[ThatDog]

I have read on other forums about problems with S&W firearms.
Other companies as well.
Some manufacturers are just too busy shoving product out the door to worry about QC.
Some cut QC to reduce costs.
Some moved factory locations and have to train up new workers.
Some just make crap.

TBS, there are several makes and models I would not consider ever buying.
That's due to personal experience and that of friends.

 

[OldLawman]

I dunno, while my S&Ws are mostly old pre-locks, my Colts, the modern ones, have all been very nice. Only modern Colt 1911 I ever had an issue with was an early gov't wiley clapp model. And it only required the correct barrel, which was shipped to me ASAP. But, I mostly avoid stainless steel, especially in revolvers

I agree about no-lock Smiths. In addition, most of the current gen. guns have too much MIM for my taste. I graduated from the S&W Revolver Armorer's School in the late 1980s, when we had to build and fit three guns in a week.
On the other hand, I prefer stainless guns, as I have all of mine bead blasted.

 

[Colt Carson]

I have purchased four firearms in the past few years, and all of them had major issues (not cosmetic). Prior to those four, I’ve never had to send a gun back to the manufacturer. Here's a pic of my J frame I purchased about ten years ago. My bigger revolvers are Rugers, but this little S&W has nicer fit/finish.

 

[SierraSam]

The S&W 686-6 Plus Deluxe I bought new in 2020 was finished very nicely from the factory. I did use a little Purple brand metal polish and a cloth to shine it up a bit, which many Smith aficionados do not like. I like it and don't plan to sell it, so it's all good. I keep a good coat of Renwax on it so it doesn't show fingerprints as easily. I also do not mind the lock.

It's wearing Altamont reproduction "Coke bottle" grips.

 

[dogsoldier0513]

Greetings Fellow 1911 Addicts,

I have been interested in purchasing various S&W revolvers, but I consistently run into the same issue. They have scratches, swirl marks, buffing going in 50 different directions, and, of course, deep cuts in the metal. S&W won't do anything about it, and who wants to spend even more money refurbishing a brand new firearm? You shouldn't have to do that.

What is going on? I realize there have been some challenges with Covid, but it cannot be an excuse for everything. The prices go up and QC goes down?!

Anyone have any thoughts, opinions or ideas on the subject? View attachment 1041738
View attachment 1041737

Back in the time shortly after S&W deleted the barrel pin on their revolvers, and went to using a 'crush fit', a friend and I were shooting our .44s at the range. I had a nickeled M29 that I had owned for about a year. He had a brand new M629. On the 5th round of the first cylinder fired (factory 240gr) from his BRAND NEW revolver, the barrel came off.

 

[ClockAGrip44]

I bought a new Ruger SP101 in 327 Federal last summer, was pretty disappointed in the machine marks in various places. Used to be you wouldn’t see this stuff but profits seem to take over quality control these days.
I just started cleaning it up myself and smoothing it out as should’ve been from Ruger in the first place.
I don’t have the patience to try sending it back when I can take care of it myself. Just my last Ruger purchase though.

How do you remove scratches on a matte finish?

 

[Au Jus in Bello]

How do you remove scratches on a matte finish?

If by matte you mean bead blasted stainless, the answer is you don't remove scratches. Best home brew option is to select a rough grit sand paper, hold it over the scratched area and gently smack with a nylon hammer. This is trial and error and not for the fainthearted, but it can blend in small marks on bead blast stainless.

Not to be attempted on matte blue or any other finish.

But there real answer is only a re-bead blast can really fix damage to the finish.

And if it's a working gun, learn to live with it -- in fact, love it. I have a working S&W revolver in stainless bead blast and welcome every new sign it's carried, used and doing its job.

 

[Colt Carson]

Back in the time shortly after S&W deleted the barrel pin on their revolvers, and went to using a 'crush fit', a friend and I were shooting our .44s at the range. I had a nickeled M29 that I had owned for about a year. He had a brand new M629. On the 5th round of the first cylinder fired (factory 240gr) from his BRAND NEW revolver, the barrel came off.

My nephew bought a brand new S&W 44 magnum revolver a few years ago, and after not very many rounds noticed he was having trouble hitting the target. When he couldn’t see the front sight, he lowered the gun and noticed the barrel was unscrewing itself. S&W fixed it, no problems.

 

[41magfan]

I know things seems bad now (and they are), but I've been buying S&W revolvers since the 70's and experienced first hand the beginning of the decline in production quality and quality control under the ownership of Bangor-Punta/Lear Siegler. For a period of time in the 70's and 80's, S&W couldn't do anything right. I can remember when the rejection rate (unfit to be issued) for brand new service revolvers might be 20% right out of the gate.

Ironically, upgrades in production equipment and processes (done in the late 80's, IIRC) made S&W capable of producing the best revolver (mechanically) in their modern history, but they've neglected the element of "skilled" workers and embraced production processes that only benefit the bottom line ...... with predictable results.

I suspect the polymer guns (and AR's to a lesser extent) are/have been paying all the bills at S&W for some time now.

 

[BigT67]

I know back several years ago before covid, I looked at 9 different 686-6's, at different Gun shops and all had canted barrels before, I found one that was aligned straight.

 

[Colt Carson]

I’ve received guns recently that had such bone-head blunders, that I questioned whether I wanted to send it back to the manufacturer, because I wasn’t sure they were qualified to fix it.

 

[M-Peltier]

The origin of the OP's revolver is suspect to me. Where did it come from? It does not look like anything I have seen from the factory. I work in a LGS here in Florida, and by a big margin the S&W revolvers we get in new from our distributors are far better than the Taurus, Ruger and Charter arms we also sell. Yeah, we all hate the lock, but overall quality is as good or better than any alternative in a competitively priced new revolver today. We sell a bunch, have a hard time keeping them in stock, and I inspect every one we get...........I can not recall a bad one. In the last 5 years we have sent One back to S&W for service. It was a pre lock J frame that had a timing issue after years of use. S&W sent it back fixed, no charge, in about two weeks. Try that with a Taurus.

 

[ClockAGrip44]

The origin of the OP's revolver is suspect to me. Where did it come from? It does not look like anything I have seen from the factory. I work in a LGS here in Florida, and by a big margin the S&W revolvers we get in new from our distributors are far better than the Taurus, Ruger and Charter arms we also sell. Yeah, we all hate the lock, but overall quality is as good or better than any alternative in a competitively priced new revolver today. We sell a bunch, have a hard time keeping them in stock, and I inspect every one we get...........I can not recall a bad one. In the last 5 years we have sent One back to S&W for service. It was a pre lock J frame that had a timing issue after years of use. S&W sent it back fixed, no charge, in about two weeks. Try that with a Taurus.

Pictures came from a LGS.

 

[M-Peltier]

Pictures came from a LGS.

Pictures?? I was asking where the Revolver came from??? You said you had it shipped in. Cosmetic issue not withstanding were there any mechanical issues with it?

In my experience with cosmetic issues, photos tend to exaggerate them. Did it look that bad in person or did you deny it based on the photos?

 

[ClockAGrip44]

Pictures?? I was asking where the Revolver came from??? You said you had it shipped in. Cosmetic issue not withstanding were there any mechanical issues with it?

In my experience with cosmetic issues, photos tend to exaggerate them. Did it look that bad in person or did you deny it based on the photos?

I thought when I said the pictures came from a LGS, it was implied that it was a new firearm that they got in NEW from S&W, the maker of said firearm.

 

[cigarafic88]

I thought when I said the pictures came from a LGS, it was implied that it was a new firearm that they got in NEW from S&W, the maker of said firearm.

I am of the same line of thinking that @M-Peltier has mentioned. Since it was cleared up as to where the gun came from, can you clear up weather you saw the gun physically in person or made a potential snap judgement from the photos alone?

 

[ClockAGrip44]

I am of the same line of thinking that @M-Peltier has mentioned. Since it was cleared up as to where the gun came from, can you clear up weather you saw the gun physically in person or made a potential snap judgement from the photos alone?

I saw it, held it and took the pictures of it.

 

[cigarafic88]

I saw it, held it and took the pictures of it.

Sounds good. From your post above you mentioned the pictures came from the LGS that you provided in the thread. But in actuality those were pictures you took not them?

 

[Joni Lynn]

As a general rule I avoid S&W stuff. I've had revolvers with under clocked and over clocked barrels as well as one with hammer push off and S&W CS didn't think any of these issues required fixing. CS didn't know what push off was and suggested I spent too much time on the internet.
I sent them a gun for cylinder replacement since one chamber was cracked clear through from locking notch to the front of the cylinder. 3 times they looked at it and sent it back saying they had examined it, fired it and found no problem.
There have been other things, not worth taking peoples time to read them.
I only buy older guns now after I have examined them.

 

[Colt Carson]

I don’t know about other countries, but in America I think the number of skilled craftsmen is dwindling, across all fields.