S&W's Failure Prone Internal Lock

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

RMc

Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
557
In the current climate of internal locks on some handguns and not others, S&W's ILS is the center of controversy. Why?

It appears the flimsy appearing mechanism and default lock postition are the key points of customer angst. The time has come for S&W to abandon this failed lock system and if they must have an ILS design a robust one that works!
 
I believe that this is dead horse and the IL will never go away...but that being said, I have no problem with the lock...It probly took more time to open this thread, read yours, and type mine....Than it took to simply remove the flag(lock)... Super easy fix and you cannot even tell it is missing unless you look real close and know what to look for. If you simply remove the flag, and not the whole assembly everything still looks un-alterd.
 
Last edited:
No dead horses here!

S&W's ILS is the only internal lock system that has had a series of self-lock failures. Please note, I said remove or replace with an ILS thar works.
 
i for one havent bought a s&w product since they put the lock on their revolvers
ive come close but always shy away and that is the only reason
 
It takes less than 5 minutes to pull out the cheesy lock flag and it is EXTREMLY easy to just pull it out and toss it. You do not have to remove the whole bullseye, just the flag. Problem solved....

I fear that if they re-engineer a "better" locking system that it may not be so easily removed and done-away with.
 
If you keep buying them they will keep making them.

I've never purchased a pistol in the last 20 years that had either a mag disconnect or a lock. I have no plans of changing this.

BW
 
I have half dozen S&W's with the internal lock and have never had a problem. The problem is caused by the number of purists who would like to see the lock gone. Very few actual cases of where the lock failed.
 
I don't like the IL but it won't keep me from buying a used S&W at a great price for example earlier in the month I picked up a 627PC 8 shot for $575.00 with the aluminum case. No way was the lock going to keep me from buying that gun and like was said it is a easy fix.
 
I bought a couple of lightly-used Model 10's with the lock for $225 each.

I REALLY hate that S&W puts these locks in the guns because people seem to hate the lock so much that I keep getting these good deals on their cast-offs, and I cannot afford to keep buying lock-orphans!!!

Stupid DAO feature forced me to buy two of the no-lock M64 orphans too.
Even spent a bunch of my time and money "tinkering" with one of them to "restore" it to SA/DA.

I tell you, I'm going broke cleaning up this mess!

braceofbraces.jpg
 
You know, there are tons -- (like, literally thousands of pounds ... I went and weighed them...seriously) -- of threads here on the S&W internal lock. Nope, the gun community doesn't like it much. Yup, some have locked up on folks. Nope, no where near in epidemic numbers, but anything over zero is, well, more than zero.

There have been letters sent, articles written, diatribes posted, and calls for heads to roll for this sacrilege. And calls for massive boycotts of all S&W products until this anathema is removed.


...<the sound of one lonely cricket chirping in the dark>...

So, hey, don't come tell us. Write to S&W. Call them and tell them how you feel. Once more voice in the chorus can't hurt.
 
The company that gets the most flack for their lock is S&W. Why? Location. They couldn't have picked an uglier place to drop their cancerous zit hole. I know, we all have a choice, and to each his own, blah, blah, blah....but, and a big but, when you deface the side of a firearm like they have you remove decades of wonderful history and beautiful craftsmanship. The hole don't bother me?.....some may say.....well, to those that don't care they can keep buying the new "S&H" (Saf-T-Hammer) model and I'll be looking for guns made by S&W.
 
Unfortunately, the lock will NEVER go away. To discontinue the lock would be tantamount to an admission that the lock was defective. They are not gonna open that can of worms. They are STUCK with the lock, I'm afraid.
 
With their low stock price, hopefully the company calling itself S&W, staffed by lawn mower designers and former plumbers, gets bought out by a gun company, staffed with firearms enthusiasts. End of lock. :)
 
The S&W IL may be the most idiotic design ever incorporated into a firearm.

But they will keep it because they simply don't give a rats corn hole about producing quality revolvers. One of these days it might come back to bite them.

As mentioned, as long as the <customers keep> buying the overpriced crap that they build there is no incentive to change their ways.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The time has come for S&W to abandon this failed lock system
Click to expand...
I agree.

But I own several high-recoil S&W revolvers with the lock; and none have failed yet. Not sure I'd call it failure-prone.

I did help one revolver break a hammer stud. Not sure that had anything to do with the lock, as that revolver doesn't have a lock. ;)
 
Look guys, this is simple...S&W can do what they want with THEIR guns and you can do what you want with your money. If you do not like the lock...buy another brand or buy used. As mentioned above, this is a dead horse that some folks insist on continuing to flog. For most buyers the lock is a non-issue so they will continue to buy it and S&W will continue to produce it. The lock is here to stay...like it or not.

Oh yeah, y'all please continue to harp on this and drive the price of them into the ground so that I can buy even more of them.:D
 
Look guys...

Having this argument is... well... stupid. The Old Fuff is ready to endorse the hated & feared lock, and recommend that everyone go out and buy at least one or more Smith & Wesson's to show their unyielding support of the company and it's products. :what:

So they have this silly locking device that next to nobody uses. But it's still "backed by Brady & Bunch." What more could you ask? If you can't stand looking at the lock get some tape and cover it up. :scrutiny:

Take a deep breath, turn the lock to "On", and then throw the key away. Trust me - you'll save on ton of money on ammunition. :uhoh:

Oh... As an extra perk you get (absolutely FREE) a:

1. External trigger lock
2. Lockable plastic case

That you can keep your already locked (and now unlockable) S&W handgun safe and sound. Why the very thought about such total security should make you feel warm and fuzzy.

Now everybody run off to your local retail gun-gouger, but be aware I may be late to the party.

Maybe very late…

Such a shame. :evil: :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Waveski
  • Locked
SP101 Internal Lock?
Replies
7
Views
1K
DPris
D
A
  • Locked
S&W Internal Lock - technical thread.
Replies
11
Views
1K
Guillermo
G
KBintheSLC
  • Locked
Question about S&W internal locks...
Replies
6
Views
525
KBintheSLC
KBintheSLC
P
  • Locked
  • Poll
Wheel Gun Internal Locks Poll
2 3 4
Replies
92
Views
3K
skidder
S
P
  • Locked
Questions About Internal Locks
Replies
12
Views
851
Commander Crusty
C
Back
Top