I messed up and purchased the wrong 442

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I too read the thread on the Smith and Wesson forum. The thread was nothing but posts by people who actually had their IL Smiths lock up accidentally. They were first hand accounts. Many incidents were from firing magnum loads in ultra lightweight revolvers. Some were just from the weapon being dropped on a hard surface, like a concrete floor. Some happened for no reason.

Massad Ayoob also talked about the problem.

Here's a thread by a guy it happened to, w/pictures.

http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/non-xd-handguns/108587-remove-your-s-w-key-lock.html

I also heard that the problem has been remedied by S&W.

I personally wouldn't want such a gun as a defensive weapon. Maybe a 617 for plinking would be ok.

Like the guy said, I've never been struck by lightening, but that doesn't mean I'm going golfing during a thunderstorm.

Here's Ayoob's article.

http://backwoodshome.com/blogs/MassadAyoob/2009/09/03/internal-gun-locks/
 
harmonic.....

Thanks for the link I went to the link on the forum and it took me about 5 min to remove the dang safety. Feel much safer now not having to think about the stupid thing locking up on me. I recommend it to anybody who can use a flat head screwdriver and a pair of tweezers. Thanks again.
 
I don't have a Smith & Wesson with the lock. That's because the Smith & Wesson's I want, never had a lock. IF I was to decide that I wanted one however, I would worry almost as much about the lock, as I would about being hit by a flying saucer on the way to church this morning.
 
All my S&W's have the lock. From .357 super lightweights to N frame 45's. No problems. As a range officer I have never seen or heard of an issue at our range with hundreds of thousands fired. The locks do not bother me at all.
 
Removing the lock and plugging the hole is a ghetto fix, unless you pay a gunsmith
big bux. I would sell it asap. And buy a new one w/o lock.
You and your family's lives are too valuable to compromise.
 
All my revolvers have locks. My 642, my 686, etc, etc. I've never even put the key in the hole to see if the lock worked. I've shot a thousand rounds +- through the 642 and almost that many magnum loads through the 686. I never think about the lock engaging by itself. Ive never had a problem with any lock on any pistol/revolver. I have 2 Taurus revolvers, never a problem. One's a Judge and I shoot horrendously powerful stuff through it. It's never locked itself.

I agree with those who say just forget it. I read the Ayoob piece and if you do plug the lock, keep a file of problems so you can show a judge/jury/DA that your life would have been in jeopardy if you'd have left the lock operational.
 
Removing the lock and plugging the hole is a ghetto fix, unless you pay a gunsmith big bux.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Remove some parts, replace with a specially designed plug. Easy to do yourself, and looks professional. No need for a gunsmith if you have the right screwdrivers and some mechanical sense.

I would say ghetto is when you grind off the 'nub' so the lock no longer functions; but is still present and appears to be functional when turned "on."
 
Remove the lock.......sell it.......don't worry....now aren't you glad you asked?
Seriously, my last 2 Smiths have the lock. They work fine. I just relax, shoot and enjoy them.
 
One of my 642's has the lock and I don't worry about it one bit. Of course I removed it the minute I got the gun home. :)
 
I have to wonder if S&W knew just how much heartburn those ugly locks were going to cause their future owners when they decided to go with that lock design??
And I wonder how many future customers they lost by going through with this design??
I want no part of it myself.
 
heeler said:
I have to wonder if S&W knew just how much heartburn those ugly locks were going to cause their future owners when they decided to go with that lock design?
Click to expand...

Considering that Smith & Wesson was acquired by Saf-T-Hammer, a company that specialized in firearm security, I would say the answer is "No."

Way back in 2001, Ken Jorgensen, Saf-T-Hammer's director of marketing and communication said, "Providing options for safe storage has long been an important issue at Smith & Wesson. We were the first handgun manufacturer to provide a lock with every handgun. We have developed an unobtrusive integral lock for our extensive line of revolvers. It gives the owner the ability to render the handgun inoperable when desired and it will not activate under recoil or interfere with the normal operations of the handgun when unlocked. This offers firearms owners one more option as they take personal responsibility for the safe and proper storage of their handgun." (Emphasis added)

And I wonder how many future customers they lost by going through with this design?
Click to expand...

Probably not as many as you'd think. Smith & Wesson doesn't seem to have had any particular problem selling revolvers and the locks have been around for a while.

I want no part of it myself.
Click to expand...

I won't buy a Glock or Kimber: to each his own.
 
I removed the lock and installed "the plug", it looks better and I know the lock will never lock.

I have fired my 686 many thousands of times in competition and seen many other S&W's with the lock also fired and never saw one lock by itself.

I guess it can happen but a part can break also. Most of the anti-lock rant is based on S&W's sorry PC choices.
 
According to very credible sources, like Mas Ayoob, the lock failure problem is real. I wouldn't trust those newer guns for light weight conceal carry.
 
the lock failure problem is real
Click to expand...

of course it is.

But I am torn between helping "my people"...gun people and allowing Darwin to prevail.

At least the chances of them being in a gun fight is slim enough that when factored to the lock failure makes it where Darwin may be thwarted.

This is through no fault of their own.
 
You know, I probably wouldn't buy a used S&W with the lock removed unless the seller could provide me verifiable information that a gunsmith did the work and I could test fire it first and the price was very very good. Which based on my experience means I would essentially never buy one.
 
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If I ever saw a Smith I wanted & it had a lock, I'd still buy it, but I'd just remove the lock.

Of course that'll never happen as I don't want one with a lock. :neener:
 
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