S&W Repair

[dddddmorgan]

I have a 60's vintage Model 27 that is spitting lead (aka as shaving).

The gun is getting a little loose in the cylinder gap etc so I'm needing to get it fixed up.

My question is if S&W service is good? I've been away from shooting and all things related for almost 10 years so I'm completely out of the loop.

If there is someone else to recommend please do so.

Please don't tell me that this topic has been hashed a million times on here so I shouldn't be lazy and just search. I'm lazy, and I'm not smart enough to do a search that doesn't come up with 10 billion hits.

Thanks

 

[Krogen]

Take this with a grain of salt as it's been 20 years ago .... My 586 was doing the same thing. Shipped it off to S&W. They tightened it up, set the barrel back a turn and re-cut the forcing cone. Good as new. No charge whatsoever. I wasn't the original owner and it pre-dated the lifetime warranty. That was the S&W of 20 years ago; YMMV....

 

[iPac]

I generally consider spitting lead to be a cylinder alignment problem, not a barrel/cylinder gap problem.

Sure, a wider b/c gap would worsen lead spitting, but if the cylinder aligns with the bore when being fired, there really shouldn't be any spitting. You only lose FPS as the gap increases in size.

I would send it either to S&W or Frank Glenn for an exam, most likely the latter. Either would put it back to where it should be and know what the cause is.

 

[dddddmorgan]

And if I ship it off to S&W for repair I can send it directly to them but it has to go through a local FFL for me to receive, correct?

 

[Jeppo]

I had a gun that required several trips "home". Each time it went directly from me to them and vice versa.

 

[Rpg]

And if I ship it off to S&W for repair I can send it directly to them but it has to go through a local FFL for me to receive, correct?

No. You can ship direct for repairs and they’ll ship directly back to you (assuming no local or state issues).

 

[rgm36]

I generally consider spitting lead to be a cylinder alignment problem, not a barrel/cylinder gap problem.

Sure, a wider b/c gap would worsen lead spitting, but if the cylinder aligns with the bore when being fired, there really shouldn't be any spitting. You only lose FPS as the gap increases in size.

I would send it either to S&W or Frank Glenn for an exam, most likely the latter. Either would put it back to where it should be and know what the cause is.

I believe Krogen was saying that by "tightening it up" he meant that S&W had fixed the "looseness" of the cylinder stop thus improving the cylinder/barrel alignment. And that S&W also brought the cylinder/barrel gap back to proper specs as long as they already had it there.

That was my interpretation anyway

 

[dddddmorgan]

Well that is good to know that I can send and receive directly.

Since I live in Idaho the gun laws are in my favor as much as anywhere else as far as I know.

Does anyone know what their typical rates are? Or do they quote for a complete "job?"

 

[haywood]

I would call Smith & Wesson first, tell them the problem, ask how to proceed, they may send you a shipping label. It can’t hurt to check it out.

 

[dddddmorgan]

Yep, I'm going to call them when I get a chance. Work days have been 12 hours or more and wifey is in the hospital with her chronic asthma problems so I visit with her before I get home so I'm pooped.

Just took a couple of minutes tonight to look over the revolver and I think the gap is a bit excessive but there is a lot of shake in the front of the cylinder when it's closed and locked back in the cocked position where it should be the tightest.

I just fully believe a nice P&R Smith can do better so I will give the folks at S&W a call next week hopefully.

 

[dddddmorgan]

This is how much of a boob I am, I called ole' Kate a model 27 when she is the model 28 Highway Patrolman. Sheesh!

 

[muddocktor]

I sent my model 27 back to S&W about 3 years ago for a tuneup. I had some endshake and a healthy amount of erosion at the forcing cone as well as lazy carryup. They turned the barrel back one round and recut the forcing cone, fixed the endshake, changed the hand and cylinder stop for less than $200 including shipping both ways. IIRC, it took them about 6-8 weeks in total and they did send me an itemized estimate so I could pay them before proceeding with the fix. It now shoots as good as when it was new in 1974. And since the model 28 is just a plain Jane version of the model 27, they should be able to fix you right up. Call them and tell them what you want to have checked and they will email you a shipping tag (they will bill you later after examining the gun and give you an estimate).

 

[just plain joe]

I'm late to the dance, sorry.

Have no qualms about shipping your revolver back to S & W. I have had two revolvers re-blued there and two revolvers repaired there. All work done was "top tier".

Call them and speak with a tech. The personnel I've spoken with in the past were very personable and knowledgeable. Most likely they will send you a pre-paid address label (FedEx). Upon receipt they will provide you with a quote for the necessary work which will be done upon your approval. Occasionally, their "turn-around" time might be a little long.

Aside from that, not to slight others, but I will have any future work done by the Factory who is best equipped to work on their own firearms.

Others may know more though.

JPJ

 

[Jim NNN]

I haven't had that specific issue, so I can't speak directly to it, but my two experiences are that S&W didn't do such a great job dealing with a revolver repair a couple of years ago, but did a super job on a semi-auto repair about 10 years ago. Not trying to insinuate they've gotten worse, just that they may not always do the fine job they have a reputation for.

But my feeling on the issue you have is that they should do fine, because that's an issue that comes up with revolvers often, so they should have a good deal of experience solving the problem. If it were mine, I would send it in for that problem, despite my one less than great experience.