S&W 2009 - NEw & Re-Issue Revolvers

[BlindJustice]

I couldn't find any topic on this - I was on the S&W web site
yesterday and for 2009

S&W offers two new Nightguards* in chamberings for
cartridges not offered before in a Scandium frame:

S&W 310 NG
w/Full Moon Clips in 10mm AUto ( & .40 S&W )
S&W 357 NG
41 Magnum

* Nightguards - Overall matte black finish with Stainless
Steel cyl. & Scandium frame, Two Piece 2.5" Bbl. with
Pachmayr rubbber grip. THey have a front ramp with tritium
dot sight & Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty fixed rear.
These are N-frame in the 29 oz. weight empty range.

Classic - Re-issue of past Carbon Steel, Blued models

Model 57 4" & 6" bbl. Len. with Bright Blue or Nickel finish
square butt, and bbl. has ejector shroud not full underlug.

Model 17 K-22 Target Masterpiece 6" Bbl. 40 oz.
Model 18 K-22 Combat Masterpiece 4" Bbl. 37.5 oz.

The 17 correctly got the bright blue finish & target hammer
and target trigger ( wide, serrated ) but I had an 18 as my first
handgun back in the 60s, and I recall a matte blue finish on it
This 18 gets the bright blue as well as a patrridge front - my old 18
had a plain ramp front sight like a model 15.
ALso the 17 and 18 go for $1,051 and $1,011,
respectively - which is sticker shock to me, and I own a 617
My 617 cost $629 two years ago when the msrp was
$ 717 or so , now for '09 a 617 msrp is $860 so the
bright (polished ) blue is $150+ more.... whistle

And a J-frame all new

Model 632 6 shot in .327 Fed Mag
this has a 3" Bbl. withS&W's power port.
24 oz. Staijnless Steel with Matte Black finish

Comments?

Randall

 

[18DAI]

Counterfeits, not "classics". Safety Wesson should get a clue.

 

[MikePGS]

310.... Niceeeeeee

 

[armybass]

I only buy used Smiths without the stupid locks in them.

 

[hexidismal]

Same with me, I love S&Ws but I only own pre-locks. I won't buy a new one until they take leave the ILS out.

You know whats funny though, I bet some people will be confused that the new model S&W 357 NG is chambered in .41mag.

 

[Smith357]

If they got rid of the wart and the ugly cylinder stop, and used real forged case hardened parts rathe than that MIM crap and brought the price down to a reasonable level, then i might consider one. Until that time Meh.

 

[novaDAK]

I've checked out a few new S&W revolvers and while they still feel just as 'tight' as my 64-5 (1988) I can tell the quality of the materials is nowhere near as good as mine. Definately not worth the price and when the lock is factored in it's a done deal for me. I'll stick with new Rugers or used S&Ws (or rugers )

 

[krs]

My 1975 Model 18 looks like bright blue, it's beatiful....

guess I ought to prove it's age a little, now that there's a repro.....
see? No lock..

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Do the new re-issues have the internal lock?

 

[armybass]

Yes they do....shame.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

The lock totally destroys the collectibility of these new reissues in the minds of many people.

 

[High Desert Hunter]

The only S&W I own, a M25-13, has the lock, but I won't be looking to get rid of it, it is scary accurate, and carries like a dream, in a high ride pancake. Do I like the lock? NO, but since it has it, I guess I am stuck with it, and unless they eliminate lawsuits, I don't see them going anywhere, just wish they would do like Ruger and at least put them out of sight.

Dave

 

[mgregg85]

I love the idea of that 310ng revolver, but I do my best to avoid buying SD guns with locks.

 

[FoMoGo]

The lock comes out in less than 5 minutes.


Jim

 

[.38 Special]

As I've posted elsewhere, I really tried to like the "classics" and even defended them on this website. I think the lock issue is overblown -- I don't like them but can live with them -- and while I'm also not a fan of MIM, that's not a deal-breaker either.

After owning a pair of them, the problems from my POV are two: the rifling, and the quality.

The rifling is simply not appropriate for cast bullets. This may not bother someone who only shoots jacketed bullets, but to my way of thinking, a .44 Special or "classic" .357 Magnum that doesn't work well with cast bullets is a nearly useless gun.

Beyond that is the fact that both of the guns I bought came from the factory with unacceptable problems. Nickle plating built up in chamber mouths to the point that extraction of fired brass is impossible, chamber mouths undersized by .005", headspace so inadequate that the gun will only cycle double action when the chambers are empty...

For a thousand dollars a copy? Nuh-uh.

 

[MikePGS]

I know some of the new 642's can be had without a lock, I can only hope they continue this trend.

 

[mr2guru]

That 10mm NG looks interesting.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

The lock comes out in less than 5 minutes.

Leaving a hole in the side of the frame?

 

[armybass]

Yup, in a MIM frame at that. As long as I can pickup used Smith's at a reasonable price..it is a no brainer for me.

 

[Oro]

If they got rid of the wart and the ugly cylinder stop,

Thanks Smith357 - I thought I was the only one po'd about the cylinder stop change (circa 1997 that was made). It is so ugly - just disfigures the entire look of that side of the gun. That's where I stop buying S&W revolvers - a few years ahead of the whole politically-charged lock issue.

Armybass - the frame on steel S&W revolvers are forged, not MIM. Some of the small parts are MIM manufactured - something done routinely and for a long time on even some of the priciest 1911s and other handguns, but somehow folks don't mind it so much there.

 

[moooose102]

excuse me for being ignorant. but what is the problem with the internal lock? do they fail? are the current breed of s&w revolvers junk, living on because of their namesake? it has been 15 years since i sold my 686. and i really havent looked much at revovlvers since. i am kind of missing the revolver now.

 

[krs]

Removing the lock parts does not change the hole for the key but it leaves a mostly unnoticable gap to the left of the hammer. The flag can be changed by taking off the little bub that makes the lock lock, leaving the inoperative flag to fill the gap.

 

[18DAI]

Sure, you can remove the lock, or grind off the nub, but your revolver is still ugly! No cure for that.

 

[Old Fuff]

I'll give S&W credit for trying, but there are two obvious problems. The market "classic" revolvers are aimed at is the segment that most dislikes the lock and other "improvements." But for those that don't care, they will be a hard sell when for any likely street price (based on the manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP), you can buy an example of the "real thing," in like-new condition for less in many cases.

 

[Colt Smith]

After you remove or alter the lock components to be inoperable, couldn't you disguise the hole by threading it and filling it with a short side plate screw?