Update: S&W customer service, found the right guy.

[CGT80]

10-27-14 I got a hold of a tech at an extension number that was given to me for S&W. I waited less than a minute on the phone and the guy was able to find the part I needed. What a night and day difference from the person I had emailed. I don't have the part in my hands yet so anything could happen, but at least the tech and I were on the same page as to what I needed. +1 for S&W


Update:See post from 10-05-2014. They did get a new part to me, free of charge, but it was the extractor rod, without the knurled knob I needed. Midway now has it as a special order, so I will buy one from them.



I have called Smith twice and waited oh hold, while listening to the same crappy big band song, for 15 minutes each time. Of course they are not nice enough to setup a system like Dillon precision which tells you which number you are. Dillon lets you know as you move up the line. I had an idea as to how long I would be on hold, with Dillon. Not so with Smith. Would it take 20 minutes or 40 minutes?

I emailed Smith. I stated that I needed the knurled knob that goes on the end of the extractor for my Smith 460 XVR revolver. They replied that the part would have to be fit to the gun. BS, it is just a machine screw with a large head to finish off the end of the rod so your finger has a nice non slip area to manipulate the rod. They later got back to me and said the part was ordered. They couldn't verify the part number or a photo, but I think they may have sent another email with the number. They never asked for payment info and didn't say that it would be sent out free of charge.

I actually complained about being on hold for so long and also that they were awful at communicating with the emails. The emails made me wonder if it was a scammer or maybe tech support from another country.

When I detail clean the revolver, I remove the tip from the extractor to take it apart. I forgot to put blue locktite on it last time.

Does anyone have advice for dealing with S&W or know where to find this part? I contacted a gunsmith that S&W's web site recommends, but I didn't get email back from them either.

It would probably be faster for me to learn to thread and knurl stainless on my lathe than try to get help from S&W.

 

[old&slow]

I looked in the Brownell catalog and didn't see any parts for the X frame. Might check Brownell's or Midway's web site.

I haven't ordered any parts from S&W for a couple years now. But in the past , when I did, I always had very good service from S&W.

 

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Little confused, but if you need a new ejection rod it will need to be fitted to the gun. S&W was not lying about that. Also a properly tightened ejection rod will not need lock tight. How was the original rod lost?

 

[66 shooter]

You might try Bob's Gun Shop in Royal, AR, their website is gun-parts.com, I got an extractor for my Mod. 439 awhile back and they were the only ones who had it. Even if they don't have the part they might know where you can get it. Good luck.

 

[chief38]

The three BEST Company's in the Gun Business are Dillon, Mid South Shooter's Supply and Brownell's - - - I just wish they could give the others some C/S training!

Not to say there aren't other Co's that are OK, but the three above are just outstanding!

 

[stang1911]

Little confused, but if you need a new ejection rod it will need to be fitted to the gun. S&W was not lying about that. Also a properly tightened ejection rod will not need lock tight. How was the original rod lost?

Midway has your part (on backorder).

 

[CGT80]

I do not need the ejection rod. I need the knurled tip that goes on the ejection rod. The end of the rod has an internal thread and the knurled part is actually a screw, but the head is just a round knurled section which must be tightened down with a pair of pliers.

Yes...Stang1911 gets it. Thank you. Did it state that it would work on the x frame? Was there a part number? I will see if I can go find it on their site.

 

[CGT80]

I found it on the midway web site and signed up for a notification. I did a google search for the part and didn't find anything. I also checked a couple other gun parts sites and didn't find it. If it comes in at midway, I will order a couple. The price isn't too bad and as much as I hate the recently viewed toolbar that constantly pops up on their site, their service is still good and fast.

Thanks for the replies, guys. If you know of a source for Smith part number 294200000, please let me know, otherwise I will wait for Midway.

I don't know why Smith couldn't help me with that part with an email. I could have provided payment info in an email or they could have called me for payment. I am not willing to waste my cell minutes or my own time to find out how long it would take to get to talk to a rep. What a pain for such a simple, small part that could be dropped into an envelope and mailed to me. End Of Rant!!!!!!

 

[markeb]

My experience with S&W customer service has always been very good. If you call after a short Holiday week, they are quite busy on Monday and Tuesday of the following week.

 

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Oh I see, didn't realize how different the x frame rod is.

 

[rwsmith]

I've been reading......

Through the various threads it seems to me that S&Ws policy is not to sell parts and they always want the gun returned to do the work themselves. Is this so?? Are the parts you buy at retail places S&W parts or aftermarket?

 

[SMSgt]

S&W CS treated me well on my non-warranty repair, but then I wasn't angry with them about a part "I" lost.

 

[mchom]

Not too long ago I had to order a replacement extractor rod for my nickle 27-2. The wait on the phone was long...at least 20 minutes. When I finally spoke to the tech on the phone he politely informed me my part was on the way free of charge. But he said it could be 4 to 6 weeks. It did take about a month.

 

[chief38]

Their customer service dept. is similar to most. There are "good guys" and then there are the ones that haven't a clue. Sometimes you just say thanks anyway, call back and hope you get a "good guy". This works for me most of the time when dealing with Company's.

 

[bgrafsr]

Through the various threads it seems to me that S&Ws policy is not to sell parts and they always want the gun returned to do the work themselves. Is this so?? Are the parts you buy at retail places S&W parts or aftermarket?

To my knowledge, they are S&W parts, but some places like Numrich and Jack First, do have reproduction parts also.

 

[CGT80]

S&W CS treated me well on my non-warranty repair, but then I wasn't angry with them about a part "I" lost.

I am mad at myself for forgetting to locktite that part after I noticed it was loose, while I was shooting.

I am angry at S&W about the lack of communication.

Here is the email they sent me:

Dear Customer,
I have ordered what you need; there will be some fitting involved order # 1646038
If further assistance is required please reply accordingly.
Sincerely,


As you can see, it doesn't state which part was ordered, if I need to pay for it, if it will be shipped, or any other details. The part I am missing should not need any fitting, unless they are sending me an entire ejector instead of just the tip.

I was also angry at listening to the same stupid big band song for 15 minutes at a stretch, while on my cell phone, with no idea as to when they may get to me.

They could have stated that the part would be sent free of charge, and they I would have known that they addressed my problem and that I just needed to wait for the part.


I emailed Smith again to show them the link to the midway site with the photo and part number of what I needed, just to see if they understood what I needed.

They got back to me quickly.

Here is the email:


Dear Customer,
I have placed the order at no charge, it is on backorder at this time.
If further assistance is required please reply accordingly.
Sincerely,


It states as little as possible, but from the email and what others have said here, it looks like I should receive the part when it comes back into stock.

I would have gladly paid for the part I lost. I thought they might just send out such a small part without charge to save them the hassle of billing for it and to do me a favor. Like others mentioned, it is common for some companies like RCBS, Dillon, and Smith and Wesson. I am thrilled that they were willing to take care of my that way. I was just ticked off that they couldn't communicate in the email a month ago that the part was backordered, but they were sending it out and I didn't need to make a payment for it.

Unfortunately, I can't read their minds.

I did go back and read one of their emails (a notification that they received my email) and noticed a statement about upgrading their customer service system. I had skipped over that before and figured it was just legal info. They seem to know that they aren't keeping up well. If they had included some details with the earlier emails, I wouldn't have contacted them again and further slowed down their system.

I am happy that they sort of confirmed that the part would be sent out to me. When it shows up, I will thrilled.

I hope they get their new system running well and that they don't forget to let the customer know the status of parts/claims.

 

[flintsghost]

At one time, they did publish on the customer service site, both the revolver and semi auto schematics by model number with complete parts list by part number. Those have apparently been done away with. I couldn't find them last time I looked. They also sold parts to customers just like you would expect with some being "factory fit only." Apparently the current ownership has changed many internal policies. They used to be very good to deal with but more recently, it seems all that is heard on the forum is less than optimum.

 

[CGT80]

Update:

S&W did send me a part, free of charge. That is very nice of them and a great way to keep satisfied customers....................

But, it is the wrong part.

They sent the ejector rod, but it does not have the knurled end with it. I didn't need the whole rod and the new rod is missing the part I needed.

I just checked midway. The part I need is available for special order and would be shipped the end of November. I think I will go ahead and order it. Hopefully it will be available when they say. I don't mind paying for the part I lost. It sucks that, if I get it at the end of November, it will have been a year to get my hands on such a simple part. I did not contact customer service again, as they claimed the part was on it's way.

I hope they have worked the bugs out of their customer service system, since I called last year. Luckily, the gun has worked flawlessly and is my favorite revolver to shoot due to the quality, finish, and looks. I doubt I will have any trouble with it. The replacement part looks nicely made as well. It just seems the person handling my emails couldn't take more time make sure we were on the same page as to which part was needed.

 

[Nightowl]

A lot of Smith parts seem to be on backorder. I ordered a front sight a year ago from Midway. I received an email last month that said that time had run out and my backorder was canceled and no backorder was available. I have a couple of hammers ordered from Brownells that are also backordered for several months. I wonder if this is going to be like trying to find .22 ammo!

 

[CGT80]

Someone from Castboolits recommended a particular person from S&W tech support and had an extension number for them. A different person answered, but the wait time was less than a minute and he was able to find the part I needed, based on the part number that is on midway's web site.

He said the part is in stock and will be shipped out. Midway shows the part is still backordered. Getting a hold of the right guy, makes all the difference in the world.