Anyone else dislike S&W semi-auto pistols?

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Quantum Singularity

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This is in response to the 2 Glock bashing threads of late. Of all the semiautomatic CENTERFIRE pistols I have owned, the one brand thats broken the most, had poor reliability, and poor SA trigger has been the S&Ws. Iv'e owned 2 S&W CENTERFIRE semi-autos and won't buy from them again unless they:

1. ***** Improve their quality ****
2. Make up for their agreement

Anyone else dislike them?

[This message has been edited by Quantum Singularity (edited September 21, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Quantum Singularity (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
Nope... I like several S&W pistols. The 4013, 6906, CS-9 and CS-40 are very practical carry guns. Their full-sized gun are pretty obnoxious though: too big and heavy. Atlanta PD issues alloy-framed 5906's and they are great guns.

It keeps myself and FUD scorned every time we mention that. I would buy from them until they start seriously enforcing that stupid contract... then I'll quit buying from them.

Bear in mind, you're going to get a lot of political dislikes in this thread. There will probably be a strong bias against S&W.
Ben

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Almost Online IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target" http://ben.gunsnet.net

[This message has been edited by Ben (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
I dont like them for the same reason I dont like Glocks not comfortable in my hand.

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Shop Smart! Shop S-Mart**** That's right I'm a gear whore and proud of it***
 
No,
I bought a used S&W 4516-1 in Ex condition and love it. It has jammed one time in the last 1500-2000 rounds I put through it, so as far as reliability goes it speaks for itself (who knows maybe it had problems before I owned it and the previous owner worked it?) It feeds everything without a hitch and fits mine and my wife's hand well.

I wouldnt bash glocks :) I want one of those also
 
First, let me say I won't buy any S&W product until they pull themselves out of the predicament they're in. That being said, S&W revolvers get my thumbs up. I don't care for their semi-autos for a variety of reasons, the biggest being the steep angle of the grip. To each his own.

Sub
 
I think that their quality is equal to or superior to others -- if I didn't think this way, I wouldn't own over a dozen of them ... more than all of my other guns combined!
3913-2.jpg

If you boycott every firearm company that has made even the slightest compromise to anti-gun groups, you would be shooting rubber bands, not bullets. What I fail to understand is all the Ruger owners here who like to slam S&W because of the agreement but praise Bill Ruger, who pushed for the high capicity magazine to try to block competion with Glock and Ruger`s guns for the police market. If you are going to kick one dog then you damn sure better kick them all. Colt stopped most sales to the general public, Taurus now has a locking system on their guns, Ruger pushed for magazine importation bans, S&W signed gov`t agreement, and other companies have made changes to their firearms that could be construed as making concessions to the anti-gun lobby.

I'll buy whatever I want, whenever I want, from whomever I please. If I want a Smith&Wesson (that's "Smith&Wesson". Not *&*, Slick&Weasel, or any of that nonsense), I don't worry if it's new or used. I don't ponder whether or not if it was in the pipeline when the agreement was signed, or if the dealer is going to replace it with new stock. If someone wants to boycott any given company or product to make a statement then that`s their business.
 
I will not do business with any company that assists the Clintonistas in their efforts to violate my natural rights as a free man.

I don't trade with the enemy.

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"He is useless on top of the ground; he ought to be under it, inspiring the cabbages."
Mark Twain
 
No bias on my part. I'd like to have a 3913, a 4013, and a 4566 (all w/o the tactical rail added to the latest TSWs). I wouldn't mind a 4506. But, I won't do it because of the agreement. I also won't by used ones because I don't want to give them repair business.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FUD:
I think that their quality is equal to or superior to others -- if I didn't think this way, I wouldn't own over a dozen of them ... more than all of my other guns combined!

[/quote]

With all due respect, I certainly don't think S&W's quality is "superior" to Sig, Glock, or even Ruger. Both my Sigs and Ruger came with an excellent SA trigger and 100 percent reliability out of the box: I can't say the same about the S&W's I owned.



[This message has been edited by Quantum Singularity (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
I had a 3913 which a pretty decent gun. Sold it but I would carry it if I still had it.

I have friends with other 3rd generation guns that are pretty good like the ones FUD has,
sorry to agree with you :)

I don't like the Sigmas at all. One buddy's 40 was a disaster. His 9 is just ok.

The SW 380 - POS. The SW 99 - fired it but
isn't wasn't special - not better than one of my Glocks.

So the 3rd gen guns are OK by me.
 
We carried 5906's for 8 years. Constant problems. They spent more time at the armorer than on duty. We "UPGRADED!" to Glock 23's 5 years ago, and we "LOVE" them. If your Smith & Wesson works for you great! But it would be one of my last choices for personal defense or duty.
 
Quantum Singularity, I can supply you with close to two dozen personal e-mails that I've received from people who, after reading my comments, decided to give S&W pistols a try and ended up trading in their Glocks, SIGS, & Colts (nobody has mentioned Ruger to me) to purchase a S&W pistol and I am sure that others can supply documentation that goes the other way.

The point is that there is no point in arguing which is better because it is very much a subjective thing. You've had two that in your opinion were of poor quality. I own over a dozen which I feel are on excellent quality (my Para-Ordnance has jammed at the range and so has my Browning Hi-Power but my S&W's have not). Some say that they don't like the way that they feel in their hand. Nothing against SIGs because I really want to get a P229 in .357SIG, but it just doesn't feel right in my hand.

Whose to say that my hand is right and your hand is wrong? Or that my dozen-plus good expereinces with S&W pistols are more valid than your two bad experiences with them?
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by FUD:
Quantum Singularity, I can supply you with close to two dozen personal e-mails that I've received from people who, after reading my comments, decided to give S&W pistols a try and ended up trading in their Glocks, SIGS, & Colts (nobody has mentioned Ruger to me) to purchase a S&W pistol and I am sure that others can supply documentation that goes the other way.

The point is that there is no point in arguing which is better because it is very much a subjective thing. You've had two that in your opinion were of poor quality. I own over a dozen which I feel are on excellent quality (my Para-Ordnance has jammed at the range and so has my Browning Hi-Power but my S&W's have not). Some say that they don't like the way that they feel in their hand. Nothing against SIGs because I really want to get a P229 in .357SIG, but it just doesn't feel right in my hand.

Whose to say that my hand is right and your hand is wrong? Or that my dozen-plus good expereinces with S&W pistols are more valid than your two bad experiences with them?[/quote]


FUD, I agree with you for the most part. And I believe that your S&W's are very good. But, I just don't see how you can say S&W's are "superior" to everything else out there. If that was the case, Glock and Sig necessarily would have few sales in the U.S.

[This message has been edited by Quantum Singularity (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
My only S&W pistol is a Model 41 (.22lr). Why? For the same reason others have given: they don't fit my hand and - for me - the "pointability" is terrible. (Same reason I don't own a SIG.) But that M41 is one sweet pistol...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BUTCH48:
We carried 5906's for 8 years. Constant problems. They spent more time at the armorer than on duty. [/quote]

I know what you mean. Mine spent more time being repaired or tweaked than being shot too.
 
I've never really cared for them, with the exception of the 4506.

I don't like where the safety is situated, I don't like the ergonomics, I don't care for the sights, and I think they are WAY overpriced.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
The Sigma's I've seen were accidents waiting to happen. They were early models, and had problems with their wedge-shaped strikers, which disabled the guns after only a few rounds were fired. Debris, soot, and brass shavings would find their way towards the firing pin hole in the boltface of the slide, and effectively prevent a full primer strike. I watched one new owner take his out of the box, brand new, and it died within 5 rounds. That had to be a sinking feeling for somebody who probably budgeted for a while to buy their defensive gun. It happened three times, to three different Sigmas, while I was range officer at a range in Northern California. I hope S&W has fixed that problem, it didn't speak well for the quality of that particular product. (If you're gonna blatantly copy a Glock, at least do a decent effort of it...)
 
First let me say that I think that S&W revolvers are thes best going, the quality seems to shine on any S&W revolver I have ever owned.

Their semi autos on the other hand I cannot say the same.

I feel that they have to many corners,nerls,cuves, gadgets to mak a long story short they are just way too busy. If they toned down a little maybe that would be a step in the right direction.

I dont like guns that you need to take a damn course before you can operate the thing :)

Too much going on there.
~Jason
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mike Irwin:
I've never really cared for them, with the exception of the 4506.

I don't like where the safety is situated, I don't like the ergonomics, I don't care for the sights, and I think they are WAY overpriced.

[/quote]

Agreed, if you take into account that most S&W semi-autos come with a poor SA trigger out of the box (from my experience), their price should be a lot less (to account for the gunsmithing to get the SA trigger up to decent standards).
 
Up until two years ago, S&W was the world's largest handgun makers with a considerable amount coming from it's pistol line. Somebody was buying all of these guns. With all of these guns being made, there's a greater chance of a lemon slipping by here or there. If it wasn't a good product, word would have got around and it would have showed in their sales. That was not the case. Also keep in mind that unlike Glock, Beretta, etc.; a majority of S&W sales were to the public. Why were all of these people buying all of these poor-quality guns? it wasn't the price because the last time I bought one, the price was pretty steep.

[This message has been edited by FUD (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
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