why the hate for lock smith and wessons

i get it as far as looks go i wish mine did not have it but the rest of the gun seems alright ive heard there are plugs that can replace the lock screw but havent seen anyone actually do it. and you have lost me on the clintons thing never heard of that at all but will look it up.
 
Hotdog said:
i get it as far as looks go i wish mine did not have it but the rest of the gun seems alright ive heard there are plugs that can replace the lock screw but havent seen anyone actually do it. and you have lost me on the clintons thing never heard of that at all but will look it up.
Click to expand...

Some refer to it as the "Hillary Hole."
 
Potential mechanical failures aside, I think most of us view such locking mechanisms as a slippery slope of control. it starts with mechanical “safety” locks, then perhaps digital or biometric, then remote and so forth. At minimum such junk ought to be optional.
 
Last edited:
92G said:
Potential mechanical failures aside, I think most of us view such locking mechanisms as a slippery slope of control. it starts with mechanical “safety” locks, then perhaps digital or biometric, then remote and so forth. At minimum such junk ought to be optional.
Click to expand...
has there been guns that have locked up from the lock malfunctioning? also i agree the locks and extra safety stuff just puts the person that might need a gun in danger in a self defense situation.
 
Hotdog said:
has there been guns that have locked up from the lock malfunctioning? also i agree the locks and extra safety stuff just puts the person that might need a gun in danger in a self defense situation.
Click to expand...

I think I remember @BatteryOaksBilly and @Etruett talking about some that did lock themselves.
 
Hotdog said:
im definitely going to keep mine because i do like the gun but will llikely get my local gun smith to see what he can do about getting rid of the lock. heck might as well get an action job while its there
Click to expand...

There are kits that you can get to replace the lock and fill the hole.
 
Hotdog said:
im definitely going to keep mine because i do like the gun but will llikely get my local gun smith to see what he can do about getting rid of the lock. heck might as well get an action job while its there
Click to expand...
At the end of this thread I have a post about removing it yourself.

S&W revolvers locking themselves

Has anyone actually seen the S&W "safety" locks on thier revolvers lock themselves? I've heard of the concern that over time they could, possibly, maybe, slip into a locked position. I never intend to use the lock to secure the gun (stupid idea to begin with), so I threw the key into the bin...
carolinafirearmsforum.com
 
alpharius said:
At the end of this thread I have a post about removing it yourself.

S&W revolvers locking themselves

Has anyone actually seen the S&W "safety" locks on thier revolvers lock themselves? I've heard of the concern that over time they could, possibly, maybe, slip into a locked position. I never intend to use the lock to secure the gun (stupid idea to begin with), so I threw the key into the bin...
carolinafirearmsforum.com
Click to expand...
thanks
 
Hotdog said:
im definitely going to keep mine because i do like the gun but will llikely get my local gun smith to see what he can do about getting rid of the lock. heck might as well get an action job while its there
Click to expand...
TK Custom has the best kit I’ve found. Not a hard job if you know how to disassemble your revolver. It’s a little tedious but the TK kit fits perfect and is barely noticeable. They have stainless and blue
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
3 right here in front of several other shooters.
Click to expand...

It's a sham when a company puts out a product that can kill you when they tell you it is made to protect you.
 
Hotdog said:
when i saw the key i thought no way anyone can actually keep up with this
Click to expand...
Just glue the key in the lock. That way you can quickly render the revolver operable. 🤓
 
Jeppo said:
I’d LOVE to see results of a survey asking, “Have you EVER used the lock on your revolver?”. 😂
Click to expand...
I’ve used it teaching concealed carry classes as what not to buy and use. Does that count?
 
Last edited:
I’ve never owned a S&W with a IL so I don’t know. I do believe Billy however.

I believe the whole Hillary Hole concept was conceived by Hillary in an attempt to have hubby Bill quit thinking about holes all the time and concentrate in (w)hole on her.
 
Cocked & Locked said:
I’ve never owned a S&W with a IL so I don’t know. I do believe Billy however.

I believe the whole Hillary Hole concept was conceived by Hillary in an attempt to have hubby Bill quit thinking about holes all the time and concentrate in (w)hole on her.
Click to expand...
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
 
Cocked & Locked said:
I believe the whole Hillary Hole concept was conceived by Hillary in an attempt to have hubby Bill quit thinking about holes all the time and concentrate in (w)hole on her.
Click to expand...
She never wanted that... jus' sayin'.
 
B00ger said:
I don’t like them, but I have had a few that had them. I’m from the era where they were already being installed, so it’s just how they are.
Click to expand...
Same this is my 1st smith and when i bought it i dident even know the lock was a thing when i ordered it from palmetto state they didet even have pics of the lock side
 
Hotdog said:
Same this is my 1st smith and when i bought it i dident even know the lock was a thing when i ordered it from palmetto state they didet even have pics of the lock side
Click to expand...

Do yourself a favor and try to get your hands on a pre-lock.

Maybe something like this 19-3 (not mine, but I had one). I think you'll fall in love with it.

Screenshot_20240112_220759_DuckDuckGo.jpg
 
Hotdog said:
has there been guns that have locked up from the lock malfunctioning? also i agree the locks and extra safety stuff just puts the person that might need a gun in danger in a self defense situation.
Click to expand...
Yes
And I have had that happen. For me no more lock guns.
Light gun and snappy recoil engaged the lock. Gun would not fire.

Think about it this way. You have a CC Gun that you may or may not get more than one round off when needed.

They suck. Locks on guns general SUCK.
 
I hate them with a passion I can't explain. But I'll try:
1. As stated, they identify with S&W well on it's slide down in QC and general standing in the firearms manufacturers community (quality, quality control, and the thing with voluntarily siding with some gun control appeasement.) I have only bought a couple of them since then. Admittedly I'm not a big revolver guy anymore though and haven't bought any other brands either. I hate it so bad, about 4 years ago, a buddy and I both decided to buy Airweight .38 Specials with concealed hammers for pocket carry. I drove to Charlotte and pair over $400 for a blue label 442 WITHOUT the lock, while he drove across town to Rural King and bought one with the lock for about $299.
2. I think it is ugly, ugly, ugly, BUT I'll agree that the revolver above with it is about the prettiest one I've seen with it.
3. Mechanically I do not trust them. I PERSONALLY have not seen a S&W fail, but another firearms instructor friend of mine said he has seen it once (maybe twice?) and I HAVE seen the one on the Taurus fail while I was qualifying an officer on an off-duty gun.

I'm mid 50s so maybe my age is a part of this-recalling when S&W was pretty mush "THE" choice of factory revolvers (excepting maybe the Colt Python, if yours didn't malfunction twice and had to be sent back to Colt twice.) Also, I'm not going to buy one I hate and then pay extra (one of the kits to hide it) to hide the abomination it was to start with (the hole.) And as to "just remove it" I did once on the first one I bought. BUT, then it really bothered that IF I were in a shooting, and IF the gun were sent to forensic review (which is not likely; usually they are just stored in evidence, but it COULD happen) then it will be made known that you were so "reckless" and "uncaring" that you INTENTIONALLY deactivated a safety device on your gun (Gasp!) A LEO wanting to prosecute you or from an agency against civilian carry (probably not many in the Carolinas but look out New England!) presenting this to Grand Jury or any lawyer worth his salt in trail could really gain traction using this against you.
 
Last edited:
Big Dave said:
I hate them with a passion I can't explain. But I'll try:
1. As stated, they identify with S&W well on it's slide down in QC and general standing in the firearms manufacturers community (quality, quality control, and the thing with voluntarily siding with some gun control appeasement.) I have only bought a couple of them since then. Admittedly I'm not a big revolver guy anymore though and haven't bought any other brands either. I hate it so bad, about 4 years ago, a buddy and I both decided to buy Airweight .38 Specials with concealed hammers for pocket carry. I drove to Charlotte and pair over $400 for a blue label 442 WITHOUT the lock, while he drove across town to Rural King and bought one with the lock for about $299.
2. I think it is ugly, ugly, ugly, BUT I'll agree that the revolver above with it is about the prettiest one I've seen with it.
3. Mechanically I do not trust them. I PERSONALLY have not seen a S&W fail, but another firearms instructor friend of mine said he has seen it once (maybe twice?) and I HAVE seen the one on the Taurus fail while I was qualifying an officer on an off-duty gun.

I'm mid 50s so maybe my age is a part of this-recalling when S&W was pretty mush "THE" choice of factory revolvers (excepting maybe the Colt Python, if yours didn't malfunction twice and had to be sent back to Colt twice.) Also, I'm not going to buy one I hate and then pay extra (one of the kits to hide it) to hide the abomination it was to start with (the hole.) And as to "just remove it" I did once on the first one I bought. BUT, then it really bothered that IF I were in a shooting, and IF the gun were sent to forensic review (which is not likely; usually they are just stored in evidence, but it COULD happen) then it will be made known that you were so "reckless" and "uncaring" that you INTENTIONALLY deactivated a safety device on your gun (Gasp!) A LEO wanting to prosecute you or from an agency against civilian carry (probably not many in the Carolinas but look out New England!) presenting this to Grand Jury or any lawyer worth his salt in trail could really gain traction using this against you.
Click to expand...
Its wild that they are chargeing more for less for the guns without the holes but this is the 1st im hearing about smith and wesson haveing a blue label program i might have to look into that. The legal stuff makes sence im probably still going to do the hole delete to maybe put to bed and reliability concerns (rather be in court than dead) and it will look better. its a big L frame and am going to carry it but probably not as often as other ligher simiautos. I wish the gun never had the lock in the 1st place but since getting it i love shooting the thing so its gonna stay in the collection. I wish i had done a little more research on the locks but i guess thats just part of life. What confuses me is Smith could have just went with the generic cable padlock route or heck just include half a pair of handcuffs to keep the action from closeing that would make the gun just as secure without adding extra complexity to manufacturing and the firearm.
 
Hotdog said:
Its wild that they are chargeing more for less for the guns without the holes but this is the 1st im hearing about smith and wesson haveing a blue label program i might have to look into that. The legal stuff makes sence im probably still going to do the hole delete to maybe put to bed and reliability concerns (rather be in court than dead) and it will look better. its a big L frame and am going to carry it but probably not as often as other ligher simiautos. I wish the gun never had the lock in the 1st place but since getting it i love shooting the thing so its gonna stay in the collection. I wish i had done a little more research on the locks but i guess thats just part of life. What confuses me is Smith could have just went with the generic cable padlock route or heck just include half a pair of handcuffs to keep the action from closeing that would make the gun just as secure without adding extra complexity to manufacturing and the firearm.
Click to expand...

It has been nearly 20 years ago and I don't remember all the particulars, but a cable or trigger lock wasn't good enough. An internal lock was necessary for the deal they did with the Clinton administration (I think HUD was the agency the deal was done through) for S&W to get federal contracts on guns. S&W's corporate owners thought they would do an end around with fedgovco that would give them the majority of market share in certain federal contracts and it backfired on them in a big way. The company SAFE-T-HAMR (or however they spelled it) wound up buying S&W from its owners as a means to sell their internal hammer lock and they backed out of the HUD deal, though the damage was done.
 
Hotdog said:
Its wild that they are chargeing more for less for the guns without the holes but this is the 1st im hearing about smith and wesson haveing a blue label program i might have to look into that. The legal stuff makes sence im probably still going to do the hole delete to maybe put to bed and reliability concerns (rather be in court than dead) and it will look better. its a big L frame and am going to carry it but probably not as often as other ligher simiautos. I wish the gun never had the lock in the 1st place but since getting it i love shooting the thing so its gonna stay in the collection. I wish i had done a little more research on the locks but i guess thats just part of life. What confuses me is Smith could have just went with the generic cable padlock route or heck just include half a pair of handcuffs to keep the action from closeing that would make the gun just as secure without adding extra complexity to manufacturing and the firearm.
Click to expand...
If you want to be really confused, be aware S&W does offer at least one or two revolvers with and without. 😂
 
Jeppo said:
If you want to be really confused, be aware S&W does offer at least one or two revolvers with and without. 😂
Click to expand...
To me, this is an admission they are aware of the flaw and possibility that J-frames can lockup under recoil.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom