S&W 500 Strange Damage?

[357mag357]

I am hoping someone can give me some insight to what is happening to my gun. I noticed the problem when I was cleaning it. The only way I can describe the problem is a chip to the frame right above the side plate cover. At first I thought it was just some carbon but as I ran my fingernail over it there was a noticeable depression.I was going to remove the side plate to get a better look at it but decided not to. I don't want S&W to blame me for doing it. I have included some pictures. Just a side note, the gun is about 3 years old with about 500 rounds of manufactured magnum ammo. I also have a S&W 629 with over 10K rounds through it and it does not have that strange mark on it. Any thoughts before I send it to S&W? Thanks.

 

[eldon519]

Are you sure it hasn't always been there? Doesn't seem like anything to worry about.

 

[stringnut]

Do not fire this revolver! It appears to be a crack with a flake that has come out at the end. Cannot tell for sure just from pictures,but, if you cannot tell better safe than sorry. As a heavy truck mechanic for more than 30 years I have seen many types of stress fractures and that is what they look like.

 

[eldon519]

I think that is just the side plate edge rather than a crack. I could be wrong.

 

[357mag357]

I don't think it was there when I bought the gun.

 

[Grumulkin]

Do not fire this revolver! It appears to be a crack with a flake that has come out at the end. Cannot tell for sure just from pictures,but, if you cannot tell better safe than sorry. As a heavy truck mechanic for more than 30 years I have seen many types of stress fractures and that is what they look like.

I concur.

 

[357mag357]

I won't be shooting this gun until S&W looks at it. If it is a stress fracture, how do you think Smith will handle it? Replace the gun, give me a credit or kick me to the curb?

 

[mnrivrat]

A slight seperation of the side plate to frame fit at that spot.

I also don't think there is much to worry about, but ---- If it has enlarged since you received the gun I suspect the side plate screws loosened up from recoil and caused that area to clash together at some point during shooting. . ( that's just a guess, but they do have strong recoil)

I would make sure you check all the screws on these revolvers from shooting session to shooting sesson to make shure they are tight.

 

[stringnut]

After blowing up the pictures on the wifes photography computer I still do not like the look of the failure. Metal is very difiicult to flake and so implies a significant amount of movement or stress in that area. Just cannot see a loose side plate causing it. Is there a local gunsmith that could look at it?

 

[Jim Watson]

I am not a mechanical engineer, but I know some.
I think that 500 rounds of monster magnums have flexed the gun enough that the sideplate has gone tap, tap, tap x 500 against the edge of the frame cut and eventually knocked off a chip. Either loose screws per mnriverrat or just not quite the hairline fit of a bygone day has allowed a slight impact there.

 

[buck460XVR]

Do not fire this revolver! It appears to be a crack with a flake that has come out at the end. Cannot tell for sure just from pictures,but, if you cannot tell better safe than sorry. As a heavy truck mechanic for more than 30 years I have seen many types of stress fractures and that is what they look like.

It is not a crack. It is the seam where the side plate meets the frame. While there is a flake or small flaw, it could be where someone tried to pry the side plate off or where they dinged it puttin' the side plate back on. It could also be from, like others have said, from a loose sideplate moving under heavy recoil. Mine loosens up on my X-Frame from time to time.

 

[Bexar]

Can you tell if the defect looks grainy or smooth? Grainy would definitely indicate a metallurgical issue while smooth is a toss up. Under magnification it does appear that both the side plate and frame are damaged. All things considered...send it back to S&W. For the cost of postage you'll get their professional and experienced evaluation. On what S&W will do...??? Let us know and good luck.

 

[BSA1]

Curious as to why no one has not advised the O.P. to remove the side plate for a better look.

 

[Bexar]

He mentioned he didn't want to for warranty type issues.

 

[rcmodel]

Looks like a chip or ding in the edge of the side plate recess in the frame from side plate assembly to me.
There isn't any real stress there to cause a crack to form there.

I would bet it's always been there and you just noticed it.

At any rate, it isn't a crack, and it isn't isn't going to harm the gun.
It is just a cosmetic flaw.

If you send it to S&W they will just buff it out and send it back to you.
Maybe, if they consider it a bad enough cosmetic flaw to warrantee.

rc

 

[Carl N. Brown]

please post a photo from a side angle showing the sideplate

Looking at my ***** (copy of the S&W), there are slight irregularities where the sideplate joins the frame at that point. (The sideplate folks is a seperate piece from the frame and that is not a crack in the frame: that is where the two pieces join.) At that point on the frame, the frame cut for the sideplate has a very sharp edge and appears to me to be prone to denting or burring in assembly/disassembly.

.500 S&W? I fired one three times at basketball sized rock on the upper range and quit because I knew my nerves were shot and a fourth try would be a complete miss. I would not be surpised if someone told me the frame flexes under recoil. .500 S&W unforgettable.

 

[slrichert]

slr

Absolutely--DO NOT FIRE!!! Send back to S&W for replacement.

 

[Bexar]

Carl...I stood by a guy who was firing one at an outdoor pistol range and watched him shoot. He originally drew my attention because the plywood stall separator between the stalls prevented me from seeing what he was shooting and I asked myself why was some guy shooting a rifle on the pistol range. I looked just as he fired again without the benefit of the plywood separator and felt a concussive force not unlike a small explosion from the muzzle blast. I know the muzzle break had something to do with it but I've been around plenty of muzzle braked guns from pistols to rifles and shotguns but never felt anything like that. Wooof! Too much boom for this bexar! I guess if a person is really mad at an M1Abrams he might need it but c'mon!

 

[357mag357]

Thanks for all the replies, I just got in from shoveling more snow. I will upload some more pictures.

 

[ATCDoktor]

I have two Smith & Wesson M500's(a 4" and an 8") and my 8" has the same defect/flaw (if you want to call it that).



In my opinion, the anomaly/flaw/defect is (as Jim Watson has posted above) is a condition of the sideplate screw becoming loose and the frame and sideplate vibrating/knocking together under recoil.

My 8" version dates from 2003 and has several thousand rounds of heavy handloads through it.

In fact, it went back to Smith & Wesson in 2008 because it had developed a "Push Off" condition and I had the cylinder replaced with a Non Fluted one at that time.

The defect was present at the time I returned it for repair and (for the record) I have never removed the sideplate from either of these guns.

Although the OP's condition is a little worse than mine, I'm not the slightest bit worried about firing it.

 

[357mag357]

I have never removed the side plate and don't want to. In one of the picture it does look like tool marks right before the plate. Not really sure why they are there. I did send the gun to S&W about 2 years ago because I was having a problem with the firing pin bushing. They told me they just replaced it at no charge. Very quick turnaround. I don't think they would need to remove the side plate cover for that, but I am not sure. Here are some more pictures.

 

[357mag357]

Two more pictures.

 

[357mag357]

ATC,
The blued one looks really mean in a good way. I love the unfluted cylinder in the stainless one. I did the same thing with my 629. I didn't think Smith made an unfluted one. Thanks again, I feel a little better, but will still call S&W on Tuesday.

 

[ATCDoktor]

The blued one looks really mean in a good way.

Thanks for the compliment, I was going for something a little different when I had it done.

With respect to your M500, how old is it and approximately how many rounds do you have through it?

As my picture shows, my condition isn't near as bad as yours but it's getting there.

That feathered edge between the cylinder and sideplate is quite fragile and any flexing/vibrating between the two is certainly going to cause some wear.

 

[Bexar]

A footnote to all of this is that it never ceases to amaze me what caring individuals can produce by digging up raw materials...essentially dirt...and turn it into. That blued revolver in the picture is as much art as it is function.