S&W 22A Failure

[mikem132]

I bought this gun new about 8 months ago and only have maybe 800 rounds through it. Cleaned every time used, never dropped. Yesterday at Guthsville was shooting Remington Golden Bullet (most of the previous rounds were Federal AutoMatch) and the gun was not cycling reliably and had a couple misfires (light strike). I had to manually pull the slide back maybe 10-15 times (fired about 60 rounds Jan 1, total) to cycle it. Last time I could not pulll slide back. I put safety on and really pulled hard, then noticed the gun fell apart (barrel came right off) and the frame was split like this.

[wellcraft]

wow, what a failure!!!!! i'd contact SW ASAP

[overthetop]

Wow! Definitely contact S&W. I was having problems with light strikes on mine and their warranty folks sent me a prepaid envelope that week. They had the repaired gun returned two weeks later.

[mikem132]

I emailed them info and this picture yesterday, and just called them (they say to call on this model as it does not go back to Springfield but instead up to their Maine plant). The only thing holding the frame together is the rear of the trigger guard. I think this is a cast aluminum frame and something was wrong with the casting, obviously. I couldn't believe it when it literally fell apart at the range on me. I imagine I'm lucky something worse did not happen while firing.
I did some internet research and frame failure has happened before (although nothing I saw was quite this severe) and they say S&W is really good about fixing this. They are sending a shipping label and just told me to "box it up and put a note inside"---no other questions about this.

[mikem132]

Wow! Definitely contact S&W. I was having problems with light strikes on mine and their warranty folks sent me a prepaid envelope that week. They had the repaired gun returned two weeks later.

Did you ship back the original box and all the stuff (magazines, etc.)? On their website it says ship the magizines back so they can make sure everything works before returning it. The guy on the phone said nothing.

[Mity2]

I have seen a 22A failure just like this one at my local gun shop few weeks ago. Pretty much happened exactly as OP said.

Shooting fine, then started to not cycling reliably and had a couple misfires. Manualy cycle the thing until discovered that frame was cracked right front of trigger guard(although, I can't see it in OP's pic well, but I presume it happend in same place).

it almost look like someone had shot double charge(and i know it sould have only been a factory load) and frame let go.
I believe owner of perticuler weapon at the shop said that he was shooting Winchester 333rd value pack from walmart when damage happened to his.

S&W sent new gun within week and half or so(happened first week of December, and they sent new gun to shop on week before christmas.

[overthetop]

Did you ship back the original box and all the stuff (magazines, etc.)? On their website it says ship the magizines back so they can make sure everything works before returning it. The guy on the phone said nothing.

I sent mine back with one magazine in a FedEx Overnight box. Just wrapped it with bubblewrap and tossed it in the box. For yours I would just send the gun back without a magazine. Perhaps you will get lucky and they will send you two more magazines with the replacement! Mine was shipped back to me with my original magazine.

[mrnyman]

Yep , its a cheaply made crappy gun, Smith & Wesson knows that and they keep selling them. Lots of talk over on www.rimfirecentral about that gun.

Ask for your money back and buy another make, anything but a 22A.

[mikem132]

Yep , its a cheaply made crappy gun, Smith & Wesson knows that and they keep selling them. Lots of talk over on www.rimfirecentral about that gun.

Ask for your money back and buy another make, anything but a 22A.

You may well be correct, but the only talk on rimfirecentral I could locate was nearly 100% positive about this gun. Searched the entire S&W section.

[overthetop]

Yep , its a cheaply made crappy gun, Smith & Wesson knows that and they keep selling them. Lots of talk over on www.rimfirecentral about that gun.

Ask for your money back and buy another make, anything but a 22A.

I've got 5k+ rounds through mine, and except for the light strike problem, it has been fantastic. Chews through everything I throw at it, and I probably only clean it every 1k rounds or more.