Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Smith and Wesson gripe

Okay Paul...and the cat from Kentucky....I gotta gripe.


Finally found a 686 with the 4 inch barrel. Its the 6 shot version.


This is my second S&W handgun. Bought a 5 inch 629 classic about 4 years ago.


Never handled a vintage Smith...so I cant compare them with todays offerings.


I can however compare it to my 629 that is only 4 years older.


Holy moly..what a difference. I am sure that my 629 is not a nice as the older ones....but it is finished WAY nicer than this 686.

I should have left it at the gun store.....but I wanted to shoot it!



The longer I look at it, the less I like it. Things like the front screw on the side plate being so proud that you can get your finger nail under it.


The pin under the barrel was missed twice when installing it. Two dings next to it.

The front sight is dented. The red insert is cockeyed. There is a very noticeable gap all the way around the side plate.


The metal on the frame behind the cylinder on the off side is so sharp that it feels like it could cut you.


I can see a lot of daylight between the barrel and frame. The stamping is uneven.


The polishing and buffing and melting is horrid.


No doubt I will find other things wrong with it.



Kind of disappointing.

I really should buy old ones instead.



Its gonna work for what I want, but sheesh!

Post a picture of the side plate side.. I'd love to see that.

Give S&W a call. Ask for a return shipping label and send it back to them with your list of issues.

Do the Lab Man deal ^^^^^

Agree. Call Smith and have them fix it.
It would be good if you could post some pictures.

So you got to handle the gun before you bought it? Agree, send it back.

I bought a new model 69 online. When I got it the action felt gritty and the cylinder was locking up when shooting double action. I took the sideplate off and the action was full of metal dust and shavings. Cleaned that out and the pistol is much better.

Yeah, I picked it up in the store. The buffing job was crummy, I saw that much. Noticed the other stuff when I got home.

I am pretty sure it was dropped and kicked across the floor.


I shouldn't have bought it....but what would Smith and Wesson do about it? Mine cant be the only sub par pandemic revolver they have produced.

I got the 586 when it first came out, very nice revolver, I like it.

Maybe RCBS would make it right.

Is the barrel/ sights canted?

The new Conrad from Montana

I left an Academy with a brand new Smith once and when I got home I noticed the crown was completely fugked.

Smith sent me a pre-paid shipping label and had it back to me within 10 days.

E-mail them.

UPS right ?

Make certain you demand a new one. It’s the Campfire way you know.

Yes.

Atta boy..........

Have you considered having your wife return it to Costco?

S&W has a reputation of making things right. Yeah, it should not have left the factory that way, but apparently it did. Let them make it right. They will. You do not have to live with that.