Deanimator
Member
I posted this elsewhere, but didn't get a real answer.
I sent my 4" Model 29 to S&W to get a defect in the forcing cone repaired.
The forcing cone squaring and barrel set back was done professionally, eliminating the spitting problem I had.
The bad news: Somewhere along the way, they put an about 1/8" scratch in the left side of the barrel, perpendicular to the length of the barrel, near the printing. It's deep enough so that when you run your fingernail over it, it hangs up.
I called them, and when they called back, they said that they'd have to remove the barrel, buff out the scratch and reblue the barrel. It sure seems to me that they'd have to do a butt load of buffing. I'm no machinist, but I'd think that'd involving buffing all over, lest the barrel end up asymmetrical. Also, it's a .44 Magnum. How much is it safe to take it down? Will this screw up the barrel markings, requiring them to be restamped [differently]?
To top it off, they're off for two weeks today, so I won't even be able to SEND the gun for two weeks. They undid my trigger job (expected). I was planning to give it to my gunsmith to have the trigger job restored with the parts they removed and returned to me. If I get the trigger job re-done, and have to send it back, I'll end up paying for the same trigger job THREE times.
Finally, what are the chances that they'd screw something ELSE up, like on the FRAME, that can't POSSIBLY be replaced? What then? Will they try to replace it with one of their stainless pieces of crap? (I LOATHE stainless, nevermind the lock.)
Bottom line: The scratch isn't TOO long, but it's deep. I can put some cold blue on it to protect the bare metal. Should I take a chance on the cure being worse than the disease (and them screwing something else up)? Or should I just leave bad enough alone?
I've got two weeks to decide.
I'm REALLY unhappy.
I sent my 4" Model 29 to S&W to get a defect in the forcing cone repaired.
The forcing cone squaring and barrel set back was done professionally, eliminating the spitting problem I had.
The bad news: Somewhere along the way, they put an about 1/8" scratch in the left side of the barrel, perpendicular to the length of the barrel, near the printing. It's deep enough so that when you run your fingernail over it, it hangs up.
I called them, and when they called back, they said that they'd have to remove the barrel, buff out the scratch and reblue the barrel. It sure seems to me that they'd have to do a butt load of buffing. I'm no machinist, but I'd think that'd involving buffing all over, lest the barrel end up asymmetrical. Also, it's a .44 Magnum. How much is it safe to take it down? Will this screw up the barrel markings, requiring them to be restamped [differently]?
To top it off, they're off for two weeks today, so I won't even be able to SEND the gun for two weeks. They undid my trigger job (expected). I was planning to give it to my gunsmith to have the trigger job restored with the parts they removed and returned to me. If I get the trigger job re-done, and have to send it back, I'll end up paying for the same trigger job THREE times.
Finally, what are the chances that they'd screw something ELSE up, like on the FRAME, that can't POSSIBLY be replaced? What then? Will they try to replace it with one of their stainless pieces of crap? (I LOATHE stainless, nevermind the lock.)
Bottom line: The scratch isn't TOO long, but it's deep. I can put some cold blue on it to protect the bare metal. Should I take a chance on the cure being worse than the disease (and them screwing something else up)? Or should I just leave bad enough alone?
I've got two weeks to decide.
I'm REALLY unhappy.