Not news, but no more work on Gen 3 guns from factory

[turbo38gn]

looks like an awesome policy to me!!! Thanks for posting

 

[TTSH]

looks like an awesome policy to me!!! Thanks for posting

Well, it's certainly a lot better than nothing... ... but it isn't the mythical "covers everything for all subsequent owners no matter what" sort of unlimited warranty that some seem to think it is.

The plain fact is that S&W has gone above and beyond their "Lifetime Service Policy" so many times that they have created that false impression and then some folks wonder when it falls short of their expectations.

Since I am a "subsequent owner" (not the original owner) of all my 3rd Gens, they are technically not covered by S&W's Lifetime Service Policy and I would therefore be relying 100% on S&W's good will if one of my 3rd Gen frames cracked.

Even worse, I have never once sent in even one "Product Registration Card" for any S&W product, new or used, in my entire sorry life... so technically, even my 100% brand new unfired-in-original-box plastic wonder guns aren't covered by S&W's Lifetime Service Policy either.

But we both know it's not all that bad. However, let's be clear: A lot of us (including me) are relying on S&W's reputation and good will much more than we are relying on their written "Lifetime Service Warranty" to make good on serious legitimate problems should they develop.

 

[ladder13]

Sometimes it is useful to actually re-read S&W's so-called "Lifetime Warranty" (actually called their "Lifetime Service Policy").

That it is.

Even though it says original owner, I had a new 642 shipped to me after the dreaded frame crack appeared on my old 642, of which I was at least the 3rd owner. Great service, imo.

Sig replaced my early WG P226 after the frame rails flew off after only 500 or so rds.


Correction: New 642 shipped to my FFL, because of serial number change. Smith even paid my transfer fee.

 

[Fastbolt]

Fastbolt mentioned the FBI HRT and the Browning HP. The SAS used rawther stouter ammunition than the FBI apparently did. I expect their training schedule is (or was at that time) more robust also. They experienced a lot of broken guns, but I have no clue as to number of rounds involved. ...

As I recall, the agency was primarily looking at the difference between steel and aluminum frames for durability and longevity.

Also, they considered the possibility of having to replace a cracked, broken, damaged or worn slide or barrel as more or less routine maintenance, as long as the frame remained intact and serviceable.