An interesting rant on Smith and Wesson

by msredneck on Fri Jun 10, 2011 5:57 pm

Was cruising around and found an interesting rant from Chuck Hawks on Smith and Wesson

I knew S&W and Colt had always been mortal enemies but ole Chuck really don't like S&W...and I've always thought of Hawks as being a fairly reasonable fella...

Anyway...I post the link for your reading enjoyment

http://www.chuckhawks.com/smith-wesson_dark.htm

by Doug Bowser on Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:47 pm

I agree with many of the statements given by the Author of this piece. Newly made S&W revolvers are not up to the standards of the 1970's. The Model 19/66 will shoot loose, the Model 29/629 will shoot loose and the Model 41 .22 target pistols malfunction often. I have 2 S&W .38 Spl revolvers. A Model 10 5" and a Model 14 K38. Both of them are reliable accurate and have been fired more often than most other revolvers. But, they were manufactured in the 1970's. Therein lies the difference.

When I went to the NRA Convention in Pheonix, AZ in 2009, I visited the S&W booth. I was looking at their K38 Vintage revolver. Their salesman came up and asked me what I thought of it. I told him, I would not take 10 of them for my 1970's manufactured K38, if I had to keep them. The finish was poor, timing not quite right and the action had a stiffness about it mine does not have.

I know a guy in SC that has a shooting range. He bought 6 Model 10 4" revolvers. Of the 6, 2 of them let the barrel fly downrange when fired. No threads on the barrel or pin through the frame either.

Doug

by 9'd up on Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:58 am

I know four people including myself that have s&w 642's and none of us are complaining. Everytime any of us pull the trigger it goes boom just like it is intended.

With that said I do know of 3 of the new bodyguards that the cylinder rotation didn't function properly. But it is a new model so kinks are to be expected to have to be worked out.

Everybody has an opinion though and thats what forums are for thumbs up

by RON55 on Sat Jun 11, 2011 8:50 am

I don't understand the statement that a new model gun, by any manufacturer, needs the kinks worked out. When I buy a new firearm I expect it to have the kinks already out. That is something that my health and life depends on. I don't need it to come apart or fail to shoot when needed.

by **captain-03** on Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:06 am

RON55 wrote:I don't understand the statement that a new model gun, by any manufacturer, needs the kinks worked out. When I buy a new firearm I expect it to have the kinks already out. That is something that my health and life depends on. I don't need it to come apart or fail to shoot when needed.

Agree 100% -- there should be NO kinks -- Cars and Guns especially!! I think poorly of a company that fields a product and lets the customers work out the issue/problems!!

by 9'd up on Sat Jun 11, 2011 9:56 am

captain-03 wrote:
RON55 wrote:I don't understand the statement that a new model gun, by any manufacturer, needs the kinks worked out. When I buy a new firearm I expect it to have the kinks already out. That is something that my health and life depends on. I don't need it to come apart or fail to shoot when needed.

Agree 100% -- there should be NO kinks -- Cars and Guns especially!! I think poorly of a company that fields a product and lets the customers work out the issue/problems!!

While I do agree with the both of you, especially when it comes to guns for personal protection, working the kinks out is very common in any kind of manufacturing, it's not just limited to smith and wesson. I really wanted a kimber solo...but I wont be buying one anytime soon.

by gunaddict on Sat Jun 11, 2011 10:14 am

On a different note they are back ordered over 24,000 M&P's from the plant for law enforcement.. They are also changing a lot of people out from the top.. They walked a lady out that had been working there for 26 years 2 weeks ago.. Looks like they are making a bunch of changes...

by Brent Daniel on Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:21 am

If Smith and Wesson made coffins, id wanna be burried in one. Just saying, I like em.

by **Xd357** on Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:28 pm

Every gun manufacture has it's problems from time to time. You can't expect them to make a 1970 era gun with the process that they use today.

by hubcap on Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:30 am

smith & wesson is just a brand name, like all other brand names they cost more only worth or as good as the rest funny

by **Beladran** on Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:20 pm

Product Wording

NEW - Different color from previous design.

ALL NEW - Parts are not interchangeable with previous design.

EXCLUSIVE - Imported product.

UNMATCHED - Almost as good as the competition.

FOOLPROOF OPERATION - No provision for adjustments.

ADVANCED DESIGN - The advertising agency doesn't understand it.

IT'S HERE AT LAST - Rush job. Nobody knew it was coming.

FIELD TESTED - Manufacturer lacks test equipment.

HIGH ACCURACY - Unit on which all parts fit.

FUTURISTIC - No other reason why it looks the way it does.

REDESIGNED - Previous flaws fixed - we hope.

DIRECT SALES ONLY - Factory had a big argument with distributor.

YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT - We finally got one to work.

BREAKTHROUGH - We finally figured out a use for it.

MAINTENANCE FREE - Impossible to fix.

MEETS ALL STANDARDS - Ours, not yours.

SOLID-STATE - Heavy as hell.

LESS FATTENING - Now doesn't have the same fat content as pig stomach lining.

HIGH RELIABILITY - We made it work long enough to ship it.

NON-REFUNDABLE - We couldn't make it work long enough to ship it.

FAT FREE - You pay for the food, but the fat is free

by cottonmouth on Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:02 pm

When the firing pin was removed from the hammer S&W stopped making revolvers IMO. I do have ONE newer Smitty and it's a 4 inch 500 that I quickly removed the lock from and ordered the Plug to fill the hole.

J.B.

by DEADEYE 1 on Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:20 am

I hate to hear about problems with Smiths. I own several and so far have not had any problems. These big companies like Smith have changed ownership over the years and there may be a problem there. I think that sometimes companies can grow too much and when trying to keep up with volume, quality can suffer. I enjoy reading articles from gun experts and I take note of their opinion. But I put more value in my own experience and that of my friends. I was narrow minded for years and only thought that a couple brands were of the quality that I expected. But over the last 20 years or so , I have been pleasantly surprised that there are many brands of guns that make good solid products that will shoot as accurately and hold up as good as guns costing much more money. I believe that Smith and Wesson will take care of the problems that have been noted. Oh, I also like the older guns. The younger guys should compare how many of them will shoot just as good or better than the new ones.

by Doug Bowser on Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:51 am

The real problem is the bean counters. To make an extra $5 on a firearm throws all the quality control and fine machining out the window.

Doug

by **Beladran** on Thu Jun 16, 2011 8:45 am

the american firearms companies have completly bas***d all of their flag ships...(american companies in general) it is not OK to make cheap POS versions of the M70 or 700 just so everyone can have "peice of heaven".. save your dang money!!! anyone care to guess how many different configureations of the 700 remington makes????

Henry ford said we will make a Model T in any color you want as long as its black...

by cottonmouth on Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:50 am

Why did S&W put locks on their revolvers and not on the autos?

J.B.

by BeauBeaux on Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:53 pm

I'll add this little story about S&W.

Customer came to the shop with a Smith and Wesson pistol. Poor lock up, you could move it with finger pressure only when in battery. Since it was new [less than 100 rounds fired] I suggested he send it back. He agreed and called S&W. The man said there was something wrong to send it back and mailed a letter with a shipping label for FedEX. I mailed it off almost two weeks ago.

Customer just called, his pistol came back. I asked if it was good and tight now? He read the note, We didn't do anything to the pistol as nothing was wrong with it. It's within our specs and should shoot a 4" group at 15 yards.

Customer is going to sell it. Also was talking real bad about a once great company.

I told him we could buy a better barrel and fit it right. No I'm going to sell it was the answer.

I got off the phone with him about an hour and 1/2 ago.

It's really sad. American manufacturing is losing the quality standard so fast.

by bocephus3513 on Fri Jul 15, 2011 7:05 pm

Don't make em like they used to

by Will_M on Fri Jul 15, 2011 7:27 pm

Glocks are better than old Smith and wesson revolvers anyway.

by cottonmouth on Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:58 am

Watch it now! bull

J.B.

An interesting rant on Smith and Wesson

An interesting rant on Smith and Wesson

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