MAKE A GOOD REVOLVER AGAIN

[Jeb Stonewall]

I wish S&W would go back to making good revolvers again.
No cheap two piece barrels.
No MIM hammers.
And no locks on a revolver!.
I'm paying top dollar on used Smiths just to get a good revolver.

 

[Jeb Stonewall]

I wish S&W would go back to making good revolvers again.
No cheap two piece barrels.
No MIM hammers.
And no locks on a revolver!.
I'm paying top dollar on used Smiths just to get a good revolver.

 

[Wyatt Earp]

Funny how my POS Model 65 has been beaten like a rented mule, shot over 4700 rounds in 18 months, yet its MIM trigger pull is amazingly smooth (even before its trigger job), its two piece barrel is nice and snug, and its lock is a non-issue.

 

[G-Mac]

Originally posted by Jeb Stonewall:I'm paying top dollar on used Smiths just to get a good revolver.

Well, it beats paying top dollar for something you don't like.

I think many people that are buying new S&W's just don't know what the brand used to be.

Welcome to the forum. Many here are in the same boat as you...I'm one of them.

Nothing in S&W's current catalog would make me pull out my wallet.

 

[animalmother]

+ 1. Not a fan of the new stuff.

 

[JacMac]

I agree with you; and I too seek out and buy older guns. But Smith has to do what it is doing in order to get the police contracts. It is a business decision based on the guns being shot heavily in training and qualification and then being traded in for new guns. So for Smith to stay solvent.they have to make what they are making; otherwise bye-bye Smith and Wesson.

 

[Cartouche]

I have to agree to a point. I just bought a new S&W revolver, however it was a Classic. Is that considered a new one? Anyway, the nickel on this one is as good a job as any I have from the 50's, 60's, etc,etc. Yes it has a lock. It galls me to look at it. But everything else is as if I went back in time and bought one new of that era. Two pc bbls, no use for them either. I could go on, but in defence, and not just because I bought it, but it is a good gun. A Mod 24, BTW. It took me awhile to decide, but after a long search for a older one, that I did not have to take out a second mortage to get, I got this one. I like it. Shoots like a dream. No lock malf at all. I completely understand where you are comming form. I agree with about 95% of what you say. I guess I just did not want to look any longer for used, so I got it new. No regrets yet.

 

[Andy Taylor]

Originally posted by Jeb Stonewall:
I wish S&W would go back to making good revolvers again.
No cheap two piece barrels.
No MIM hammers.
And no locks on a revolver!.
I'm paying top dollar on used Smiths just to get a good revolver.

+1

 

[Andy Taylor]

Originally posted by JacMac:
I agree with you; and I too seek out and buy older guns. But Smith has to do what it is doing in order to get the police contracts. It is a business decision based on the guns being shot heavily in training and qualification and then being traded in for new guns. So for Smith to stay solvent.they have to make what they are making; otherwise bye-bye Smith and Wesson.

How many police contracts are there for revolvers these days? Not many. Revolvers are bought maily by sportsmen/women, enthusiests, collectors, and for self defense.

 

[armadillo66]

I am going to say that the 8 shot 357 could be one of the most popular guns in the market if S&W gets the package at the right price, no dumbass locks and make it really CCW friendly, market it with the moonclip loader and clips, clip pouch and a decent carry holster if you have to charge so much money for it.

 

[whelenshooter]

Maybe I'm ignorant, but the lock really doesn't bother me... I don't use it, but it doesn't bother me. I don't know enough about MIM parts to have a say. I haven't had any fail, so I guess I don't have a complaint. I must admit that I don't like the two piece barrels. As a matter of fact, I don't like the crush-fitted barrels either. When I sent my 2" model 10 back to the Performance Center to have a 3" barrel installed, they had to CUT AND GRIND the crush-fitted 2" barrel off. I had asked them to send the old barrel back to me, and they said they couldn't because it was impossible to turn one off without possibly destroying the frame. They did send the pieces back to me, so I know they were telling me the truth as to how they removed it. I wish they still used the old pinned-in barrel style so barrels could be changed easier. With all the neat models they are making now and the good quality they seem to be, I feel like I'm in Smith & Wesson heaven right now! I'm just praying the Obama administration doesn't take it all away from us.

 

[18DAI]

I agree with you Jeb Stonewall. I'll just keep picking up the nice revolvers that S&W made in the past. I could care less what happens to the rest. Good hunting! Regards 18DAI.

 

[Wayne M]

Sounds like everybody on both sides has exactly what they want. Congrats to us all!

 

[perrazi]

+ 1 on the good older guns. i don't care how good the new stuff is,they just don't look like they are supposed to.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by Jeb Stonewall:
I wish S&W would go back to making good revolvers again.
No cheap two piece barrels.
No MIM hammers.
And no locks on a revolver!.
I'm paying top dollar on used Smiths just to get a good revolver.

It is odd what people think of as a "good revolver."

Perhaps what you mean is a revolver built "the way it was always done."

Of course, then you have to ask what period of time we are talking about because there have been periods of time (fairly long periods in fact) when those non-MIM, non-lock and one piece barrel revolvers came out of the factory brand new with actions that would not carry up, terrible quality control, out of spec parts and all sorts of other issues.

I am not a fan of the lock by any means, but I will take modern metallurgy, computer controlled machining, ISO 9001 quality controls and the current repair department and warranty service over any other period of time during which I have been alive and able to purchase S&Ws!

 

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by whelenshooter:
Maybe I'm ignorant, but the lock really doesn't bother me... I don't use it, but it doesn't bother me. I don't know enough about MIM parts to have a say. I haven't had any fail, so I guess I don't have a complaint. I must admit that I don't like the two piece barrels. As a matter of fact, I don't like the crush-fitted barrels either. When I sent my 2" model 10 back to the Performance Center to have a 3" barrel installed, they had to CUT AND GRIND the crush-fitted 2" barrel off. I had asked them to send the old barrel back to me, and they said they couldn't because it was impossible to turn one off without possibly destroying the frame. They did send the pieces back to me, so I know they were telling me the truth as to how they removed it. I wish they still used the old pinned-in barrel style so barrels could be changed easier. With all the neat models they are making now and the good quality they seem to be, I feel like I'm in Smith & Wesson heaven right now! I'm just praying the Obama administration doesn't take it all away from us.

Oh, for goodness sakes - please study up on barrel installation. The old pinned barrels were screwed in to the frame in the same way as the modern non-pinned barrels. The pin was and is unnecessary. The so-called "crush fit" has nothing to do with mis-matched threads, ruining the threads or "cross-threading" or anything - it has to do with the fit of the shoulder of the barrel to the frame, and old barrels are no easier to turn out than new ones. It is unbelievable how many people seem to think that if you just take out the cross pin you can unscrew the barrel and pop in a new one.

As far as the new President is concerned, he will only take it away if both houses of Congress pass it and it is signed into law and if that happens, it is our collective fault for not having a gun control proof Congress.

 

[whelenshooter]

Oh, for goodness sakes - please study up on barrel installation. The old pinned barrels were screwed in to the frame in the same way as the modern non-pinned barrels. The pin was and is unnecessary. The so-called "crush fit" has nothing to do with mis-matched threads, ruining the threads or "cross-threading" or anything - it has to do with the fit of the shoulder of the barrel to the frame, and old barrels are no easier to turn out than new ones. It is unbelievable how many people seem to think that if you just take out the cross pin you can unscrew the barrel and pop in a new one.

Hey, pardner, I've removed pinned-in barrels myself. I'm not a gunsmith, but it ain't that tough after you drive out the pin if you have a set of hardwood blocks to hold the barrel in a vise, and another long handled chunk of hardwood to fit the frame window. I've never tried to remove one of the crush fit barrels, but it was the FACTORY that told me they couldn't unscrew the crush fit barrel without wrecking things. I've had lots of pinned-in barrels replaced by them and have been able to keep the old barrels. If you doubt they can't remove the crush fit barrels without wrecking things, but can remove the pinned barrels, call the Performance Center and ask. I would have liked to save the 2 inch barrel. A person never knows when they might run across an old gun with a bad barrel that they can put back in service for just a bit of money.

I agree with you about todays better quality contol, however. There was a time when I sent almost every Smith & Wesson revolver or semi-auto I bought back to the factory to have it made right. I believe I sent back ten in a row. They did correct things, but it was annoying and time consuming. In the past ten years, however, I've only sent one back for a factory defect that I can remember.

 

[XVR.460]

i'v ordered a .460 compensated hunter, i think it's very pretty. but it's also a very rare gun in the netherlands, so i'm happy!

 

[Centenniel]

While I will say that I do prefer the features of the older S&W revolvers, I have some newer ones that work just fine. My 3" model 64 has the "L-hole" and MIM parts, but it has proven to be a fine revolver. This is a "hot button" issue on this forum. I, for one, can't say that the newer ones aren't good guns.

 

[7tenz]

Well, if you want a gun, the newer Smiths are great. Just that the newer ones leave me asking, "Where's the heart?" My pre-lock 3" 610 with it's unfluted cylinder and mim parts is just a hunk of metal. Got 2 p&r nickle Model 29s that show the form and beauty that used to be deliberately engineered in their guns.