442 problem

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R-Tex12

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Hi, all -

I posted this on the S&W forum and though I'd post it here as well to take full advantage of all resources.

I took my new-to-me nickel plated 442 to the range yesterday for its first outing. I put 10 rounds of S&B 158gr LRN through it before our IDPA match started. The previous owner said the 442 had a total of 25 rounds through it, and appearances would indicate that's an accurate statement.

While cleaning it this morning, I noticed that the frame is cracked all the way through to the barrel threads in the area just underneath the barrel. I'm fairly sure I would have noticed the crack during my initial visual inspection when the gun arrived last Thursday and there are several shiny spots inside the crack, leading me to think it happened yesterday.

I'll call the folks at S&W tomorrow and see what they have to say. My concern is that they'll replace the frame with one which has the lock. My reason for buying this one was that it was almost new and didn't have the lock.

Does anyone have an idea as to whether they can provide a non-lock frame, or am I doomed? Any suggestions as to who to ask to speak with, or should I just talk to whoever the call is routed to?

Thanks for any input.

Rick
 
If memory is correct, the nickle-plated 442s were all made on the pre-magnum frame which is just a shade smaller and lighter than the current "-J-magnum" frame that S&W is using for all their J-frames now. I don't know if they have any nickled pre-magnum frames in inventory but they recently released a large number of 37-2s to distribution which are no-lock pre-magnum frames. I bought one and am getting another. This suggests that they might be able to turn up a replacement frame for you since they apparently had a good number of old frames in inventory for the 37-2s. That is unless they used them all up for that run. Maybe you might give them a call. Maybe I'm wrong about the nickled 442s, but I thought they were dropped when the 642-1 (new frame) came out. Good luck.
 
Take a hard look at the barrel's forcing cone...real hard critical look...suspect the forcing cone is either cracked (most likely) or bulged (less likely), and that expasnion also expanded the frame, which cracked at it's thinnest part (as you found out, the section just above the crane).

IF it was a tinly hairline crack before your range session, you might not have noticed it in your check, but small cracks become large ones.
 
Thanks, everyone -

Can't see any indication of other problems such as a cracked or bulged barrel or forcing cone.

I'll post an update after talking with the S&W folks.

Rick
 
Hi, the same thing happened to me last year with a nickle plated pre-lock S&W model 38. It had a crack under the barrel where the barrel screws into the frame/forcing cone. I sent it back to Smith and all thay could do was replace it with a current model 638 with the lock as there were no more replacement pre-lock frames. I hope this helps.
JNARIV
 
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