Night Guard Owners - Please Post FTF Problems Here

[conchmariner]

There have been quite a few threads about FTF problems with Night Guards. Have you had FTF problems with yours? I'm curious what pct of NG owners here have had problems, and if the problems disappeared with either a new firing pin or a trip back to S&W.

Here are my experiences:

396 NG - 210 rounds fired, 7 FTF, all with Magtech .44 Special 240 grain Cowboy Action Load. Both Winchester .44 Special 200 grain STHP and Hornady .44 Special 180 grain JHP/XTP have been flawless so far.

329 NG - 291 rounds fired, 12 FTF, 5 with CCI Blazer .44 Special 200 grain JHP, 7 with CCI Blazer .44 Magnum 240 grain JHP. The above Winchester and Hornady .44 Special loads have been flawless, as have Hornady .44 Magnum 300 grain JHP/XTP (albeit painful) and Magtech .44 Magnum 240 grain JSP.

I still haven't decided whether my experiences make a trip back to S&W necessary, but I am considering it.

 

[Nframe357]

I talked a buddy of mine into a 325 NG last year, it worked fine for the first couple of outings then it started to misfire. We were perplexed so I posted a thread here about the issue and got the reply. S&W installed short firing pins to meet commiefonias drop test, brilliant thinking on the behalf of my favorite handgun maker! He called S&W they said send it back and they'd replace the FP with the same type of FP, more brilliance. He found an aftermarket maker of firing pins and installed the needed size and it's been flawless ever since. His lock also was giving him issues so he took that out as well. Now I've never really cared about the whole lock issue till now, I WILL not buy a newer S&W with the lock or nonsensical short firing pins, I will continue to buy older Smiths but new ones, no way!

 

[BIG DOG]

I wish to thank you both now that my stomach is in a knot!
I just dropped some heavy cash last night on a unfired 325 pd and its to late if there is a problem.
Are there any good reviews........Quick please! I need some positive input!
G

 

[maxxpower]

327 Nightguard here

I've just recently picked up a 327 NG. So far I've had ZERO FTF with about 300 rounds through it. I've been shooting almost all 38special and a lot of different ammo but I've only heard click-boom so far.

 

[doyle01]

Got a 325 NG never had a ftf . Not one

 

[moxie]

Conchmariner, Your experience with FTFs is way high. Get the gun(s) fixed.

 

[conchmariner]

Conchmariner, Your experience with FTFs is way high. Get the gun(s) fixed.

I agree it's too high, but I'm not sure yet if it's ammo specific or not. For example my last go round on the 329 with Blazer .44 Magnum I had 5 FTFs out of 18 rounds, but all 5 had good primer strikes, so I may have got a bad box of ammo (OTOH I shot the remaining 32 in my 629 with no issues). I then shot a box of Winchester .44 Special with no issues (in the 329 NG).

 

[Crazy K38]

I say if you have one or get one don't take the chance get a longer FP

 

[Bear Country 88]

329NG here. 33% FTF on the first trip to the range. Sent the gun back to S&W. Took 6 weeks for them to "repair under warranty". When I asked what exactly was done under warranty - Customer Service told me their computer screen says "replace firing pin".

I just got the gun back and will be visiting the range soon. One more FTF and this "self defense" weapon is nothing more than a "trade" gun at the next gun show.

With the FTF and that lock with it's potential issues - I'm going to avoid S&W. That's me, and it's because of an unreliable Night Guard.

 

[Tom M]

No problems with my 386, but I "tweaked" it before it went to the range.

 

[dirtygrunt95]

386 had for over a year 1k + through it no ftf.

 

[pinkymingeo]

Replacing the firing pin takes two minutes if you stop to drink some coffee. Otherwise, less. An Apex or C&S firing pin cures any problems permanently. Instead of getting upset, just get a pin and simmer down.

 

[BIG DOG]

pinky
could you please post a link to where one might find these firing pins?
Thanks
G

 

[pinkymingeo]

Apex Apex XP ignition kit - $14.99 : Zen Cart!, The Art of E-commerce

C&S MidwayUSA - Advanced Search

 

[BIG DOG]

Thank you much
G

 

[Randy Lee]

Hi all,

It has been my experience that the as shipped firing pins are typically on the short side. I have also found that coupled with the Wolff mainspring (that some of the guns are shipped with), an increase in the ftf rate occurs.

A longer pin and or replacement with the stock factory mainspring (one without the rib running down the center of the mainspring) usually cures the problem.

The factory pins measuring .495 in overall length will also work.

~Randy

Apex Tactical Specialties, Inc.

 

[Dennis The B]

I took a new 325NG to the range today...

I purchased a new 325NG on Wednesday, and immediately put 100 rounds through it at the local shop's range. I had no FTF's, and went through two boxes of Blazer 230gr Ball ammo, with brass cases.

Today, I went to my club, and put another 200 rounds through the revolver. Again, not one FTF. I used a variety of factory loads and home reloads. I fired 185gr JSWC, 230gr ball, and 230 gr JHP. While these various type are more of a factor with an auto, they were what I had previously loaded and stored. The brass was a mixture of WW, Federal, R-P, 1960's military (W-W), and Speer.

Now, it may be possible that FTF's will occur the next time out, or in the future. I will keep you posted. However, until then, I'm a very happy camper with the new revolver.

 

[Chik a Boom]

Same as maxxpower said.

 

[conchmariner]

Replacing the firing pin takes two minutes if you stop to drink some coffee. Otherwise, less. An Apex or C&S firing pin cures any problems permanently. Instead of getting upset, just get a pin and simmer down.

This is what I'm going to do this week ie order a new pin. But this really shouldn't be necessary for a 900 dollar revolver marketed primarily as a defense weapon (check out the NG ad in the latest American Rifleman), so I can understand people being upset.

 

[cunwat]

I bought a 386 NG with a seven shot cylinder. On my first outing to the backyard range, it misfired 18 out of 21 times using 3 different brands of premium self defense ammo. I emailed Smith and Wesson and got a reply back the next day. They sent me a FEDEX lable in about a week. I sent the gun back. Less than 10 days later I got the gun back with a letter saying the firing pin had been replaced and it was good to go.

I took it out to the range the next day. I shot 50 MagTech 38 special rounds through it and had 5 FTF. I recycled them and none fired. I then put them in an old Model 65 I have that has never failed to fire in 15 years and has thousands of rounds through it. Four our of the five did not fire.

I then put 300 rounds of premium 38 +P and 357 self defense ammo through the gun without a single misfire. I have decided that the MagTech primers were set deep and there may have been a QC problem with them, because the other ammo was flawless.

I think I will put several hundred more rounds through it before I carry it, but I believe Smith has worked out the bug in the firing pin. They were fast and responsive. The trigger is as good as any gun I own and some of them have expensive trigger jobs.

There are some positive endings to this saga.