So, there's this freaky "Line" on the cylinder of my new S&W 638....Help!

[Eightball]

So, there's this weird line I just noticed above one chamber of the cylinder on the S&W 638 I purchased on the 26th. Shot it once, with some mild .38spl (about 45 rounds), no biggie. I didn't get a chance to clean it until just the other day due to "supply difficulties" (i.e. my dad borrowed my cleaning supplies), and after I did, I noticed that this "line" was still there. Upon closer examination--and the oh-so-scientific "feeling it with fingernail"....it seems to be some weird impression on the cylinder, rather than a superficial mark It is both along the cylinder, and there seems to be a little bit towards the rear of the cylinder that moves inwards, towards the chamber

Is it a crack or microfissure? Would it have been caused by the ammo? Is it something to be worried about--and if so, how much worry? Is it still safe to shoot? Is it a mark leftover from the manufacturing that I just didn't see at first?

On the mark on both the rear and side of the cylinder, there is some ever-so-slight resistance felt when running a fingernail perpendicular to the line.

Its only on the one chamber.....and this thing was NEW, and I'm known for babying my revolvers, so it's not an instance of abuse or a bent crane.

Help! I was hoping to shoot this tomorrow on a range outing with my dad, but I'm not so sure.....

Photos are attached showing the line, from the rear & side together, and the light off of the line going in towards the chamber. Sorry that they're .pdf, this isn't my normal CPU.

 

[mr2guru]

Looks like a crack to me.

An eddy current test would resolve what exactly it is though.

 

[Eightball]

An eddy current test would resolve what exactly it is though.

Pardon my ignorance, but what IS that, exactly?

 

[mr2guru]

http://www.olympus-ims.com/en/eddycurrenttesting/

It a very efficient way of determining cracks in metals used in NDI (non destructive inspection)

Although if you were going to inspect it yourself it may be easier to do a dye penetrant test.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dye_penetrant_inspection

http://www.amazon.com/Magnaflux-Itw...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1230869812&sr=8-1

A good machine shop might be able to do either for cheaper than you can get the kit to do it yourself.

Or.... just send it back to S&W and tell them it looks cracked?

 

[R.W.Dale]

Defiantly do not shoot this gun till this is resolved. It looks like a delamination <crack> to me possibly from the blank the cyl was bored from

You could also preform a dye penatrant test but I would simply sent it back to S&W ASAP

 

[Guillermo]

that second photo really makes it look like a crack.

I would think that the magnaflux method would work very well.

The theory is that you put a magnetic current though the metal and dust it with iron particles. The magnetic field is stonger where a crack is (more surface area) so if iron gathers near your freaky line, it is a crack.

The nice thing is that any engine rebuilding business has a magnaflux machine and will do the test for a small fee.

 

[Eightball]

So, would this be a "call them and see if they'll send me a shipping label" type thing, or email them (maybe attach pictures?), or call them and pay for my own freaking shipping? (If I payed for my own shipping.....do they reimburse?)

Or, should I try to find a place for the magnaflux first?

Depending on exactly what to do for this thing (since I've never had a S&W "lemon), I may get it out tomorrow rather than shoot it--and then go shoot my other S&W at the range :/

 

[Jim Watson]

I think it is a scratch from being dragged out of a machining center fixture.
But if it is a crack it is a source of catastrophic failure, read KaBoom.
It is surely new enough to fall under the S&W lifetime guarantee, let them figure it out. They will probably replace the cylinder whether for cosmetics or strength.

 

[R.W.Dale]

So, would this be a "call them and see if they'll send me a shipping label" type thing, or email them (maybe attach pictures?), or call them and pay for my own freaking shipping?

Or, should I try to find a place for the magnaflux first?

Depending on exactly what to do for this thing (since I've never had a S&W "lemon), I may get it out tomorrow rather than shoot it--and then go shoot my other S&W at the range :/

I would be one thing if this gun was 30yrs old and bought thirdhand used. But on a brand new gun I wouldn't touch it beyond packaging it back up to ship back the the factory

 

[.41Dave]

Looks like a crack to me. Do not shoot it. I'd contact S&W and arrange to send it back ASAP. S&W will pay for shipping both ways, and in my experience, their customer service is outstanding. I have no doubt they will make things right.

 

[Guillermo]

Eightball,

Even the best companies have lemons.

Smith certainly is not perfect. Back in the early 90's a buddy bought a 357, if memory serves, a 686.

When he showed it to me I noticed the yoke/frame fit was terrible. He took it back to the giant guns shop in town (McBrides) who swapped it immediately.

His replacement had a front sight that was milled slightly crooked.

A year later I bought a 686 and couldn't get it on the paper. Sent it back and they reset the barrel.

The lesson is, nobody is perfect. Call Smith and they will send you the shipping label. If mine was any indication, they will get it back to you fast.

 

[Eightball]

Call Smith and they will send you the shipping label. If mine was any indication, they will get it back to you fast.

How long should it take to get the label, and what was your turnaround?

Part of my problem here is that in ~a week, I head back to college......and might not be present here at the house if/when it returns 0.o

 

[Guillermo]

Been a long time but if my memory serves, it was 2 and a half weeks.

I am sure that they will work with you. I know they have all kinds of rules but my experience was very good.

If they would start listening to their customers and get rid of the stupid, dangerous lock I would buy some of thier products.

 

[boomcrash]

Call S&W, but it looks like a tool mark to me.

 

[Crawdad]

It looks like a tooling mark to me too, but it could also be the beginning of a split that will make your gun blow up in your face. It ain't worth the risk, and even if it is safe, it's a cosmetic defect on a brand new gun. I'd definitely send it back.

 

[krs]

If it didn't turn the corner toward center I'd think scratch but because it does I'd send it in.

There have been other ones that blew up.

 

[BADUNAME37]

Send it to S&W. A call to customer support, and they will have you ship it FedEx next morning delivery service and they will give you their FedEx account number to use so you don't pay for shipping and they will get it next business morning.

When I sent in my new 642 a couple months ago, I had to do that. They had my gun 5+ weeks, although while they had it, I also had them "smooth the action and trigger."

Definately send it back. That is not something to play around with. You can still count all your fingers and you hopefully still have two eyes.

 

[Owen]

send it back.

 

[Walkalong]

send it back.

ditto!

 

[Master Blaster]

Its too arrow straight to be a crack, its also too straight to have been done by somone removing the yoke and cylinder together, and scratching it.

I would say its a mark from a machining center at the factory, probably just cosmetic.

Call S&W and have them send you a prepaid shipping label, at school, or have a family member take it o the shipper. S&W is closed at least until Monday, and they have at least a 2 or 3 week backlog by now (they close for the holidays).

The label will take 3-5 days to get in the mail after you call them. It will come with an instruction sheet on what to do.

They will take care of you. I would have no qualms about firing it, but you should not take that chance.

 

[BHP FAN]

crack.send it back.

 

[Claude Clay]

for all the above reasons --SEND IT BACK

and because if that mark was ment to be there, than that means i have to send all my smiths back to get it.

--and your drag-line looks rather heavy in the scalloped area to have been fired so little [or even too much period]

 

[Eightball]

Alright, this thing isn't going with me to the range today.

So, I'm thinking maybe I'll email them, or should I call them instead? Should I include the lot ## of the ammo I was shooting? If I email them, should I attach the pictures?

--and your drag-line looks rather heavy in the scalloped area to have been fired so little [or even too much period]

I called Bud's to have them put it on hold while I drove down there......maybe they grabbed the one that had been on display (and inevitably dry-fired a bunch)? That, and I have to admit that I've been testing out the trigger a bit in order to become more familiar with it (and thus may not have noticed the drag ring).....because my plan was to pack it, not pack it back to the factory :banghead:

 

[R.W.Dale]

Alright, this thing isn't going with me to the range today.

So, I'm thinking maybe I'll email them, or should I call them instead? Should I include the lot ## of the ammo I was shooting? If I email them, should I attach the pictures?

I called Bud's to have them put it on hold while I drove down there......maybe they grabbed the one that had been on display (and inevitably dry-fired a bunch)? That, and I have to admit that I've been testing out the trigger a bit in order to become more familiar with it (and thus may not have noticed the drag ring).....because my plan was to pack it, not pack it back to the factory :banghead:

It's nothing you did I'll bet you my next glass of tea that that's a delamination that wa already in the blank when it left the steel mill. I work in the steel fabrication industry and If I've seen one of these cracks I've seen a 1000 of em. When on the edge of a member parallel to the thickness such "indications" typically run straight and protrude into the surface a few mills just as the pic no 2 shows. And in your case it couldn't possibly be in a more catastrophic location.

Its too arrow straight to be a crack, its also too straight to have been done by somone removing the yoke and cylinder together, and scratching it

I would say its a mark from a machining center at the factory, probably just cosmetic.

Call S&W and have them send you a prepaid shipping label, at school, or have a family member take it o the shipper. S&W is closed at least until Monday, and they have at least a 2 or 3 week backlog by now (they close for the holidays).

The label will take 3-5 days to get in the mail after you call them. It will come with an instruction sheet on what to do.

They will take care of you. Meanwhile you can shoot it just fine.

Please for the love of god disregard this nugget of "wisdom" it isn't even worth half what you paid for it, which is nothing

The cylinder IS fractured DO NOT shoot this gun if you value your fingers and or eyesight at all

 

[Grey54956]

That is definitely a crack. DO NOT SHOOT THIS GUN. Contact the customer service. This looks to be a defect in the construction / materials of the gun. They will probably fix / replace for free.

Put another round or two through this thing and it's going to split wide open / fly apart. The crack is right along the region subjected to the most strain.