NEW 617 3 steps away from perfect

[Nightowl]

With the modern machinery and measuring devices made today, I wonder why they cannot put a barrel on perfectly clocked to the frame??????

I have handled a lot of Smiths over time, and have seen only a couple of the pinned ones that were off a bit, but the sight was still verticle enough that it still had a good sight picture.

 

[mtscout]

That's fast turn around for service!
I hope your 617 shoots as good as mine does.

Did you get the free sweatshirt?

 

[photoman]

The barrel being off center is standard procedure and nothing to worry about. The machine work on the other hand... Wow! That was pitiful!

 

[stashu]

That's fast turn around for service!
I hope your 617 shoots as good as mine does.

Did you get the free sweatshirt?

No sweatshirt :-(
any S&Wreps here????

 

[617X10]

I sent back a M&P 340 for a canted barrel and inaccuracy. It came back with the barrel still canted, but upon the acid test (actually shooting it) the accuracy was unquestionably much better. I don't care if they don't throw in the obligatory bumper sticker as long as they fix the problem.

 

[Gebe]

Good for you and glad you didn't meekly accept the gun with all those defects!

I love S&W guns and I know a clunker now and then can slip through quality control but it sure seems like S&W has been letting a lot of them slip through lately.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Is it just me or does it look like they torqued that barrel down so hard they bent the ends of the milled center??? It looks like they rolled to the left against the frame...

 

[Mulefoot]

I shipped my 686 out yesterday for the same "cantered"barrel issue,mine shot great after adjusting the rear sight,it just kills me it was off center,my friends GP100,SP101 ETC are perfect,if it comes back less than perfect its going bye bye.
I guess it may be a lesson learned

 

[stashu]

Poll, sent it back?

Just curious as to "would you sent it back".
Personally I am SOMEWHAT OK with the barrel but should I sent it back? Would you? Should we sent a message to S&W that this is not acceptable, because if we don't more may follow?
Sorry just need to know what to do. I do plan on shooting it within a couple days.
PLEASE no smart remarks, I am just asking advise for all of us because you may have the same issue someday.


Thanks

 

[pctech]

stashu,

I know I commented earlier in the thread, but I will do so again... Shoot the gun and see how it groups, and if it is accurate. I suspect you will be very pleased with its performance, especially now.

The barrel on my new 617 is also slightly canted, but is a very accurate revolver and I see no reason to send it in. I'm well aware that it may come back in worse condition than when I sent it.

Also, as mentioned before, I've probably looked at least a dozen new 617's since buying mine, and they all have some amount of 'cant' to the barrel. As long as it's very minimal, which mine is, and yours looks to be, I would leave well enough alone.

I'm going to a local gun show this weekend, and one next weekend, so I'll be sure to look at any new 617's I can find, and will report back.

James
(PS- Don't think I'm giving S&W a pass on quality control issues. I bought a new S&W 625JM last year that was so rough and had so many defects out of the box that S&W ended up buying the gun back from me for full purchase price plus FFL fees. I expect quality!)

 

[pctech]

For anyone interested, I just got back from the gun show and looked at 4 NIB 617's. Two 6" models, and two 4" ones.

All 4 had some degree of barrel cant. None were perfectly straight.

While it may not be ideal, or even acceptable, it is a common thing on current S&W's.

 

[Maximumbob54]

For anyone interested, I just got back from the gun show and looked at 4 NIB 617's. Two 6" models, and two 4" ones.

All 4 had some degree of barrel cant. None were perfectly straight.

While it may not be ideal, or even acceptable, it is a common thing on current S&W's.

I'm not sure how to feel about that. Not sure at all.

 

[packheat]

I know how I feel about it. It's BS. I pay the S&W premium to get flawless guns. I have a gun on its way to S&W for service for this problem right now. Its unacceptable.

 

[Mulefoot]

Just curious as to "would you sent it back".
Personally I am SOMEWHAT OK with the barrel but should I sent it back? Would you? Should we sent a message to S&W that this is not acceptable, because if we don't more may follow?
Sorry just need to know what to do. I do plan on shooting it within a couple days.
PLEASE no smart remarks, I am just asking advise for all of us because you may have the same issue someday.


Thanks

I feel with todays tooling & technology it should be perfect,its not a "silly little toy gun"...My 686 shot great,but it shouldnt look goofy.I am actually trying to get them to install the 5" performance center barrel on my 686,they said to call back Tuesday & that can be an option
I would send it back,i bet if you went and picked up a Ruger it would be perfect.

 

[packheat]

I feel with todays tooling & technology it should be perfect,its not a "silly little toy gun"...My 686 shot great,but it shouldnt look goofy.I am actually trying to get them to install the 5" performance center barrel on my 686,they said to call back Tuesday & that can be an option
I would send it back,i bet if you went and picked up a Ruger it would be perfect.

My point exactly about paying for perfection. Other brands of revolvers have thier issues, but it stands to reason that you should be getting what you pay for. I have a model 94 Taurus 22 revolver that has a heavy trigger, rough action and 4 inch groups at 25 yards; but I only paid 350 brand new at my LGS for it. Guess what, that barrel is straight. I also have a Rossi 38 (K frame copy) worth about 300 bucks. I don't have a single complaint with that gun. I totally expect any K frame to be head and shoulders above my Rossi in quality and workmanship, but it seems a lot of them aren't these days, even at 2 or 3 times the price.

 

[Mulefoot]

Here was why i sent my 686 back

 

[Mulefoot]

Thats what i paid $850 for.

 

[pctech]

Don't get me wrong guys, I'm not happy about the quality control issues with S&W.

In fact, I've wanted a 625PC for almost a year now, but can't find one locally and hesitate to order one online that I can't see before buying. They too seem to be plagued with QC issues such as the canted barrel, poor fitting grips, as well as missing trigger stops rough machine work. One member here even recieved his gun with blued screws! Odd, on a stainless performance center gun. After my fiasco with a 625JM last year, I just don't want to risk it.

James

 

[Mulefoot]

I learned a lesson thats for sure,now i know what the first thing is i am looking at!

 

[SW357Addict]

The issues with your 617 are why I won't buy any new, modern S&W revolvers and have sold all of the one's I own except for my 617 with lock (but am considering selling it).

When I purchased my 617, I had to thoroughly clean it because it had metal shavings and polishing compound residue inside and out. And 3 other stainless S&W's that I have had also had lots of metal shavings in the lockwork that I had to cleaned out.

I sold a 627PC that the muzzle was not cut square and also sold two 625JM's in the past 2 years that also had to have trips back to S&W. The first 625JM would skip past one of the cylinder stop notches when shooting fast double action and the second 625JM's barrel to cylinder gap was about 4 times greater on one side than the other. All these guns were purchased new.

I love S&W's of the past NOT of the present.