S&w 649?

[1911luver]

Anyone here have one of these guns lock up on them due to the internal lock? I've been doing searches and it seems like the problem is confined to the ultra lightweight scandium guns in large calibers,also don't the 44 magnum lightweight guns use a different type of locking system than the j frame guns? I ask as I've been reading up on his at the S&W forum and I can't find any lock failures reported for this specific model. I'm just wondering is the lock anymore likely than any other part should it fail to disable the gun?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[old grunt]

Have heard many stories 2nd and 3rd hand about these failures. Cannot say for sure. I myself, would avoid the IL guns anyway. If you can't find an older Smith J-Frame look into the new Model 40. It has a grip safety("Lemon Squeezer")therefore NO lock. I kick myself for NOT holding on to my old J-Frames. I had a 36, 60(both purchased new)and a slightly used 640 all PRE-SILLY LOCK. Smith is making some limited run 642 and 442 Airweights WITHOUT Locks and a Model 37 also. They might be expending old no-hole frames or testing the waters for returning to a NO Lock revolver.

[SIXTO]

I bought a 442 about a year ago and put about 1k rounds through it so far with no issues. Taurus has had these locks a lot longer on both their smaller calibers and the larger with no problems that I know of. If Taurus can do it, I'm sure S&W can pull it off too.

With all that said, I'd rather not have the lock, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

[Piglet]

I would not torment yourself about it. And if you can't help worrying, and you really don't trust a gun with a lock, the mechanism is easy to disable. Just carefully remove the sideplate (get Jerry Kuhnhausen's The S&W Revolver: A Shop Manual if you haven't done it before) and follow the instructions for lock removal/disabling available on numerous forums, including the S&W forum you've been frequenting. Use the search function.

There is no reason to deny yourself ownership of the newly-manufactured all-steel .357 J-frames (there are a few pre-locks floating around, but I prefer to buy new). These revolvers are simply too good to be dismissed on the basis of a feature that is easily eliminated if unwanted. Just deal with the lock and start enjoying (and trusting) the gun.

I have two 640-3 .357s; one has the lock in its original, unaltered form, and the other one has had its lock, uh, corrected. Both perform flawlessly.

[Fats]

I have a pre lock 649 - my first handgun actually. It has been perfect over the years and never had a problem. I have a M&P 340ct also (scandium with lock) and haven't had any issues with it so far (~250rds).