New 686 plus with cracked grip frame

[Russell420]

Bought a brand new 686 plus at my lgs this month, and noticed the crack in the heel of the grip frame when I removed the factory grips to clean it. Anyone ever see this before? The doesn't appear too deep, and it's going back to S&W for repair. How this got past quality control blows my mind. First new Smith I've bought in 15 years.

Russell420

 

[D Brown]

That gun should have never left the factory. Sorry for your inconvenience. I hope Smith & Wesson makes everything right.

 

[D Brown]

By the way, I see you're a long time member, welcome to the Smith & Wesson Forum on your first post!

 

[S&WIowegan]

That grip frame should NOT be repaired! Has to be replaced because you can't see how far that flaw runs inside the casting. Make it very clear to the customer service know-nothings that repair is a non-starter.

Good luck.

 

[Capttjk1]

Wow, first time I have seen that. Rediculous!! They should replace the gun, nothing less!!

 

[daddio202]

Wow 12 years and it's first post? Anyhow sorry to see that Crack in a very unusual spot. Should not affect performance but I would think the entire frame will have to be replaced to fix it. Hope they do right by you and replace. Does the gun shoot accurate?? I don't know with all the stories out there you are doing the absolute right thing by sending it in but if it were me and the rest of the gun is perfect and shoots well I might just fill the Crack with some J B weld or something if you can not see Crack with grips on. Good luck to you.

 

[iPac]

Almost makes you wonder why they even bothered wasting all the time of final parts fitting and assembly when the whole frame will be replaced once back in their possession.

 

[regalsc]

Aren't the frames forged an earlier poster mentioned a flaw in the cast.

 

[scooterfiend]

bad casting

Even though that crack may not be in a critical area of the frame, I'd think about the possibility of there being flaws in the casting that aren't visible w/o dye penetrant or magna-flux. Just MHO

Aug. 19, '17
My bad, I meant to refer to forging rather than a cast frame.

 

[D Brown]

Aren't the frames forged an earlier poster mentioned a flaw in the cast.

Yes, the frames are forged, not cast.

 

[Engineer1911]

Quality Assurance at S&W believed that was "close enough". Hey if its not safe, just 'lock it out'.

 

[cmj8591]

That is a fault in the forging. I would bet that it was not visible when the gun left the factory but appeared as the gun was fired and was exposed to different temperatures. There is no fix for it and Smith will replace the gun.

 

[Big Cholla]

That is a surface anomaly in the surface of a low stress area of the frame. That handgun is safe to shoot and is sound for a long life. BUT, as others have stated, it is a quality control defect and S&W will replace the entire frame and/or the entire handgun. Just send it back on their dime. ..

 

[steelslaver]

How can this be. Forgings are so superior to MIM. LOL

Actually I would bet that there was a flaw in the initial billet that was not visible. Probably didn't show after forging and even most of the machining. Possibly enlarged when piece was heat treated but maybe not. I once ground a knife blade from a piece of high quality German D2 tool steel. Heat treated it along with some others . Didn't see anything unusual until I was doing the final finish with high grit sand paper. Small scratch that wouldn't go away. Got suspicious and checked it with dye penetrate and then flexed it. SNAP. Once it was broke I could clearly see the flaw which I am sure was from the initial billet and survived being rolled into plate and being sheared into strips, being ground and heat treated. Might not have opened up until some small stress was put on it if I had hot noticed the "scratch"

I am sure S&W will replace it.

 

[Triggernosis]

OK, that's it, I've heard enough about poor quality from S&W the past few years, including me own experience with a 317 that they never could get right and I ended up selling for a substantial loss. In addition, I bought a new 642 this year that had to go back immediately due to the cylinder being almost impossible to open.
I'm buying ONE more S&W, a 3rd generation gun, probably a 3913, and I'm done! They can choose someone else to be their quality control monkey besides me. One more - that's it! And it's going to be a used older one.

 

[ladder13]

People are so shocked nowadays are they?

My neighbor just moved into a brandy new house last Saturday. Today there was an appliance repair van parked in their driveway.

 

[D Brown]

OK, that's it, I've heard enough about poor quality from S&W the past few years, including me own experience with a 317 that they never could get right and I ended up selling for a substantial loss. In addition, I bought a new 642 this year that had to go back immediately due to the cylinder being almost impossible to open.
I'm buying ONE more S&W, a 3rd generation gun, probably a 3913, and I'm done! They can choose someone else to be their quality control monkey besides me. One more - that's it! And it's going to be a used older one.

More for me.

 

[Pisgah]

People are so shocked nowadays are they?

My neighbor just moved into a brandy new house ...

What a coincidence! I dated Brandy Newhouse back in highschool!

 

[Wise_A]

OK, that's it, I've heard enough about poor quality from S&W the past few years, including me own experience with a 317 that they never could get right and I ended up selling for a substantial loss. In addition, I bought a new 642 this year that had to go back immediately due to the cylinder being almost impossible to open.
I'm buying ONE more S&W, a 3rd generation gun, probably a 3913, and I'm done! They can choose someone else to be their quality control monkey besides me. One more - that's it! And it's going to be a used older one.

'Kay, thanks, bye.

 

[Triggernosis]

More for me.

Don't get excited - they're not going to lower the price on any of them.