S&W Owners!

vellnueve

vellnueve

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I own 4 S&Ws. I am just preparing to send the third one back for repairs. Has anyone else found that they need to have S&W on speed dial?

And they cover the full range of SW products (SW 22A, SW9F Sigma, SW317 have all needed repairs, SW 520 has not, yet)
 
Not me. I'm in the tank for S&W big time. I currently have 10 S&W revolvers and 5 autos (6 if you count the PPK/S). I bought two of them new, the rest I purchased used.

I'm knocking on wood here, but I haven't had a single problem with any of them. I do not have any of the models that you listed.
 
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My Performance Center 625 needed repairs (I forget what). My CS 9 hasn't yet, but then it's only had 1 box through it.
 
With the exception of a SW1911 and a 686, anything I own of S&W dates
back twenty to thirty years so I think that most of the 'bugs' have been
wrung out of them by now. I too do not own any of the arms you are having
difficulty with. I have heard great things said about S&W service so although
you are having some initial problems the fact that they seem to be very
customer oriented now (unlike under previous ownership) should put your mind
at ease somewhat. I hope everything works out OK for you. Let us know how
everything turns out.

TBP
 
I have had 6 S&W of varied types and never had a problem with any of them.

When I bought my CS45, one of the mags had a bent feed lip. I called them and they sent me a new one with out any hesitation...and never even asked for a serial number. Didn't even ask to see it it was registered with them.
 
Actually not only that but this time I practically had to bend the Customer Support guy's arm to get a label sent. This because the handgun was purchased used (which 1) I don't think matters 2) it was purchased from the SW SSC and I was told that the warranty would be honored by the fine folks over there)

I don't know, but I have been considering buying a 1911, and had been looking closely at SW. This might be the deciding factor that has me move in another direction.
 
We carried S&W autos since the early 80's/ Very few carried by 75 officers ever needed repairs. The only stand out was the 669's that a few developed frame cracks after many years. Even though not owned by the oringinal purchaser, the frames were replaced under warrenty.
 
I have at least 4 S&Ws, 2 of which date back to the 1970s and 2 are more "modern" that have never had a problem related to the gun.

I bought one of the early S&W .40V Sigmas (new) that broke a bunch of parts after the 2nd mag of factory ammo. The mag release components in the gun broke and it "ejected" the mag when you brought the gun up from the bench. S&W repaired it and I sold it!

My S&W 1911 was bought slightly used and had some problems. S&W repaired it, which led to another problem (slide release lever backing out). Back it went and they fixed that. Have run probably 4K WWB thru it since then with no problems and I bet my life on that gun all the time.

I had a Walther P22 that was a Jam-o-Matic design. Talked to S&W but took some other advice on another forum and burnished the feed-ramp, sold it and the current owner (NES'r) reported that it now feeds ammo just fine.

I'd have no hesitation on buying a S&W. However, like any new design, it pays to wait a while and see what issues arise and are worked out before jumping in with an open wallet. I'm probably going to want the M&P in .45, but I won't be the first in line to buy it.
 
One note on the S&W autos.

I was told to (and do) replace the recoil and firing pin springs about every 5000 rounds.

This is probably not a bad idea for any auto.
 
Seems like you've had some bad luck with your Smiths. Luckily I've never had a problem with the ones I have. I've heard nothing but great things about their customer service though from people who have had to send their's in. I'm surprised to hear about you having to "strong arm" their service guy for a label.
 
I have a S&W 1911 I had to return three times because it was going full auto. Then it started breaking barrel link pins, shop replaced the pin, broke again, took it to a real smith, partially fixed the problem but still broke again. Barrel was fit at the factory by complete morons who don't even begin to understand timing in the 1911. It's obvious they don't test fire and don't check to see if anything is in spec, they throw the parts together and hope that their excellent modern manufacturing techniques save them from having to fit anything. One wonders if they know how. I lose the gun for a month everytime they want to "repair" it which is a ephemism for replacing the parts and shipping it back without testing or measuring. God forbid they should actually diagnose the problem... Lucky for them they are the only game in town. Free shipping labels does not good customer service make.

Their new revolvers only faired better in that they went bang and weren't dangerous. A 7 year old PC627 was flawless and a dream to own and shoot.

My other two S&W 1911s have also been "flawless". If you don't count the ledge on the breech face denting and bending brass and the crooked and uneven serrations on the frontstrap that are standard on EVERY S&W 1911 with vertical serrations and the trigger that rattles like a pebble in a tin can on all but the Target model. If someone can post a photo of one without crooked frontstrap serrations I would dearly love to see it.

All that being said... I'll still buy them. They are no worse then any other manufacturer.
 
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I have good luck with the smith 1911. Mine had about 28K through it with only the plunger tube coming loose very recently. Greg Derr installed a new one for cheap money.

My 625 is running great also...no issues
 
910s and a 65-3 .357 never any problem. Just pull them apart and give them a thorough cleaning after each trip to the range.
 
IMO S+W ain't too bad.

I've only had to use their service once, with a SW99 .45 ACP where I had
damaged the spring for the slide lock. They replaced the spring as well as
the recoil spring and guide rod at no charge. All it cost me was shipping
to get it out there. (And I used an FFL, so they sent it USPS which made
it a whole lot cheaper. ). I got it back in less than 2 weeks.

WRT the guns- Well, most of their products are pretty good... but obviously
if you're surfing at the low end (read, S+W smegma, etc. ) then
you basically get what you pay for, more or less. I have a 22A too..
mine isnt too bad, but you can tell it's not a high end rimfire pistol. It does
the job, though.

I also owned a SW617 10 shot 4", it worked pretty well. Never had a
problem with it the whole year that I owned it. I only dumped it because
at the time I was jonesing for a 17HMR rifle. I'll probably buy another
one someday when I get around to it. (I haven't been shooting 22LR
nearly as much as I should be.... )

I've had a chance to use their 1911s... across various models. Their low
end stuff is probably the best in its price class, more or less. I personally
wouldn't do anything except performance center, though, anymore, unless
it's a carry rig, but that's personal taste more than anything else. (I own a
PC945, so I have to admit to sniffing the Perf Center fumes on that one... it's
just an impeccable piece of gear... and I got it used!)

-Mike
 
While I own almost a dozen Smiths, I only own one automatic.

I've never been too thrilled by plastic guns like the Sigmas, but I have one. I've never had a problem requiring me to sent a gun back to the factory.

I hear good things about their 1911's. One of them is way down my list of "gotta haves."

The range of age of my Smiths are from 1903 to the present. I have nothing but good things to say about them.

With all the problems you are having I wonder if you might be doing something wrong.....or you just got real unlucky and got all "friday guns."
 
Not sure that it would be something that I did wrong.

On the 22A the rear lug on the barrel assembly simply snapped off while shooting.

On the 317 the cylinder will not advance.

On the Sigma the extractor was either FTEing or extracting weakly straight into my face.
 
I have only one hand gun that is Not a S&W. I have used the product since my first Model 10 in 1973. I have carried them for serious purposes as well as used them for games.

I have several that have had tens of thousands of rounds through them. They are well made firearms that do what they are supposed to do.

The lower priced are entry level models are just that. Entry level. They are to learn on and allow the purchaser to get into hand guns at a lower price. When you decide what you want, you can move up.

As for needed repairs, all mass produced products have their occasional defects. Before I carry for self defense, a firearm will be tested and will have at least 500 rounds through it. That is needed to break it in. If there is a problem, I figure out if it is firearm, magazine, ammo, or operator.

On to Customer Service, S&W Customer service is the best I have ever found in the firearms industry. remember, you can catch anyone on a bad day so be patient with the Customer Service rep in any industry.

I have a friend that bought a Kimber at a price of $1100. Would not reliably eject rounds. He called Kimber and they were no help at all. They wouldn't even look at it. They told him to have a gunsmith look at it. I called S&W with a problem with a mag. They sent me a new one. Which one has better customer service??

For S&W revolvers, I have never had a problem. If I ever do, they will send the parts and I will fix it myself.

BTW, Sigmas had extractor problems. 317 someone probably played with internals (I can fix it) 22A? I never liked them but I am sure it can be repaired by S&W.

Regards,
 
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