Shield 40 Barrel Concerns

[countryfirst]

First, I tried searching for a thread on this topic and couldn't find anything so apologies if this is re-hashing an old topic, however...

Stop by my LGS last week and of course there was a Shield 40 in the case and since I love my Shield 9 so much I couldn't resist.

I planned to take it to my range this weekend to break it in but while cleaning it before the trip as I was inspecting the barrel, it looks like there are scratches perpendicular to the rifling at various locations about 3/4" in from the end.

Is this a known issue? If it's an issue, I know that S&W will take care of it, but wanted to see what I can find out before I put rounds through it.

Thank you.

 

[Der Biermeister]

I just checked my new Shield 40 -- I do not see these scratches you talk about.

 

[KTM300RIDER]

None here, mine has been flawless!

 

[ammodave]

My gut feel is that they're inconsequential. Just shoot it. If the accuracy is on a par with your 9mm, I'd forget about it. Alternatively, you could call S&W customer service and ask their opinion.

 

[countryfirst]

My gut feel is that they're inconsequential. Just shoot it. If the accuracy is on a par with your 9mm, I'd forget about it. Alternatively, you could call S&W customer service and ask their opinion.

Thanks, Dave. A call to S&W is on the agenda, but also wanted to check with the brain trust here on the forum.

Smith's quality control is good, but the forum provides the best.

 

[robkarrob]

Doubt a few scratches in the rifling would make any difference. After a few hundred rounds, the ridges should show no more signs of the scratches. I can not see how that area got scratched, unless careless use of a cleaning rod or brush.

Bob

 

[Robotech]

Check this recent thread:
Barrel Defect

Yes, it is a concern if it was caused by a failing boring/reaming tool during manufacture.

 

[countryfirst]

Check this recent thread:
Barrel Defect

Yes, it is a concern if it was caused by a failing boring/reaming tool during manufacture.

Robotech - What the member describes and shows pictures of in the post you shared is nearly identical to mine. Particularly the "every other stripe". Thank you for sharing and I will most certainly be contacting S&W.

 

[Night_hawk]

My gut feel is that they're inconsequential. Just shoot it. If the accuracy is on a par with your 9mm, I'd forget about it. Alternatively, you could call S&W customer service and ask their opinion.

I agree with ammodave. Mine doesn't have the marks that you describe but I wouldn't be afraid to put a couple down the pipe and see how it goes. Happy shooting! Cheers

 

[vigil617]

This appears almost certainly to be a manufacturing defect, and I agree with the previous posters who point to the failure of a cutting tool during the finish-sizing procedure prior to rifling.

What I would add is that, very likely, those "chatter" marks each has a raised burr along the edges that would, at the very least, with use by the shooter quickly increase fouling in the barrel, with the issues that go along with that situation.

This is a disappointing QC failure at S&W. While I doubt that every barrel is checked visually at the factory (more likely, only a representative sampling), once the situation was detected, I would have hoped the inspectors would have traced back through the preceding barrel batch until finding where the problem began, then discarded the barrels that had the problem.

I wonder whether the rush to get Shields out of the factory and into the hands of so many waiting customers, is having a predictable side effect: not as close attention to detail as we depend on in an S&W product. Fortunately, this appears to be a limited situation, but still...

I love my Shield 40, manufactured about this time last year, and have 1,000+ rounds downrange with no issues.