Sent my 15-22 back to Smith today

[whitethunderdog]

While cleaning my rifle after a day of shooting I noticed that my bolt would fall out of my upper without even touching the charging handle and when you pushed the bolt carrier in there was no notable click like the bolt locked, also the ejector bar is loose, you can pull it out from the barrel a good 1/16th of an inch.
My other 15/22 the ejector bar is rock solid and the bolt will stay in place when you open the upper until you use the charging handle to release it.
Called Smith they said I could keep shooting it till something broke or send it back. I decided to send it back, as it wasn't like that when I first purchased it. the rifle is less than a month old with approx. 500 round through it.

 

[johncal]

It's either the spring latch on the charging handle or the nub on the upper that the spring latch hooks onto is worn down. Should be easy enough to tell though. That's what would allow it to fall out as far as I know.

Other opinions?

 

[whitethunderdog]

I took the bolt out of my other 15-22 and it will lock into this upper. I believe it has to do with the bolt. If I take the bolt out of this rifle and put it in my other rifle, the bolt will also fall out.
this bolt will fall out of both uppers, the other bolt will lock in place on both uppers. The first guy I called at Smith said it was normal for the bolt to fall out without using the charging handle, but could not explain why it would lock in place on the other rifle. He said not to change the bolts around as the bolt with that upper is designed to fit that upper only.

 

[Majorlk]

I agree you have a problem and you were correct to send it back to S&W, but the statement that the bolt/upper is a matched set is nonsense. Even a cursory examination shows that the tolerances are too loose for that statement to ever be accurate.

 

[whitethunderdog]

that's was my feelings on the bolt also, hopefully S&W makes the repairs,
they said it would be a 3 week turn around.

 

[Majorlk]

that's was my feelings on the bolt also, hopefully S&W makes the repairs,
they said it would be a 3 week turn around.

They will make the repairs, no doubt whatsoever. Their lifetime warranty service is excellent.

 

[strobro32]

I will wager a sawbuck on 51 days+ until it comes back.

 

[whitethunderdog]

I guess we will see how fast S&W is @ repairs, I know a year or so ago I had to send a pistol back to Ruger, had it back in a week.

 

[whitethunderdog]

S&W received my 15-22 on 5-13-15, let's see how long it takes to get back to me. They say 3 week turn around???????????????

 

[whitethunderdog]

Called S&W to see if they send you a tracking number when they return your firearm, the rep said sometimes they do and sometimes they do not.
gave him my SSN number and he said it was shipped out last week Friday, he gave me the FedEx tracking number. I should receive it back this Wednesday 5-20-15, they received it on the 13th.
I would say that's pretty good customer service, hopefully they fixed it.