Really upset with S&W Quality Control and Customer Service!

[Rivers2k]

*** Happy to report this issues has been resolved by another S&W rep. Joe from S&W reached out to me and was pleasant and professional. They are shipping me out new grips at no charge***


I was hoping to post a happy post this morning because I just got my first 686. Literally spent years of dreaming and saving and I finally got my 686 yesterday. I was so excited and then I noticed it.

My grips have a 1/16" gap in them, then I notice the screw is sticking out to far on the other side so I can't tighten it down. I foolishly purchased this gun online to save a few bucks. If I had seen this gun in the store I would not have bought it.

So I called smith this morning get customer service and I get a "hello" no name, no smith and wesson customer service, not even how can I help you. So I give the guy my name and ask his name he responds with Mel nothing else. So I tell the guy my problem he just gives me a curt "send me the grips and I will replace them". Iask for a shipping return label he tells me it takes 48 hours to e-mail me a shipping label! 48 hours to send an e-mail! I told Mell I spent $800 for this gun you cant just send me new grips he said he could but he would have to charge me for them anyways I am really pissed right now and will most likely go to another manufacturer for my next gun if this is they Smith takes care of their customers. I asked is there any way he can rush the e-mail it takes 5 minutes to send and e-mail and he laughed at me! he literally laughed at me!

Here are the pics!
Please excuse the kids toys in the background, that's why it has taken me so long to get my revolver .

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[45Wheelgun]

Are those actually factory grips? What "dash" version is your gun? Maybe just one more picture where we can see the actual grips?

 

[-db-]

Those don't look like the right grips for that gun. If it's a new gun, the retailer likely switched them for some reason, which isn't a S&W factory/customer service problem (it's extremely doubtful the gun left S&W looking like that). You should be contacting whoever it is you purchased the gun from.

 

[Rivers2k]

They are factory grips it is the 686-6 Talo 3" 3-5-7 model.

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[JamesArthur60]

That left the S&W factory looking like that?

 

[Lenny_D]

Can't blame you for your frustration. I'd be finding out who Mel's boss is and giving him a call, followed up by an email.

 

[-db-]

I see a turn line and a big worn area on the grips now. Is this even a new gun? How is S&W responsible for incorrect/poor fitting grips on a used gun?

 

[Rivers2k]

-db- its not a used gun it is a brand new gun. When it was register it was registered as a new gun if it had been previously registered than it would have comeback invalid.

There is no wear on the grips its just the photo it was taken with an iphone.

What do you mean turn line?

 

[Florida Guy]

Iask for a shipping return label he tells me it takes 48 hours to e-mail me a shipping label! 48 hours to send an e-mail! I told Mell I spent $800 for this gun you cant just send me new grips he said he could but he would have to charge me for them anyways I am really pissed right now and will most likely go to another manufacturer for my next gun if this is they Smith takes care of their customers. I asked is there any way he can rush the e-mail it takes 5 minutes to send and e-mail and he laughed at me! he literally laughed at me!

I don't think you are the only person with a problem that needs an email response. I think it is unreasonable of you to expect an immediate reply to your request. But that's just me.
My experience with S&W customer service has been positive.
I can understand your frustration, but I'm sure it will be resolved for you.

 

[-db-]

Well, it's hard to see exactly what's going on with the cell phone photos. They appear to be K/L-frame grips that should fit that gun properly. In any case, I'd still be contacting the seller first, not S&W. Like I said, it's doubtful the gun left the factory like that (they're test-fired, for one thing, and there's no way anyone fired that gun with those grips like that), and you've got to wonder how/why the seller didn't notice it.

 

[Scumbag242]

Rivers2K,

I feel your pain, I know exactly how you feel, spending $800+ and when the gun arrives, its in horrible condition. I can tell you my gun arrived in much worse condition than yours. I bought a 686SSR.

I noticed exactly the same thing as you did and I think some people on this forum will not understand. When you call a company as large as S&W you'd expect, "Thank you for calling S&W customer service, how can I help you?" I got the "hello" as well.

After explaining to the CS representative that my gun had arrived to the factory 5 days prior and asking if I could get a status update, the guy repeatedly said "7-10 business days" like a zombie. No matter what my question was I got the 7-10 day response. At that point, I felt no confidence in S&W and said the same thing that this would be the last S&W I would buy.

I got a call about 8 days after the gun arrived to S&W from Jenny in CS and she explained that a new 686SSR would be sent to my FFL of my choice. She answered all the questions I had and even gave me her extension and said to call back if I had any questions and I did.

If I were you, I would take that gun out to the shooting range and put a couple hundred rounds through it if you can. Be sure that this gun has no other problems before a prepaid label is sent to you. I easily could have sent my gun in prior to shooting, but I wouldn't have realized the other major issues with it. My story isn't over yet, but I can say I feel much better after talking with Jenny and if they make this right, I see a very beautiful relationship with S&W and myself.

 

[Rivers2k]

Well, it's hard to see exactly what's going on with the cell phone photos. They appear to be K/L-frame grips that should fit that gun properly. In any case, I'd still be contacting the seller first, not S&W. Like I said, it's doubtful the gun left the factory like that (they're test-fired, for one thing, and there's no way anyone fired that gun with those grips like that), and you've got to wonder how/why the seller didn't notice it.

I did take your suggestion and put a e-mail into the seller also. I just really cant believe that it made it to me like this. I know they are the correct grips because I have been online drooling over this gun for a while.

 

[Rivers2k]

Iask for a shipping return label he tells me it takes 48 hours to e-mail me a shipping label! 48 hours to send an e-mail! I told Mell I spent $800 for this gun you cant just send me new grips he said he could but he would have to charge me for them anyways I am really pissed right now and will most likely go to another manufacturer for my next gun if this is they Smith takes care of their customers. I asked is there any way he can rush the e-mail it takes 5 minutes to send and e-mail and he laughed at me! he literally laughed at me!

I don't think you are the only person with a problem that needs an email response. I think it is unreasonable of you to expect an immediate reply to your request. But that's just me.
My experience with S&W customer service has been positive.
I can understand your frustration, but I'm sure it will be resolved for you.

Maybe your right am just really upset becasue 1. the customer service guy had the nerve to laugh at me over the phone and 2. at my job I get 50-100 e-mails a day and I make sure everyone gets a response before i leave for the day. I hope S&W isnt getting 50-100 customer requesting return labels a day. believe me I don't want to hate on the company but this was really a kick in the gut.

 

[Broker50]

It's just a suggestion, but how about getting some better pix that you can actually see, including the SN on the end of the box, then e-mailing them to S&W customer service? I'll bet that would get it taken care of post-haste.

 

[45Wheelgun]

I assume you have removed the grips and see no obvious issues you could correct? I have seen where the pin on the frame that the hole in the grips fits into, gets pushed to far to one side and then holds one side of the grips to far out. Pretty simple fix if that is the issue.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Iask for a shipping return label he tells me it takes 48 hours to e-mail me a shipping label! 48 hours to send an e-mail! I told Mell I spent $800 for this gun you cant just send me new grips he said he could but he would have to charge me for them anyways I am really pissed right now and will most likely go to another manufacturer for my next gun if this is they Smith takes care of their customers. I asked is there any way he can rush the e-mail it takes 5 minutes to send and e-mail and he laughed at me! he literally laughed at me!

Maybe your right am just really upset becasue 1. the customer service guy had the nerve to laugh at me over the phone and 2. at my job I get 50-100 e-mails a day and I make sure everyone gets a response before i leave for the day. I hope S&W isnt getting 50-100 customer requesting return labels a day. believe me I don't want to hate on the company but this was really a kick in the gut.

This forum is a microcosm of S&W owners and yet we see more than a few of these threads. I have to wonder if maybe they really are getting that kind of volume in service calls.

FWIW, last year when I had a cracked frame they were very polite and fast with the service. It did take a day to get the emailed label but my gun was repaired and back in my hands in about two weeks.

 

[Rivers2k]

I assume you have removed the grips and see no obvious issues you could correct? I have seen where the pin on the frame that the hole in the grips fits into, gets pushed to far to one side and then holds one side of the grips to far out. Pretty simple fix if that is the issue.

I did not remove the grips but it looks like the metal rivet in the grips is seated too deep, which is causing the screw to go too far on the other side. Unfortunately that isn't something I can correct. I think that is what is also giving the extra play causing the gap.

 

[45Wheelgun]

You might give it a try. The screw being so far forward is probably due to someone attempting to tighten the grips into fitting. Can't hurt to look.

 

[ladder13]

I spoke to "Mel" about 10 days ago when I called about returning my 642 with a cracked frame. He also answered with a hello, doesn't bother me, I'm from NY. He was nothing but polite and helpful, and even told me to look him up if I came for a factory tour.
I received the label in 2 days, sent the gun in, and now it's being replaced with a new one.
Who knows what the procedure is for return shipments, maybe more than one person gets involved and the chain gets tangled.
I have had numerous interactions with S&W customer service, all have gone well. Sometimes they've sent me small screws and parts for free.
I'm a happy lifetime customer, sorry your experience was not like the ones I've had.

 

[H Richard]

All of my 3 dozen + S&W's are older than 1991, and none of them have ever needed to go back to the factory.