S&W revolver model number mis-stamped on frame. Send back???

[124gr9mm 859]

I recently picked up a lightly used S&W 686 revolver with a 2 1/2 in barrel.  The pistol is 3 years old and has less than 200 rounds through it.  I'm VERY happy with the price, condition, and performance of the gun.  While cleaning it last night I noticed that the model number listed under the serial number was 386-6.  Google told me that the 386 has a black finish and aluminum frame, but the 686 I have is a heavy, shiny stainless revolver so there was a problem somewhere.

I called S&W and the rep looked up my serial number and validated that I had a 686 that was made in 2015 and the 386-6 was a mis-stamp from the factory.  Sounded reasonable to me so I asked if he could send me a letter or e-mail confirming what I have just in case I decide to sell one day. 

"Nope, sorry.  We don't do that.  You can contact the S&W historical foundation and pay them $85 and they'll send you a confirmation letter, but we don't do that."

If I was contacting them out of idle curiosity I might understand charging for the confirmation letter (though not $85) but the only reason I wanted this was because of the mistake.  My rep contacted a supervisor and the supervisor said that they would send me a FedEx shipping tag and that I could return the gun so they could "fix the problem".  That would either be fixing the stamp or replacing the frame and giving me a new serial number.

I explained that this would be overkill and that in the event of a new serial number I'd need to go through the permitting, NICS, and FFL process, so it wasn't a reasonable option, but they wouldn't budge at all.

Does that seem kind of stupid to anyone other than me???

All I want is the information the rep is reading to me on the screen he sees.  Serial XXXXXXX is a model 686 manufactured on XX/XX/2015. 

Instead they want to boil the ocean.

I'm about 99.9% certain I'm not sending it back (or paying $85 for the letter), but is there any compelling reason why I should?

 

 

[Malice4you 627]

If it were a coin, it would be worth more.

I would agree that if they screwed up, the least they could do is offer you the paperwork for free or a "reasonable" amount.

I wouldn't be particularly concerned personally. Maybe you'll never sell it, maybe the next buyer won't care, maybe they'll like the story, who knows. Unless having a mismarked gun is illegal under federal law (it isn't defaced and still has all the markings, just the wrong ones), I would not give it any more thought.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Mismarked guns from the factory may command a small premium from collectors.  There are people who collect mismarked guns.  Keep it.  No laws being broken I can see.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Mis-stamps at the factory is not an uncommon occurrence at S&W, and while it is a curiosity, it doesn't have much, if any, impact on value.

The $85 letter is a service offered by S&W, by their company historian, Roy Jinks, to validate if collector Smiths are still in the original configuration and to whom/where it was shipped, not to correct factory errors.

Put it out of your mind. Shoot and enjoy your revolver.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[124gr9mm 859]

Yeah, this gun is quickly becoming one of my favorites, so I can't imagine parting with it anytime soon, so I doubt if I'll go through the hassle of sending it back.

It still boggles my mind a bit that they would prefer to go through the time and expense of paying for the gun to go back and forth and to potentially replace the frame when I simply wanted a letter confirming that I had a 686!!

 

[Golf battery 1,223]

Ill buy it in a heartbeat from you.  Pm me. Ill trade you a legit 686-6 and 85$ for it.