S&W quality control and customer service

[Les Greevy]

Last Friday I bought a new S&W 686+ with 2.5 inch barrel. Saturday while shooting it for the first time I noticed that the rear sight white outline was offset from the notch to the left (see photo attached). That made it really hard to get a good sight picture. I emailed the photo to S&W customer service asking if I sent the offset sight back would they replace it with a proper one.
Early on the 5th they emailed back asking if had tried the windage adjustment screw to the right of the sight.
I replied asking if they had looked at the photo, and that windage adjustment would not solve the problem, and explaining that I owned more than 25 S&W revolvers and knew how to adjust sights, and would they honor my request. I received no response so I emailed again on the 6th and today. Still no response.
I have always been a great fan of S&W and the quality of their revolvers and I can solve this problem myself but when you pay near $900 for a gun you should be able to expect it to be right and to receive a relevant response to inquires.
Les

 

[turbotype87]

Yeah I hear you. I just bought a S&W 460V a month ago and I have to send it back due to extraction issues. The cylinder locked up also. I was using HSM cowboy cartridges 255gr Lead when it happened.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Maybe try another time, and simplify.
Tell them you bought a new 686, and the rear sight blade is "damaged".
Would they please send a replacement.

If they ask for proof, then send the photo.

Good luck.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[TAROMAN]

Phone calls seem to be more effective when dealing with S&W CS.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Phone calls seem to be more effective when dealing with S&W CS.

Agree with that. One call sometimes gets a warranty item in the mail.


Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[Les Greevy]

S&W emailed me back today apologizing for the delay and offering to send
a new sight blade. Unfortunately, they are currently out of stock and not sure when they will be replenished. Glad I have a well-stocked extra parts box.
Les

 

[joebuck]

Sign of the times. Customer service? What's that?

 

[twodog max]

Customer service these days is a matter of luck and not just S&W. I would get out my needle file and make the notch fit the white outline while waiting on a part.

 

[AveragEd]

My fix for that concern would be to color in the white outline with a Sharpie or other marker and ignore that outline that is so faint it can probably only be seen under the best lighting conditions. Are you aware that dedicated target handguns usually only are available with black front and rear sights? I own a lot of older S&W revolvers with the red ramp/white outline sight package and wish they all had a black Patridge front sight. I frankly don't even look at the colorations as they are harder upon which to focus than the sights themselves.

I know, the gun came with that feature and you want it made right...


Ed

 

[luvsmiths]

Smith and Wesson of today has neither quality control, NOR customer service.

 

[1sailor]

Go over to the Ruger forum and you'll hear the same thing. Probably on others too, I just don't belong to any others so I don't know for sure. It's not totally uncommon to see someone who has sent a firearm back multiple times for the same issue. Still, all in all I personally believe that a lot of what we see now is not necessarily new. We're just made more aware of it because of the net. I remember buying a Remington back in the late 60's that had the front sight so off center I almost ran out of adjustment trying to sight it in. Back then though the only one who heard my complaint was my buddy and he wasn't much help.

 

[johngalt]

Probably the easiest solution is to paint the sight black. I don't like the WO sights, so painted mine.