S&W Model 986 problems

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Deaf Smith

Deaf Smith

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Well one of my friends has a 696 9mm 7 shot revolver. Brand new.

I noticed that on every chamber it failed to lock up.

That is the hand seems to be short and if you slowly cock it, it needs to be rotated by hand to get it to lock in the bolt. Not much rotation but defiantly you do have to rotate the cylinder by hand to hear that 'click' as the bolt pops into the notch at the bottom of the cylinder.

Is this normal?

Thanks,

Deaf
 
It's out of "time."

In DA shooting it'll lock up fine, but it should be fixed.
 
986 is a Pro Series, not PC. The website is wrong. The print catalog has it correct.
 
So what you're saying is, the web site that can be changed at will to correct errors is wrong but the printed manual which can't be corrected once it leaves the manufacturer is right? :rolleyes:

OK, whatever... Sorry for relying on the company who makes the gun for accurate information.
 
Smith's website has always sucked. You need to do some independent verification of manufacturer's claims (like MIM... I mean Kimber making the world's best 1911! LOL). Most PC revolvers will have "Performance Center" rollmarks. the 986 has none. It's marked "Pro Series". I'm looking at the Smith catalog now and it has the 986 in the Pro Series section not the PC section.
 
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Archangel, what's the big deal? No reason to be upset just because CothG is in fact correct about the 986. The 986 has a performance center main spring but that does not make it a PC gun.
 
Deaf Smith said:
I noticed that on every chamber it failed to lock up.... it needs to be rotated by hand to get it to lock in the bolt.

Is this normal?
Click to expand...

No worries as we all know that revolvers have unimaginable reliability. Just keep yankin' the trigger and ti will go bang. :rolleyes:
 
Well actually the gun did go bang every time...

But my friend agreed with me and his dealer sent it back to S&W for repair. All S&Ws should lock just before full cock.

Deaf
 
I have a 986 also. The only problem I had was the ejector rod getting loose whilst shooting. This caused the cylinder to bind and I was confused until I figured it out. I know it's a simple fix but I had my local gunsmith Loctite it up for me N/C. I like the gun just fine now that it's working ok.
 
skt239 said:
Archangel, what's the big deal? No reason to be upset just because CothG is in fact correct about the 986. The 986 has a performance center main spring but that does not make it a PC gun.
Click to expand...
Really? I wouldn't even think about that child's game let alone play it!

On this forum it's all about the information, not one-upping the next guy. :rolleyes:
 
ArchAngelCD said:
Really? I wouldn't even think about that child's game let alone play it!

On this forum it's all about the information, not one-upping the next guy. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Not one upping you, just pointing out that you were wrong.
 
Doesn't matter if it's a standard model, a pro series model or a PC model. It should be right. Regardless of model, S&W will make it right. As for the cause, We won't know until the owner sees the work order or explanation when the gun comes back. Last time I was in my LGS, there were two young men there looking at a new 6'' 686. They were dressed in digital camo which told me they were stationed at the local military base. They were slappin' the cylinder open and closed while spinning it like in an old spaghetti western. When I told them that was not good for the gun, they told me they knew more about firearms than I did, since they played with them for a living, and any gun that couldn't take that kind of punishment shouldn't be sold. They left with the gun and the owner told me he quit trying to tell them the same thing once they decided buy the gun and started to fill out the paperwork. He said he figured it would be back with a bent crane or a timing issue fairly soon. He also said chances were, they were the same type that would bang the ejector rod on the side of the bench to eject the spent cases.

Odds are it will be an easy fix for S&W and the gun will be back in quick order.
 
Deaf Smith said:
Well actually the gun did go bang every time...

But my friend agreed with me and his dealer sent it back to S&W for repair. All S&Ws should lock just before full cock.
Click to expand...


I mentioned this on the other forum where this thread is running - that there may not be a problem with the timing per se, but more the rotational play in the ratchet. If the gun only fails to lock up when empty, and actually shoots fine, it's definitely a possibility. Hopefully, S&W will look into that while they've got it.
 
Well no MrBorland,

If I was to shoot the gun and it was dirty and slowly cocked it (as some people actully do when they shoot) I could see lead/brass shaving happening.

And no telling later after some us if the timing problem might get worse.

It is not supposed to be that way so it needs to be fixed.

Deaf
 
Precisely why I bought a 5 inch Ruger GP100...was looking at a new 686 but lockup was questionable. There is zero question with the GP and very accurate
 
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