn't happen, but my experience has been that a "lousy" gun sent back, comes back better than a "new" one. They seem to pay more atttention to the quality of the work on repairs/warranty than to the "assembly line" production.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

It mite be burned from a bad primer that got priced.

 

[tomcatt51]

Originally posted by Bullseye Smith:
It mite be burned from a bad primer that got priced.

Get real. A pierced primer can trash a Ti firing pin (AR15/M16's are a good example) but a revolver firing pin bushing? NO WAY.

 

[tomhaka]

To me, a shooter with limited experience, it looks like the drilling process got started off center, then realigned to the center. The flaw is round like a drilling process would do. That's just what it looks like, I don't know for sure. Maybe I should have gotten a Ruger?
haka

 

[tomcatt51]

Originally posted by tomhaka:
Maybe I should have gotten a Ruger?
haka

HERESY. S&W quality control is usually pretty good and they will fix what's wrong and make it easy to have done.

 

[tomhaka]

I took my 686 back to "Bass Pro Shop" where I purchased it. I showed them the "firing pin bushing" pictured above. The gunsmith there asked me how it was shooting? I told her that I shot perfectly, but I didn't thing that the "flaw" was not a normal thing for a brand new gun. She disagreed, and made light of the situation, saying she had 2 other new 686's in the back that were similar. I asked her to show me one, so she went back and got one (it took her a while longer then I expected for her to retrieve it, probably because she realized they were not flawed like mine). I looked it over and there was "no problem" with it, no abnormalities what so ever. She was bs'ing. I then asked her if she would buy a gun like mine (flaw included) if she were in the market for a 686? She said she would. I totally disagreed with her, tactfully, and told her that I had difficulty believing her. She said she would send it back to S&W and they would definitely replace the fpb if I wanted to, about a 10 day turn-around. I told her I would take it home and ask a gunsmith that I know to look at it and get his opinion. It is strange how people "say what they would do" when it's not their property, as opposed to when it is. I think I'm going to take it back this thursday and have them ship it back, based on what my gs has to say. What would anybody else do?
thanks, haka

 

[n4zov]

It's a new gun, and the condition in your photos is not normal. S&W will be glad to take care of this defect in one of their products. I cannot think of a single reason NOT to return it for repair, and that is exactly what I would do if it belonged to me!

 

[tomhaka]

n4zov,
I took to a local gunsmith today(wed)and explained the situation to him, and the poor advice that the Bass Pro Shop gunsmith told me. My gs just shook his head in disbelief over the idea that BPS told me that there was "no problem" with this gun, and go ahead and shoot it "all you want". Fortunately, my gs knew another gun clerk at bps and got on the phone with him and explained the situation. All agreed that it "must" be sent back to s&w because it may cause the spent shell to "extrude" into the flawed firing pin bushing. The clerk at bps was just as disgusted with their gunsmith, and apologized to me for the bad advice and inconvenience. The gun will be shipped out tomorrow and probably take 2-3week turn around. Hopefully, everything will turn out ok.
thanks, haka

 

[buckbeans]

Any defect in the firing pin bushing can eventually cause timing issues if any metal from the bushing protrudes and retard cylinder rotation. Ask me how I know.

 

[tomcatt51]

Why would you not just send it back? Your really knowledgeable "Pro" at "BASS Pro Shops" even begrudgingly offered to do it for you. If it was mine it would be on it's way back to S&W.

 

[SmithNut]

Gotta ask, I've not seen that type of wear on the firing pin bushing from normal use. Could this be from slamming the cylinder shut, ala "Bogarting"? That might explain the indentation in that location, from the force the center pin slamming shut.
Otherwise, it's a simple factory fix. It would be important to know how it happened.

Just curious.

 

[smitholdtimer]

Don't believe I'd mess with Bass Pro G-Smith. Factory will send you shipping label, make repairs and ship back to you. No footwork for you and as others have advised, it will be the Best It Can Be upon its return, certainly better than new jn your case. Sounds like the B-Pro G-Smith isn't interested in your problem, any way. That's my 2cents worth.