Will Smith and Wesson ever get rid of the internal lock on their Revolvers?

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earplug said:
S&W will drop the internal lock the same day manufactures stop putting grip safeties on 1911 clones.
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A grip safety is there for very different reasons than as internal lock in a S&W revolvers. For example: With an XD is it very much part of the drop safety system. I would not carry an XD without the grip safety. If you de-active the grip safety you can release the striker with a sharp impact in the correct direction (ie dropping it on a hard surface nose or grip down). The sear's own inertia can cause it to release the striker with sufficient impact in this direction. The combination of the grip safety and striker block in the slide makes the XD very drop safe.
 
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aaronu said:
I understand why S&W implemented the lock and frankly felt betrayed when all that happened. S&W paid for their decisions to the point their stock was dramatically devalued and the small company that provided their internal locking system was able to buy them out.

To me, the lock is a symbol of S&W leadership of the day kowtowing to the Clintons. I am sure the lock is reliable for the most part. Even if it were 100% reliable it bothers me to even see it. Stupid Hillary hole.

As for why S&W keeps the lock, I don't know. S&W does not see fit to even explain it to me. So I see fit not to own any modern S&W products.
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They sell non lock guns also .
 
LightninST said:
They sell non lock guns also .
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Only a very few select models are available without the internal lock and these models are all J-frames. I believe the only lock-less guns currently available are variation of the 642, 442, & 340. If you want a new K, L, N, X, or Z frame you are getting the internal lock.
 
I don't own any with a lock in them and won't. I want a TRR8 but likely won't ever own one unless that lock goes away. Have passed on many of them over the years. So, I'll stick to the old ones.

I find it interesting that they still make the J frame without a lock as an option. I am guessing that police departments want them without a lock in them? If they can make those without the lock why not the rest of their line as an option?
 
I have a 642 with a lock but had I known that I could have gotten one without I certainly would have. I mentioned I had 2 lock malfunctions in a 629 Hunter but never with the 642 knock wood. The 642 and a 617 are the only Smiths I own with locks. I have several older ones without. If in the future I purchase any more they will be pre- lock models.
 
mcb said:
Only a very few select models are available without the internal lock and these models are all J-frames. I believe the only lock-less guns currently available are variation of the 642, 442, & 340. If you want a new K, L, N, X, or Z frame you are getting the internal lock.
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The 640 Pro also does not have a lock.

Ohen Cepel said:
I find it interesting that they still make the J frame without a lock as an option. I am guessing that police departments want them without a lock in them? If they can make those without the lock why not the rest of their line as an option?
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Ecactly. That's what I've been saying.
 
aaronu said:
S&W paid for their decisions to the point their stock was dramatically devalued and the small company that provided their internal locking system was able to buy them out..
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Well, this sounds like the explanation for the continuing use of the lock. If you are a lock company, why would you discontinue use of your own product?
 
CraigC said:
Ruger has dropped theirs. Seemingly without fanfare.
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Rugers locks were so hard to get to they were useless (on my Blackhawk you have to remove a grip panel). But Bill listened to someone who insisted on scrawling that stupid warning all over their gun barrels... That’ll show ‘em, Bill! :thumbdown:

At least most newer Rugers have that eyesore in less conspicuous places.. where, if they just had to be there, they should’ve been from day one!

I have three “locking” Smiths; a 686+, a 642 and a 317. The 686 went back for an ill-fitting crane, which had nothing to do with the lock. The other two have been fine.

I’ve had much, MUCH more trouble with older, pre lock Smiths I’ve bought new or used on GB or locally:
My new-purchase 629 Classic broke the firing pin off the nose of the hammer after about 200 rounds.
My used 4” Model 66 had to go back because the cylinder release was funky and wouldn’t reliably open the cylinder. This cost me 125 bucks to fix.
The worst has been my used Model 48 6”. It went back because it seized up the first time I shot it. That “repair” cost me over 200 bucks and took two months of waiting to send it in, then six months to get back from S&W. First time back out it again a few weeks ago it seized up after less than a box of .22 WMR. It’s back with a local gunsmith now, if this doesn’t work I think I’m done with it.:fire:

I hate the look, and honestly the whole idea, of the lock as much as anyone... as much as I despise the cross bolt (or tang) safety on my favorite lever guns... but they’re there to stay so I live with them.

All I can say is so far I’ve put thousands of rounds through the three locking Smiths and never had the lock do anything but sit there. I guess it’s an issue if one chooses to make it an issue, but to each his own. :)

Stay safe.
 
I hate the lock and it's one of the reasons I don't own a newer S&W (except a lockless 442) but I cut them some slack about it too. That was a time when our own government was sponsoring and endorsing lawsuits against a legal industry that it regulates. The lawsuits were bankrupting the industry, which is all they were intended to do in the first place. S&W made the deal to save itself and I cannot fault them for that.
 
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