I have been away from my passion for guns for a few years while immersing myself in trying to learn how to play guitar. Now, my passion for guns has returned and in catching up on the gun scene, I read that S&W changed their locks to accomodate the buyers safety lock system. I have read a couple snarky comments concerning this new lock system and it concerns me as I want to get another Smith in the future.
What is the state of S&W pistols now? Are the new ones any good? Would you be better off getting an older one?
My first pistol was a Mod 19 bought in 72 and it was a sweet gun. I miss it bad. Word of advice boys...never loan a gun to your ex-wife..you might never see it again.
I see they are making alot of the old models again. I would love to pick up Mod 29 someday. Jeez do they cost alot now.

In my opinion they suck! I purchased two new Smiths over last two years and got rid of both. They have internal locks which have been documented to fail. They also use MIM parts.There have been a lot of quality issues brought up on the Smith site, my conclusion they are throwing stuff out as quickly and cheaply as possible.

I buy a lot of older Smiths from the 80's and older. Some I have customized others I keep stock they cost no more than a new gun in some cases less and I feel are far superior.

Old S&W guns RULE I agree the new ones are cheaper and not as good, that funky internal lock is just another gimmick for the politicians to talk about no real use.

Smith and Wesson is bowing down to the ANTI's again. The gun locks are a peice of crap.
I looked at a M&P I have in 32-20. The headspace is 2 thousanths of an inch. My 44 Mag, a 629 Classis had a headspace of 10 thou. Within Specs, but caused the endshake problem in a few hundred rounds. I tightened it up to 0 headspace, tuned the barrel back 1 turn, refaced the rear for a 2 thou. gap, and relieved the recoil sheilds to a 5 thou.gap. Like the old ones. Now I have a real gun. I may pin the barrel next, to make a real Smith out of it.
What they are making now, is crap. They are kits to be fitted by a good pistolsmith. Unfortunately, there are very few real Pistolsmiths around. The American Pistolsmiths Association has more to do with following the current trends than it has to do with actual Pistolsmithing on a ground level. I know. I tryed to get in, and was turned down, because all my work was for customers, that raved about my jobs, and not for a fancy decked out race gun, to present at the meeting. I presented 2 of my own guns, perfect in all respects, and all fantastic shooters. They said they did not meet there criteria, as they could not tell they had been worked on. That they were smooth, and tight, but not custom. I was told by an old smith that that was the sign of a good smith to make the guns so no one can tell you did anything, but that they work perfectly.
enough raving about spilled milk, but you get the idea.

The new Smith and Wessons are absolute JUNK. I just checked out a Custom Shop gun. Yes the gun locked up solid. Solid out of time! The top of the chamber is out of alignment with the barrel. This comes from just forging the frame, drilling it and tapping it, then putting in parts that are "within spec." A little over on the frame spec, a little under on the cylinder spec, and the gun will never shoot well. The old Smiths were fitted with special inserts in the chambers, to perfectly align the cylinder with the barrel. The fitters knew what they were doing. Not a bunch of Hispanics, at minimum wage, just assembling parts. Then someone that claims  to be a pistolsmith,probably one of the senior fitters, assembling guns and putting CUSTOM SHOP on them, just to make a bigger buck for the corporation. In the industry this is called TURN AND BURN. After it goes out the door, the average person will only shoot a box of shells out of it in there lifetime, and figures that shooting at 10 yards is a long shot for a handgun. So they make JUNK, CHARGE A LOT OF MONEY, AND GET RICH.
Once again I say NEW SMITH AND WESSON GUNS, RUGER HAND GUNS.TAURUS, COLT are JUNK. THEY ARE ALL POOR EXCUSES FOR WHAT THEY CAN BE.

is anyone out there.

I have not stopped by for a while. You include a lot of brands in your response. What brands do you like?

Freedom Arms guns are made right. All the rest are kits waiting to be finished. I know the Freedom Arms guns cost a lot, but that is because all the correct work is done. If a Smith were done right, it would cost twice as much. No MIM parts, every part made and fitted perfectly.
The Old Smiths were good, When they had recessed cylinders, and 5 screws. Then the bean counters took over, and made the gun cheaper, and cost more. Profit was and unfortunately is the driving force behind the modern firearm.
Taurus is not even in the running, and Colt took themselves out before they made total fools of themselves.
Even the lifetime warranty is no good, and full of legal mumbo-jumbo. Life time means anything that goes wrong that is not the customers fault, should be repaired for free. Limited lifetime warranty means no lifetime warranty, just lip service.
Get a Freedom Arms in 44 mag, or 454 and have a gun for a life time.

I like to rework earlier Smiths  and Colts in some cases you have less in it than a new gun. Freedom Arms is probably the best production gun on the market. Taffin claims Colt has seen the light and is improving.

An example a 25-7 tunes, new sights and custom stocks

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