New 642-1, going back to S&W

[MGW]

Hope you get a good response from them.

Mine 642-1 has a neat trick. I was doing some dry fire the other day in a dimly lit room. I was using my reflection in a mirror to practice quick shots to the head box. First few trigger presses made me do a double take. I could see sparks! Really took me a minute to figure out what was going on. Every time the firing pin would drop a small amount of sparks would shoot out of the firing pin hole. Weird. I don't have a ton of rounds through it. Maybe 500 or so. Seems to work fine. The cylinder release needs to be tightened up fairly often but other than that seems okay.

Reminded me of those little plastic translucent spark guns that were around when I was a kid.

[Leroy Suggs]

The sparks are normal. No worries.

[APS-PF]

If you're not going to shoot it first before you send it back take a mag glass and check to make sure the barrel isn't canted. If it is then maybe get them to straighten it while it's in for service.

[OlongJohnson]

I was reading in Kunnhausen a few nights ago. He said something like 60 percent of post-MIM, post-lock S&Ws he inspected out of the box required some amount of attention from a smith to be considered ready to be put into service.

[ca survivor]

Pretty bummed but honestly I was afraid this would happen. I've heard a lot about bad S&W QC and now I see it first hand.

so why did you buy it then ?

[MGW]

so why did you buy it then ?

Snark much?

[Irelander]

Pretty bummed but honestly I was afraid this would happen. I've heard a lot about bad S&W QC and now I see it first hand.

so why did you buy it then ?

Because I wanted a S&W 642.

[NickA]

When I bought mine several years ago it wouldn't rotate one of the cylinders fully into battery (or whatever the proper revo terminology is). Quick trip back to the factory and it's been fine since.
Bummer but I'm sure they'll get you fixed up.

[ca survivor]

Because I wanted a S&W 642.

I mean that one in particular, I have bucket full of Js and no issues, mine are older gen. though.

[jh9]

I was reading in Kunnhausen a few nights ago. He said something like 60 percent of post-MIM, post-lock S&Ws he inspected out of the box required some amount of attention from a smith to be considered ready to be put into service.

Kuhanhausen is a pen name. The most recent S&W revolver shop manual (5th ed I think) finally included information about the MIM guns. Updates for the MIM guns are purportedly written by Ron Power, who happens to sell a ton of aftermarket S&W revolver parts.

More than half the guns needing remedial work strains credibility.