New 686 Plus Poor QC

[buckhammer]

Oh,
I haven't heard back from S&W management or customer service...yeah right. I'm sure my little email electrons are long gone in the delete bin, and the handwritten letter accompanying my revolver for repair is already in a land fill. Like I said, it's a principle thing, it was more important for me to say something that to actually get a response. But they are making it right. There's always time to do it right; it's just cheaper, faster, easier to do it right the first time...Boy I must really be old school...

 

[Tanners Owner]

Am sorry to hear of your experiences. My experiences with buying new Smiths has been positive ( M&P 9C, 627 pro, 625 JM and M&P) ; all bought between last month and 2007.

I too use them as tools, but like you I want what I pay for. Am glad to hear that they took care of you.

 

[JDM396]

Oh,
I haven't heard back from S&W management or customer service...yeah right. I'm sure my little email electrons are long gone in the delete bin, and the handwritten letter accompanying my revolver for repair is already in a land fill. Like I said, it's a principle thing, it was more important for me to say something that to actually get a response. But they are making it right. There's always time to do it right; it's just cheaper, faster, easier to do it right the first time...Boy I must really be old school...

In all fairness, all the "old school" boys I know, would worry about how it shoots relative to anything else. Back in the day, they didn't go over everything with a microscope from what I've seen.

Glad S&W took care of you.

 

[sw282]

lf l see a new S&W l will buy it.. lf it is not right l will send it back to the factory. People have been doing it since 1852

 

[one eye joe]

To the OP, based on the problems I have experienced with my last S&W acquisition (640-1 Pro Series), the company has let their QC slip.

I didn't get it through my LGS or dealer after it was handled for months and it didn't come from some on-line source. My gun shipped directly from S&W so there is no "the middleman did it" excuse.

They fixed the three glaring fit and finish issues. However, one of the problems with my gun was also a clocked barrel. I've now sent it back twice for this problem and it still isn't perfectly straight.

Like it or not, bad ones are slipping through. I've owned four new (NIB) S&W revolvers over the last three years. Three had to go back... Two had to be replaced.

Edmo

YOU MAY SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT THE OP'S REVOLVER, WHO DID WHAT, WHAT HE SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE, ETC, ETC----THAT IS ALL FINE AND DANDY-----BUT


ANYONE WHO READS OUR FORUM ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT QUALITY CONTROL AT S&W IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW, IMHO, IS A FOOL…...

 

[buckhammer]

It shoots better than me!

Finally,
First time I shot it, here's a pic of the target. Of course it shoots great! 25 yards. Right target is double action. Left target is single action. Ignore upper part of left target, that is my Auto-ordinance M1 carbine and it needs some tweaking...recoil plate keeps working loose.

 

[one eye joe]

A FEW CLICKS OF ELEVATION (TWO FIRST, THEN ONE AT A TIME IF NEEDED) SHOULD PUT YOU IN THE X RING. ALL OF YOUR SHOTS SEEM TO BE TO THE LEFT OF THE VERTICAL AXIS. I WOULD GO TO THE RIGHT, ONE CLICK (AT A TIME) UNTIL YOUR GROUP IS EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE CENTER. . YOUR SA SHOTS MAY INDICATE THAT YOU ARE TIGHTENING YOUR GRIP, WHILE SQUEEZING OFF YOUR SHOTS THE BIGGEST THING THAT YOU CAN DO TO ASSIST YOU IN ZEROING IN YOUR NEW REVOLVER IS TO SHOOT IT WITH A TWO HANDED HOLD, OFF A BENCH. TAKE CARE NOT TO LET THE BARREL TOUCH ON ANYTHING, AS ITS HARMONICS WILL BE INTERFERED WITH. THIS METHOD WILL SHRINK THE SIZE OF YOUR GROUP……

I KNOW THAT YOU DIDN'T ASK ME, AND I DON'T WISH TO STICK MY NOSE WHERE IT DOESN'T BELONG. YOU ARE NEW TO THE FORUM (WELCOME, BTW) , AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE MIGHT BE. YOUR TARGETS ARE VERY PROMISING FOR A FIRST OUTING. ALL OF THE ABOVE IS JUST BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU IF YOU FEEL THAT IT WILL HELP YOU. I AM AN NRA INSTRUCTOR, WHO HAS BEEN ZEROING COLTS AND S&W HANDGUNS FOR OVER 50 YEARS. (JUST A STATEMENT OF FACT, AND A SAD COMMENTARY ON MY ADVANCED AGE--NOT BRAGGING AT ALL) I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU REALIZE THE ACCURACY THAT YOUR BEAUTIFUL 6" 686 IS CAPABLE OF, SO THAT YOU WILL ENJOY IT TO THE MAX. I THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE MAKINGS OF A FINE SHOOTER…..……

WHEN I WAS COMING UP, MANY OF THE OLD PISTOLEROS THAT I WAS AROUND HELPED ME. NOW THAT I'M A GEEZER MYSELF, ITS TIME FOR ME TO PASS THE TORCH. HAVE FUN AND STAY SAFE…..

 

[regalsc]

Thanks one eye for the tip on tightening the grip as you shoot because somesometimes I shoot a little left also. I'm going to be aware of that next time. (This Saturday).

 

[bigfatty]

First, I received the revolver back yesterday...great turnaround time. The "Repair Order Completion" letter shows the following performed services. Evaluate, repair, refinish complete gun, replace ext., grip, reline (realign) barrel. These services were done, revolver looks great! Except...the grip they replaced on the gun is an SSR non-fingergroove grip, not the original Talo fingergroove grip. I know, I know, I should just be happy I got my gun back so fast...I shouldn't "gripe about the grip". No rationale, explanation, or reason for substitution. I'll contact them to see about getting the correct grip back, hopefully without returning the gun...which is no longer a Talo, it's now an ultra-rare, one of a kind SSRalo which I'm sure is worth twice what I paid for it! LOL See pic.

Second, some background. I'm an 01 FFL, 03 Collector, and I know the seller. He transferred the gun to me the day he received it from Davidson's (I've been unable to get one from Davidson's for months). The revolver either left S&W boogered that way or Davidson's did it during their 20 second inspection/logging (which I doubt). Admit my earlier posted pics aren't very clear, but the barrel was clocked slightly (agree, I've seen worse) and there was a burr on the cylinder ratchet...don't think that happened from handling. The gun was scratched, and yes, I'll scratch it real good over a lifetime of shooting the snot out of it! But, I'm a guy of principle, I didn't buy a hail damaged gun, I bought a new one. That's what I expect, hence the tone of my letter. And no, they didn't pop the side plate and clean inside so I guess they showed me! I rarely complain about bad food, I usually just eat it and don't come back. But I just couldn't let this one go...guess I must have snapped.

You got your gun back 8 days from the date you sent it in? I've been waiting two weeks and still haven't heard a peep.

This is getting to be a drag. This is about the 6th brand new gun I've sent back to a manufacturer for "repairs" in the last 18 months. I had it in my hand one day, and I'll get a factory refurb back whenever they decide to fix it.