S&W CS c’mon...

[DHernandez]

I know this is my first post and it’s gonna be negative, but I’m gonna vent my frustration. I purchased a brand new 629 classic from a Smith distributor. I took it to the range, factory Hornady .44 ammo, cocked the hammer, pulled the trigger and boom. As expected, I did that again and nothing. One more time, nothing. Then upon inspection I noticed the cylinder can spin freely with the hammer down. I open the cylinder and see the two rounds that didn’t fire have primer strikes right on the edge of the primer and casing. Thank goodness they didn’t go off because the bullet wouldn’t have been lined up with the barrel. So I closed the cylinder and it locks up fine. Must’ve been an anomaly. I pull double action and boom. Then I check and the cylinder is free spinning again. So there ends the day. I contact S&W they send the slip and I send in the nearly $1k gun. Next, after a couple weeks of no word, I contact them only to hear it could be 8 weeks to get my gun back. Really? So I can’t when fire a full cylinder of ammo on a brand new gun and they want 8 weeks to fix it? That’s not good CS. So yes, I’m venting. I’m a S&W fan, I’ve owned Anacondas in the past but when I got the itch for a .44 again I went with the 629. I know S&W is a great company but this CS is not good.

 

[ziggidy]

I just sent back my 9mm EZ and cs said it will take 6 - 8 weeks because they have a partial plant shut down and working with a skeleton crew.

It could be the end of September before I get it back. I have had to send stuff back to Ruger and their turn around was always a week to 10 days at best.

This was my first purchase of a S&W product......prob the last.

 

[tlawler]

That’s a big reason why so many of us seek out the real classic S&W revolvers of a bygone era. Most of mine are P&R and at least pre-MIM.

 

[ziggidy]

I am sure S&W knows about the issues with ammo and the 9mm EZ. I would think a big name company like S&W would have a disclosure stating that specific types of ammo will not work in the EZ handguns. The list would be long. So far no 124gr, 147gr and SD do not work consistently.

The EZ is definately not a EDC piece.

 

[colt_saa]

Welcome to the Forum

Lots of good conversations occur here all the time. Feel free to join in

Smith & Wesson is handicapped by the China Virus Crisis just like all Companies and Agencies right now.

My bank has temporarily closed the branch 2 blocks from my house and I have to drive to the next branch to do my banking.

I recently had to wait almost 3 months for a small parts order from an on-line vendor. Even though there were zero employees coming to work for 6 or 8 or 10 weeks, their website still took the orders. I had to wait for them to get caught up

None of this is bad customer service, it is just a product of this once in a Century situation that we are in.

I know it is all temporary and will go back to normal eventually

Be patient, they will get your revolver back to you as fast as is possible.

 

[StephenWhoDat]

In their defense, they are VERY shorthanded right now due to COVID. Their CS is usually better than the current 6-8 weeks they are taking for warranty issues. I just got one of my M&Ps back after sending it in for a warranty night sight replacement. Something simple that should only take a couple days to repair. Got my firearm back exactly 7 weeks from the day I shipped it. Try to cut them a little bit of slack during the current shutdowns and employees being quarantined. I understand your frustrations, but rest assured, their CS quality and speedy production will bounce back once all this is behind us.

 

[kraynky]

The whole cotton-pickin world is Topsy Turvey right now. Nothing is as it should be. By the way, that is not racist, it's what my Daddy always said instead of cursing. I remember asking him as a young'n what it meant, and he said he didn't really know either, but he'd picked enough cotton to last him a lifetime as a boy.

Anyway, most manufacturer's are still trying to keep up with "never seen before" demands for their goods and services. They are only hurting themselves by not doing it right the first time. A lot of new gun owners are going to be frustrated like you and buy some other brand next time around.

If I am able to buy any more S&W's (meaning if the prices come back to normal or I find a deal), I'm buying pre-IL builds, and preferably one as old as I am, or close (I'm a late 50's model, as in '58)

Buying new is not a guarantee that you won't have trouble, and that goes with anything. Buying used is certainly not a guarantee, but hopefully the bugs have been worked out, or it was built right the first time.

I don't know if they would refund your money upon request, but it might be worth a try. Taking your time, you should be able to buy an older 629, or maybe even a Ruger Redhawk.

I hate it that you spent that much money and never even got to empty a full cylinder down the barrel. That's about the most frustrating thing that can happen to a gun enthusiast. I've had to send one new S&W back to the Mothership, back in the mid 90's. I had to send a Ruger back THREE times in 2001, before they got it right.

Hang in there, and hang out around here see if you can learn what to look for, iff'n it happens to come back messed up, might be a simple DIY repair. I'd give a gunsmith $50 bucks or more if it kept me from having to wait 2 more months for a return.

Hopefully you've got something else you can shoot to get the frustration out of your system. Welcome aboard from Kentucky by the way! Did you happen to take any pictures? We do like our pictures here. Wishing you the best of luck and a speedy return.

 

[Engineer1911]

I sent a M29 and a M629 back to S&W. It took 7 weeks for a repair estimate to arrive, than 8 weeks for repair on the M629. The M29 is still "in service department" after 10 weeks. A Redfield scope is at a repair company going on the 5th month. Welcome to the Covid World of Service.

I'm satisfied that repairs will be made, and I haven't had the disease. There are spare 44 mags in the vault and more than 1 scope on the shelf. Thank you Washington, DC.

 

[L-2]

As I recall, here is my experienced wait times when various firearms were sent away (all approximate; includes shipping/transit time; various work/reasons for return):

Marlin: 4 weeks
Springfield-Armory: 6 weeks
Glock: 1 week
Guncrafter Industries: 2 months
Kimber: 3 weeks
Ruger: 3 weeks
S&W: 2.5 months
Remington (local gunsmith): 1 month

Brands I never needed to send back: Mossberg, SIG, Bravo Company

Advice: no whining; hope whatever gets fixed right the first time (doesn't always happen); have another gun to use/carry/shoot.

Edited to add:
This isn't a NASCAR pit stop.

When receiving a firearm at a company try to picture some things which will occur:

-Receiving Dept.; many items and boxes are arriving. Each box is subsequently opened; quantities & condition are noted.

-Depending on what's received, items are then detailed for delivery to various depts./individuals. These locations may or may not be in the same building or even the same city.

-Firearms' info needs to be logged into a database. This could be a different dept., other than Receiving, to do this.

-Eventually a Tech/Gunsmith looks at one's firearm. If possible, a diagnosis is quickly made; if not possible, further exploratory work is done to make a diagnosis; requested work is also checked/noted according to any documentation included with the firearm.

-Parts may need to be ordered during the initial diagnosis. Whether these parts are in-stock/readily available is determined.

-There's usually a backlog of work already going on. When one's firearm is actually worked-on may be several days or even weeks.

-Eventually, one's firearm then actually gets worked-on. During the work, if the firearm needs more specialized work, like refinishing, that may be a separate person or dept. (or even another company) to do the work.

-If the firearm later is determined to need replacing, another person may need to approve/disapprove/decide. That person may be on leave or on vacation at that moment (most people aren't gone for more than 2 weeks, but it depends on the management structure if there's an alternate decision-maker).

-Communication with the firearm owner may occur, whether by phone or email, hopefully not U.S. mail.

-Test firing may be done individually or in batches. Some types of work may also done in batches (hopefully each week but could be every other week and may due to what tools/machinery is needed and available).

-Eventually, a firearm is ready for return shipping. Manufacturers aren't bound by overnight shipping. Handguns might take 3 days; long guns may take a week (more or less). If it has to go through an FFL, that FFL may not receive it and notify the owner immediately and could take another day or two.

All this could take days/weeks, not minutes.

 

[garddogg56]

I just sent back my 9mm EZ and cs said it will take 6 - 8 weeks because they have a partial plant shut down and working with a skeleton crew.

It could be the end of September before I get it back. I have had to send stuff back to Ruger and their turn around was always a week to 10 days at best.

This was my first purchase of a S&W product......prob the last.

Cheer up Ziggthey had my edc five monthsit cost me 148 buck and they did NOTHINGI'll NEVER buy another new S&W till they move out of mASS....

 

[armorer951]

Great. Another example of a revolver that left the factory without a proper, thorough, final inspection and test firing. Sad

 

[lhump1961]

The old guns had problems, too. Don't get me wrong...I prefer the older revolvers, but it seems to me one of 4 things happens to all guns:

1) never had a problem.
2) had a problem but sent in and fixed.
3) couldn't be fixed so taken out of circulation by S&W and replaced for customer.
4) lost in a freak boating accident.

Bottom line is my theory says all the bugs have long since been worked out of the older stuff that had bugs. Once any problems in a quality gun have been addressed they are usually good to go for many, many years. JMHO.

 

[DHernandez]

629

I understand the being patient part. I’ve been in the firearms world for 30 years. I don’t like that a brand new firearm can’t handle 6 rounds... QC must’ve failed. First, fortune it didn’t blow up on the partial primer strikes and second, good thing I wasn’t a novice pulling this out for home defense without testing it and it failing... This is like driving a new car off the lot and it doesn’t make it home. It’s either getting fixed quickly or they are exchanging for another car. I get that things break, I’ve worked for Uncle Sam for a long time and broken a thing or two. And I get the covid thing, just expected this to work the first time. Colts were way overpriced but they worked...

Is this a common issue? What would cause this?

 

[GerSan69]

Hi D, welcome to the forum. Sorry your intro is a lemon. Most of the S&W products are superior items. That's no comfort, but your case is unusual, despite what you may hear.
I think there's an issue with the cylinder stop, stop spring, or possibly even the trigger. I have no idea how much you know about the innards and how they work, so in the interest of covering it just in case:
The stop stays in the up position all the time, held in place by a small spring, and locking the cylinder from turning. When the trigger is pulled, a "lip" on the forward edge pulls the stop down, unlocking the cylinder and allowing the hand, which is also attached to the trigger but on the other end, to turn the cylinder to the next chamber. That forward part of the trigger slips off the stop very quickly after the trigger pulls it down, allowing the stop to "scrape" or slide along the surface of the cylinder until it hits the stop indentation for that next chamber and stops the turning. I think the stop spring is either damaged or even missing. Not sure, but definitely related to that stop piece.
Again, glad to have you here. Most of us are heavily into the S&W brand, products and history, so if there's pretty much anything you're interested in S&W-wise, someone here likely "wrote the book." Best of luck with your firearm.

 

[Pine_Worker]

As I recall, here is my experienced wait times when various firearms were sent away (all approximate; includes shipping/transit time; various work/reasons for return):

Marlin: 4 weeks
Springfield-Armory: 6 weeks
Glock: 1 week
Guncrafter Industries: 2 months
Kimber: 3 weeks
Ruger: 3 weeks
S&W: 2.5 months
Remington (local gunsmith): 1 month

Brands I never needed to send back: Mossberg, SIG, Bravo Company

Advice: no whining; hope whatever gets fixed right the first time (doesn't always happen); have another gun to use/carry/shoot.

Edited to add:
This isn't a NASCAR pit stop.

When receiving a firearm at a company try to picture some things which will occur:

-Receiving Dept.; many items and boxes are arriving. Each box is subsequently opened; quantities & condition are noted.

-Depending on what's received, items are then detailed for delivery to various depts./individuals. These locations may or may not be in the same building or even the same city.

-Firearms' info needs to be logged into a database. This could be a different dept., other than Receiving, to do this.

-Eventually a Tech/Gunsmith looks at one's firearm. If possible, a diagnosis is quickly made; if not possible, further exploratory work is done to make a diagnosis; requested work is also checked/noted according to any documentation included with the firearm.

-Parts may need to be ordered during the initial diagnosis. Whether these parts are in-stock/readily available is determined.

-There's usually a backlog of work already going on. When one's firearm is actually worked-on may be several days or even weeks.

-Eventually, one's firearm then actually gets worked-on. During the work, if the firearm needs more specialized work, like refinishing, that may be a separate person or dept. (or even another company) to do the work.

-If the firearm later is determined to need replacing, another person may need to approve/disapprove/decide. That person may be on leave or on vacation at that moment (most people aren't gone for more than 2 weeks, but it depends on the management structure if there's an alternate decision-maker).

-Communication with the firearm owner may occur, whether by phone or email, hopefully not U.S. mail.

-Test firing may be done individually or in batches. Some types of work may also done in batches (hopefully each week but could be every other week and may due to what tools/machinery is needed and available).

-Eventually, a firearm is ready for return shipping. Manufacturers aren't bound by overnight shipping. Handguns might take 3 days; long guns may take a week (more or less). If it has to go through an FFL, that FFL may not receive it and notify the owner immediately and could take another day or two.

All this could take days/weeks, not minutes.

Well said L-2, well said. People are used to instant this and instant that. You never know what will upset the system.

 

[GaryS]

One thing the China Virus seems to have done to a lot of people is turn them into cry babies.

Every part of the US economy is affected, mostly for the worse. Some companies are closed, some are open but can't get products. Some can't get components to make their products.

Some businesses are closed forever. Which means that an owner has lost his investment and his employees have lost their jobs and will have to find new livelihoods. Some gun stores are closing because they have sold out of everything and can't get new stock in. Which is bad for all of us.

Everything is taking longer. Like another poster here, I ordered from a gun parts vendor and waited two months for the parts. The net effect was zero.

Oh, I sent a gun in to S&W and they have determined it's unrepairable. They are sending me a new gun, but it will be a few weeks before they can do that.

Since I have more than one gun, it's not even a blip on my radar.

If you have a job, aren't sick, haven't lost a loved one, and your biggest problem is getting a gun fixed, count yourself lucky.

 

[jsbethel]

It's been said that S&W is moving their service center out of Springfield.

 

[smoothshooter]

Welcome to the Forum

Lots of good conversations occur here all the time. Feel free to join in

Smith & Wesson is handicapped by the China Virus Crisis just like all Companies and Agencies right now.

My bank has temporarily closed the branch 2 blocks from my house and I have to drive to the next branch to do my banking.

I recently had to wait almost 3 months for a small parts order from an on-line vendor. Even though there were zero employees coming to work for 6 or 8 or 10 weeks, their website still took the orders. I had to wait for them to get caught up

None of this is bad customer service, it is just a product of this once in a Century situation that we are in.

I know it is all temporary and will go back to normal eventually

Be patient, they will get your revolver back to you as fast as is possible.

Things will never be like they were before.
Prepare for the New Normal.

 

[DHernandez]

One thing the China Virus seems to have done to a lot of people is turn them into cry babies.

Every part of the US economy is affected, mostly for the worse. Some companies are closed, some are open but can't get products. Some can't get components to make their products.

Some businesses are closed forever. Which means that an owner has lost his investment and his employees have lost their jobs and will have to find new livelihoods. Some gun stores are closing because they have sold out of everything and can't get new stock in. Which is bad for all of us.

Everything is taking longer. Like another poster here, I ordered from a gun parts vendor and waited two months for the parts. The net effect was zero.

Oh, I sent a gun in to S&W and they have determined it's unrepairable. They are sending me a new gun, but it will be a few weeks before they can do that.

Since I have more than one gun, it's not even a blip on my radar.

If you have a job, aren't sick, haven't lost a loved one, and your biggest problem is getting a gun fixed, count yourself lucky.

I’m not sure expecting something to work properly out of the box is being a cry baby... if you don’t like my post, don’t respond.

 

[GaryS]

I don't like your post, I responded. Which is what the forum is for. If you don't like that, feel free to use the "Ignore" function. I promise my feelings won't be hurt.

As a matter of fact, I'm going to follow my own advice in that regard.

This isn't a cheer leading squad where every whiny post gets a like.

I’m not sure expecting something to work properly out of the box is being a cry baby... if you don’t like my post, don’t respond.