Hi all! I noticed today while cleaning my 686-6 + that the gap between the forceing cone and cylinder is not square, it’s bigger at the top than the bottom, measured it and the bottom gap is .006 ant the top gap is .018 ….shouldent the forceing cone be square with the cylinder? What issues may this cause? This is a new pistol shot one time around 60 rounds .shot accurately .but now I’m wondering if I should send it in for warranty or if it’s a non issue.

First post nails it.  SW current quality.
If you are shooting anything hot especially, the larger gap at the top will mean it flame cuts a little faster.  It would still take you a lot of rounds to be able to cut into it to the point that the gun is a problem.

You paid good money for it, it might be worth sending it back to SW but be warned, the gun will be gone for 2-3 months most likely.  It will not cost you anything - they will send you a label to send it back.
Also be warned if it is deemed "within spec", they will just note it and send it back to you.

To give you an idea of ratio of SW quality - in shooting competition revolvers, I have bought 4 brand new SW revolvers and 2 have had to go back so far.  1 had a canted barrel (sent back, took 3 months, came back with the barrel slightly corrected but still canted and listed in spec).  1 is currently back in for a horrendous trigger pull that will not smooth out no matter what I do.
Passed on another SW revolver that appears to have taken a VERY hard hit under the barrel and bent the piece of metal up that houses the ejector rod.

Send it to TK Custom and have it back in 2 weeks

As others have said, this is very typical s&w quality these days.

Personally I'd try to get smith to warranty it, but no guarantees.  A lot of their qc issues are magically considered "within spec" these days.

If it was a K frame with a barrel flat below the forcing cone it can only be screwed in so far for the sight adjustment that you desire before the cylinder and crane starts hitting it.   Ask me how I know. . I had to turn mine back and live with it.  I only turned a pencil line thickness scribed on the top of frame and barrel.  

The 686 of course has no flat on the barrel shank to consider.  My used one was a couple tweaks before being with a couple clicks of center on the rear sight. Prior to that the rear was out of wind age before getting in to the black at 15 yards. . And I was the third owner.

It’s not just S&W it’s all of them.   My brand new Ruger is back for evaluation.....front sight dovetail holds rear sight diagonal, gap between fram and shoulder of barrel shroud, scrapes down the barrel for some issue while being rifled I suppose.


oh and while I was examining my rubbing crane I had the feeler gages out and my barrel face was not square either.

I emailed smith and Wesson with the problem and they said to send it in.. we will see if they actually fix it🤔

Post us updates.

My dad’s S&Ws are works of art, but they’re all pre-1980s.

My personal experience with Colt was quite poor; months of no gun returned with “meets specs” but didn’t work.  Selling it to some poor bastard who said he  “wasn’t going to shoot it much….and didn’t care” seems to be the way out vs sinking more cash with a custom ‘smith with a 12+ month wait.

Buying a modern revolver seems to be a “I need to hold it in my hands before I spend money” situation.  It makes me sad.