Posted: 5/27/2006 11:32:59 PM EDT
| I was told by my local gun shop that if you send in an older Smith and Wesson to the factory for work they will automaticaly install the dreaded built in lock that the new Smiths come with. Does anyone know if this is true or should I call S&W just to be sure? Thank you! |
so they are going to mill your frame? if you get a replacement pistol you'll get a new one, with the lock. Please take what you hear at gun shops with a grain of truth. |
Nothing more than gunshop gossip. |
|
S&W WILL NOT install a frame lock on a gun in for repair. This would require milling the frame, and replacing the hammer and trigger, as well as installation of other internal parts. S&W is NOT going to perform a significant amount of expensive modifications to a customer gun in for repairs. Without doing a side-by-side comparison between a new lock-equipped S&W and an older one, I'd say that it likely isn't even POSSIBLE for an older gun to be retro-fitted. I haven't talked to anyone who's sent in a S&W recently for repair, but it's possible S&W sends the gun back with an ordinary TRIGGER lock, which the boobs at the gun stores THINK means an internal lock. In other words: The usual gun store BS |
|
Agreed... alot of myth's flying right now regarding the S&W internal lock... mainly based on anger (?) about S&W's perceived PC move. No one at S&W is going to hand out free parts & labor to retrofit an old revolver. If they were going to do that.. they'd issue a recall. At least that way they'd get PC brownie points & tax write offs for the labor & parts. |
|
I've had pre-lock and post-lock guns side-by-side in the shop, and rest assured that the new parts won't go into the old frames without MAJOR modifications. Several of my customers report having sent back guns to S&W for small repair work, and they came back just as they were. Chalk this one up to "urban legend", or perhaps a gunsmith looking to feather his own nest, if you get my drift. -- -=[ Grant ]=- "The earth isn't flat, your gun shouldn't be either!" |
| No. But what S&W (and Colt or Ruger) WILL do is to return your revolver to factory stock configuration. If that entails replacing parts that have been heavily modified (roller bearing sears, etc>) then they will do it, and IIRC they do not return the old parts with the revolver. So, if you have really nice custon grips, or heavily modified parts, be warned. |
|
I'm a professional grip maker and a associate member of the APG and I've honestly never heard of anyone having their custom grips taken off & replaced if sent in for factory repair work... in order to return the gun to factory standard. That doesn't mean its never happened... just saying thats not something I've come across as an issue in the field. I would suggest however, that any high end custom items you have on your gun, that can be removed.. like grips or optics.. be removed before sending them in for any sort of major repair work. Accidents happen, and I wouldn't expect the factories to repair or pay to replace custom items. Most of of the custom clients we deal with have a set of "basic" grips laying around for occassions like that. |