Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters S&W Key Lock - will Smith & Wesson ever change back?

My most accurate Smith is a Custom shop 44 mag with the lock.I prefer the old pin on hammer Smiths for appearance.

I don't agree.

Clint Smith endorses them.



Travis

My 327PD would hang up with the lock when shot fast double action. S&W said they would put a new frame with the newer lock cut to correct the problem.

Pappy - perhaps but there are many options in handguns.

If they ever do away with the locks I might buy some stock!!

Handguns, yes, but DA revolvers not so much. Rugers are solid, but not very refined and very limited in caliber selection.

The biggest gripe I have with S&W is what they've done to Thompson Center.

So, do you just own matchlocks or have you moved up to flintlocks?

Same here. I'd also add that old S&W j,k,l,&N frames in good to great shape are out there for sale. Desirable guns are not a convenience item, you have to seek them out. Still when it gets down to forking over the cash they cost less and represent greater value than the guns with the "keyhole of treachery". These older smiths have done nothing but appreciate in value and still are but do the new ones with the keyhole? fhkk no!
Value comes in different ways and the value here is with the older S&W's to me. Magnum Man

Nothing against Smiths without locks.

Now that's a funny.

The older guns are generally finished better and are devoid of MIMed parts, which are unsightly to some and may not wear as well as forged ones. On the other hand, the new guns have been improved in other ways. In the 70's, which is when I bought my first Smiths, both S&W and Colt had QC issues that resulted in guns going out the door with serious functional problems. Some of those guns ended up in the holsters of police officers and the service departments were pretty busy. The cops had priority for service and regular folks often had to wait a bit. I had two guns from that era, a 29 and a 17 but the only trouble I had was occasional DA misfires with the .22. A new mainspring, installed locally, fixed that.

I have two Smiths now, one a 620 L frame 7-shot .357, with the two-piece barrel, MIMed lockwork, round butt, and the dreaded keylock. It's a fine shooter, with a super crisp single action pull, and has functioned perfectly. I don't carry it much, due to the weight, but I like it very much and someday hope to get one of the Pro Shop guns in the same configuration but with the forged lockwork. I generally ignore the lock, but as noted earlier, find it useful on occasion to secure the gun short-term. The other is a 642 .38 with S&W/CT laser grips that stays with me pretty much 24/7. That one came without the lock. Both guns were purchased used, but LN. Both guns are giving me excellent service even if they're not quite as shiny as ones made in the good old days. I buy guns to shoot, not admire (well, mostly).

I can take the keylock or leave it. It's an unobtrusive, and in my experience, a well-engineered response to the current market and legal situation, and not, I think, a political statement or philosophical sell-out. I'm certainly not going to let its presence, or lack of it, deprive me of the enjoyment of the best DA revolvers on the market. I get more enjoyment out of shooting than I do out of being offended.

I will just have to live with it. I decided the day that they caved to pressure and went with the locks that I would never buy one with a lock. I see no reason to change my mind. miles

Your decision, of course, but are you also staying away from Rugers? They have locks on their .22 autos and even some single actions.

I forgot the key to my .22/45 once and when I got to the range, Boy, was I PO'd!

I did buy a Tarus .22 plinker with one, from an individual one time. I did not notice it until after I bought it. The place where the key goes was not obvious. I kept it but most likely would not have bought it, if I had noticed it at first. It had been a long time after S&W had done the deed and they were the only ones in my mind to watch for. I got educated. miles

This is a basic problem associated with lock, firearms are not doors and should not have locks.

If I encountered a functional issue with one, I would feel differently, I suppose, but that hasn't happened. I've heard of problems with the Smith lock, but nothing that was ever documented. Some of the tang-safety Winchester lever actions had issues reported by reputable folks, but I haven't heard anything lately. I really don't like those as they are ugly and look out of place.

In general, I just buy what meets my wants and needs and don't worry about the motivation of multi-national corporations. There's only room for so much ire in my poor old brain, and right now that's pretty much full of outrage over Crony Capitalism, government corruption, the climate hoax, and general lawlessness in high places.

When we get those solved, I'll have room for some important stuff.

There were most certainly documented problems with the lock as I posted earlier. S&W offered to replace the frame on my 357 PD which has a different cut that is supposed to cure the accidental locking.

This should read 357 PD

Was that related to the light weight of the gun?

Maybe, partly. The real problem was the frame cut that allowed the lock to jump upward tying the revolver up making it impossible to pull the trigger. The problem only showed up when shooting fast double action. I removed the lock and solved the problem.

I'm not saying i wouldn't buy one if the price was right , but definitely prefer their revolvers without this Pussy Lock