There ain't no corndogs on there, just alien Glock alloys.
I know these things.
Posted on 03/19/2006 8:10:48 AM PST by Copernicus
Faced with problems ranging from misfires to barrels breaking off, the state has asked gun maker Smith & Wesson to replace hundreds of sidearms carried by probation and corrections officers.
None of the revolvers have failed in the line of duty, and for now, the department is keeping the guns in service. But in testing, about one in four revolvers didn't fire when the trigger was pulled. In some cases, the barrel of some models broke off when the gun was fired.
"In one sense it's funny," said Chief Deputy Correction Secretary Dan Stieneke. "In another, it's alarming."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsobserver.com ...
You told me it was sophist-i-cated alien Glock alloy.
Whatchoo talkin' about plastic?
Eaker's such a kidder....
Hate to break it to ya' humble... but filet mignon is not French for corndog, no matter what he might have tol' ya.
There ain't no corndogs on there, just alien Glock alloys.
I know these things.
You'd surely think that S&W would be busting humps to replace the defective issue pieces with brand new guns.
Can't fool the h-gunner!
LOL!
I've certainly never seen a failure like that. That they seem to be concentrated in this particular order of guns is odd too. I wonder what the instance of this type of failure in the same model, same vintage, sold to the public is?
In my experience, "misfires" in S&W revolvers happen when someone has loosened the mainspring retaining screw to get a lighter DA trigger pull.
Still, for one big institutional order maybe there was a bad batch of stainless barrel barstock that was used and didn't make it's way into any other guns.
Seems like for the future company reputation that S&W would go to NC and magnaflux all the remaining guns just to be safe, nevermind the legal angle.
There have been Smith recalls in the past, and for less obvious problems than this.
I'm following this on the S&W Forum too, and in the past factory folks have posted to answer questions, and in one case intervened to help a Smith owner in Europe who was getting jerked around by a distributor.
From a S&W Forum Poster:
I can tell ya what happened. The barrels were over torqued.
Once the shoulder of the barrel made contact with the frame it couldn't move inward anymore. However, if you keep trying to screw on it the threads will try to go deeper into the frame. Thus stretching the threaded portion of the barrel to the point where it cracked. You will note that the barrels broke in the last threads right at the shoulder. BTW: that discoloraction is caused by air contact and slight movement of an existing crack that had been there for some time. Whatever small portion of the thread that was still holding the barrel in place failed under the pressure of firing.
I've seen the same type of stress failure in bolts and hydraulic fittings for many years.
My guess is that the barrels didn't line up properly when tightened and instead of cutting the shoulder back like they should have, the person assembling the gun just kept twisting on it until they forced it to line up.
I don't know if S&W keeps records on who assembles which guns, but if they do I'll bet good money that every failed revolver was assembled by the same one or two people.
That makes sense.
Scary.
I just covered this S&W semi on my desk with a hat.
It's way less common but you can also get misfires and squirrelly behavior from a bad rebound spring.
WELLLL NOW---that explanation makes real sense. The company better get on the stick and fix this problem pronto before they lose any more "face".
The rebound slide spring is the first thing I check if I get a used S&W that acts "odd". Prior to the lighter springs coming out, folks would trim these to lighten pull. Not supposed to take more than 1.5 turns, but there is always that individual that figures 3 turns is twice as good. Had a post-war Heavy Duty that the trigger hook would hang right on the edge of the cylinder stop lip because of this. Trigger just didn't want to return all the way, locked the gun clean up.
Of course, got a nice deal because it was a "problem gun". :)
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=SWB&t=2y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=
One more government contract and we have ourselves a $10 stock.
SWB
A timely post, and thanks, Slim - just gave my old model 19 to my Mom - no kidding, it's what she can hit with - and am in the market for a .357. Only thing I now have in that caliber is a little Rossi lever-action carbine that I really love except that now and then it will shoot the barrel ring downrange, which is kind of embarrassing... I figure if I miss Mr. Burglar and conk him with that he'll faint anyhows...
You're a good son! :)
I love N-frame .357's. It's a sickness, I 'spose.
Thump--thump---thump
---am now pounding head on wall.
The worst thing is when a gun starts looking like money.
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