[BearTitan]

Recently (three weeks ago) the frame on my Smith & Wesson 669 in 9mm cracked. That's right, cracked. I called the factory and they sent me a UPS label to send it back. I was told that they would either replace the frame or give me a new gun at no charge. That sounded like a good deal to me.

A week after they received the gun, I called to check on it. Smith & Wesson said that they had received the gun, but no one had looked at it yet.

This morning (another week later) I called Smith & Wesson again and was told that the repair bill would be $200. I asked about the warrantee and the guy told me that because the gun was manufactured more than 20 years ago (21 to be exact), that the lifetime warrantee had expired. He then proceeded to lecture me and suggest that I had overshot the gun with +P loads. For the record, I have shot about 2000 rounds of regular factory 9MM ammo through the gun in the past 21 years. He said that I could pay the money or they would send the gun back to me with the cracked frame.

For those of you considering handing your guns down to your children and grandchildren, don't buy a Smith & Wesson. The warrantee only lasts 20 years.

I know that I will never buy another Smith & Wesson gun.

Do any of you know any of the higher-ups at Smith & Wesson? I would like to write a letter of some sort and it would be helpful if I had a name.

Thanks.