Disappointed in S&W

[hinton03]

I find the answer from S&W interesting and not what I have come to expect from US gun manufactures; here it is:

I purchased a new in the box, unfired, 1981 S&W Model 36 from a local gun store; the gun came in the mint original box will all documentation , even the 1981 warranty card. Anyway, I found that with a little pressure the cylinder would rotate clockwise when closed with the hammer down. I contact S&W customer service and explained the situation and they said they would “take care of it” and provide a shipping label to return the gun.

A few weeks later I get an invoice from S&W asking that I pay $83 to authorize the repair. I contacted them and the same guy that said he would take care of it now says that S&W did not offer a life time warranty until 1989 and since my gun was manufactured prior to that it wasn’t covered. The interesting part is they admit that the gun is unfired and that the problem is cause by a manufactures defect.

I probably shouldn’t have expected anything different, but having been a loyal S&W customer for 35 years and the owner of 13 of their handguns I was a little disappointed. I have come to expect American gun manufactures to stand behind their product and have had great luck with Colt, Ruger, Rock River and Weatherby.

Am I wrong to expect this level of customer service?

 

[18DAI]

Sorry to read about your experience. The current company masquerading as S&W is not your fathers S&W.

A search here will reveal many similar experiences to yours. As far as I'm concerned S&W went out of business in 2001.

These days, I simply hope they get bought out by a gun manufacturer. TJ

 

[hinton03]

Strange, no such problems with the few issues I have had with other makers. Here is what the customer service representative sent me, fully aware of the date of manufacture:

Hello Mark,

I just put an order in for a pre-paid, pre-insured FedEx return label. Please allow around 5 business days for delivery. Please follow the instructions that will be included in the package. Include a letter with your contact information and a description of the issue. We stand behind our products and will make this right for you.

Regards, Steve
Customer Service
1-800-331-0852 Ext. 2905
http://www.smith-wesson.com

 

[mingo]

I'm a S&W fan and have to agree with them in regards to their policy. If the gun would of been 1989 issue or newer it would prolly be fixed for free. What does the warranty card state?
They have the best customer service in the industry.
mingo

 

[mustang_steve]

I work in a warranty support dept (not in the firearms biz, but it's all the same), and these kinds of issues (out of warranty, customer expectations) are one of those things that has to get a high level OK to get rolling. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.

I know I try my hardest to get things rolling, but sometimes it ends up being a case of "sorry, I can go this far but that's it."

Here's hoping the best, S&W is a darn fine company, even in their current state.

 

[earlthegoat2]

They are a business and they have to draw the line somewhere. They offer lifetime warranty from builds after 1989. Period. Some exceptions apply Im sure. However you cannot expect a company that has been in business for over 100 years to warrant every singe item they have produced.

Since there are precious few companies that have been around that long that is a tall order even amongst the gun industry as a whole.

Colt is not going to give free warranty repairs on a DA 45 revolver from before the turn of the 20th century when most likely no warranty was ever even offered at that time.

Suck it up and inspect your revolvers better in the future.

Enough defending S&W now because I thoroughly agree with this statement:

The current company masquerading as S&W is not your fathers S&W......As far as I'm concerned S&W went out of business in 2001.

These days, I simply hope they get bought out by a gun manufacturer. TJ

 

[Smoovbiscuit]

are they that bad these days? I'm certainly not a fan of their cheaper auto loaders but I've always had good experiences with their revolvers.

I bought a new model 60 a few months back and its treated me great, though I haven't put more than 300 rounds through it yet and I haven't had to deal with their warranty.

Should I not expect my gun to hold up over the years? and should I not put bear loads through it? I bought a box but haven't used any yet

 

[DenaliPark]

They have the best customer service in the industry.
mingo

Perhaps a lengthy list of citations would rescue you from looking foolish?

 

[mnhntr]

I will not be buying any more new S&W firearms due to the quality and service lately. I think the company is a joke and these days.

 

[SwampWolf]

S&W had a problem with that exact problem on more than one gun in the 80's. The N-frame models were especially susceptible.

This is true. I bought a new Model 28 in the late seventies that had the very same problem and had to be fixed under warranty by a local S&W "authorized repair center".

 

[Old Fuff]

I'm suprised...

The problem is not too uncommon, and can usually be fixed in 15 minutes. Often a part replacement is't necessary. This thread is likely to cost them more in terms of customer satisfation and potential loss of sales then the repair would.

 

[browneu]

I was originally going to side with S&W but the question needs to be asked when does the warranty begin? Does it begin from the date of the manufacture or the date of the original purchase (purchase by consumer not dealer).

The OP stated that the gun was new in the box. I would argue that the waranty should begin when he purchased the gun even though it was incredibly long after the date of manufacture.

If that's the case he should have the gun fixed free of charge. However, it sounds like S&W is taking the stance that the warranty began from the date of manufacture, which deters me from purchasing anything else from S&W regardless of their current warranty.

 

[verdun59]

This is just plain tone deaf. You would think with a gun that old and being in mint condition that they would fix it for the public relation aspect alone. Old Fluff is correct.

 

[icanthitabarn]

The man is known as Old Fuff, not Fluff and he is always correct.

 

[Hunt480]

I like my Smith's and will never part with mine but I feel they should have made that repair free. Thats not a company with the right mind set of customer service especially when you consider the prices of their revolvers. I've been noticing a lot of post about factory defects on S&W revolvers lately. It is a damn shame another great American company is on the fritzz..

 

[rscalzo]

They offer lifetime warranty from builds after 1989.

We received warranty service on some of our second generation S&W semi-autos in the past at no charge with a quick turnaround time.

But since the second and third gen. handguns are out of production for years, they no longer honor the warranty. We have had some frames vrack on firearms with a round count of five thousand or less. A few years earlier they replaced the frame without charge. So the 89 date seems like BS on their part.

They offered a M&P at a reduced rate which was useless to us. But in today's economic times and their stock in the basement, I don't doubt they are looking to reduce costs. So the unlimited warranty is probably history for anyone other than the original owner.

 

[verdun59]

icanthitabarn and Old Fuff,
I'm as old as dirt and I obviously can't type .... please forgive

 

[btg3]

S&W has consistently gone the extra mile for the handguns that I felt needed attention. The incidents were few ranging as far back as the mid-'90s and as recent as last year.

 

[earlthegoat2]

NIB is a term that can have several different meanings. To me NIB generally means a 100% gun in original box. Whether it had no or several previous owners.

To a warranty department NIB means the gun was never sold at the retail level.

I tend to think this one was sold retail many years ago and hence the warranty has expired.

 

[hinton03]

As with most of the folks here I to believe it could go either way, that is why I said disappointed and not angry. I asked the sales rep to adjudicate it with his superior and he came back and said what the company position was; I promptly provided my credit card and thanked him for his effort.

I can afford it and it is a relatively minor cost, but it is not what I am used to when dealing with gun manufactures. I once bought a Weatherby Vanguard used and it grouped terribly, even after I glass bedded the stock, modifying the gun and voiding any hope of a warranty, the Weatherby folks promptly rebarreled the rifle, after chastising me for the bedding. I still have that gun today.

If interested here is what S&W says needs to be repaired:

Stop won't hold, replace cylinder stop and hand.

 

[bruzer]

My words are only an opinion and no offense should be taken so here they go.
If you can get your local gun store to verify that the gun sat on their shelf for 30 years and you are now the original owner and the Warranty Card clearly shows that you would rate the expressed warranty period. Then Smith & Wesson should fix your gun under warranty. But, if none of that can happen then S&W has to charge you for the repairs to your gun.
Is $83 too much to get a brand new classic gun to work properly? Luckily I don't have to make that decision but you could look at it this way. Look at all the people that will buy a brand new gun and then have to add a few $100 to it with the night sites, trigger jobs, grips, tactical rail, etc. etc. just so they can go target practice.
I don't blame you for having greater expectations from S&W.
Good luck,
Mike

 

[frankenstein406]

If it wasn't shot and their fault, they should fix it.

Ha I bet hi point would Lol!

 

[Old Fuff]

icanthitabarn and Old Fuff,
I'm as old as dirt and I obviously can't type .... please forgive

Not to worry…

“Old Fuff” was a nickname hung on me by two irreverent teens.

In teen-talk, “Fuff” = over fussy, befuddled adult.”

 

[Old Fuff]

I won't try to second guess Smith & Wesson, as there could be unknown reasons behind their decision. Maybe the $83.00 represents a minimum shop charge.

But the warrantee is supposed to cover issues caused by defective workmanship or materials. Given that the revolver was for all practical purposes not used, and the stated need to replace two parts (the hand and cylinder stop) would indicate that the problem was related to workmanship, as clearly those parts weren't correctly fitted in the first place, I would have expected a different outcome.

Like hinton03 I'm disapointed.

 

[JR47]

It's sort of amusing to listen/read where S&W's reputation, based on one situation, has been bashed so badly. Even with multiple posters reporting fine service from them.

I will agree that "today's S&W isn't your fathers S&W", as they wouldn't fall into the Clinton-era debacle that nearly ruined them financially.

The wonder of the Internet allows the rapid spread of one person's experience, and the usual pile-on occurs with dreary certainty.

Let's see, we don't like S&W any more. There are still dinosaurs blaming Ruger for Bill's statements, and "wouldn't buy from them." Taurus has a following of bashers. So, who's left? Charter Arms? Rhino? Rossi? Maybe Korth or Korriphila? :banghead: