My novice take on current production S&W revolvers

[olivehead1]

Having gotten interested of late in revolvers, and Smiths in particular, and having picked up a couple older 686s from back when they had all forged parts and flash chromed hammers and triggers, I thought during this past tax-free weekend I might pick up a new 686 or 686 Plus, just to have something different from what I already have.

Of the four I looked at, at three different LGS, my finding was: they don't make 'em like they used to. A couple just had questionable finishes, one had a canted barrel, and one had a rough edge on the underside of the top strap (where the cylinder fits in, the inner rectangular part of the frame--what's that place called?), with metal actually sticking out to a point, like the tech's file broke and it was late on a Friday and he just said "Good enough." Overall, I was disappointed by the details, like the font of the various logos ("S&W," "357 Magnum," etc.) vs. the older guns, the lack of a hammer-mounted firing pin, and the knowledge that the internals were MIM vs. forged, all combined with the price.

Anyway, I think if I ever pick up another, it'll be another pawn shop or LGS used gun find.

 

[silversnake]

Having gotten interested of late in revolvers, and Smiths in particular, and having picked up a couple older 686s from back when they had all forged parts and flash chromed hammers and triggers, I thought during this past tax-free weekend I might pick up a new 686 or 686 Plus, just to have something different from what I already have.

Of the four I looked at, at three different LGS, my finding was: they don't make 'em like they used to. A couple just had questionable finishes, one had a canted barrel, and one had a rough edge on the underside of the top strap (where the cylinder fits in, the inner rectangular part of the frame--what's that place called?), with metal actually sticking out to a point, like the tech's file broke and it was late on a Friday and he just said "Good enough." Overall, I was disappointed by the details, like the font of the various logos ("S&W," "357 Magnum," etc.) vs. the older guns, the lack of a hammer-mounted firing pin, and the knowledge that the internals were MIM vs. forged, all combined with the price.

Anyway, I think if I ever pick up another, it'll be another pawn shop or LGS used gun find.

Couldn't agree more. I hate to say it because I'm a huge S&W fan, but today I'd probably buy a GP100 over a new 686 (but would take an older 686 over both).

 

[KSDeputy]

I agree, the new model 60 I bought is a far cry from the original one I bought when they were first introduced.

 

[DonD]

Here we go again, the old "they don't make them like they used to" line.

I'm really glad they don't. The new guns are for the most part held to far tighter clearances and made with stronger metal. MIM, geeze, when will this butthurt go away? MIM is often aerospace material, it isn't some fragile, cheesy junk.

Canted barrels?? Wildly over hyped I think. Regular internet, one turkey gets out of the factory and you'd think 90% are flawed.

Do new guns have the highly polished blueing? No, labor costs are too high for that.

Don't like new, don't buy it but to say old is great and new is junk is total BS.

Ignore new and you also give up such awesome calibers as the 500 and 460 Mags. I've had several 500 Mags, all tight, well fitted guns with superb triggers and accuracy that 99.9% of shooters cannot exploit along with being the most powerful factory handgun in history. I have two now, both keepers.

This line is also applied to cars. Oh, my 1960 Chevy has tough sheet metal. Wow and you'll die in a crash with a new car. LOVE those bias ply tires, horrid drum brakes, lousy suspensions, obscene mileage and pollution. Yep, better than new. Sigh. Don

 

[silversnake]

Here we go again, the old "they don't make them like they used to" line.

I'm really glad they don't. The new guns are for the most part held to far tighter clearances and made with stronger metal. MIM, geeze, when will this butthurt go away? MIM is often aerospace material, it isn't some fragile, cheesy junk.

Canted barrels?? Wildly over hyped I think. Regular internet, one turkey gets out of the factory and you'd think 90% are flawed.

Do new guns have the highly polished blueing? No, labor costs are too high for that.

Don't like new, don't buy it but to say old is great and new is junk is total BS.

Ignore new and you also give up such awesome calibers as the 500 and 460 Mags. I've had several 500 Mags, all tight, well fitted guns with superb triggers and accuracy that 99.9% of shooters cannot exploit along with being the most powerful factory handgun in history. I have two now, both keepers.

This line is also applied to cars. Oh, my 1960 Chevy has tough sheet metal. Wow and you'll die in a crash with a new car. LOVE those bias ply tires, horrid drum brakes, lousy suspensions, obscene mileage and pollution. Yep, better than new. Sigh. Don

It's not that there haven't been any improvements. But the things that have changed just don't interest me. I'm glad you enjoy your .500 magnums but I would rather have seen the return of the 2" or 3" Model 64, or a new Model 12, with a one-piece barrel and forged steel internals.

 

[zambys]

Question please help

Hi friends, I can only talk about my experience with S&W revolvers, I shelled out a lot of hard earned money for a performance center 686 plus, the word performance on the gun was hardly readable, oh they fixed it when I sent it back but it should have not left the factory in that condition. Question please as I can't seem to be able to post a thread, not computer smart, the 686 plus was shipped with moon clips, can this gun be safely fired without the moon clips being used, as the rounds rattle a lot when loaded without the moon clips? Thank you for any help in advance, the gun is relieved for the moon clips to be used. 7 round 357-- 38 special plus P

 

[thomasinaz]

I've been buying S&W revolvers since my first, a new 2 1/2" Model 19, in 1987. There was a gap, about 1/8", between the ejector housing and the frame. I never sent it back because it was purely cosmetic and that little Model 19 shot great. My dealer said the last few he'd sold were like that, and since there was no internet I didn't know I was supposed to get all excited about it. I carried it for several years camping and hiking in northern NY State, and none of my friends ever noticed it had a flaw. A lot of new and used S&Ws have come and gone since then. Also many other brands like Ruger, Colt, Beretta, Sig, Springfield and others. Some had flaws but most were just fine. I've had to send two S&Ws back for repair work. One new, that had excessive file gouges inside the top strap, and one used, that broke the hammer strut. Two Colt's SAAs had to be sent back to the manufacturer, one had a cracked frame where the barrel screws in, and one for deep flaws in the nickel finish. One Ruger, a new Security Six, went back for a cracked barrel at the muzzle.

I've probably kept some that others would have sent back for warranty work. The problem was either a minor cosmetic issue or easily fixed by me or a local smith for a very small cost. I probably buy 50% more S&Ws than all the other brands combined. They all make a bad one from time to time. In my experience the percentage is about the same from brand to brand. Each of the manufacturers stood behind their guns and made it right. Colt and Ruger charged me for shipping, S&W didn't charge me a cent. Does anyone remember the Bangor Punta days of S&W, or the labor strike days of Colt, or the plum colored bluing of Rugers....?

 

[OKFC05]

.... Question please as I can't seem to be able to post a thread, not computer smart, the 686 plus was shipped with moon clips, can this gun be safely fired without the moon clips being used, as the rounds rattle a lot when loaded without the moon clips? Thank you for any help in advance, the gun is relieved for the moon clips to be used. 7 round 357-- 38 special plus P

The revolver can be fired with or without the clips. In a clean gun, the cartridges may rattle either way; no harm.

 

[oysterer]

lock

actions seem a lot rougher and not refined or well fitted. Blue jobs seems good on a classic 29 I saw and some innovative looking features on some of the performance center guns, but again, if they stick with these ridiculous locks, I would never own one or even consider one. So please decide already and get rid of them at least on some classic models or sell the company once again to someone who can make the decision to eliminate them.

 

[NYlakesider]

Well I bought my first S&W in mid 1970s (still have it- Model 60) and over the years I have seen a lot. Being a RO and NRA instructor, I have handled or shot many guns and I tend to like the older ones for many reasons, a lot more than the new ones.

In fact I only have one new purchase a few years ago my LGS had a bunch of 642s in stock, some with locks and some without. I looked over their stock and selected a nice none lock, not canted barrel to take home! (three of their 642s had canted barrels)

 

[zambys]

Thank you, OKFCO5

 

[Dave T]

Does anyone remember...the plum colored bluing of Rugers....?

I always loved those plum colored Ruger Blackhawks (smile). They had three screws in the frame and clicked 4 times when you cocked the hammer.

I also like 1st & 2nd Generation Colt SAAs, pre-MK IV Government Models, 1950s S&W N-frames, later S&Ws with hammer mounted firing pins, pre-'64 Winchesters, and a lot of other old stuff.

This attitude, or favoritism for older products is based on owning new versions of all of the above and finding them flawed, showing less quality, and lacking the attention to detail found in the "old stuff".

You don't have to agree but that doesn't invalidate my opinion or choices.

Dave

 

[ladder13]

Here we go again, the old "they don't make them like they used to" line.

I'm really glad they don't. The new guns are for the most part held to far tighter clearances and made with stronger metal. MIM, geeze, when will this butthurt go away? MIM is often aerospace material, it isn't some fragile, cheesy junk.

Canted barrels?? Wildly over hyped I think. Regular internet, one turkey gets out of the factory and you'd think 90% are flawed.

Do new guns have the highly polished blueing? No, labor costs are too high for that.

Don't like new, don't buy it but to say old is great and new is junk is total BS.

Ignore new and you also give up such awesome calibers as the 500 and 460 Mags. I've had several 500 Mags, all tight, well fitted guns with superb triggers and accuracy that 99.9% of shooters cannot exploit along with being the most powerful factory handgun in history. I have two now, both keepers.

This line is also applied to cars. Oh, my 1960 Chevy has tough sheet metal. Wow and you'll die in a crash with a new car. LOVE those bias ply tires, horrid drum brakes, lousy suspensions, obscene mileage and pollution. Yep, better than new. Sigh. Don

You see one of these threads you've seen a thousand. Same ol' over and over, so predictable.

 

[eb07]

I got lucky. My 442-1 is flawless and beautiful.

 

[choombak]

Hi friends, I can only talk about my experience with S&W revolvers, I shelled out a lot of hard earned money for a performance center 686 plus, the word performance on the gun was hardly readable, oh they fixed it when I sent it back but it should have not left the factory in that condition. Question please as I can't seem to be able to post a thread, not computer smart, the 686 plus was shipped with moon clips, can this gun be safely fired without the moon clips being used, as the rounds rattle a lot when loaded without the moon clips? Thank you for any help in advance, the gun is relieved for the moon clips to be used. 7 round 357-- 38 special plus P

Out of curiosity, did the lack of clear etching of word make a difference to how the gun fired? Thank you.

 

[choombak]

Newer production methods provide a far superior cost to value ratio over old ways. As long as safety isn't compromised, I don't care. The "old is gold" mentality only helps those who want their old guns increase in value and what better than the classic phrase "they don't make it...". ;-)

While old guns can certainly have a nostalgic feel with associated fond memories, I doubt they are superior to modern manufacturing methods where cost control (and thus making guns more affordable to cheapskates like me) also drives the requirements.

You want it done the old way? Sure, a 686 would then probably cost $3000 upwards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[white cloud]

"Bangor Punta"! Oh yes, I remember those. I had a Model 27 from those days. It was one of the worst revolvers I have ever owned. I had a Model 41 also. It needed a gunsmith's help just to feed .22s. I had a .22/32 kit gun that you had to beat the ejector rod to get the empties out of it. I would infinitely prefer an newer manufactured gun to those of that era.

 

[CH4]

Out of curiosity, did the lack of clear etching of word make a difference to how the gun fired? Thank you.

Out of curiosity, would you buy a new car with a huge dent in the door, even though said dent wouldn't affect how the car ran? Like the OP and most others, if I put down my money I want my stuff to be unblemished...unless I am knowingly buying damaged goods and being charged according.

 

[silversnake]

Newer production methods provide a far superior cost to value ratio over old ways. As long as safety isn't compromised, I don't care. The "old is gold" mentality only helps those who want their old guns increase in value and what better than the classic phrase "they don't make it...". ;-)

While old guns can certainly have a nostalgic feel with associated fond memories, I doubt they are superior to modern manufacturing methods where cost control (and thus making guns more affordable to cheapskates like me) also drives the requirements.

You want it done the old way? Sure, a 686 would then probably cost $3000 upwards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why would it be so high? Was there a lot of hand fitting on the no dash 686? This isn't a Colt Python we're talking about.

 

[iPac]

Here we go again, the old "they don't make them like they used to" line.

I'm really glad they don't. The new guns are for the most part held to far tighter clearances and made with stronger metal. MIM, geeze, when will this butthurt go away? MIM is often aerospace material, it isn't some fragile, cheesy junk.

Canted barrels?? Wildly over hyped I think. Regular internet, one turkey gets out of the factory and you'd think 90% are flawed.

Do new guns have the highly polished blueing? No, labor costs are too high for that.

Don't like new, don't buy it but to say old is great and new is junk is total BS.

Ignore new and you also give up such awesome calibers as the 500 and 460 Mags. I've had several 500 Mags, all tight, well fitted guns with superb triggers and accuracy that 99.9% of shooters cannot exploit along with being the most powerful factory handgun in history. I have two now, both keepers.

This line is also applied to cars. Oh, my 1960 Chevy has tough sheet metal. Wow and you'll die in a crash with a new car. LOVE those bias ply tires, horrid drum brakes, lousy suspensions, obscene mileage and pollution. Yep, better than new. Sigh. Don

I don't recall the OP saying anything about how the newer S&Ws are junk. I don't think he really said anything negative except he wasn't impressed.

This might be "another" of those threads, but your just "another" of those who prefer to defend it. Opinions differ, so keep enjoying you new revolvers. One less person to compete with.