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When Did Smith & Wesson Abandon Their Lifetime Service Policy?

nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,018 ******
edited July 2019 in General Discussion
And they closed their warranty stations.

Not that many years ago, I could just send a broken Smith to LSG Mfg, in Comanche, and get it repaired under warranty for free.

If I just needed a part, I could give Mr. Smith the serial number, and he'd send the part right out.

Now, I need a gun repaired, and I believe it is a factory defect. They sent a shipping label, and promised to examine it, but made no promise to do a warranty repair. If not under warranty, they will send an estimate of the repair cost. I can choose to pay it, or I can pay the examination fee and return shipping.

Even though I remember my experience with Ruger, I think I will try it, just to see how Smith & Wesson's customer service is.
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    JunkballerJunkballer Member Posts: 9,185 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Seems to me when they sold out to the British holding company (1990"s) they dropped the lifetime warranty, when they later (re-americanized :lol: ) they didn't pick it back up.

    "Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee

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    BrookwoodBrookwood Member, Moderator Posts: 13,413 ******
    edited November -1
    When S&W bought out Thompson Center a few years ago, they not only took away all of the lifetime warranties on the old T\C products, but discontinued all of the traditional (muzzle loading) guns being made!

    When it comes to any company's "Lifetime Warranty", said warranty is never worth the paper it is written on!
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    chiefrchiefr Member Posts: 13,810 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ha, you noticed that too. They will repair if you find and buy the parts. They will also charge you for the repairs. No longer your fathers S&W.
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    Okie743Okie743 Member Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Brookwood wrote:
    When S&W bought out Thompson Center a few years ago, they not only took away all of the lifetime warranties on the old T\C products, but discontinued all of the traditional (muzzle loading) guns being made!





    When it comes to any company's "Lifetime Warranty", said warranty is never worth the paper it is written on!

    Yep, and T/C had very good CS and S&W ruined that one also.

    Yep, lots of them company's warranty is in the same category as a Lifetime Warranty auto exhaust system. (here today gone tomorrow)

    I've got a list of Company's that I no longer even think about buying their products due to pee poor CS and their repair options.
    Several company's will leave a very bad Warranty taste in your mouth if not extra careful. ;)


    Leupold is still ok for stated warranty .
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    Okie743Okie743 Member Posts: 2,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Okie743 wrote:
    Brookwood wrote:
    When S&W bought out Thompson Center a few years ago, they not only took away all of the lifetime warranties on the old T\C products, but discontinued all of the traditional (muzzle loading) guns being made!

    Yep, and T/C had very good CS and S&W ruined that one also.



    When it comes to any company's "Lifetime Warranty", said warranty is never worth the paper it is written on!


    Yep, lots of them company's warranty is in the same category as a Lifetime Warranty auto exhaust system. (here today gone tomorrow)

    I've got a list of Company's that I no longer even think about buying their products due to pee poor CS and their repair options.
    Several company's will leave a very bad Warranty taste in your mouth if not extra careful. ;)


    Leupold is still ok for stated warranty .
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    nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,880 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Competition is tough out there.

    Colt has a 1 year warranty on their products. Even if you are willing to pay for work, they don't stock parts for guns no longer in production. They used to keep parts for years, but, in the 1990's they sold off all obsolete parts. (I think GPC & Brownell's bought most of them.)

    Neal
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    spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,724 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    and that is one major reason that now i do not buy their high priced items but go for a utilitarian brand that has good reviews...example, always wanted a genuine 1st-2nd colt single action but for that money i bought several NIB Arminius SA revolvers....no collector value but a record of quality and many of their parts interchange with a 1st gen colt...haven't had em out since i bought them 30+ years ago.....maybe someday
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    select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,453 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Limited Lifetime Warranty .

    https://store.smith-wesson.com/warranty

    Fine Details

    http://www.smith-wesson.com/customer-service/warranty
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    varianvarian Member Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    the only time i ever called them i wanted them to replace the front sight on a 1956 highway patrolman, they told me no. said they did not work on any pre 1957. really dont think their was any difference in a 1956 and a 1957 highway patrolman, but thats what they said.
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    yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 21,126 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    They did a recall repair on my S&W 1076 when the de-cocker went out of whack. That was 2000-2005? Not original owner and it was also free.

    I figure when they stopped making all semis except M&P? What does S&W make in semis other than M&P?

    All I'm looking for is a 6" 617 pre-lock and 10 round then I'm closing my book on S&W.
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    bambihunterbambihunter Member Posts: 10,694 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    yoshmyster wrote:
    They did a recall repair on my S&W 1076 when the de-cocker went out of whack.

    Whatever you do, do NOT ever take the decocker apart on the 1026/1076. I am not exaggerating to say it took 3 of us to get it back together. They must have some tool or jig that holds everything in place to put it together. Great guns though. You said recall repair, I assume they did both the decocker (two dots under the lever) and replacement grips (dot on bottom)?

    The S&W 10xx line is solid as can be though. The only semi-auto that I am aware of that is built any heavier/stronger in that caliber might be the Star Megastar.
    Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
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    bambihunterbambihunter Member Posts: 10,694 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am sure there is some lingo in these contracts that states they can be stopped at any time. If not, it seems it would be a great class action suit for some law team.
    Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
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    yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 21,126 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    bambihunter - They didn't do the punch marks (kind a glad they didn't). I asked them to slap a straight back grip and they sent back the stock rounded one.
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