I shoot at my local range usually about twice per week. I usually take my two favorite handguns, my Smith and Wesson 327 (model not caliber) M&P R8 in .357 Mag and my Ruger Mark III hunter in .22 LR.

A few weeks ago I noticed some extra "slop" in my R8, an extra rattle that was not there before. I thought it was the cylinder and inspected it carefully when I got home. It was not the cylinder, and I could not figure it out. I took the R8 to the range a few more times and the rattle was getting more pronounced.

Inspecting the revolver at home again I noticed it, the barrel shroud would move back and forth about 1/16 of an inch! I touched the barrel nut (three piece barrel, shroud, not and barrel tube) and it moved. Ahah! The barrel nut had worked itself loose and the rattle was coming from the barrel shroud. The revolver was also starting to shoot a bit low, about 1 inch from point of aim. (yes, the revolver really is that accurate)

Last week I called up Smith and Wesson and was emailed a shipping label the next day. I complained about a slightly gritty trigger and an extractor rod that was loose once as well as the barrel nut in the written letter with the revolver and shipped it off.

The revolver was returned today with a letter describing the work done to fix the revolver. The barrel nut was repaired, the extractor rod replaced and the hand was replaced. Now the revolver is as tight as ever, the trigger very smooth (as it should be from the Performance Center) and the gun is better then new.

I am sure a number of people could complain that for such expensive machines this should never happen to a Smith and Wesson Performance Center (or any other Smith) and be dissatisfied. However, I have a different opinion. Nothing is perfect, and it never will be. Responding timely and precisely to a customer issue is very valuable, and that is what you get when you buy a Smith and Wesson. The handguns are of top quality, but mistakes are made by mere mortals. How those mistakes are addressed is what makes the difference.

I will indeed remain a loyal Smith and Wesson customer, especially when it comes to the Performance Center and their fine revolvers. Perhaps some goading will get me to put up some pics of my two model 327's...