S&W Warranty

[willie]

Finally, I fired my new S&W Model 10-7 bought a couple years ago and observed that it shot 8 inches left of point of aim. Ammo was factory 158 grain. Distance was 25 yards. Two other shooters had the same result. I called S&W, and a nice Texan answered the phone in Tennessee. He emailed a Fed-X return slip, and I shipped it to Massachusetts. Clocking the barrel more to the left will move poi to the right. However, I doubt that it will move the group 8 inches. I hope that I get back a correctly repaired revolver. Dealing with Smith was pleasant.

[Trajan]

The trigger pin on my transitional 27-2 broke and I had to send it in around 2015. In the package was a jeweled hammer and trigger.

When S&W sent me a quote on the work it said it didn't include the hammer or trigger in the package. I called them up and told them there was a hammer and trigger in the package. They did an internal investigation as every package is xrayed when it comes in. Lo and behold they saw the photos that there was a hammer and trigger in there. They just replaced them with strawed parts.

So some smith at S&W stole my hammer and trigger.

My advice: don't send them anything that isn't serialized.

[41magfan]

As crazy as it might sound, the factory approved method for obtaining a proper zero on a fixed sight S&W revolver (with an adequate barrel length) is done by beating the barrel into submission with an alloy babbitt.

[S Jenks]

As crazy as it might sound, the factory approved method for obtaining a proper zero on a fixed sight S&W revolver (with an adequate barrel length) is done by beating the barrel into submission with an alloy babbitt.

I have a Model 60 LadySmith (I believe from the late 80’s) that I purchased used a few years back. I’ve brought it out for two range sessions and both times it shot noticeably to the right, which for me is unheard of as my rounds tend to favor left.

The barrel appeared to be clocked properly, so into the safe it went and I kind of put it out of my mind.

I recently picked up a 9mm suppressor rod, and found out the barrel itself indeed points a few degrees to the right. It’s not something I would have noticed if not for the suppressor rod, as the barrel is so short.

Think S&W will take a look at it?

[Stephanie B]

The trigger pin on my transitional 27-2 broke and I had to send it in around 2015. In the package was a jeweled hammer and trigger.

When S&W sent me a quote on the work it said it didn't include the hammer or trigger in the package. I called them up and told them there was a hammer and trigger in the package. They did an internal investigation as every package is xrayed when it comes in. Lo and behold they saw the photos that there was a hammer and trigger in there. They just replaced them with strawed parts.

So some smith at S&W stole my hammer and trigger.

My advice: don't send them anything that isn't serialized.

My guess is that someone pulled the gun out of the package and didn't look to see if there was anything else. They probably went into the dumpster.

[Stephanie B]

As crazy as it might sound, the factory approved method for obtaining a proper zero on a fixed sight S&W revolver (with an adequate barrel length) is done by beating the barrel into submission with an alloy babbitt.

Back in the day, sash weights were used, or so I've been told.

[41magfan]

I have a Model 60 LadySmith (I believe from the late 80’s) that I purchased used a few years back. I’ve brought it out for two range sessions and both times it shot noticeably to the right, which for me is unheard of as my rounds tend to favor left.

The barrel appeared to be clocked properly, so into the safe it went and I kind of put it out of my mind.

I recently picked up a 9mm suppressor rod, and found out the barrel itself indeed points a few degrees to the right. It’s not something I would have noticed if not for the suppressor rod, as the barrel is so short.

Think S&W will take a look at it?

To be honest, I wouldn't venture to guess.

S&W Customer Service (especially towards LE Armorers) was a different animal back in the 70's-80's and they were fairly accommodating. Barrels shorter than 3" (especially in J-Frames) can be difficult to "massage" with a babbitt, so that not be an option if you need a serious amount of correction. Additionally, if you did something back then that was factory approved and something unpredictably broke or cracked, S&W would "make it right". I don't think that's the case these days, but I could certainly be wrong.

For me personally, a gun that can't be zeroed is worthless and I've passed along some nice guns for this very reason. If I had a gun that I thought was worth the effort, I'd have a gunsmith/machinist open up the rear notch (in very small increments with test firing to confirm) on the offending side. Most rear notches are too shallow/narrow anyway, IMO. If the gun was blued, I'd touch it up with cold blue. If stainless, I'd tape it off and hit the machined area with a light media blast and call it good.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Trajan]

My guess is that someone pulled the gun out of the package and didn't look to see if there was anything else. They probably went into the dumpster.

The hammer was literally still in the gun.

[Stephanie B]

The hammer was literally still in the gun.

Oh. Never mind.

[S Jenks]

To be honest, I wouldn't venture to guess.

S&W Customer Service (especially towards LE Armorers) was a different animal back in the 70's-80's and they were fairly accommodating. Barrels shorter than 3" (especially in J-Frames) can be difficult to "massage" with a babbitt, so that not be an option if you need a serious amount of correction. Additionally, if you did something back then that was factory approved and something unpredictably broke or cracked, S&W would "make it right". I don't think that's the case these days, but I could certainly be wrong.

For me personally, a gun that can't be zeroed is worthless and I've passed along some nice guns for this very reason. If I had a gun that I thought was worth the effort, I'd have a gunsmith/machinist open up the rear notch (in very small increments with test firing to confirm) on the offending side. Most rear notches are too shallow/narrow anyway, IMO. If the gun was blued, I'd touch it up with cold blue. If stainless, I'd tape it off and hit the machined area with a light media blast and call it good.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

I’ll give an RMA request a shot anyway, and report back.