New Model 66 Combat - Questions

B

Byulos

Inactive
Hello everyone,

Picked up my 66 Combat in 357 from the FFL, and during the initial inspection it looked OK. After getting it home and getting ready to clean it I noticed some scratches in the blasted finish, and some of the side plate screws are chewed up. Is this normal from the factory these days? To see this from the factory is disappointing. I have reached out to Smith and Wesson and Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore but I don't expect anything at this point since I accepted it.

 
The screws would be the disturbing part to me. The gun is going to pick up scratches along the way, but to bugger up a screw means somebody (with the wrong screwdriver) took the side plate off.

Thats not cool
 
Yeah, I am hoping I can send it in to S&W. I opened up a ticket on their website, hopefully I hear back soon.
 
IME S&W service is outstanding. Like Sharkbite, I’d be concerned that someone without the correct screwdriver opened the gun. Heck, even I have a set of S&W screwdrivers.
 
If the gun was sold as "new" and there is obvious damage that goes beyond slight finish blemishes that could be due to rough handling during shipping, it should be checked by the factory.

Even a slightly buggered screw slot is not the acceptable norm for a NEW gun.

Yes, it does suggest someone could have taken the gun apart and who knows what else might have been done.

Now, MAYBE it was just a sloppy guy on the assembly line, but you need S&W to say that, or its suspect, and should be verified that all is ok.

Now, who's responsible for paying for that? There, you might get some discussion. S&W should cover it all, including shipping, but get that agreed before hand, or be prepared to pay part, or all of the cost.
 
That gap between the crane and the frame would have me on the warpath, and those buggered up screws are inexcusable on a new gun.
 
I reached out to both Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore and Smith & Wesson at the same time, and the store got back to me first thing this morning. They initially said it was probably just machine marks but asked to see some pictures. I sent them along, and shortly after they asked if I wanted a refund or exchange and they will provide me a shipping label. Doing an exchange, and you can believe I will be going over it very carefully. Still no word from S&W yet. Very happy they are taking responsibility and are fixing the problem.

Can't help but wonder how this happened in the first place though. Used to be a display model maybe?
 
I have seen worse directly out of the factory. Two of them mine and from the Performance Center. In my opinion QC from S&W has slipped. They will make it right but there is no excuse for some stuff getting out the door.
A co worker has owned his Mod 66 for over one year, over half of that time it twice lived back at S&W's plant fixing timing issues and repairing a buggered Master Action trigger job.
I realize they ship hundreds of complaint free guns to new owners every day but ...
 
I'm convinced that manufacturers love being able to dump their seconds/mistakes on the online stores. All of them, S&W, Ruger, and the rest. Most buyers probably don't notice, then a smaller segment doesn't want to deal with the hassle, which leaves a few "gun people" who will take action.

I'm truly glad that the place who sold the gun to the OP is doing the right thing. Odds are they just shipped it without ever opening the box.
 
A quick update in case anyone is interested in how this turned out. I sent the gun back in to the store, and they shipped out the replacement that same afternoon with express overnight shipping. Picked it up the next day, and there wasn't a scratch on it; perfect condition. Put on some VZ G10 grips that I got cheap on black Friday, and I think it looks great. Going to try to go to the range in the next week.

 
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