Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Current S&W N-Frames: Yes or No

Yesterday while visiting the local Gunshop, they had a new S&W Model 57, and the owner was willing to deal.

I thought it might make a great companion for my Model 57 Mountain Gun.

I haven't bought an N-Frame in many years and just curious what's the opinion on current quality?

Thanks

StarchedCover

I know of too many QC issues in Colt, Ruger and S&W. Errors get corrected , but should NOT be sold .

I would not buy any new.

A friend bought a Mod 25 last year (New). The trigger was horrible. Very gritty and heavy. Stock was cheap looking compared to older ones. He also has a 57 that was better but I can't recall anything specific. I do know it was better than the 25 he had.

If you have it in hand and can inspect it and give it a once over I’d have no problem. Most issues reported with the current production are cosmetic or otherwise but not anything structural due to design changes. Make sure the sights line up, the barrel is torqued to top dead center, forcing cone looks okay, and run the action and check carry up. If it checks out and you want it grab it.

I looked at several yesterday that were well put together and nicely finished so they do exist.

One of 3 "current" N frames I own and among countless others owned since what I'll call "current" production started with the introduction of MIM parts and the ridiculous lock. This was a 67 yard shot, plug the lock, throw in a set of springs and you're there. Accurate, functional and reliable, wear the damn thing out. Is it a 29-2? No it's not, but nothing ever will be again, so sit around lamenting it or pick up what they're making now (fully warrantied) and go bust some primers.
Had to starch my cover too, so if it means to me what I suspect it means to you, trust me brother, the 57 won't disappoint.

Yes, this is the issue with new S&W revolvers. They make and send out too many defective products, depending on the customer to be their quality control instead of doing it themselves before the product leaves the factory. And then there's that key hole.

I often find "defects" lie in the shooters ability not in the actual iron. More typical results from my experience with "current" N Frames. Is the lock stupid and ugly? Most certainly, plug it and get to shooting. Collect and shoot if you like the ones worth collecting, but wear the piss out of the current crop, bet there's few here who could.

I bought a new model 629 four years ago. First time I fired it the cylinder locked up. I knew S&W wouldn’t talk to me if I told them it was a hand loaded cartridge so I went a found a box of factory ammo. And it locked up again. Took it to my gunsmith and he noticed the firing pin bushing was recessed just enough to let the bushings back out when fired just a bit, enough so that the cylinder wouldn’t rotate.

I sent it to S&W and they fixed it and they’ll do that for you even if you aren’t the original owner.. But if they had test fired that revolver even once before shipping it from the factory they would have caught that defect.

I guess I'll go have another look at the Model 57, if it was a 4-inch it would have already come home with me.

sometimes I wonder how many who post on forums like this are actually factory representatives shooting guns that have been gone over before they are used. The average smith and wesson these days is based on my experience have less than 50% that could pass any quality control. Don't give me the BS about the one you have, and seeing a barrel over torqued into a frame is pretty simple to see unless your blind. I would love to try the new 69 but wont.
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erickg,
You must be stupid. The cylinders locking up and bad triggers and rusty hammers , amongst other defects that were missed by Q C have NOTHING to do with a shooters ability.

Yes , a few good recovers get through....nothing to do with QC , however.

Why not examine one in the store to see if it has any rusty parts or an improperly torqued barrel and go from there?

Some models weren’t offered in past eras and some that were are ridiculously expensive for a user.

I don’t own any current production S&Ws. But I have examined and shot and worked on a bunch of them. Yes, some of them do have QC issues. But so has every era of production. No way that half or more of the current crop have issues, they’d be out of business. Even Taurus doesn’t have that bad of QC and I’ve seen a much higher percentage of them that were poor examples, and that from a much smaller production pool.

Crisco, you're a lying qunt. You've experienced exactly zero of those issues personally. Here's some more actual "current" N frame experience , no QC issues here, does the lock suck, yep, you'll notice in the photo that issue was remedied, took half a beer. Undoubtedly a task that is over your head as it involves common hand tools and the ability to not drool for more than a 30 second span. The only thing stupid here is you and your publicly flaunting your lack of ability.

You should. They are sweet lil guns

two brand new 63's and one brand new 4 inch 29 in the last 5 years before I stopped buying them. I like the idea of the 69 but just cant keep repeating the foolishness

erickg,

You are the C U N T . You made a stupid comment about the shooters causing S&W QC
issues . How F U C K I N G STUPID can you be.

I probably have more "N " frames than you have brain cells .

I do not have any new ones ...as I have many good old working Smiths. However , the problems are many.

Now GFY

Please don’t pollute this forum with middle school trash talk, no one wants to see it turn into another version of the Hunter’s Campfire.

And I didn’t intend that for you StarchedCover, I just hit reply to your post.

Agreed. I own new models in all the frames except X and haven’t had a problem. Then again I am not one of the dip$hits here that takes it home only to find out later the barrel is canted 15 deg. I just wonder what people are doing when they “looking at a gun” to buy and then bitch because something is obviously wrong with it. Never had one not shoot well. Don’t like the BC gap? Send it to get it closer and a trigger job. Utterly amazing, most people who bitch about the new smiths don’t own them.

McInnis,

You are right....I just don't suffer fools .

I don't mince words.

I must have lucked out. I got a new 6" 629. It shoots great, zero problems. I still like my old ones better but only due to looks, and I think the old triggers are a bit better.

How does one such as yourself who "doesn't suffer fools" go about looking in the mirror in the morning?

You're either a lying sack of [bleep] or the stupidest qunt on the planet. You own nothing in the realm of what the OP asked about or you're literally stupid enough to walk out of a gun shop with a new piece that's rusty and doesn't work, which is it?

If the barrel is over torqued by 1 degree you might miss it when you buy it however when you you shoot it run the rear sights all the way to the right to get it centered then you know something is wrong. I might add that only a low IQ individual posts an ad hominum attack on someone. It’s surprising to me the ansolute level of imbecility that some supposed “men” post on an Internet forum. I might add that someone who posts he has no problems what so ever is either shooting from 5ft away or just making it up

Not attacking any one person Jimmy, I just hear all the time and people provide pics of messed up stuff. Can’t imagine walking out with it. In fairness it left the factory as well and while S&W might find it “in spec” perhaps based on complaints, the spec should be improved upon. Again not attacking a single person, just shake my head at some of the irony.

In truth it might indeed be in spec, have a nice evening
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What you in all of your retardation find problematic simply aren't problems at all for those of us who didn't lick while bouncing our football helmet festooned heads off the windows in the short bus on the ride to school in the morning.
That you and your ilk would walk out the door of a gunshop with a new piece having a crooked barrel that didn't work while covered in rust comes as no surprise. You're either as stupid as Crisco is or you're a [bleep] liar that couldn't afford a cap pistol at Wal Mart much less a new N frame.

erickg,

The whole world loves an idiot.

I love the pinned and recessed guns of the past but they’re simply beyond my means. I have two S&W revolvers with the Hillary hole. They work well and the triggers are acceptable. I’ve never even handled the newest guns with the two piece barrels because I know I’d have difficulty accepting that change.

And yet here you are, flapping your gums about something you admittedly have ZERO first hand knowledge of, attempting to dissuade the OP from making a purchase of a revolver that he will clearly have the ability to inspect prior to purchasing. Typical do nothing internet clown, waxing nostalgic about a couple of safe queens he has and trying to convince the world based on what he's "heard" that QC at S&W has fallen below that of Hi Point and it's simply a miracle if anything ever leaves the factory in working condition.
The idiot is in your mirror.

I don't own any newer N frames, do own a post lock J frame. I deactivated the lock on the J.

People I know and trust have some newer N frames, made before the two piece barrels became common. To a man they say they are some of the straightest and best shooting Smith & wessons they've ever owned. I trust their word on it.

I have one newer S&W. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a 629 4” barrel. I am a big fan of S&W’s.

Hey Jimmy, made it outside today, not surprisingly I encountered no problems with such. Packing a perfectly functional "current" N frame S&W 627, stoked with 140 grain XTP's pushed to 1350 fps by 18.0 grains H110. Pictured victims are neither made up nor were they 5 feet from the muzzle. I realize this is all over your head. Any of your safe queens gonna see the light of day today? I'd wager no, your limitations and long list of excuses preclude anything other than loafing about in your underwear reminiscing fondly of the time you shot 5 whole rounds through a new Airweight .38 before locking it up in the safe forever. Enjoy the couch today you old Putz.

Jimmy!!! Hey sorry if I caught you at nap time, I'm still here, you know outdoors, just wanted to let you know neither I, nor my "current" N frame have any problems with the kind that live in trees either. Tall trees Jimmy, much taller than 5 feet. When was the last time one of your 'Smith's drew blood Jimmy? Kinda funny to think that if I shoot one more squirrel today, that that will be one more round fired in an afternoon than the entire lifespan of your .38 Airweight. JFC you're a do nothing idiot.

Erickg: Great photos there - thanks for sharing them - they are very clear and very graphic.
Brings to mind the old saying "use enough gun".
Keep up the good work.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I make my living outdoors, I'm afforded the luxury of being able to pack and shoot daily. I encounter a wide variety of game and being under gunned is not something I'm into.

What a bunch of silly pics of small animals ....I have shot bears and haven't taken pics .


erickg you are so pretty when you are rattled............I love ya.

I have a newer Model 25 and a older 28, zero problems.

The only S&W I had problems with was a used Model 29, no dash, 4" barrel. Evidently the previous owner liked hot loads as the chambers were all slightly bulged.

Sure, I wish they were all in the "registered" class, but for shooting and hunting they all are good to go, at least for me.

My 2023 627 has had no issues.

I have read Elmer Keith and Bill Jordan since I was in eighth grade.

Those "great old" revolvers they shot and wrote about were often customized.

Trigger jobs, sight modifications, new grips, barrels chopped, etc.

I find that when I do similar things to my revolvers, I get similar results.

BMT