M&P R8

[junior1954]

I took delivery of a new M&P R8 (got it from Grabagun.com, best price, fast service) and Aimpoint Micro H-1 red dot about a week ago. I fired it the first (and only) time last Wed. I put 20 rounds of Corbon 110gr .357 jhp, 50 Sellier & Bellot 158gr .357 fmj, 50 Remington .357 target loads and 50 Remington .38 target loads. Note that none of these rounds were +p or +p+. The gun performed flawlessly. I was ham-handed while adjusting the sight, but once I got it dialed in, it was great. My eyesight isn't what it used to be and with the red dot, target acquisition was a breeze.

When I got the gun home, I cleaned it and noticed that the frame had a hairline crack in it that starts at the right side of where the hammer enters the frame and continues along the right side of the frame, ending almost at the cylinder. Freaked me out.

I've sent the gun back to Smith and Wesson. They've never heard of a frame cracking on the R8. I'm hoping it was a fluke. This is my nightstand gun-I need it to be "bullet-proof"!

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

94 views and nobody is going to tell him???

 

[Oldherkpilot]

Is there any chance that you have mistaken the sideplate seam for a crack? A picture would be helpful, if you took one prior to shipping it off. If, in fact, it was only the side plate seam, please don't be too embarrassed--I once had a fellow instructor pilot announce over the intercom, "I don't mean to alarm anyone, but there is about a ten foot crack in our right wing." We had a long discussion about the difference between seams and cracks! Good luck.

 

[squidsix]

It's not a crack, my friend.
Cajun is being funny, because he knows too.
The line you are seeing is the sideplate of the revolver. This is a separate part from the frame, and it is normally well fitted and will look like a hairline crack to those who don't know S&W revolvers.
Nothing wrong with your gun, at all. Also: No amount of +P+ .38 is going to damage that thing.

 

[dan-g]

A frame crack in a R8? This is the first time ive heard of an scandium alloy N frame cracking.

I think what Cajun Lawyer is talking about is some j frame aluminum guns come from the factory with the barrel over tightened into the frame and with any use the frame will completely crack. The crack normally starts somewhere around the forcing cone (yours sounds like its in the wrong place ARE YOU SURE ITS NOT YOUR SIDEPLATE SEAM). It happened enough times that it is something to look for in your new gun but if your gun doent have it, it should last a long time, (Massad Ayoob had a 442 that he put over 30,000 rounds through torture testing it).

It weird that your R8 has the same problem bieng a scandium alloy gun that is supposed to be 300% stronger than just aluminum (percentage from smith). Also, a N frame is a decent chunk of material.

It might be that you are another victim of Smith's shrinking quality control abilities and you got a lemon flavored smith. THere have been a bunch of threads about guns with barrels installed crooked, finishes applied by orangutans, etc.... It seems smith is letting the buyer sort out the lemons from the keepers. Ive had only one lemon in all my smith purchases and that gun had to go back to smith twice before it was right. DONT WORRY, smith will make it right, they make up for their declining quality control with excellent customer service. Once your guns is done right it will last forever.

DAMIT EVERONE POSTED WHILE I WAS TYPING

 

[dan-g]

While we are on the subject, your gun will also rattle a bit when shaken side to side and this is perfectly normal. It does sound like a broken part bouncing around in there.

For future refrence the side plate has three small screws on it and when you pull it off you reveal the internals.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/500magnumnut/500underthehood.jpg

 

[thomasinaz]

I'm thinking normal sideplate seam also...... I was showing a buddy one of my Smiths several years ago and he thought it was cracked at the seam, so I can see it being mistaken for a crack. Hope you didn't send it back for nothing.

From dan-g: "It really sounds like you are yet another victim of Smith's shrinking quality control abilities and you got a lemon flavored smith. THere have been a bunch of threads about guns with barrels installed crooked, finishes applied by orangutans, etc.... It seems smith is letting the buyer sort out the lemons from the keepers." Are we going to call this a "lemon" already, without knowing if there's a problem..........really.

 

[junior1954]

I think Dan-G nailed it-his link shows right where the "crack" was. I feel like a dope. The right side of the hammer appears to be making contact with the frame, as the bluing is wearing at the contact point. Hopefully, S&W will take pity on me and go through it. It's the best shooting gun I've ever owned and I can't wait to get it back.

Dan-you were also right about the rattle.

I appreciate the validation-I wanted a revolver for target practice and home defense with rails that was built like a tank and shot well. Looks like I've found it in the R8. I sold my old 4" GP100 to "make room" for it.

I'm a newbie to your forum-I can't seem to find many posts on this gun.

Thanks to all.

Jim

 

[harleydrivinglawnerd]

My M&P 327 R8 rattles when shaken also. Glad to hear it is normal. None of my other S&W's have this rattle (642 and M&P 340). What is it that makes the noise? I removed the IL and still couldn't find the source of the noise when the side plate was off. Thanks.

 

[dan-g]

The rattle is the hammer block safety, shaking around in there. Its supposed to do that some are louder than others. The piece in question is the the thin strip with a loop on the end in the pictures.

As far as calling it a lemon, yes im ready to call it a lemon if it sounds like one. Before we realized it was the sideplate seam it sounded like a frame crack, if we dont call a frame crack a lemon then I cant imagine what a lemon must look like. Ive only had one lemon and it was fixed quite promptly.

 

[thomasinaz]

As far as calling it a lemon, yes im ready to call it a lemon if it sounds like one. Before we realized it was the sideplate seam it sounded like a frame crack, if we dont call a frame crack a lemon then I cant imagine what a lemon must look like. Ive only had one lemon and it was fixed quite promptly.

O K then.............................................. happy we're not jumping to any hasty conclusions.

junior1954; Glad your new R8 isn't really broken. Hope it returns to you soon.

 

[dan-g]

I didnt really explain the side plate off shaking thing. There is no rattle with the side plate off because the hammer block safety sits in the side plate and moves up and down. So, if you look at the inside of your side plate you will see a groove and thats where the hammer block safety lives.

I have no idea why some guns have loud rattle and others none. Both of my new scandium n frames have very loud rattle wheras my model 28 n frame from 1970 has very little, my K frames seem to be pretty quite too. THe 642 and 340 are both enclosed hammer models so there is no hammer block safety hence no rattle.

Hopefully thats a slightly better explanation.

 

[junior1954]

Got the R8 back from S&W-it was the side plate seam. Spoke to a couple folks from S&W over the past two weeks who were great-they get at least one call a day about the seam. They said the slight contact on the side of the hammer may be normal. I can't see that they've done anything to the gun. It's great to have it back. Looking forward to shooting it again. Thanks to all for your help and education.