Yeah, the current Smith quality sucks. I bought (and got rid of) both a Model 19 and a 586. The 19 had light primer strikes and the front sight broke off. The 586 had the yolk need replacement, the front and rear sight fell off and the cylinder latch flew off.

I wouldn’t buy anything from them honestly. One poster stated that having things fall off/break is normal. Although I grew up shooting N frames and never had stuff routinely fall off/light primer strikes constantly.

The unfired .45 ACP is rare and I would hang onto that forever. I would buy the Lipsey outright, and would go with .44 mag because ammo is more common and .44 mag has more capabilities.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
The unfired .45 ACP is rare and I would hang onto that forever. I would buy the Lipsey outright, and would go with .44 mag because ammo is more common and .44 mag has more capabilities.

My brother bought a 4506 that is a COMPLETE turd.
He bought it used and it won’t fire a full magazine without having a trigger freeze. Unknown is if it’s been screwed with…bought used so anything is possible.
I’d sell that thing the second the market was favorable for it!

It's sad to hear about current S&W quality issues.

I have a 20 year old Lew Horton 610-2 3-7/8" with the unfluted cylinder and its quality is as good as they ever achieved.
That revolver is a joy to shoot.

I don't have the 629 or the 610, but I have the Lipseys 686 and 617 Mountain Guns, and they are awesome. No big QC issues with either. They have become my favorite .22 and .357 revolvers. If I were buying another, I guess it would be the 629. I'm not into moon clips and rimless cartridges in a revolver, and I am holding out/hoping for Lipseys to put out a new Mountain Gun in .41 Mag.

If you wanted a Lipsey's Mountain Gun and are worried about QC, for about $300 over retail you can buy one from Tyler Gun Works (makers of the MG's Bear Hug grips) with an "action job." I personally don't think these guns require an action job, as my 686 and 617 both have excellent smooth DA and crisp SA triggers. But I think buying one of TGW's tuned guns would leave you less likely to receive a lemon with major mechanical or cosmetic flaws. They have a 610 (and 686, and 617) in stock now. 629 is sold out unless you wanted one of their engraved copies for $2100+. $1,500 for a Lipsey's MG is a little stiff, but considering there are no Gunbroker upcharges or credit card fees, and shipping is free, it is not too bad compared to most of the "Buy Now" MSRP offers on Gunbroker.

quote:

Originally posted by eclayton:
I don't have the 629 or the 610, but I have the Lipseys 686 and 617 Mountain Guns, and they are awesome. No big QC issues with either. They have become my favorite .22 and .357 revolvers. If I were buying another, I guess it would be the 629. I'm not into moon clips and rimless cartridges in a revolver, and I am holding out/hoping for Lipseys to put out a new Mountain Gun in .41 Mag.

Having just received a Lipsey's 610 MG and not being initially thrilled, I'd suggest just start searching for the real deal late 90's MG in .41 mag. They are very hard to find but every so often, one pops up. It'll bring a premium, as it was either the least or second least made caliber of the original five.

As for quality, this new MG doesn't hold a flame to the old ones. The action is decent but isn't as smooth as the old ones. The Tyler "custom" grips were ill fitted and would work loose on one side as you handled the gun. I don't notice any sharp edges as one owner mentioned, so that's good. They actually feel pretty decent.

I finally figured the loosening part out. The screw escutcheon on the right side wasn't firmly seated deep enough. You'd screw it tight, handle it some and the right panel would be a little loose. Tighten it some more, repeat the process. Finally the screw pulled the escutcheon deep enough that it seat and seems to have fixed that issue.

On the backstop there's a visible vertical cut going past where it should have stopped to then go 90 degrees to the right. It's very minimal and doesn't affect anything but, you can see it even with the grips on. Just poor quality control and use of automated machines that really should be repeatedly performing perfect work 100% of the time. This wasn't Bob the gun builder working away on a grinder and with a file.

At this point, I'm a bit underwhelmed but, I also bought it as a shooter, woods gun and haven't had time to see what it'll do at the range. As long as it proves worthy there, my mood will likely get better about it.

I have shot both a Friends 4 and 6 inch model 29’s and his 6 inch model 610. I would choose the 610 from a shoot-ability perspective.