Used S&W 586 warranty

F

freebird72

New member
I have been looking at revolvers, and after handling many, I have found the S&W 586 to best fit me. I actually plan on buying one as soon as I find one I like. However, I do not want one with a lock, so this seems to leave me with the only option of buying used. I have no problem with this except, I am worried about having a warranty.

Lets say, for any reason, I need to have the 586 repaired or what have you, will the 586 still have a warranty? I have heard S&W do right by their customers, but since I am not the original owner will they still help me? Also, I have heard they do not offer warranties on guns made after 1989, and I believe most pre lock 586s are older than 1989.

So, where do I go from here?
 
If the firearm is unsafe or fails due to workmanship or parts failure they most likely will warranty it .

Any bubbasmithing or altering to cause above conditions will probably be on your dime .

Shippin will more than likely be on your dime also .
Getting a FFL holder to do the shippin is cheaper & an adult has to sign for return delivery.

IME for any firearms co.
 
S&W's warranty only applies to the original purchaser, which means that whether or not you'll be charged to repair a secondhand gun is up to their discretion. That being said, I have sent a secondhand gun back to S&W for repair and as such I can share my experience. I purchased a used 1076 which had a non-functioning decocker and a rather scuffed up set of grips. I paid the shipping to send it back and it returned with the decocker fixed and new grips on it for no charge.
 
My S&W warranty experience is similar to Webly... I sent an out of production Highway Patrolman for re-bluing, and a slight timing issue. They didnt have the parts or couldnt promise a safe gun... sothey sent me a brand new gun... free of charge. This happened twice. The second time with a used S&W TRR8 revolver Suffering from light hammer hits. The diagnosed a twisted frame... and sent me a brand new M&PR8... again at no cost to me.
 
S&W Warranty

I just bought a used 586. Just remeber that the 586 and I believe the 586-1 were recalled. S&W will still honor the recall and will even pay the shipping, all you have to do is call and ask. You can find info on the recall on line.

S&W has a lifetime warranty for all of their handguns, you don't have to be the original owner. I've sent back used S&W revolvers with no problems. They paid for the shipping.

My understanding is, though, that the lifetime warranty started in 1989. So, if it's made before then, and it broke, then you may have to have it repaired.

S&W will tell you about their warranty, just call them up.
 
So.........I should be OK if I buy an older 586, or I will be S.O.L? I am getting several different answers, and I am a little confused.

Are all pre lock 586s older than 1989?
 
I would not let concerns about S&W warranty keep ME from getting one..

If it does you are denying yourself of the pleasure of shooting some fine quality crafted revolvers..

just think of the ones you'll never own becuase of it..real classics

22 lr's, 38/357's, 45 acp and LC, 41 mag, 44mag, just to name a few chamberings..

as far as warranty,

I had a 6" 686 no dash that I bought used sent in for the recall..S&W asked me the serial # and sent me a shipping label..I sent it in and it had the work done to it in less than 2 weeks..cant ask for better service than that on a 26 year old recall..no cost to me..

so yes, I don't worry much about not having a warranty providing I have thoroughly checked out the revolver prior to purchase, I know S&W is there if I need it (which I never have)

but only YOU can decide how much the warranty means to you, and what older models you would be willing to pass up that have no warranty..
each persons comfort level is diffrent.
 
I have S&W revolvers with and without the lock. Never had an issue with the lock, just bought this 586 because it was cheaper used then the 686P I had my eye on.

Anyway, Saf-T-Lock didn't buy the company until '01. So, anything made in the 90s and early 2000s won't have a lock.
 
Are all pre lock 586s older than 1989
Click to expand...

some but not all of them
introduced in 1981
-1 1986
-2 1987
-M recall affeceted on dash and -1 (1987) but it could have been done at any time later as it was overstamped..
-3 1988
-4 1993
-5 1993 brazil contract
-6 1997
1999 discontinued
2000 special 7 shot with IL
2004 shows a listing as well..
 
serial #s are the best way to determine it..

mainly you are looking for the first 3 letters to date it in 80-83 and later revolvers.

serial # start dates for 1989
BDC
BDS
BDY
BDY-BDZ
BEA-BED
BFE
BEK
BEN
BEP

so generally if it is a earlier model like AAA (1980)
or a later model CHJ (2004) it will show up that way.

if you get the first 3 letters of the serial # and post it someone may be able to give you a date..(best posted in the S&W revolver date thread)
as well as model, dash, barrel length..

serial # for revolver models earlier than that are easier to track down by years..
 
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If you like it and if it checks out, I'd go ahead and buy it. Even if you have to pay for shipping it seems that S&W still takes care of their (secondary) customers.
 
Chances are good you won't have any problem if you buy an older model in nice shape.
It's not like you're buying a semi-auto with a bunch of moving parts.
I've found that S&W repair costs are very reasonable, and they often pay shipping via FedEx.
There is no recall on the -3 so don't worry about that.
 
A new 686

About a week ago I bought a used 686 it was made in 2010, at least that was what the little envelope with the fired case in it reported. It does have the lock; but the lock is not and issue for me as i never plan to use it. This gun looked unfired without any powder burns on the cylinder. I was able to get out the door for $580 taxes included. The 686 line of guns is a strong shooting, accurate, smooth trigger ( it does take a couple hundred rounds to smooth it out) I would not worry to much about a warranty.
 
First off why worry about a warranty? I don't mean this in a critical way however there is a whole lot less to go wrong with a revolver than say a TV or even a semi-auto so warranty is really not something I think too terrible much about. The few times I have had something creep up on me on an older smith revolver the last thing on my mind has been the warranty, reason being for the "simple things" that I can not address myself I have had excellent luck with my local smith and it's often been addressed as part of an upgrade. Like hey -- I was thinking of getting this action smoothed up then the firing pin broke, say if I get the action work done and the cylinder holes chamfered can you throw the new pin in. Sure no problem. So you get the gun tweaked a little and whatever issue addressed as well.

Overall the best advise is to read, re-read and read a 3rd time the revolver check out section at the top of this sub forum, then get used to examining revolvers by looking at all of your friends, gun shops, pawn shops etc. In time you will get used to being able to tell a "good used" one from a stay away like the plague gun.

Buggered side plate screws are but one of my many deal breakers, in addition to simply annoying the heck out of me the announce a gun that has had a hack disassemble it one time or another.

After learning to check out revolvers your next step is to learn the market. You need to know the going price for the gun you want before you can reasonably negotiate and purchase a used gun. I am here telling you to stay away from buggered side plate screws yet believe me I'd likely buy any 586 / 686 I stumbled across for 250 or 300 bucks even if it had buggered side plate screws if they otherwise checked out simply because it's a price too good to pass up and worth the risk / cost of an unknown mechanical issue if one should creep up.

In addition you need to decided what segment of the market you are looking condition wise especially since you are looking for a blued gun. The stainless guns tend to stay looking nice a bit longer and clean up a little better / easier then blued guns. Are you looking for a gun that appears "as new"? Nothing wrong with that and there are plenty of them out there but you will pay and take a big hit if you use it / shoot / carry it. Conversely there are a ton of guns that may be cosmetically challenged yet functionally perfect so the are a better value for a shooter / user. In addition you can consider re-blue, parkerizing, hard chrome, duracoat or whatever if it's a user. This of course destroys any collector value but that really is not a huge consideration for a shooter grade 586.

Me personally I tend to shop the pawnshops and look for the sleeper deals that are not stupid cheap yet repersent a value that if I decided I needed to "get my moeny out of the gun" it would present no real problem to do so. I can tell you for every 586 I see I see like 5-8 686's though few in my area are looking for blued guns.
 
I have sent 2 used revolvers in and S&W paid for shipping and gave me no problems. However, in both cases the barrels were not torqued properly, which is a defect traceable to the factory (which the original owners probably did not notice).

I suspect most of the time they will just fix a problem related to normal wear and tear or a manufacturing defect, but if it's clearly a result of bubba gunsmithing, they may charge you for it. And from what I've heard, their charges and turnaround time are reasonable and fair.
 
I will say this: I have bought many revolvers, both single action and double action, used, from dealers or individuals, without thought of warranty. Revolvers are generally rather simple machines that seldom break down in use. If and when they do, they are simple enough to repair yourself, or at minimum cost by a competent gunsmith. So, if its working when purchased, it is likely to keep on going for years to come.

As to Smith & Wesson, I did split the barrel of one of my Model 29s. I sent it to Smith via my gunsmith, and got it back in about three weeks, no charges. Shipping both ways, new barrel, all on S&W.

Bob Wright
 
S&W has been very good to people I know. I've never had to send anything to them but I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used S&W and then need their service. Only better CS I know of is RUGER!
 
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