Posted: 9/1/2011 9:19:35 AM EDT
| My shooting partner and I bought a pair of these, but he got his a month sooner then I did. His looks like every other I have seen online. Mine can and the slide was bright pimp gold. Called S&W and they paid to have it sent back. Just got it back today and it looks the same. My partners slide is darker then the frame, mine looks very different. Has anyone heard of this from them yet? Did they change the process on the slide? Thanks |
| The one I picked up a few weeks ago has the shiny slide you mentioned. The shade of the slide doesn't look like some of the photos of early models on display at the last few SHOT shows but I decided to keep it anyway. I'm not sure there is anything S&W will be able to do for you. Probably have to get it coated by a third party if you want to change the color. |
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we had two come in, one gold,one that looked good ,sent it back and came back dark earth/matte now,looked like they replaced the hole slide, I'm debating if I want to bother to send mine back to Smith to fix this issue, did you get any photos of the difference? I don't want to bother if they send it back with essentially the same finish. |
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It is worth it to send it back. Turn it from a pimp gun to what it should be. You're right. I'm going to send it in to have the pimp finish removed. I'll update the thread once I get it back. My pistol is the the first picture. The second is from a friend at a gun shop with a pistol they received. Certainly different. 
IMAG0090 by terp96dc, on Flickr 
2011-08-04_10-58-53_888 by terp96dc, on Flickr |
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Me and a buddy of mine experienced the SAME EXACT thing just yesterday. We both got the VTAC 9mm. He purchased it from shop A, and then they were sold out. So I went to shop B and got mine the same day.
When I met up with him, I was very surprised to see that his slide was smooth and shiny and looked almost like an anodized gold. Mine on the the other hand was a matte finish and was more of a FDE/darker brown. There is obviously some type of variation in the finish process. Not sure if it's a variation across the board or if it's a case of mine was from an early batch and his from the latter, or vice versa? Hard to tell from the side by side pics cause of my crappy iphone, but there is a dramatic difference in person. FDE on top and Bling Bling gold on bottom 
More accurate pic of how brown mine is. 
And close up of the "gold" 
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How do you guys like the sight picture on the VTAC? I took mine out for the first time today and I'm hoping I can get used to it.
I was basically pulling a 12 o'clock sight picture with the top dots. If I tried to use the bottom tritium dots and put that directly on target it would yield same hole accuracy! But it definitely took some getting used to? I'm still undecided on them and will pass judgement on them after I get more trigger time at the outdoor range instead? |
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Me and a buddy of mine experienced the SAME EXACT thing just yesterday. We both got the VTAC 9mm. He purchased it from shop A, and then they were sold out. So I went to shop B and got mine the same day. When I met up with him, I was very surprised to see that his slide was smooth and shiny and looked almost like an anodized gold. Mine on the the other hand was a matte finish and was more of a FDE/darker brown. There is obviously some type of variation in the finish process. Not sure if it's a variation across the board or if it's a case of mine was from an early batch and his from the latter, or vice versa? Hard to tell from the side by side pics cause of my crappy iphone, but there is a dramatic difference in person. FDE on top and Bling Bling gold on bottom http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae253/JFLOINDUSTRIES/770a9ba6.jpg More accurate pic of how brown mine is. http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae253/JFLOINDUSTRIES/FDE/78240d05.jpg And close up of the "gold" http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae253/JFLOINDUSTRIES/43867f53.jpg I'm friends with TRUST and the other guy who owns the other VTAC pictured..When they bought them, they sent me pics and I went and bought one myself the same day  ..Mine is actually the darker of all three adn it looks more like it was spray finished rather than anodized..I'll snap a pic here shortly..
ETA: Pic 
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I thought so too, so here is some VTAC on black hotness for you. She is my baby.
http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/Packman9/100_0736.jpg http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j373/Packman9/100_0737.jpg |
I still thinks it takes the "TAC" out of the VTAC. I mean seriously ... when has gold ever been considered a tactical color? I doubt SGM Kyle Lamb envisioned Gold as the approved finish when he put his company's brand behind the VTAC M&P. Don't get me wrong, I love my M&Ps. Gold guns have just never been my thing. To each his own I guess. 
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How do you guys like the sight picture on the VTAC? I took mine out for the first time today and I'm hoping I can get used to it. I was basically pulling a 12 o'clock sight picture with the top dots. If I tried to use the bottom tritium dots and put that directly on target it would yield same hole accuracy! But it definitely took some getting used to? I'm still undecided on them and will pass judgement on them after I get more trigger time at the outdoor range instead? I don't mind the all the dots, but I hate the tapered front side and wide knotch. |
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Just got my VTAC back from S&W and they replaced the slide with a true FDE and corrected an issue with the magazines not dropping free. I'm very pleased with the customer service. Before: http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/terp96dc/6143302551_1d7aaa81dd.jpg After: http://i1137.photobucket.com/albums/n514/terp96dc/IMAG0106.jpg Now that's more like it! |
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Glad they took care of that for you. What did they say about the magazines not dropping free from your frame? I'll have to read the service slip tonight. I'll update this post. They do drop free now. They may have replaced the magazines. The ones I sent had what looked like a black Sharpie mark on the follower (they were this way right out of the box), the replacements did not. Ergo I guess they sent replacement magazines. I have a few magazines from a 9L I purchased a few years ago that are the older "glossy" black design and those dropped free fine even before I sent it back. Go figure. Edit- I checked the service slip and the reason I couldn't remember their comments on the drop free issue is they didn't write anything about it. I assume they did something because they drop free now but I checked the mag well for sanding or polishing and could not tell if they did something. If I didn't have the slide issue I wouldn't have sent it back for the drop free issue until I had tried sanding with 800 grit paper first. |
| I actually have problems wit my mags not dropping free also. Normally they won't drop free but if I leave it out in my truck all day in the heat they drop free with no problem. Only reason I have not sent the gun in is because I have the APEX sear in it and am not sure how S&W deals with firearms with aftermarket internals. |
| I just looked at a duller FDE VTAC. Asked the clerk if I could try it in my Supertuck. It was a tight fit with the taller front sight. After taking the VTAC out, I noticed that the left edge of the slide was worn away black from contact with the leather side of the holster. Seems that the duller FDE is a duracoat type finish. That finish just wore away from one holstering. What a joke. Reminds me of Sig's polymer coating. I would rather get the golder fde. |
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I just looked at a duller FDE VTAC. Asked the clerk if I could try it in my Supertuck. It was a tight fit with the taller front sight. After taking the VTAC out, I noticed that the left edge of the slide was worn away black from contact with the leather side of the holster. Seems that the duller FDE is a duracoat type finish. That finish just wore away from one holstering. What a joke. Reminds me of Sig's polymer coating. I would rather get the golder fde. Duracoat is not that weak. My frame is Duracoated and it goes in and out of my Blade-Tech Nano everyday multiple times and it show no wear. |
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I just looked at a duller FDE VTAC. Asked the clerk if I could try it in my Supertuck. It was a tight fit with the taller front sight. After taking the VTAC out, I noticed that the left edge of the slide was worn away black from contact with the leather side of the holster. Seems that the duller FDE is a duracoat type finish. That finish just wore away from one holstering. What a joke. Reminds me of Sig's polymer coating. I would rather get the golder fde. Duracoat is not that weak. My frame is Duracoated and it goes in and out of my Blade-Tech Nano everyday multiple times and it show no wear. Can't speak for your gun or the Nano. The VTAC that I saw and holstered had the worse finish that I've ever seen. Frames don't generally contact the holster in too many spots, just the trigger guard if there is a retention system. A friend beadblasted his M&P FS slide and recoated it with cerakote in FDE/tan. The finish has also worn away at the slides edges on his Raven holster. This is after a weeks wear and drawing. YMMV. Personally, I would rather get the anodized slide. |
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I just looked at a duller FDE VTAC. Asked the clerk if I could try it in my Supertuck. It was a tight fit with the taller front sight. After taking the VTAC out, I noticed that the left edge of the slide was worn away black from contact with the leather side of the holster. Seems that the duller FDE is a duracoat type finish. That finish just wore away from one holstering. What a joke. Reminds me of Sig's polymer coating. I would rather get the golder fde. Duracoat is not that weak. My frame is Duracoated and it goes in and out of my Blade-Tech Nano everyday multiple times and it show no wear. Can't speak for your gun or the Nano. The VTAC that I saw and holstered had the worse finish that I've ever seen. Frames don't generally contact the holster in too many spots, just the trigger guard if there is a retention system. A friend beadblasted his M&P FS slide and recoated it with cerakote in FDE/tan. The finish has also worn away at the slides edges on his Raven holster. This is after a weeks wear and drawing. YMMV. Personally, I would rather get the anodized slide. You just have to wait for the stuff to properly cure and then it is really tough. There could always be bad batches. |
| I have holstered my VTAC in kydex hundreds of times in the last few weeks and have not noticed any issue with the FDE finish. It has a slightly tacky feel to it so it tends to scuff material from the holster but that wipes right off with normal cleaning. Not a reason to pass on the VTAC, IMO. |
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Smith calls it PVD (physical vapor deposition). It's environmentally friendly. This type of finish is used in the plumbing and automotive industries. It's more of a dull gold and looks fine. Still wished they included a threaded barrel with these sights. Sig uses the same system I was told when asking about some unfinished areas on the inside of my slide of my 229. |