New S&W Performance Center Junk

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I've heard nothing but bad things about the new S&W revolvers lately, so when my buddy bought a super expensive 460 Magnum Performance Center guy I wasn't expecting much.

Firstly, it came with a zippered pouch with a plastic zipper. It broke after a few uses. Back in the day a PC gun would come with a nice locking case. Not anymore.

When we got the thing to the range we started with 45Colt rounds. First cylinder all fired, but then that dropped to 50% and got worse from there. Light strikes on most rounds. We tried three different boxes of factory ammo and they all had problems. I tried to shoot one of the top end "bear load" magnums but after two light strikes I decided a hang fire on one of those would be pretty bad so I quit.

This is a $1600 gun from their custom shop and it doesn't even work.

Ruger is now the top working mans revolver company. Maybe he can trade his junk gun for a quality Ruger Alaskan.

[44 AMP]

If his gun is junk, why would anybody honest trade it for quality??

The gun is new, yes? under warranty, yes? only fired (when it fired) with factory ammo, yes??

The gun, and the piece of crap pouch need to go back to S&W. on their dime, too!

[Drm50]

I’m S&W guy but the newer stuff I have no interest at all. I’ve got several S&W 100+ yrs old that I shoot all the time with little problem. In this case you just have to realize a lemon will get out now and then. S&W will make it right, it’s a PIA for sure.
Light strikes ? Fault of main spring? Maybe a run of hard primers.

[44 AMP]

Light strikes ? Fault of main spring? Maybe a run of hard primers.

Could be, but three different brands of factory ammo tend to indicate its not the ammo. Plus the gun fired 6 rnds fine, THEN the issue showed up.

Might be the mainspring, might be a misadjusted strain screw. Might be some loose something creating drag on the hammer, might be a lot of different possible causes.

Yes, every now and then a lemon gets past the final QC and out to a customer. It might just be bad luck/random chance you got one.

Which is why S&W need to see it, and fix their mistake(s)

First time is happenstance, second time could be coincidence, but the third time is enemy action! I believe this to be essentially accurate.

Don't let them off the hook, and do request to be informed specifically what S&W found the problem to be, and what they did to fix it.

S&W has a history of fixing their problems, but not always telling the owners what was done, or why. I have seen examples where guns went back to S&W, and were returned and worked, with S&W not saying what was done, or in some cases, even saying "nothing done".

S&W today, sadly, isn't the S&W of 50 years ago. Quality has gone down, price has gone up. I've owned, and still own a number of S&W revolvers, but nothing since they dropped the pinned barrel. The other "cost saving" measures just made them worse, and, for me, the lock was the last straw, I won't buy any S&W revolvers made in the last 40ish years, but I do own, and will buy the better guns made before that.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

I will say the double action felt much lighter than advertised. It's supposed to be about 10lbs but felt more like 7 on my highly calibrated finger.

That said, I've never handled an X frame before so I couldn't say if that was normal or not. If it were anything else I would say it's suspiciously light.

Believe it or not, this is my buddies first handgun, so it's a shame that this is his first gun buying experience. This is a brand new gun. I'll let you all know what the letter says when it comes back.

[44 AMP]

Unless your buddy has a serious case of "magnumitis"m which, hopefully, you tried to talk him out of, starting handgunning with a S&W X frame makes the learning curve extremely steep, possibly steeper than he will be willing to put up with.

Having started my pistol shooting with a .22 over half a century ago, I am a bit biased towards everyone starting out with a .22 LR.

My reasons are simple, ad I think quite valid, cost, report, recoil are all as low as it gets, and that matters.

Too much gun too soon, has ruined many potential shooters.

good luck, let us know what S&W says when you find out.

[Nathan]

I’m a S&W guy too. It pains me to say….they’ve lost their way. Fortunately their M&P 2.0 models are great!

Their revolvers have slipped into near irrelevance. Their AR’s never really had a purpose. The new lever gun…..nevermind.

Their main focus right now seems to not screw up their M&P’s….good and work on their messaging….bad. Their messaging is best said by Jerry, but even he only shoots the M&P and AR’s professionally. He is stepping away. They need to throw money at his daughter to save their brand. More importantly, they need to bring back a good s&w revolver, even if they only make 6 SKU’s. It is a shame to see them make such crap revolvers and their performance center guns really don’t have any added quality.

[44caliberkid]

I’m a huge S&W fan, but I only buy older revolvers, no Hillary hole, preferably pinned barrel and recessed chambers, but that’s not a deal breaker. I don’t know if they actually changed the grip shape, but new S&W grips don’t look right to me, plus the wood looks cheap. I love the old S&W rosewood target stocks or “Cokes”.
While the stories of poor S&W quality abound, so do positive reports of their customer service and fixing the problems. If they don’t give you a label, have the FFL he bought it from send it back.

[Pumpkin]

I have several “new” and older Smith revolvers and other than the shape of the hammer (firing pin or not) and lack of front and back vertical grip frame grooves on adjustable sight models I have no complaints.

I removed the safety on a couple of them and wouldn’t hesitate to buy a new one, if I found one I couldn’t live without.

I have no experience with their AR’s but my son has a M&P 15-22 that has been absolutely flawless. It was bought for him before his first year of high school with no regrets.

As far as an X Frame for a first gun…I can’t imagine a worse choice, the only positive I can see is the ability to shoot 45 Colt in such a heavy gun.

Lastly, if it’s not working properly, call Smith and send it back.
I doubt S&W is the only firearms company with occasional issues. Go on a Ruger, Savage, Beretta, CZ, etc. forum and you will find many new gun owners with issues.

Oh, and plenty of guns from yesteryear had issues too. They are mechanical things assembled by imperfect people, stuff happens. The hope is having a good company to back up their products

[44caliberkid]

I remember in the late 70’s - early 80’s, people were bitching about S&W quality going down, many wouldn’t buy a new one. Now those are the guns I’m buying, and at a premium price for a great example.

[1972RedNeck]

Let us know what you figure out. I had the same problem with my XVR. S&W hasn't fixed it and I'm tired of mailing it back. Put a TK customs extended firing pin in which fixed it for single action. Double action is still hit or miss.

My SRH in 454 had similar problems.

There is a reason that pinned and recessed guns command a premium - you get what you pay for.

[Drm50]

I don’t keep new S&Ws, with the exception of four New Model 41s. I do get them on trades. I’ve had 3 like new 617s. I don’t like there looks but will have to admit there was no mechanical or accuracy issues. The triggers aren’t like the old M17s. I also had a 317 that was unbelievably light, equally ok but I couldn’t hit jack with it- my fault not gun. Had 4 CFs with Hole. 357 and 3- 44mags.
I honestly don’t like them and wouldn’t buy new. But for a shooter that isn’t into history they all seem to shoot ok. I quit Ruger revolvers in 72 and bought Security 6 when 1st out. No problems but not near as slick as S&W of that time. Have had dozens of Rugers on trades. Maybe they are the equal of today’s S&Ws.
The OPs problem has to be very simple and easy to finger. I once had a m19 that was acting up. For some reason hammer was dragging on frame. Visable on right side. Being young and dumb I jerked it apart cleaned everything, put back and it worked fine. Didn’t pay attention looking for problem when I tore it down,

[micromontenegro]

I remember in the late 70’s - early 80’s, people were bitching about S&W quality going down, many wouldn’t buy a new one. Now those are the guns I’m buying, and at a premium price for a great example.

Oh yes, the Bangor Punta fiasco. They were considered POSs then, and are top quality guns now.

[pete2]

S&W revolvers are my favorite handguns. It needs to be pinned. Their new revolvers ain't much punkin. I did get a couple autos and they are fine except one shoots low and they don't care. This said. I recently bought a Colt King Cobra .22 and if I had a do over, I'd save my money. It has a very heavy trigger pull in S/A and a goofy rear sight. Gotta call them about the sight today.

[glider]

I have noticed that S&W has come out with a few revolvers without the lock. And the move to Tn has to be a good thing! All manufactures have one slip thru the cracks. I would give them a chance to fix it. I agree that is a lot of gun for a first time purchase, hell I don't want one and I've been shooting for 60 years. If a 44 mag isn't enough I'll take a rifle LOL. All my S&Ws have pinned barrels but if they would eliminate the lock I would give them a shot, I may buy the model 36 that doesn't have the lock!

[44 AMP]

For me it would take more than just dropping the lock. In fact I don't care if they keep A lock, just not the one they have. IF they had done it like Ruger and some others did it, where the lock isn't an in your face reminder of how the British owners of S&W caved to the Clinton attempted control, it would be different.

Yes, I lived through that, and yes, I'm still bitter about it. I consider the entire mess as defacing beloved folk art in order to curry political favor, and on top of it all, it didn't work!

The only way I would want a new made S&W is if they went back to the way they made them in the 70s, or earlier.

Pinned barrels, recessed chambers for magnum and rimfire, firing pin on the hammer, no lock, or at least no hole for the key on the sideplate, and a return to the old cylinder latch shape. One piece barrels and no MIM parts, either. Do that, and I will once again be a customer. I don't care if its only done as a special high $ limited production "custom shop" item, as long as it was offered, I bet they would sell every one they made.

Just my opinion, and worth what you paid for it, or less...