Where's the Quality Control Performance Center?

[dwever]

First, it is worth noting I have a number of S&W revolvers purchased without issue (586L 7 shot; R8 PC; 627 8shot PC; 629 PC 7.5"). There is no doubt I am mostly just venting here; but who knows, someone may have something to help me.

How do you sell a $1,900 Performance Center 460 XVR 3.5" that shoots a FOOT HIGH at 15 yards, and has zero adjustment left in the site. I was making nice groups on the target center by aiming just below the paper.

I called S&W customer service. Told the sleepy sounding representative the problem. He puts me on hold. Comes back, and asks me what direction I was screwing to lower the point of impact; I tell him looking down at the site I am trying to screw clockwise, but that the adjustment is fully seated and there is no adjustment left. Puts me on hold again. Comes back and asks me to repeat which way I am screwing the site, I tell him again, he confirms that is correct. Puts me on hold again. Comes back and says I'm going to have to send it in. I thank him. I hang up, and I take it to the gunsmith at Arctic Ammo in Wasilla Alaska where it was bought Thursday.

 

[mckenney99]

To me, it's very apparent that the front sight they installed is WAY too short. My experience has been that as the barrel length is shortened, the front sight height needs to increase.

 

[pbramlett]

You aren’t the only one this irritates. I avoid buying anything newer than 2001 Smiths if I can help it.

 

[racoonbeast]

You aren’t the only one this irritates. I avoid buying anything newer than 2001 Smiths if I can help it.

When they dumped pinned barrels and recessed cylinders they lost me.

 

[Lowa]

When they dumped pinned barrels and recessed cylinders they lost me.

Pinned barrels are still canted and counter bored chambers serve literally no purpose. I'm sure you had a point, though.

 

[smithman]

You are the quality control nowadays…

 

[Swiftflyer]

Bought a new 686 that had the same problem, 6" high at 25 yards with 125 grain bullets and completely over the target with 158 grain bullets. Like yours the rear sight was already screwed all the way down. S&W was very friendly on the phone and they now have the pistol, will be interesting to see the outcome.

 

[chief38]

While it pains me to say this I have come to the conclusion that Performance Center guns go there to be ruined. I’ve never heard so many complaints before about PC guns and S&W needs to take a hard look into this - fast!! This situation is a disgrace! I hope after they move to TN they get more qualified GS’s and employees!!

 

[kbfire]

Never really liked S&W adj rear sights. I change them out with Bowen Classic Rough Country rear sights.

 

[mikerjf]

A front sight like that, I could see someone dumping new parts in the wrong bin (or getting a mismarked bag)… that used to happen when I dealt with parts cribs. OTOH, then it wasn’t any craftsman that put it together.

 

[cmj8591]

Did you ask them if they had a higher front sight available? It's a simple thing to punch out the pin and replace it. I can't really tell from your picture but you may also be able to replace the rear sight blade with a lower one. It could be that you will need a higher front sight AND a lower sight blade to get you where you want to be. Sighting is subjective. I might pick up that gun and be right on. Someone else might shoot low with it. The height of the sights is set up at the factory based on a mathematical formula that doesn't take into account variables between shooters such as grip, eyesight, your sight picture or the load being used. Your problem isn't unique to S&W.

 

[dwever]

cmj8591

You can’t be serious. With a 627, 586L, 629, and R8 my elevation was good out of the box 4 out of 4 times. Why? because there is enough commonly understood technique in siting that you can deliver the same elevation performance consistently within an inch or two at 15 yards. A one foot deviation is unthinkable at that distance.

Did you not read that this weapon’s rear site delivered with a fully seated screw with zero adjustment left in the sight such that no adjustment is available? Is that subjective? Or will the screw subjectively unseat itself for other shooters?

Since seating the screw fully down means the weapon was at it’s full adjustment to bring the point of impact down, does this full-seating at least suggest that S&W likely knew the point of impact was too high as it delivered the weapon with maximum correction to lower it but it still wasn’t low enough? Why would the Performance Center pull a stunt like that with a $1,899 weapon?

Remember I said in the first post I took the gun back to Arctic Ammo. It turns out there is evidence my problem is unique to S&W as evidenced by the fact that it has been determined since the first post that the front site is NOT THE CORRECT SITE for this weapon and the gunsmith at Arctic Ammo has contacted S&W for the correct site without cost.

Siting is subjective only to a point. There is enough commonly accepted technique that shooters may vary a couple of inches due to individual variance in site picture perception, but not a foot at fifteen yards. Both times customer service was called they ruled out turning the adjustment wrong way, and then immediately acknowledged a problem with the weapon and offered a shipping label.

I know there is some sarcasm in this post. But I’m still aggravated I spent $1900 on a weapon with such a basic QC problem out of the factory. To suggest the situation is explained by user variance really deserves robust cursing, but I’m not good at that.