S&W revolver question

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  • snorko

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    361   0   0
    Apr 3, 2008
    8,294
    113
    Evansville, IN
    Yes you can. Whether it is worth it depends on the upgrade. There are a good number of smiths who do excellent action jobs. I've owned 3 or 4 full on performance center guns and several "semi-custom" factory offerings. To me the more appealing factors are the unusual facets of the revolver such as non-standard barrel length, different sights/trigger combos, etc. Actions on all of those were pretty sweet though.
     

    Drail

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 13, 2008
    2,542
    48
    Bloomington
    If you want a nicely tuned S&W revolver take it to a knowledgeable revolver smith. The S&W Performance Center is a total ripoff. It's not that they cannot do a good job - it's that they just don't. Be aware that dropping a spring kit in is not the same as a tuned action. If you want to learn to do it yourself buy the Kuhnhausen S&W revolver Shop Manual (and some tools).
     

    bgcatty

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Sep 9, 2011
    3,023
    113
    Carmel
    Contact Denny Reichard at Sand Burr Gun Ranch in Rochester, IN for any action work on any S&W revolver. I’m sure others on INGO will confirm he is a preeminent revolver gunsmith right here in Indiana. Besides he is a hoot to meet and talk to about firearms.
     

    Grelber

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    17   0   0
    Jan 7, 2012
    3,479
    48
    Southern Indiana
    If you have a standard revolver, can you send it in to the performance center for an upgrade? If you can, is it worth it?

    Yes.

    No.

    Smith and Wesson quality control on revolvers sucks right now, last I heard they were backed up 2 months on repairs. My "performance center" 929 is one of many that came from the factory half arsed at best.

    Another BossHoss fan here.
     

    BJones

    Master
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    46   0   0
    Aug 26, 2009
    1,550
    48
    Noblesville/Westfld
    Smith and Wesson quality control on revolvers sucks right now, last I heard they were backed up 2 months on repairs. My "performance center" 929 is one of many that came from the factory half arsed at best.

    I have purchased 4 S&W revolvers in the past year and everyone of them was defective. Granted the S&W customer service is great and they repaired all of the guns the first time, but if they had any kind of QC none of them would have had to go back to make them work. This S&W is not the same as the S&W in knew years ago.
     

    sdb321

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 12, 2016
    70
    8
    LaFontaine
    "Denny is the MAN"!!!! I have three that he has worked and they are SWEET! Quality work and great to talk to. You won't be sorry.
     
    Rating - 75%
    3   1   0
    Jan 7, 2012
    1,720
    83
    Porter county
    I also vote for Dennis. He has worked on my Smiths before. He knows his stuff, he just has a personality that some people do not like. You are a police officer and so was he, I am sure you guys will get along well
     

    BJones

    Master
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    46   0   0
    Aug 26, 2009
    1,550
    48
    Noblesville/Westfld
    Wow! What all was wrong with them?

    1. S&W 929 light strikes on every cylinder full of ammo. S&W installed an extended firing pin and a stronger main spring
    2. S&W 627 Could not pull trigger, it was completely locked up. No sure what S&W did to repair it.
    3. S&W 66 combat magnum Cylinder would not rotate. S&W replaced a broken part
    4. S&W 642 trigger was mushy and would not fire any ammo. Not sure what S&W did to repair it.
    S&W did pay for shipping both ways and did correctly repair all of the guns. Their Customer Service Department is way better than the Quality Control Department
     

    Drail

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Oct 13, 2008
    2,542
    48
    Bloomington
    Expensive CAD/CAM machining cannot make up for poorly skilled assemblers. They just want to make their quota for the shift and go home. Quality control is a low priority for a lot of the old names today. If I wanted a nice S&W I would hunt down a nice used one from before 1996. After that time they put their concentration on "how cheap can we build them and get them out the door?".
     
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