New 686+ 3" has to go back to Smith & Wesson

[Lodogg2221]

What an ordeal that was. FedEx said they couldnt ship because I wasnt an FFL. Had to call TWO different people before they would accept the package. I remained calm, mostly, and it finally got done.

So far, Im wishing Id have just bought a GP100 Wiley Clapp like I was going to....this has been the most trouble Ive EVER had from a firearms purchase, period.
If it came back with gold plated grips it wouldnt leave a less sour taste in my mouth for Smith.

 

[Lodogg2221]

Here is a picture. Not a good one, but holding a camera and a gun and trying to get them lined up to show a good angle of what you are trying to photograph is not easy....not at all! Anyway, you can see in this pic what Im talking about with this whole thread.

 

[bigfreakinrevolver]

I have to agree that the 686 is what I believe one of the most balanced revolvers I have ever shot and is what got me into collecting smiths in the first place. Don't worry s&w will make it right and you will be more the. Satisfied with its performance.

 

[M3Stuart]

Welcome to the forum! Always glad to see new faces coming to S&W products!

Now, please take a DEEEEEP BREEEEATH. Everything is going to be just FINE. I just sent back my brand new 642 a couple months ago. It's going to take 3 or 4 weeks (ok, maybe 5 with all the chaos).

But don't worry. They'll fix it just fine and you'll be perfectly happy when you get it. In fact, I'm kind of jealous cuz I want a 3" and haven't seen one in person in at least a year!

 

[Thursday]

I have a new 686P 5" that I got a few weeks ago. Excellent revolver but it has a slight cant to the barrel. Looking at your photo, yours was worse than mine. Mine's still noticeable though. It shot dead on so at this point it's a cosmetic issue to me so I haven't sent it in. I still may but right now Im just enjoying tne revolver. I have a GP100 and, while it's a fine pistol that im happy with, the 686 is just in another league to me.

I havent sent mine in but with as much as you paid for the revolver and the way you feel about it you did the right thing sending it in. Hopefully s&w will make it right for you so you can start enjoying your pistol.

 

[Lodogg2221]

Got it back today. Right as rain.

Oddly though, they also changed the rear sight. Not sure why, and I wouldnt have known except the old one was in the box with it.
The only difference I can see is that the blade itself is higher.
I like the shorter one, so maybe I swap them...but the barrel looks good now.

 

[Invictus357]

Got it back today. Right as rain.

Oddly though, they also changed the rear sight. Not sure why, and I wouldnt have known except the old one was in the box with it.
The only difference I can see is that the blade itself is higher.
I like the shorter one, so maybe I swap them...but the barrel looks good now.

I'm very glad to hear they fixed it for you.

It's puzzling why they sometimes don't get it right the first time.

When I bought mine, it was the first thing I looked for.

Thankfully, it was perfect.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Got it back today. Right as rain.

Oddly though, they also changed the rear sight. Not sure why, and I wouldnt have known except the old one was in the box with it.
The only difference I can see is that the blade itself is higher.
I like the shorter one, so maybe I swap them...but the barrel looks good now.

They would not have changed the rear blade without a reason. Most likely it had to do with ability to zero the gun and still have plenty of up and down adjustment left in the elevation mechanism of the sight, so do NOT change the sight blade back just for looks.

Plus, changing the rear sight blade requires breaking the windage screw during disassembly, not losing some tiny parts, and having all of the correct replacement parts, the spanner and the proper staking tool to stake the new windage nut on the windage screw. Have you called to ask why it was changed?

 

[Lodogg2221]

They would not have changed the rear blade without a reason. Most likely it had to do with ability to zero the gun and still have plenty of up and down adjustment left in the elevation mechanism of the sight, so do NOT change the sight blade back just for looks.

Plus, changing the rear sight blade requires breaking the windage screw during disassembly, not losing some tiny parts, and having all of the correct replacement parts, the spanner and the proper staking tool to stake the new windage nut on the windage screw. Have you called to ask why it was changed?

I have not called. There was a note in the box with it mentioning the barrel, but thats it.

They didnt just change the blade, they changed the whole rear sight assembly, so changing back is pretty easy.
As to the height, as I mentioned, the blade is taller, but the notch is also deeper. The bottom of the notch is in the same place in relation to the gun as the old sight.
Thats why I found it odd.

Ill call today and ask about it.

 

[2tango2]

Glad they got it right for you...I have a 642 I bought maybe 10 years ago that the front sight is canted a bit off.... I never really noticed it until this year as I took about a 10 year break from firearms

I think I'll see if Smith can fix this for me....I didn't know that barrels could be misaligned

 

[flundertaker]

I had a Century WASR once thst had misaligned sights. Perhaps S&W and Century share employees.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

 

[nachogrande]

have to return a new gun

hey, not all of us are computer whiz kids when it comes to computers and posting pics, so get off his back. hope somebody didn't jinx you by using the word guarantee. remember SOME advice is worth what you pay for it. if you can easily see it by eye it's bad and an exp eye at the factory should have picked it up before it left there, but stuff happens. being the new owner you are covered by the warranty but for that kind of money I agree big time it should not have happened. imo with some time and homework you could have bought 2 older S&W's used for the same $, when better QC and more hands on work were done and was actually better. don't give up on S&W (I've had issues too), maybe just the new ones?

 

[ladder13]

What an ordeal that was. FedEx said they couldnt ship because I wasnt an FFL. Had to call TWO different people before they would accept the package. I remained calm, mostly, and it finally got done.

I don't understand. When I've sent guns back, I called FedEx for pickup and they just came and picked up the package. They didn't ask a single question.

 

[Lodogg2221]

I don't understand. When I've sent guns back, I called FedEx for pickup and they just came and picked up the package. They didn't ask a single question.

New employee at the FedEx service center. Apparently though her boss didnt know either, because that was the second call...and he got a call back telling him it was ok, then he called the employee back to tell her it was ok.

I would think they would have someone on the premesis that knew for sure at all times, but I was wrong.