Author Topic: So, what's wrong with this picture? (Read 10158 times)

Regolith · « **on:** December 29, 2011, 03:54:48 AM »

Guy buys a new S&W 686 Pro that has an interesting "feature":

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=632524

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2011, 03:59:15 AM »

Man, that just ain't right.

Gowen · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2011, 04:22:58 AM »

Outsourced to china?

vaskidmark · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2011, 07:24:07 AM »

Well, it hasn't ka-boomed yet, so what's the big deal?

The "we're closed between Christmas and New Year's" may no longer apply for customer service. Which may be less severe than how HR deals with the poor guy whose name is mentioned as signing off on it on a Friday.

stay safe.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2011, 08:13:53 AM »

lupinus · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2011, 08:33:42 AM »

That's....interesting. Be interested to see S&W response and how much butt smooching is involved.

As for the big deal, I'd be a might peeved. Just because a serious safety issue was identified before someone got hurt doesn't mean a serious safety issue wasn't present.

CNYCacher · « **Reply #6 on:** December 29, 2011, 09:20:29 AM »

So it's pretty obvious that the machine which cuts the flutes has a dowel for centering the cylinder and one pin to line up a chamber with the machine. Seems to me that they need to put 6 pins on the 6-flute-cutting machine and 7 pins on the 7-flute-cutting machine

griz · « **Reply #7 on:** December 29, 2011, 09:54:48 AM »

I've never seen a cylinder machined. Do they cut the bolt notches at the same time as the flutes? Seems it would either be obvious from outward apperance that the stops and flutes didn't match, or only one of the six chambers would line up which would be obvious when test firing. Either way, and spectacular fail.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #8 on:** December 29, 2011, 11:54:20 AM »

A Monday or a Friday build?

Stetson · « **Reply #9 on:** December 29, 2011, 12:06:35 PM »

"Hey! I'm QC here, I CAN count to potato...."

BryanP · « **Reply #10 on:** December 29, 2011, 12:11:24 PM »

Some QC manager at S&W is going to end up with an interesting paperweight.

TechMan · « **Reply #11 on:** December 29, 2011, 12:14:20 PM »

Quote from: Harold Tuttle on December 29, 2011, 11:54:20 AM

A Monday or a Friday build?

That's a good question. My bet is Friday. You know it's not a Tuesday or Wednesday build.

Northwoods · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2011, 01:10:57 PM »

Quote from: Stetson on December 29, 2011, 12:06:35 PM

"Hey! I'm QC here, I CAN count to potato...."

If it was Dan Quale it would have been fine ...

vaskidmark · « **Reply #13 on:** December 29, 2011, 03:59:18 PM »

Quote from: Harold Tuttle on December 29, 2011, 11:54:20 AM

A Monday or a Friday build?

OP there checked into that. Got both the date it went through QC and who signed off on it:

Quote

Yeah. It’s going to be embarrassing, at least, for Brian C. who signed the final QC paperwork on 12-02-2011. That was a Friday.

Who wants to bet this was the last gun good old Brian inspected that week? Maybe he was thinking about the hot date he had lined up instead of how many flutes there should be on a 686 SSR cylinder!!

stay safe.

Japle · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2012, 05:28:12 PM »

The gun under discussion is mine. I bought it on 12/16/2011, took it out to the range for a basic function check and rough sight-in. I used .38 Spl loads.
Then I brought it home and did an action job on 12/21. I was checking the timing when I noticed 7 flutes on the cylinder.

I emailed S&W Customer Service on 12/22. No response on the 23rd. I noted they were closed until 1/2/2012.

My dealings with S&W customer service have been excellent. They're very aware that this gun is the subject of threads on over a dozen firearms forums. They want to make me happy.

I sent the gun in using S&W's label by FedEx 2-day and they got it on 1/6 at just after 9AM. The label seems to indicate the gun went to the Performance Center. Since I requested an unfluted cylinder and PC handles those, I'm optimistic.

I kept the original cylinder.

The gun was signed off at the factory on 12/2/2011. That was a Friday and I suspect it was the last gun the inspector checked that week.

I'll be shooting in a steel match tomorrow and it'll be fun showing the cylinder around!

John
Viera, FL

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2012, 06:25:05 PM »

Thanks for checking in with us, Japle. Stick around if you like.

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2012, 07:25:58 PM »

Quote from: Japle on January 07, 2012, 05:28:12 PM

The gun under discussion is mine. I bought it on 12/16/2011, took it out to the range for a basic function check and rough sight-in. I used .38 Spl loads.
Then I brought it home and did an action job on 12/21. I was checking the timing when I noticed 7 flutes on the cylinder.

I emailed S&W Customer Service on 12/22. No response on the 23rd. I noted they were closed until 1/2/2012.

My dealings with S&W customer service have been excellent. They're very aware that this gun is the subject of threads on over a dozen firearms forums. They want to make me happy.

I sent the gun in using S&W's label by FedEx 2-day and they got it on 1/6 at just after 9AM. The label seems to indicate the gun went to the Performance Center. Since I requested an unfluted cylinder and PC handles those, I'm optimistic.

I kept the original cylinder.

The gun was signed off at the factory on 12/2/2011. That was a Friday and I suspect it was the last gun the inspector checked that week.

I'll be shooting in a steel match tomorrow and it'll be fun showing the cylinder around!

John
Viera, FL

thanks for the update. glad to hear their c/s is acting right

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2012, 07:29:47 PM »

Quote

They're very aware that this gun is the subject of threads on over a dozen firearms forums. They want to make me happy.

I sure hope so!

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2012, 09:46:30 PM »

I would imagine at this point in time they would gold plate the thing if that's what it took to make you happy, just to try to salvage their QC reputation....

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2012, 09:52:01 PM »

i'd make who ever signed off on it wear the bad one on a chain around his neck to Pour encourager les autres

MechAg94 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2012, 11:50:33 PM »

I saw a number of references to keeping the cylinder or the gun for collector value. Is there any collector value?

I'm not sure I would even keep the cylinder if S&W took care of everything. I would be afraid it would get used down the road. Also, I know from keeping paperweights from failures at work that eventually pieces of scrap steel are just that.

Japle · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2012, 07:57:25 PM »

If anyone thinks this cylinder has collector's value, I'll sell it.

$1,200. I'll pay for shipping.

BTW, the cylinder is stripped. No extractor star or rod. It would take a really incompetent gunsmith to install this thing in a gun and give it to a customer.

But then we have to consider how I came into possession of it in the first place. Hmmmmm.

HankB · « **Reply #22 on:** January 08, 2012, 08:30:07 PM »

Japle -

Did you post this over at the S&W Forum?

And by the way . . . what email did you use to reach customer service? I tried the link at their website for a minor issue with an SW1911 and have received no response.

Japle · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2012, 10:07:50 PM »

Hank,

Yes I posted there. Also on S&W's Facebook page.

I used the "contact us" link on S&W's website.

Matthew Carberry · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2012, 11:42:23 PM »

Don't underestimate the blogosphere.

When things pop up on "View From the Porch" and "Say Uncle" and a half a dozen other top gun blogs with hundreds of thousands of daily views by the gun nuts who really matter, on the same day, someone at Smith is going to go frantically diving through the Customer Service email lists.

We drive the industry now and the manufacturers know it.

News:

Author Topic: So, what's wrong with this picture? (Read 10158 times)