686 chip/ding in cylinder

T

TestedTwice

New member
So I just noticed on my new Smith and Wesson 686 that there is a pretty decent chip or dent in the steel on the outer edge of the back of the cylinder. I know it’s purely cosmetic, but I have some serious “OCD” when it comes to my guns.

Does anybody else have wear marks like this on their cylinders? It KIND OF catches on my fingernail, but it’s hard to feel it. Perhaps it could be polished out? Here’s a link to a picture.

https://imgur.com/a/iaPxpAU
 
I have a bit of OCD as well, I think almost all of us do to some extent. I would let that one go, consider it a very small birth mark in case it ever got lost..:D
 
Like the above 2 posters, I too wouldn't worry about it. It could be softened a bit by polishing, but it is not going to affect the performance at all. Odds are iffin you shoot it, it will acquire other dings and scratches that will just add to it's personality. I'd assume since you didn't notice it when you bought it, it really isn't that noticeable?
 
buck460XVR said:
Like the above 2 posters, I too wouldn't worry about it. It could be softened a bit by polishing, but it is not going to affect the performance at all. Odds are iffin you shoot it, it will acquire other dings and scratches that will just add to it's personality. I'd assume since you didn't notice it when you bought it, it really isn't that noticeable?
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Yeah, that’s true. I swear that every time I look at it, it seems to be growing in size. Haha. What do you guys think the odds are of it chipping more and getting bigger?
 
TestedTwice, that little ding/dent is nothing to worry about, if it was alot bigger then you would cause for concern, but it so small so no worries.
 
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"...on my new..." It's not a safety issue. It's a QC and cosmetic issue. A BNIB revolver should not have anything like that. If you're sure you didn't cause it, you have a warrantee. Up to you if you take the thing back, but the shop will probably try to blame you.
 
It's a very minor impact ding that won't grow & won't affect function.

Yeah, it should not be there on a new gun.
No, I should never have to accept cold coffee.

Life happens.
Not to be snarky, just addressing the fact that sometimes molehills need not be enlarged. :)
Denis
 
Not trying to piss anyone off, but I did have a good laugh over that one.

Seeing as how the "ding" is on the left side of the cylinder, do you thing it might make it shoot to the right?
 
Don't polish or mess with it! And shooting won't make that worse, it isn't close to anything that happens when firing a cartridge.

Honestly, it looks to me like something slipped when the radius was applied to the cylinder. Welcome to modern mass production.

If it were mine, I'd just keep shooting it and not worry about it any further. I couldn't stand to send that back to S&W to be "fixed" if there's no mechanical issue or major external cosmetic damage. There's no guarantee it will come back better after the first trip.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
I dislike the knowledge it is there but after a couple of weeks, you will forget. I have a 586 L comp with a ding from the factory. I now have to remind myself it is there.
 
I will offer the same advice I always give for issues which are eligible for warranty, but which do not have a critical effect on safety or function. That advice is "Shoot the gun a bunch before you decide what to do about it." You should shoot the gun enough so that if there are any other issues, you will find them. That way, if you do decide to send the gun for warranty, you can have everything it needs done in one trip.

In this case, I expect that after you shoot the gun, you will decide not to send it in for that small blemish. But it is your right to send it in if it bothers you, since even a small blemish should not be present on a brand new gun.

So go shoot the gun and enjoy it. Get some range time in, and then decide. A 686 is lots of fun to shoot, and that mark won't affect function at all. So have some fun.

You might want to take some more pictures of the mark before you shoot it, just so it is clear that you did not cause the ding yourself. But if you say the gun came that way, I expect everyone will believe you. I know I certainly do. Good luck.
 
The problem there is that the longer you wait to return to S&W, the harder it becomes to get 'em to believe it was THEIR fault, instead of YOUR fault.

The more you shoot it, the more likely they may be to duck responsibility.
The longer you have it & the more you bang it up yourself, the harder it is to claim that's the way it came.

NOT suggesting you do return under warrantee, I would not.
Just if you do return for that ding, do it now.
Denis
 
DPris said:
The problem there is that the longer you wait to return to S&W, the harder it becomes to get 'em to believe it was THEIR fault, instead of YOUR fault.

The more you shoot it, the more likely they may be to duck responsibility.
The longer you have it & the more you bang it up yourself, the harder it is to claim that's the way it came.

NOT suggesting you do return under warrantee, I would not.
Just if you do return for that ding, do it now.
Denis
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I'm really not wanting to send it in. The main thing I'm worried about is it growing in size. Do you think it would be possible to smooth it out with some fine grit sandpaper? Just enough so that it's not able to catch on my fingernail? Also, do you know if S&W would be able to fit a new cylinder to my 686 in the event that this little ding causes my cylinder to explode?

I apologize for my absolutely ridiculous "OCD." I'm one of those weirdos that get overly worried about stuff like this if I'M not the one that caused it. Had I been the one to ding it up, my OCD would only be running at half the strength it is now.
 
Of course you can smooth it out with the right sandpaper.
After which you'd need to use some touch-up blue to cover the bare steel, or you wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
And then eventually the difference in blotchy finish would drive you to sending the cylinder out for rebluing.

After which you'd still be painfully aware of the flattened area, so you'd force yourself to send the cylinder back out to have that circumference milled uniformly.

After which it'd have to be reblued again.

I do understand OCD, and I do not use sarcasm to ridicule you, only to get your attention.
But- I think maybe you'd be better off just dumping the gun entirely.

You are, of course, joking about that little bit of nothing causing your cylinder to explode.
Even if you're serious, say you're joking.
You stand to be razzed unmercifully if you're not joking about such a nothing.

S&W could replace your cylinder, but not because it exploded.

In no known, or even theoretical, universe could that tiny ding cause ANYTHING to explode.
Denis
 
The gun is stainless..... you won't need cold bluing.
Get some 600 grit automotive wet/dry sandpaper. Wrap it tightly around a flat stick or piece of metal, and smooth the blemish. Don't try to remove it.
It most certainly won't cause your gun to explode! It's just a minor ding.
 
DPris said:
You are, of course, joking about that little bit of nothing causing your cylinder to explode.
Even if you're serious, say you're joking.
You stand to be razzed unmercifully if you're not joking about such a nothing.
Click to expand...
Lol. I was definitely joking. It drives me nuts at the moment, but I know it wouldn't cause any catastrophic failure or anything. Like I said, I'm just worried about the ding growing in size by catching on the frame (that part of the cylinder does occasionally rub on the frame due to the fact that the little nub on the frame is the only thing keeping the cylinder on the yoke when open). I didn't think anyone would think I was serious about that, but I suppose that just means there are bigger worry-warts than me that have come through these forums. I was just wondering if Smith and Wesson would replace it if I just wanted it replaced for no good reason, or if they only do that kind of thing on failures covered by the warranty.

As for rebluing, the gun I have is stainless. I do appreciate the attempts at calming my extreme OCD! Perhaps I'll get over it if I just shoot it a few times.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
The gun is stainless..... you won't need cold bluing.
Get some 600 grit automotive wet/dry sandpaper. Wrap it tightly around a flat stick or piece of metal, and smooth the blemish. Don't try to remove it.
It most certainly won't cause your gun to explode! It's just a minor ding.
Click to expand...
Sorry for the double post, but I'm not sure if it's possible to quote multiple posts?

Do you think something as high as 2500 or 3000 grit sandpaper would be enough to smooth this out? I don't want to take off too much steel at once. Also, why the stick/piece of metal? Is using my finger not good for this type of application? I know the cylinder wouldn't explode, that was my bad attempt at a joke. My apologies on not being clear with that.
 
What do you guys think the odds are of it chipping more and getting bigger?
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It is not a "chip" in the sense that the steel is not brittle enough to "chip". It is a cut in the steel that definitely will not get bigger...unless you take some too to it.
 
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