OK, Not sure if this goes under Handguns...or if it should be under gunsmithing. Previously posted this on the S&W forums, but want to see what everyone on this site has to say. Here goes:
I am a lover of not just my big passion, shotguns (thus my moniker...sxs)... but also of S&W revolvers and have several...K frames, N frames and now, I've added an X frame...a Smith 460. One of the things that floated my boat was the expectation of scoping this puppy. Now for the problem. After purchasing the gun, I also purchased a Warne base and rings as well as a Nikon 2-8 pistol scope. After installing the base, I couldn't get the gun sighted in...not with my bore sight, not on the range. Looking at it closely, I noticed that the front of the base would move ever so slightly slightly to the right when tightening the screws. With the laserlyte bore sight it was out 2-3" left and maybe 3" low at just 12 ft! (across my living room). Even when the scope was adjusted to it's extreme it was slightly out. At the range, I was off a few inches at 7 yds!!!... And that at extreme adjustment!!! Oh, yeah...I did double check the boresight with other sighted in firearms to be sure IT'S not off. I talked to a tech at Warne who sent me another base to try on the chance that the base was out...even though he said it would have been an exceptionally rare occurence. This base proved to be out as well. BTW, this is the multi-sight base where you attach the rear sight you removed from the frame to to the base. I took note that the iron sights were out as well (so it isn't a rings problem). After some back and forth discussion, the Tech suggested I talk to S&W as they have, on rare occurence, encountered an X-frame that had been hand polished a bit much on one side or the other on the the top strap and that could cause the problem I described. OK, fine. So I contacted S&W and they asked me to send the gun to them. I was surprised that they actually replaced the entire frame! Thinking the situation resolved, I was excited to receive my firearm back. However, I tried to mount the Warne base and mount to the new frame...SURPRISE!!! Same issue!! A couple weeks ago, I called Warne back once again and spoke to the same Tech I spoke to previously. After some back and forth, he asked me to send him my base. He saw nothing really wrong with it, but sent me ANOTHER new base. I just tried this once again this evening, and the same issue has occurred. Now one would think that given the issue I had to begin with, if S&W replaces the entire frame, that they would be sure it isn't over hand polished on one side or the other. Furthermore, I know of 2 other people who have smith 500's and neither have had this problem. and, of course, the 500 and 460 are built on the same frames. Everything screwed right up for those guys...one with a Warne mount, the other with a Weigand Mount. They had pretty minimal sight-in to do after bore sighting even. So, does anybody have any thoughts on my problem? I have now called S&W back and to see what they say. Unsurprisingly, they said they did think it was at all likely the gun was the issue. Their suggestion: Buy another mount!! I could do that, but I already have about 150 - 160 invested in the Warne mount and rings...the very mount S&W strongly suggest to use! Furthermore, with the warne quick detachables, you can remove the scope rings in a pinch to use iron sights. I have considered bedding the Warne base to the top strap to prevent the 'twist' to the right when I tighten the scope base screws (using release agent on the revolver top strap, of course, so it's not 'welded' in place.). The Warne Tech suggested that if I do that, I use bedding putty rather than a thinner compound if I do decide on using bedding compound. However, it seems to me that a new gun that is supposed to take a 'drop-in' mount should be able to do just that. Oh, one more thing, I can get the thing to shoot using just the iron sights mounted to the top strap...as it came from the factory, but I really bought it to scope it.
I'd like any input/insight anyone here may have. Also, if I decide to bed the scope base, what do you suggest. Looking forward to your responses!
I am a lover of not just my big passion, shotguns (thus my moniker...sxs)... but also of S&W revolvers and have several...K frames, N frames and now, I've added an X frame...a Smith 460. One of the things that floated my boat was the expectation of scoping this puppy. Now for the problem. After purchasing the gun, I also purchased a Warne base and rings as well as a Nikon 2-8 pistol scope. After installing the base, I couldn't get the gun sighted in...not with my bore sight, not on the range. Looking at it closely, I noticed that the front of the base would move ever so slightly slightly to the right when tightening the screws. With the laserlyte bore sight it was out 2-3" left and maybe 3" low at just 12 ft! (across my living room). Even when the scope was adjusted to it's extreme it was slightly out. At the range, I was off a few inches at 7 yds!!!... And that at extreme adjustment!!! Oh, yeah...I did double check the boresight with other sighted in firearms to be sure IT'S not off. I talked to a tech at Warne who sent me another base to try on the chance that the base was out...even though he said it would have been an exceptionally rare occurence. This base proved to be out as well. BTW, this is the multi-sight base where you attach the rear sight you removed from the frame to to the base. I took note that the iron sights were out as well (so it isn't a rings problem). After some back and forth discussion, the Tech suggested I talk to S&W as they have, on rare occurence, encountered an X-frame that had been hand polished a bit much on one side or the other on the the top strap and that could cause the problem I described. OK, fine. So I contacted S&W and they asked me to send the gun to them. I was surprised that they actually replaced the entire frame! Thinking the situation resolved, I was excited to receive my firearm back. However, I tried to mount the Warne base and mount to the new frame...SURPRISE!!! Same issue!! A couple weeks ago, I called Warne back once again and spoke to the same Tech I spoke to previously. After some back and forth, he asked me to send him my base. He saw nothing really wrong with it, but sent me ANOTHER new base. I just tried this once again this evening, and the same issue has occurred. Now one would think that given the issue I had to begin with, if S&W replaces the entire frame, that they would be sure it isn't over hand polished on one side or the other. Furthermore, I know of 2 other people who have smith 500's and neither have had this problem. and, of course, the 500 and 460 are built on the same frames. Everything screwed right up for those guys...one with a Warne mount, the other with a Weigand Mount. They had pretty minimal sight-in to do after bore sighting even. So, does anybody have any thoughts on my problem? I have now called S&W back and to see what they say. Unsurprisingly, they said they did think it was at all likely the gun was the issue. Their suggestion: Buy another mount!! I could do that, but I already have about 150 - 160 invested in the Warne mount and rings...the very mount S&W strongly suggest to use! Furthermore, with the warne quick detachables, you can remove the scope rings in a pinch to use iron sights. I have considered bedding the Warne base to the top strap to prevent the 'twist' to the right when I tighten the scope base screws (using release agent on the revolver top strap, of course, so it's not 'welded' in place.). The Warne Tech suggested that if I do that, I use bedding putty rather than a thinner compound if I do decide on using bedding compound. However, it seems to me that a new gun that is supposed to take a 'drop-in' mount should be able to do just that. Oh, one more thing, I can get the thing to shoot using just the iron sights mounted to the top strap...as it came from the factory, but I really bought it to scope it.
I'd like any input/insight anyone here may have. Also, if I decide to bed the scope base, what do you suggest. Looking forward to your responses!
