The Extra $300 I Reluctantly Pay After An S&W Performance Center Purchase

dwever

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I am not trolling for a debate. This is only my experience, yours may be different and I may be wrong.

All three of the pictured together PC revolvers have been to TK Custom for Defensive Action jobs to improve their otherwise fairly good DA stroke. Other have gone for the same work that are not pictured.

This week I acquired a new M&P R8 for around $1,100 because my previously acquired PC TRR8 was simply the best shooting revolver I have ever owned, period; and, the shrouded barrel design is stupid accurate. But again, like the TRR8, the M&P R8 has action that is generally smooth, tight, and even, but it continues the Perf Ctr's trend of way too heavy DA out of the box; this latest purchase was after checking out two samples in our city, and the better sample I purchased even needs the SA lightened up a little bit.

People will tend to comment that the DA work is unnecessary, but often they've become so used to heavy, and sometimes stacking and gritty action, that they then experience one of the proper actions and comments change with their astonishment. But that misses the point, the big reason the action job is necessary is to have a competent defensive weapon that does not surrender speed and accuracy to a semi-auto. I'd rather have nice fit and smooth surfaces that equal smoothness and uniformity of stroke than low weight. Besides, reduce the spring tension too much and you also reduce reliability and speed to next shot.

I've competed favorably head to head with semi-autos using a S&W PC 627 UDR that had only a defensive action job; and, I've qualified on our agency's full course-of-fire with a 586 L-Comp (seven moon clip reloads). Neither revolver would have given me as favorable results had I used the out of the box action the weapons delivered with from the S&W Performance Center. The 586 L-Comp was particularly transformed by a defensive action job. And, it's not that the revolver smiths lighten the action as much as they just get the fitment and polish so complete, that you experience a much easier weapon to fire accurately with speed.

So I am again paying over $300 additional with postage to get my revolver right as a defensive fire arms. The TK work is an unnecessary expense to some of you reading this. Absolutely necessary to me.

I'm not hating on S&W PC weapons. I carry them. I am griping that, as I prepare yet another for shipping to TK Custom, that I'd like to see PC DA that is in keeping with what a brand like 'Performance Center' suggests. In 2008 I got a PC 627 UDR and PC 627 5" that did not need the extra work, but not since. Heck, Colt just about pulled it off a generation ago with the Python, that was what, $300 at K-Mart? But now, S&W will let you send it back to the PC for extra money to get it the way it should of been.

P.S. The exceptions that were good to go out of the box would be a 627 2.625" and 627 5", both bought around 2008. The rest have needed action jobs, all Perf Ctr., 686+ 2.5", 586 L-Comp, two 627 UDR's, 327 TRR8, 327 M&P R8.

I'll mention parenthetically that I can drop $472 for an LE priced Glock 34, load the three included magazines, and pass our agency's course-of-fire out of the box virtually every time and with two reloads instead of seven. So the economics would seemingly continue current trends.
 

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Also, because the M&P R8 does not have a removable lower accessory rail like the TRR8, I ordered a custom Simply Rugged Pancake holster to accommodate the permanent rail. I'm pretty pleased overall, but it appears to need a lot of break in.

I'll further mention that the standard rubber grips on the M&P R8 and TRR8 are fine for most loads, but if you need to shoot big .357 Magnum loads 550 - 750 lbs. of energy with any frequency, I found zero pain with the wood replacement Hogue grips (Pic 2).

Oh yeah, the gold dot front sight and sight picture of the TRR8 edges out the white dot set up of the M&P R8. Both are great revolvers, and are grail revolvers to me and quite a few others on this forum.
 

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I picked up an old 686 (not PC) from the early 1990's that had some work done on the action. It's so slick, it's scary. I'm thinking that maybe Smith is concerned about a liability problem if they start making their guns correctly. When the gun is a tool of your trade, you want it "right" and it's become impossible to buy one like that.
 
I picked up an old 686 (not PC) from the early 1990's that had some work done on the action. It's so slick, it's scary. I'm thinking that maybe Smith is concerned about a liability problem if they start making their guns correctly. When the gun is a tool of your trade, you want it "right" and it's become impossible to buy one like that.

I hear you and I want to make a distinction between a weapon that is set up properly for defensive use and one that is set up for competition.

Normally a weapon for defensive use out of the Perf Ctr doesn't need to be lightened up by reliving the spring of tension, it just needs fine attention in fitment, alignment, stoning, and polishing. With that kind of attention to detail, the result is smoothness that definitely feels easier to pull, is smooth through the cycle, but doesn't resultantly fire with a light touch as to present liability I wouldn't think.

I used a Python in 1986 that was not light action, it was just so smooth you could stay on target with speed. Same thing with my 627 UDR's, I wouldn't call either of them light, and they'll ignite Remington primers consistently, but they are glass smooth.
 
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For Home Defense and general range use but not to shoot in competition, how do you compare the M&P R8 vs the TRR8? I am getting serious about the TRR8 for these uses.
 
Those are some "nasty" looking revolvers. I mean that in a good way. Nasty in that they will get the job done and done well.
 
Quite some years ago I had a PC action done on my CS-45. When I got it back it didn't feel much better than before so I called and was advised that under Massachusetts law the trigger could not be made lighter than X pounds. I forget what X was. The original trigger actually wasn't bad; I was just in the mood to slick it up some and as far as I was concerned they didn't change it sufficiently, which irked me, I assure you. But, no matter, I took it to my LGS and they did it for me - it is SLICK but not too slick. It's a defense gun so I wasn't looking for 3 pounds or less. After that experience I haven't asked the PC to tinker with triggers.
 
What do you consider an acceptable DA pull to be?

My R8 came with a nice smooth DA right out of the box. It was just over 9.5 lbs brand spanking new. After clean/lube and dry firing with snap caps it settled in at 9 lbs.
 
Can't fault your logic. Nice trio of guns, enjoy.

For those of us who are not gunsmiths or do not want to pay for custom work, sometimes there are no avenues for improvement.

I have a couple Model 500s, both of which have great triggers, asked the big name in aftermarket springs (name escapes me at the moment). The said they had nothing that would be an improvement that wouldn't reduce cartridge ignition reliability. Don
 
For Home Defense and general range use but not to shoot in competition, how do you compare the M&P R8 vs the TRR8? I am getting serious about the TRR8 for these uses.

They are the same weapon same price. I've never used either to compete with. Differences: The M&P's lower accessory rail is permanent, the TRR8's is removable. The M&P has a white front site, the TRR8's is gold bead. If you don't need the lower rail get the TRR8 as a number of existing holsters will fit it whereas I had to have a custom made holster for the lower rail on the M&P. (the two accessory rails are pictured in Post#1 laying next to the TRR8).

If you use the removable rails, you will need loctite, but not the kind you need to heat to get off. The latter is overkill. Interestingly before loctite, with firing the weapon, the four allen screws securing the top rail on the TRR8 could shake loose; but, the three allen screws securing the bottom rail would seem to actually get tighter, I almost couldn't get one of the screws loose and removed the bottom rail.

In the house I have a Streamlight 800 lumen weapon light with green laser I'll start using on the M&P.

Below is the TRR8 set up for hunting last year. The holster is Speed Beez $70, the optic is an Aimpoint micro about $600 but worth it, and for the heavy .357 Magnum hunting loads, the fat wood grips take away any hand pain and are by Hogue. The stock rubber grips will hurt a little anywhere North of about 550 ft. lbs. of energy.

What do you consider an acceptable DA pull to be? My R8 came with a nice smooth DA right out of the box. It was just over 9.5 lbs brand spanking new. After clean/lube and dry firing with snap caps it settled in at 9 lbs.

I like 7-8 lbs. but smoothness and uniformity of action is more important than the weight. I'd rather have nice fit and smooth surfaces where appropriate than low weight. Besides, reduce the spring tension too much and you also reduce reliability and speed to next shot.
 

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They are the same weapon same price. I've never used either to compete with. Differences: The M&P's lower accessory rail is permanent, the TRR8's is removable. The M&P has a white front site, the TRR8's is gold bead. If you don't need the lower rail get the TRR8 as a number of existing holsters will fit it whereas I had to have a custom made holster for the lower rail on the M&P.

If you use the removable rails, you will need loctite, but not the kind you need to heat to get off. The latter is overkill.

In the house I have a Streamlight 800 lumen weapon light with green laser I'll start using on the M&P.

Below is the TRR8 set up for hunting last year. The holster is Speed Beez $70, the optic is an Aimpoint micro about $600 but worth it, and for the heavy .357 Magnum hunting loads, the fat wood grips take away any hand pain and are by Hogue. The stock rubber grips will hurt a little anywhere North of about 550 ft. lbs. of energy.



I like 7-8 lbs. but smoothness and uniformity of action is more important than the weight. I'd rather have nice fit and smooth surfaces where appropriate than low weight. Besides, reduce the spring tension too much and you also reduce reliability and speed to next shot.

Could you tell me what model of Hogue grips are on your hunter setup? I wish to replace the stock rubber on my 686 and like the looks of yours and the reported comfort. Eyeballing the Hogue website the grips look like the "full size conversion grips - round to square". Is that correct?

Thanks
 
Could you tell me what model of Hogue grips are on your hunter setup? I wish to replace the stock rubber on my 686 and like the looks of yours and the reported comfort. Eyeballing the Hogue website the grips look like the "full size conversion grips - round to square". Is that correct? Thanks

That sounds exactly correct, but I am sorry that I couldn't swear to it at this point.
 

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