I'd still like someone's recent experience with sending a Smith back to the barn in Springfield...
You asked for it...
Sent my 4" 29-2 to S&W in June to fix a factory defect in the forcing cone.
Came back after a month with two DEEP cuts in the barrel. No comment about cuts. When notified, they claimed not to know how it happened (obvious misuse of tools) They wanted to buff/grind the cuts out. Would never explain how this wouldn't either leave flats, assymmetry or reduction in overall barrel diameter.
Told them I wanted a new barrel. They kept wanting to grind on it. Insisted on a new barrel. Sent the gun back to them for examination. They said they'd replace the barrel.
Got a two line email TELLING (not asking) me that they had no barrels and were going to refinish my gun instead of replacing the barrel. Couldn't get hold of the person I'd been talking to. Called customer service to find out if they'd started doing what I'd told them a dozen times NOT to do. Nobody knew. Hurriedly wrote and faxed them a letter reminding them of my ABSOLUTE refusal to have them grind on the original barrel and call it a "repair". Told them if they'd started grinding on the gun without my permission, I'd sue them. Got call from person I'd been dealing with. Said they hadn't started. Told them AGAIN that I would NEVER authorize them grinding on my barrel. Told them that I'd relied upon their promise to replace barrel and stopped looking for a replacement. Told them I'd put them in contact with seller. They said they wouldn't buy from third party, but they could grind on my barrel or put BIRCHWOOD CASEY on DEEP CUTS! Continue this dance for a day. They finally agree to reimburse me for a barrel which I find. Find two barrels. Tell them barrels at least will need to be refinished, since there are no new barrels. While I'm waiting for my barrels to come from the sellers, get a phone call from the technician telling me that their "master" polisher is leaving and that I need to have the entire gun refinished RIGHT NOW. Remind him that I ABSOLUTELY refuse to let them grind on the original barrel, and that THEY had agreed to reimburse me for a replacement barrel. Tell him I'm not going to just eat cost of barrel THEY agreed to pay for in order to get barrel ground on. Send barrel. They reject first barrel. Send them second barrel. They install it, do not refinish it or gun. Matter still in dispute.
S&W customer service has been an absolute nightmare since the gun was returned to me the first time.
They first attempted to slide the damaged gun by me, hoping I wouldn't notice.
They then denied responsibility for what was obviously their negligence.
They then propose a "repair" that's NOT a repair, since it doesn't return the gun to its original condition.
They then promise to replace the barrel. They go back on their promise, and lead me to believe they're going to violate my explicit instructions.
They then reject a barrel, use the second barrel and refuse to refinish it, KNOWING that it needed refinishing, since by THEIR admission, there are no new barrels.
I feel as though SBC has gotten into the gun lock business...
Reliable reports on
www.smith-wessonforums.com say that their polisher has indeed retired and that they won't be doing any gloss blue refinishing for at least six months. If they do something to the finish of your gun, you are out of luck for at least six months. I'm betting that if they gouge the daylights out of your gun, after YOU call them on it, they will propose to "fix" the problem with cold blue.
Use S&W at your own risk.
