New S&W 57-6 is JUNK

[Geezer in NH]

45 minutes on hold today, no answer. Still no email.

What is your FFL's input into the problem?

[megasupermagnum]

What is your FFL's input into the problem?

I purchased it from gallery of guns. They are supposed to have lifetime replacement, so it may be time to give them a call.

[Paul105]

Get in touch with Davidsons (or have your FFL do it - he'll have to sent the gun back anyway). I've used their warranty three times -- twice a new gun was sent the next day and the other time, the gun was sent to the Mfg for repair. Let Davidsons handle it -- much easier.

FWIW,

Paul

[megasupermagnum]

I still have not heard back from S&W either by email or phone, my letter has got to be there by now.

I called Davidsons, and this sounds like the way to go. They picked up the phone immediately, and it sounds like this can be worked out through the local FFL. I'll take it up there, and hopefully I can have a new gun sent to me.

[Steppenwolf]

Good luck megasupermagnum.

[jonp]

Last post almost 2 weeks old. Any recent news?

[megasupermagnum]

I took it to the FFL, and was met with deer in headlights. I explained the best I could, but neither of us was certain how to proceed with Davidsons. They were nice enough to hold it, and find out. I think it was Wednesday last week I got a call from Smith and Wesson. Luckly I got an extension number this time, and got an answer. After talking for a bit, I decided I would send it back to them for a second time. It sounds like there is a better gunsmith there, and with our back and forth, the barrel should be replaced. Just after that, I got a call from the FFL, and it sounds like they were ready to ship the gun off, but wanted to know for sure. I said I'd finally heard back from S&W, and would like to send it to them. S&W sent another shipping label, but the nearest Fedex is a long ways for me. The FFL offered to ship it, just bring in a box and the label. So that's where I'm at, I'm just about to box it up, and it should be sent out tomorrow.

[osteodoc08]

I had to send a 586 back to Smith for light primer strikes and requested they reblue it due to some scratches and poor bluing. They fixed it up right and it hasn’t missed a beat since. I hope your experience is the same this go around.

[LAH]

Sure hope this works out for you.

[megasupermagnum]

Boy they are taking their sweet time with this one. I called today, and was told it is just sitting in shipping. What a circus start to finish.

[dogdoc]

I am curious to hear what they ended up doing to it.

[glockfan]

Boy they are taking their sweet time with this one. I called today, and was told it is just sitting in shipping. What a circus start to finish.

not the best CS ever seen for sure.

[megasupermagnum]

So after I had written a letter, I got a call from Paul Remore, a customer service manager. I maintained contact with him for the second trip to the factory. I don't know the exact date I sent it, but S&W emailed me confirmation that they were working on it August 28th. I waited until the 14th when I wanted an update. Paul didn't answer his phone, but a lady answered, and looked it up. The gun had been sitting in shipping, waiting to be sent out. Today I got a voicemail from Paul, saying they had shot the gun, found it to be acceptable, and will send it out soon. I called back an hour later, no answer.

I honestly do not have the words, how do you even respond to that? It took them this long just to shoot the thing, some egghead signs his name to the target, and then it just sits in shipping? I can't wait to see how it shoots from a rest, and what S&W calls "acceptable". Either way I'm stuck with a $1000 gun that can only shoot jacketed bullets, and is only hunting accurate to 40 yards at best.

Without any options, maybe aggressive fire lapping would at least give me a fighting chance. The problem is plain as day, I don't know why S&W "gunsmiths" can't see it. If fire lapping could open up the first choke, maybe the ring just past that won't matter as much.

[glockfan]

Today I got a voicemail from Paul, saying they had shot the gun, found it to be acceptable,

ouff..this part doesn't instill great confidence in the end result...

[osteodoc08]

Call Davidson’s, get a return tag and get a new gun. Your LGS can ship it to them.

[OS OK]

Geeez...what a nightmare of a story here!

I've had a reproduction of a Smith No.3 in .45 Scofield...top break from their so-called custom shop...it had an enormous cylinder barrel gap, couldn't get any power down the barrel behind the cast & it needed the gap closed up, I thought by remounting the barrel closer to the cylinder but I'm no gunsmith.
I took it to the smith and he offered to send it back to the custom shop but explained that it couldn't be done the way they manufactured that piece.
So, I said that I wanted to trade it in on another revolver and that was the end of that. I took the hit on the trade but without any added aggravation from the bean counter S&W regime...too bad for them because eventually this is gonna bite them right where it hurts!
Sure am glad that I didn't try to deal with S&W because I don't have the patience that you do by a long shot!

[megasupermagnum]

Called Paul today, it turns out their standard at 25 yards is 3", and after trying multiple brands of ammo, got mine to pass. I can't even respond to that.

That right there tells you everything you need to know about Smith and Wesson.

I could try Davidson's again, at this point this gun is completely out for deer hunting this year.

[dogdoc]

Did they change the barrel? You have not allowed what they actually did to the gun. I assume you ask him when you talked to him? If it shot 3 inches or less at 25 yards for six shots, you may get much better accuracy with handloads. 2 inches or less at 25 yards for six is what strive for in my revolvers. Many loads will not do that well.

[megasupermagnum]

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. They took the gun, and spent weeks trying ammo until they got one to pass the test. They did absolutely nothing to the gun, didn't even run a cleaning rod through it like I asked. If they had, it would have been so clear that it wasn't right.

If you do a search on "smith and wesson revolver ringed barrel" you will see this is actually a pretty common problem on new guns. It's not a thread choke, somehow they manufacture a low spot about where the barrel meets the frame. I do not have the proper tools to measure, but a slug ran all the way through measures about .408". A slug at the muzzle measures about .410", I don't trust down the the .0001" for 5 groove barrels, but I measured with a micrometer with an aluminum wrap around the slug. This tells me there is a mild choke right after the forcing cone, then a ring at least .411" (more than likely larger), before it chokes back down to .410" for the remainder of the barrel. I have no way to tell how long the ring is, maybe 1/4" long? When you run a snug cleaning patch through, it's smooth, then a very distinctive loose spot just before the frame, then getting very tight just before the forcing cone. There is absolutely no bulge on the outside of the barrel, it's only internal, it rolled off the assembly line this way.

It completely ruins any chance of cast bullet accuracy, and 3" at 25 yards just plain isn't good enough even if a single particular load can shoot that well. This is a hunting gun that MSRP is over $1000. To accept a hunting maximum range of 35-40 yards as normal is absolutely ludicrous when every other manufacturer can build handguns cheaper, and twice as accurate. Why even rifle the barrel at that point? I haven't told smith and wesson that I've been running some reloads through it, as it would void the warranty, but I have tried all kinds of handloads. I probably listed what I tried earlier in the thread. Maybe fire lapping to remove the choke might give me a chance. If I get rid of the choke, maybe the ring won't be detrimental. I've also looked into having a very deep throat cut.

[dogdoc]

I cannot believe they did not replace the barrel for you. The replaced a barrel on a 329 pd for me earlier this year. I hate you had this trouble as my 57-6 shoots great. I would trade it and get a Ruger . It may be painful but you could inquire on what they would charge for a new barrel. I did that when I sent my 329pd in and they replaced it free of charge.