Here's the real tragedy;
When Tompkins brought S&W into the modern era by spending well over 100 million in upgraded CNC equipment, they were for the first time actually building major components to a tolerance they were NEVER able to produce in the past. But, they dropped the ball by relying on close tolerances (produced my a machine) as a substitute for precision fitting (produced by a skilled worker).
The lock-up, timing and chamber alignment on most of the turds I've handled and shot was OUTSTANDING, and better than anything they have ever produced in the past. If they'd just suck it up and get some skilled workers back in the production cycle, things would straighten themselves out for the most part.
But to do that, they'll have to leave the Union environment of the NE, where labor cost have torpedoed every gunmaker in that part of the country into potential bankruptcy …. most notably Colt.
