S&W 43c Frustration

[Yendor357]

Random observations:

At the root of the failure to fire issue lies with scumbags, who hire scumbag lawyers that sue companies for a quick and easy buck. S&W has to make their guns so safe, they barely work. Taking the firing pin off the hammer was a step in the wrong direction if you want a revolver, on which you can bet your life.

In my experience, if you send a 22 revolver back, they will recut the forcing cone. Every time. SOP. Even when it’s obvious that they hadn’t recut the forcing cone, they will tell you that they recut the forcing cone. Why can’t they get the forcing cone right the first time?

I have a four inch 617, 10 shot, MIM, hil ho that used lead up fairly quickly. I did the Wheeler’s fire lap. Almost none now. Super accurate.

With the exception of the 617 which has a barrel noticeably 5 degrees cock eyed to the left, ALL my S&Ws have the rear sight blade cranked nearly all the way to the right. I have 4 S&W 45 autos. Not a single one of them shoot to point of aim. None of them. They’re all very accurate. But to me they’re useless because I can’t zero them. So I shoot an extremely accurate Ruger SR1911 T with an adjustable rear sight.

 

[walkin' trails]

They’ve replaced the cylinder once and cut the forcing cone twice. If I have to keep sending it back, I’ll have a half-inch barrel. Planning to take it back to the range in a week or so and see if it’s me pushing left or the guns, still. Pretty sure it’s the gun, but…..

 

[a5werkes]

I had to tinker with mine a little.

This 2020 S&W 43C had tight chambers, had to routinely use a wooden dowel to tap the fired cartridges free, mostly all chambers.

Chamber diameters measured with precision gage pins. Used 220-320-600 grit to hone chambers 0.001”+ , extraction problem resolved.

When new, bolt retaining pin was proud on the right side and whack-a-mole installed on the left side.

The MIM firing pin was pretty ugly but has functioned fine.

Cylinder hand window looked shaggy.

Use it as an inexpensive trainer for .38 & .357 J frames.

 

[Phenix]

Well…yeah. If it was clocked correctly, then we’d likely not be talking about a S&W, nor chatting about the issue at all.

Thanks for your input Captain Obvious. Our semantic debate is super-useful for shooters that are looking for answers when wondering why their pistols consistently shoot left or right, despite their best efforts.

And, thanks to your input, I feel like I can be a more good talker now.

Glad I could be of help!

 

[oldgrappler]

I recently acquired one. I am happy with mine so far. I have put just over 1000 rds through it. I put over 400 rds through it during the first range session. Mine shoots to point of aim, though my group sizes are pie plate size at 7 and 10 yds. Short sight radius and 71 year old eyes probably playing a big part in that.

No lead spitting and no problems with extraction. I shoot Federal bulk pack 36 gr jacketed ammo in all my 22s. I had 3 complete dud rounds and 8 rds that required a second strike to fire out of 1024 rds, which I would blame on the ammo.

 

[pedropcola]

Mine shoots right to POA and has no issues. When it gets dirty extraction gets stickier. I don’t think that’s an issue so much as it’s expected. All my 22 revolvers will get get harder to extract as I shoot them. I use speed Beez and loading blocks so it’s pretty easy to go through a lot of ammo in a short time so I bring a bore snake along. A quick pull through the cylinder chambers and it’s back to “normal”.

On a 2 piece barrel and sleeve gun which this is, does “clocking” actually matter? This arrangement kinds of makes it idiot proof to center everything up. I have a 640 Pro that is visibly canted. Ugh. My new Mountain Gun is the old style barrel and done quite nicely.