Performance Center quality problems...

[Blacky Montana]

Hey guys,
I have been wanting to get a 7 or 8 shot revolver in 357 mag, and have been considering one of the models 686 or 627 that come from the Performance Center. But in watching videos and reading reviews, im seeing where others have had quality issues right out of the box. One guy even got a 627 V Comp with a craked frame new in box. Have seen quite a few other issues as well. Some cosmetic while others being more serious. Has the S & W qualty really gone down that far, especially grom the Performance center..

 

[bluelund79]

I have two PC guns, a 625-8 and a 627-5. Since you’re in Montana, bring some factory ammo and you’re welcome to shoot mine to see for yourself. I’m in Billings. Too often, you hear the bad and not so much the good. I love my revolvers, lock or no lock.

 

[Bobbysixkiller]

I have a 686 plus. Not from the performance center. It’s hands down my favorite non sentimental handgun. It’s very accurate. Trigger is great. Just a really great all around gun. I bought it brand new. Never had any problems with it.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

Last year I bought the 686+PC and 686 PC back to back. Both the new vented models. I started shooting the 5" 686+PC first and it's become one of my FAVORITES. I have not shot the 686 PC 4" yet.
I did get a 627 V-comp years ago. It's not a recent gun, but I can say, in my own personal experience, these and the other performance center revolvers that I have, are nearly perfect in every way.
I have a 627 PC that has more than 10,000 rounds now that has never failed.
I have never had to warranty or gunsmith (so far) any performance center revolver I have.
Knock on wood

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[RDub]

Hello
I just picked up a 5" PC 686 plus and had an afternoon at the range with it. The gun arrived intact, nothing broken. That orange front sight is pretty overwhelming in sunlight. And why, on a high end gun, did S&W not put a white outline rear sight on these?
I had to blacken the bottom 2/3 of the front sight and paint my own white outline on the rear. That made it very tolerable.
It's a new gun and I'm just not used to it yet, but my 4" non-dash 686 out shoots it so far.
So the front sight is 'interchangeable'.. Just what exactly is available for these? I see a lot of 'Hi-Vis' sights. Is there an old school patridge or a red ramp sight?

Thanks

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

All of my over a dozen new and used S&W firearms have been great. I think that the quality may have slipped over the years, but is still relatively high and when you have issues, particularly on new guns, S&W makes it right. Also a lot of problems could be mishandling in the supply chain. As mentioned above, the complaints get more press. By the way, I like the S&W 8 shot 357 M&P R8. Best of luck with whatever you choose.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Speaking from my own experience (and from what I see at the shop I work in) I think allot of the commonly (overly?) reported Quality Issues with the PC guns are behind us.
I've purchased nine PC/Pro revolvers since 2015. Only one (929PC) was disappointing with a ugly and rough forcing cone.
I did see a few "they should have caught that" defects but that was 3-4 years back and particularly with the PC/Pro versions. However I have not seen any notable quality issues with any S&W revolver (PC or otherwise) in the last year or so.
Whatever the cause, I believe it has been caught and corrected.

BTW, of all my PC revolvers, I'm loving my 5", 627PC the best!

 

[madmikeb]

I have quite a few PC revolvers I use for CCW and shoot competitively. They look good, shoot good, and I like the configurations that you can only get from the Performance Center.

That being said it has not been unusual for me to have to send them back for things that never should have gotten out of the factory. In all fairness though, Smith customer service has always been outstanding, the guns are fixed promptly, correctly, and give good service from that point on.

Myself, I will keep buying PC guns.

 

[Blacky Montana]

Thanks guys.. This is exactly what i wanted and expected to hear. Any quality problems that Smith was having, especially with PC guns, seems to be corrected and a thing of the past. Yes im sure some minor defects may still slip through, but apears big improvement over 4 years ago. Its nice to know i can still keep my faith in S&W.

 

[Well Armed]

I have quite a few PC revolvers I use for CCW and shoot competitively. They look good, shoot good, and I like the configurations that you can only get from the Performance Center.

That being said it has not been unusual for me to have to send them back for things that never should have gotten out of the factory. In all fairness though, Smith customer service has always been outstanding, the guns are fixed promptly, correctly, and give good service from that point on.

Myself, I will keep buying PC guns.

This and the lock has been keeping me from pulling the trigger on spending nearly $900 on a 627 PC. Like the OP, I've been seeing and hearing about QC issues when it comes to S&W revolves... Even more so than then Ruger, Colt, Kimber, Taurus, Charter Arm, etc as of late... Add that to the fact that I own 4 S&W semiautos, and my Shield 45 PC had shorts on the frame from the injection molding that I didn't notice until after the transfer and the recoil assembly went to **** only after 3 short range trips on a otherwise new gun... S&W took care of the recoil spring; however, I've also been hearing a few complaints about their customer service lately too.. Sure, you hear more bad than good, but like I stated, I've been hearing more and more bad about S&W QC and CS lately in comparison to other companies.

IMHO, S&W needs more competition in the higher end, refined, sub $1000 revolver market to spark them to start tightening up.

 

[rubiranch]

I have two PC guns, a 625-8 and a 627-5. Since you’re in Montana, bring some factory ammo and you’re welcome to shoot mine to see for yourself. I’m in Billings. Too often, you hear the bad and not so much the good. I love my revolvers, lock or no lock.

This forum is chalk full of good people.

 

[Mrnurse]

All my SW are 20+ yo.... except for a New 66 which shoots excellent. I looked at a New 686 at the local shop the other day...fit and finish a little off and a Double action pull was awful.... SA pull fair.... QUITE a difference from my New 66...seems QA is a bit hit and miss.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

Hello

I just picked up a 5" PC 686 plus and had an afternoon at the range with it. The gun arrived intact, nothing broken. That orange front sight is pretty overwhelming in sunlight. And why, on a high end gun, did S&W not put a white outline rear sight on these?

I had to blacken the bottom 2/3 of the front sight and paint my own white outline on the rear. That made it very tolerable.

It's a new gun and I'm just not used to it yet, but my 4" non-dash 686 out shoots it so far.

So the front sight is 'interchangeable'.. Just what exactly is available for these? I see a lot of 'Hi-Vis' sights. Is there an old school patridge or a red ramp sight?



Thanks

The front and rear assembly are easy to interchange. And on that gun it's easier because the front sight isnt pinned. You just push down and lift sideways- super easy to do. They're compatible to anything DX interchangeable. For example: I used a gold bead front sight off of my 627 PC N frame. Its marked .227". Anything .250 or .227 in my experience has had similar results.
I although have to admit, I've never fired my 686+PC 5" with iron sights at all. I just didnt set it up that way.
I have guns that I insist on shooting with iron sights and I shoot about the same as my red dots. For example my model 25-2 6.5" with a patridge front and blacked out rear! (Target sights)Now we're talking! [emoji41]

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[Gripgrabber]

Hello, the only PC I’ve had is a 625-8 4” PC is back at smith with a timeing issue( immediately fail to lock up cylinder) I hope it’s resolved soon .
Semper paratus