UNBELIEVABLE: $1200 OF JUNK FROM THE PC

[bountyhunter]

I really don't flipping believe it. I just took possession of my new 627 (5") gun from the dealer. BRAND NEW IN BOX. I take it apart to do the initial cleaning and inspection and here is what I find: the trigger strut is broken on the "ball end" (see photo).

What's weird is the DA pull seemed OK, not great but OK before coming apart.

QUESTIONS: anybody know the SW customer service number?

Anybody remember which way the trigger pins come out (right to left or reverse) to replace the stupid strut?

I am seriously done with smith and wesson as far as ever buying a new gun again.

 

[badguybuster]

Dang. That really stinks. Sorry man

 

[growr]

1-800-331-0852 I think is correct. I hope that S&W takes as good of care with you as they have for me.
Randy

 

[tac803]

Is that a MIM part?

 

[bountyhunter]

1-800-331-0852 I think is correct. I hope that S&W takes as good of care with you as they have for me.
Randy

Thanks. I'll call them tomorrow. If they give me the "you have to send it in" crap, I am just going to blow them off. I ordered a spare trigger lever and rebound slide from Midway assuming SW won't send me the parts. For $15 worth of parts, I am not going to waste a lot of time on them.

It just INFURIATES me they shipped this thing. The end of the trigger lever is not a fracture, it looks like somebody took a grinder to it. The sharp end digs into the rebound slide socket. You would have to be stone blind to miss it. I wish I had a camera that could do close ups to show it better. When I took the trigger out, I just about blew a gasket. I don't know what the hell they can be thinking. I guess they just throw together any parts they have and ship it. I am done with their new guns, I am sick of doing their gunsmithing for them.

 

[bountyhunter]

Is that a MIM part?

The trigger and hammer are forged (flash chrome) parts, definitely not MIM. The rebound slide looks like MIM and has the black oxide coating, the metal is very soft compared to the older forged slides.

The trigger lever does not look like MIM. I don't see any mold lines or obvious signs of it coming out of a mold.

 

[bulletproof-791]

junk

I really don't flipping believe it. I just took possession of my new 627 (5") gun from the dealer. BRAND NEW IN BOX. I take it apart to do the initial cleaning and inspection and here is what I find: the trigger strut is broken on the "ball end" (see photo).

What's weird is the DA pull seemed OK, not great but OK before coming apart.

QUESTIONS: anybody know the SW customer service number?

Anybody remember which way the trigger pins come out (right to left or reverse) to replace the stupid strut?

I am seriously done with smith and wesson as far as ever buying a new gun again.

1-800-331-0852 #7

 

[cjcutter1]

Not good I would be hot, good luck.

 

[RGPM1A]

The 617 I just got had a trigger lever in it that looked like a chromed MIM part. There was what appeared to be a fairly clear parting line and ejector pin mark on the part. The rebound slide was MIM and it looked like the trigger and hammer were too. There were no machining marks on the parts at all.

If the trigger lever is indeed an MIM part a partially filled mold cavity would explain the deformed end that engages the rebound slide IMHO.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

bountyhunter-
unless they have recently changed their policy, they won't forward the parts to anyone but an authorized service center for laiblity reasons. I've had both good and bad experience with the customer service there, so that's a wash for me.

I feel for you man. That's just BS in my book, and I refuse to buy anything from them new until the day comes when they grow a pair and lose the lock/two piece barrels/ugly grips/ etc, etc ......... No offense to those who have them, but after owning so many of the earlier guns, i just can't get into the new stuff.

 

[bountyhunter]

The 617 I just got had a trigger lever in it that looked like a chromed MIM part. There was what appeared to be a fairly clear parting line and ejector pin mark on the part. The rebound slide was MIM and it looked like the trigger and hammer were too. There were no machining marks on the parts at all.

If the trigger lever is indeed an MIM part a partially filled mold cavity would explain the deformed end that engages the rebound slide IMHO.

The PC guns still used forged triggers which had the "pinned in" strut lever. The newer MIM triggers don't, the lever just slides into a slot and it is a different style lever. It has no hole for a pin, just a rounded head on it.

That's why I believed the lever in mine isn't MIM, I don't think they would tool up to make new MIM levers to go with the very few old style forged triggers the PC still puts out. At least, that would not make business sense but who knows.


EDIT TO ADD:


AAAAUUGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! IT IS A MIM DEFECT!

I got the magnifying glass out and that doggy thing is definitely a MIM part with mold seams on both edges. It is clearly a molding defect. It was chrome plated over the ragged end, and some minimum wage moron pinned it into the trigger and then another moron installed it in my gun.

UNBELIEVABLE.

What in hell can these idiots be doing?

 

[bountyhunter]

bountyhunter-
unless they have recently changed their policy, they won't forward the parts to anyone but an authorized service center for laiblity reasons.

I've heard that before about them, that's why I just bought new parts from Midway. Liability excuse is bogus. I have had many other makers like Ruger, Para Ordnance, STI, SIG etc send me gun parts when there was a problem.

S&W better get their stuff together or they will be no more. They really don't get the "internet" thing. If they keep shipping junk at outrageous prices, copping an attitude with customers, and generally giving terrible service the buyers will just go away or stop buying any new guns (because they are likely to have problems).

 

[bountyhunter]

The 617 I just got had a trigger lever in it that looked like a chromed MIM part. There was what appeared to be a fairly clear parting line and ejector pin mark on the part. The rebound slide was MIM and it looked like the trigger and hammer were too. There were no machining marks on the parts at all.

If the trigger lever is indeed an MIM part a partially filled mold cavity would explain the deformed end that engages the rebound slide IMHO.

The "standard" production guns made at SW all use the newer MIM triggers and hammers as far as I know, so the new MIM lever would have to be used with their trigger. It's just the PC shipping the old style forged triggers and hammers.

You are certainly right that a bubble in the mold could account for the end being screwed up on an MIM part. MIM is a very poor choice to make a long thin part like the lever. Same thing 1911 makers found out about extractors.

 

[bountyhunter]

1-800-331-0852 #7

Thanks, I'll call tomorrow AM.

 

[growr]

Every time I have sent something to S&W they have gone way above and beyond anything I have ever asked for. I always aks them to make sure that whatever I have sent in meets or exceeds S&W standards for safety.
On one 4006 that was a PD trade in they replaced everything but the slide and the frame. That included replacing the barrel, all at no charge and it took 9 days total.
Too bad that has happened to you...I trust that S&W WILL make it right for you including sending you a UPS/FEDEX call tag. Let them PAY for it and keep sending it in if it is NOT right.
That is just how "I" would handle it.......might work for you as well.
Hope it all turns out to the good for you.
Randy

 

[shawn mccarver]

If they keep shipping junk at outrageous prices, copping an attitude with customers, and generally giving terrible service the buyers will just go away or stop buying any new guns (because they are likely to have problems).

I have never heard of them "copping an attitude." I understand the annoyance of this, but there is a bright side.

If you take advantage of the shipping label and send it back, they will fix it, look it over, probably smooth it even more and you will get back a revolver that you will never want to part with.

I believe S&W has excellent customer service and you should give it a chance to work.

 

[bountyhunter]

I have never heard of them "copping an attitude."

Yes, you did. If they tell their customers they won't send repair parts, that's copping an attitude. It is extremely annoying to have to send a brand new gun in and not have it for weeks for a minor repair. As I said, they are alone in the industry with this stupid attitude. I never have trouble getting parts from any other gun maker and several of them send them FOR FREE if the parts failed. Ruger and Para Ordnance have sent me parts for free without question or even asking to see the old parts.

I understand the annoyance of this, but there is a bright side.

If you take advantage of the shipping label and send it back, they will fix it, look it over, probably smooth it even more and you will get back a revolver that you will never want to part with.

That's not a bright side. I am a gunsmith, albeit not a licensed one since I am in california. My trigger jobs are smoother than anything the PC has ever put out because I am not in a hurry and I take my time. There is no advantage to me having them fix this, it's just a giant waste of my time.

Did I mention the strain screw on this gun was out about one full turn? I honestly don't think this gun has ever been fired, I inspected it and it is too clean to have been fired.

I believe S&W has excellent customer service and you should give it a chance to work.

If they have excellent customer service they could send me the repair parts which I will keep as spares. having learned they are using MIM to make trigger levers (which is insane) I will be keeping spares since they are prone to fail.

If you read the forums (I have for about 15 years) SW has a very mixed reputation for customer service. Some people are very happy, and some have horror stories. I will assume the former outnumber the latter, but I have no data on that. What is clear from my own direct knowledge from examining their new guns (even PC guns) is their quality control is poor. And, they clearly employ people who either can't see or don't care. I am not in a hurry to send a gun back since I don't know who will be handling it at their end.

 

[kennyb]

seems that the anger stems around the policy of not sending parts out...i have received parts from them...grips,sights,and the like...internal...no...have not needed them...like other posters suggested...give them a chance to make it right...

 

[Jswiney9]

this is why im scared to death to buy a new S&W i love love love the older guns but i cant see paying 1300 dollars for something and having it come in broken. i feel for you

 

[Photog]

I agree that it really sucks, but it is not S&W alone that does this. I bought one of the Ruger Super Redhawks when they first came out and it was shipped with a crack in one of the chambers. I sent it back and they gave me a time quote. I waited a week beyond that and called since I had not heard from them. The "laughing hyena" of a service manager I talked to actually laughed when I mentioned the time frame and stated that in that amount of time I would be lucky if they even opened the shipping box. Fortunately, I had a friend who had some pull with old Bill himself and I got the gun back, with new cylinder, and nothing else. No explaination, no invoice, description of what was done, nothing.
I would call and very politely demand that they send me the parts so that I can shoot my gun without having to wait for them to repair it. Good luck and let us know how this turns out.