Bought a new S&W M63 .22LR last night. Looked great but wasn't cheap. Get home and cleaned it up good and oiled it up. Can't get it to shot 8 straight rounds without jamming. Looks like the cylinder timing is off on a couple spots. I tried 4 differ LR ammo by differ manufactures but still no luck. I cleaned it several differ times but with no avail. I shot it again today. Loaded up 8 rounds, 27 differ times with several brands of bullets. Shot up, shot down and straight ahead. Out of 27 loadings I got only 5 loads that shot all 8 rounds without jamming. After close examination this gun is a bad example of a quality gun. The barrel throat looks like it has been threaded for a pipe connection with a couple threads across the lands themselves. I called the S&W tech and was told that was normal for barrel to be like that. Go figure!!! I'm sending the gun back to them. I guess I will see how good their service is. If not I guess I'll have a 700 fish weight.
S&W M63
- Thread starter robertnla
- Start date
22-rimfire
New member
Send it back or have yor dealer send it back to S&W.
Call S&W, there service work is 2nd to none....two of my guns went back for some work which turned out to be warranty (of the 20 or so I've owned over the last 50 years) and both were back in my hands within a week...no charge. BTW, one of them I've owned since '92...that's customer service not BS. Rod
Florida Guy
New member
Most everyone's experience with S&W that I've read has been positive.
I sent 2 revolvers to them around 6 months ago, and they came back in great shape.
I think you'll be happy with the gun when they repair it.
I sent 2 revolvers to them around 6 months ago, and they came back in great shape.
I think you'll be happy with the gun when they repair it.
Gun returns home
Fedex has returned gun from S&W. They did a frame repair, replaced Cylinder, replaced firing pin, and replaced the barrel. It's hard to believe a new gun had that many problems straight out the box. On the other hand I feel they made a good effort to make a happy customer. It's raining right now and haven't had a chance to test fire it. We will see!!!!
Fedex has returned gun from S&W. They did a frame repair, replaced Cylinder, replaced firing pin, and replaced the barrel. It's hard to believe a new gun had that many problems straight out the box. On the other hand I feel they made a good effort to make a happy customer. It's raining right now and haven't had a chance to test fire it. We will see!!!!
S&W 63
Well I'll get right to the point. S&W 63 .22 LR are junk. It still want shot right. Cylinder does not rotate easily after firing 3-4 rounds of the 8 rounds. It is not as bad but still not what it should be. I don't know what to do now. It got a jam on the 3 rd shot first load.
Well I'll get right to the point. S&W 63 .22 LR are junk. It still want shot right. Cylinder does not rotate easily after firing 3-4 rounds of the 8 rounds. It is not as bad but still not what it should be. I don't know what to do now. It got a jam on the 3 rd shot first load.
Update
Finally figured out what is causing the problem. The clearance between the cylinder and the frame is .010 at the fire position and is only .004 at the bottom of the frame , so some bullets don't go back in enough or case head expand more and it binds up. So basically the bullet that has been fired and is tight in the cylinder doesn't have room to turn. That is why it only has a problem after several shots have been fired. I'm gonna call S&W back tomorrow.
Finally figured out what is causing the problem. The clearance between the cylinder and the frame is .010 at the fire position and is only .004 at the bottom of the frame , so some bullets don't go back in enough or case head expand more and it binds up. So basically the bullet that has been fired and is tight in the cylinder doesn't have room to turn. That is why it only has a problem after several shots have been fired. I'm gonna call S&W back tomorrow.
Last edited:
Shadi Khalil
New member
The Charter Arms bashers/S&W promoters oughta read the OP's post, and take a chill pill. .
I hope the S&W Service Dept resolves your warranty problem a good as Charter resolved mine. (I got a new replacement Pathfinder)
.
For the record, you started it.
Obambulate
New member
S&W is having serious problems recently with quality control recently. Their guns are expensive and it's disheartening to have to send them back, sometimes multiple times, to get them working right.
I love my Smiths, but mine are all from decades past. I even bought a new Ruger rather than a new Smith, because I don't want the hassle.
I love my Smiths, but mine are all from decades past. I even bought a new Ruger rather than a new Smith, because I don't want the hassle.
update
Gun came back today with a note they have modified the frame to fix the problem. I shot the gun and still having some issues. The measurement now is .002 tighter at the bottom. It's not jamming but I can feel more than average resistance in cylinder rotation and hammer pull around the 4th-5th shot when the 1st shot case rotates to bottom of frame. Beats the hell out of me a qualified factory gunsmith can't shot a gun and feel that it is not working right. Its pretty bad when a casting of a frame doesn't have proper clearance. You tell them the exact problem and they can't get it right. Looks like I will have to take it to a local gunsmith and pay out of my pocket if I expect to get it right. If your looking at the model 63 22.cal I'd strongly suggest you look at someone besides S&W.
Gun came back today with a note they have modified the frame to fix the problem. I shot the gun and still having some issues. The measurement now is .002 tighter at the bottom. It's not jamming but I can feel more than average resistance in cylinder rotation and hammer pull around the 4th-5th shot when the 1st shot case rotates to bottom of frame. Beats the hell out of me a qualified factory gunsmith can't shot a gun and feel that it is not working right. Its pretty bad when a casting of a frame doesn't have proper clearance. You tell them the exact problem and they can't get it right. Looks like I will have to take it to a local gunsmith and pay out of my pocket if I expect to get it right. If your looking at the model 63 22.cal I'd strongly suggest you look at someone besides S&W.
Obambulate
New member
Sorry to hear about the problems. The M63 was one I strongly considered, and the ones I handled looked and felt very nice. In the end, the IL and the high price kept me away long enough for the Ruger LCR-22 to come around at several hundred bucks cheaper.
I like the design of the Ruger. There's no chance for a canted barrel because the barrel shroud is part of the very strong alloy frame casting. The cylinder and barrel insert are high-quality stainless steel and fit very precisely.
The LCR-22 is accurate and reliable, but the clunky trigger takes getting used to. I also don't think it's a very good idea to have a "rattle" in a gun used for carry or self-defense, but I guess all the Rugers have it due to the transfer bar.
Hopefully, you can get the M63 working right. They are a very nice size and weight for a kit gun, plinker, or target gun.
I like the design of the Ruger. There's no chance for a canted barrel because the barrel shroud is part of the very strong alloy frame casting. The cylinder and barrel insert are high-quality stainless steel and fit very precisely.
The LCR-22 is accurate and reliable, but the clunky trigger takes getting used to. I also don't think it's a very good idea to have a "rattle" in a gun used for carry or self-defense, but I guess all the Rugers have it due to the transfer bar.
Hopefully, you can get the M63 working right. They are a very nice size and weight for a kit gun, plinker, or target gun.
Zhillsauditor
New member
If you are talking about .002" and the cylinder rotates with some rubbing, I'd be thinking of doing a little polishing before I took it to a gunsmith and paid him to polish it.