This is a picture of wear that is occuring in my upper. The charging handle has quite a bit of play in it now. How much of a problem is this or is it very common? All of my friends don't go out nowhere near as much as I do, so I have nothing to compare it to. I do have a couple other AR's, but they are not showing this type of wear.

Thanks for any help or advice

Does the gas key have any marks on the top of it to match that?  It looks like it's from the charging handle.  None of mine have that.  They may have some scratches from the charging handle, but not that bad.  I lube the contact surfaces of the handle with EWG though.

The gas key is not showing any wear that I wouldn't consider normal. The inside of the charging handle does not seem to have any unusual marks either. Further toward the breach, wear is not as evident. I run this rifle really wet and have tried to keep this area wet with lubricant as it seems from day one that this area was a source for wear. Gas tube is not showing unusual wear either, so at least in my mind I would say the bolt is riding home on track. When I first bought this rifle it was tight. I posted on here and had a lengthy discussion about it. I sent it back to S&W due to the bolt not closing all the way and not completely chambering the round, it would stop short just barely. S&W sent it back with a new 10round magazine and said nothing was wrong with it. I spent the next long long while reading forums and doing all I could to get it to run right, finally I surmised that the rifle was just as tight as your virgin girlfriend. When my round count hit around 3 thousand very long and painful rounds it was like a lightbulb just turned on and the rifle decided that it was going to be my friend. It has not failed since, hot, cold, dry, wet, muddy, snowing, it suddenly started kicking ass. Now I wonder if the wear I'm seeing isn't a contributer to that.

It could very well be that the rifle was in fact a bit out of spec, and now that it's thoroughly broken all is well.  I would keep an eye on it and see if it gets worse, or if it stays the way it is.  If it doesn't get any worse then I wouldn't worry about it.

Trouble is that wear is inevitable. I do not let the charging handle ride home either as some may think. I on this rifle pull the bolt back and lock it, then push the handle in myself, then I hit the release. I don't know how to preserve it any better. Could the problem be, in part, the handle? If so, is the a more beefy replacement?

It could very well be the handle, but I can't recommend one as I've never had issues with the factory ones on my rifles. I've always swapped the latch with an extended one and let her rip with no issues, so I've never felt the need for any of the aftermarket ones.

In the photo you posted OP it looks to me if the area inside the top of your upper where the charging handle rides is either milled incorrectly/is missing a chunk of metal.  It appears uneven to me.

You would be correct too. I'm truly thinking of contacting S&W again and sending it back under the lifetime warranty. It's becoming more clear that you guys consider this somewhat abnormal.

Definitely not normal.

 

I contacted S&W and they are going to mail a new charging handle first and see what that does. I don't mind, as it is hospitable of them to do so. I'm not sure what that will do, though if some of the excess "slop" in the handle disappears I suppose I'd be happy. If it doesn't and it feels the same, I'm sending it back to let them take a look at it. Just updating the hive.

Hopefully they get it squared away for you.  I've dealt with them in the past and had good results, so I'm sure they will.



 

Looks like a broach busted in there and it may have gotten sent through before being finished being cut. That gouge that's pie shaped in the middle of wear mark is what I'm talking about.

I saw that as well, but I thought I read where he said he sent it back and they said it was o.k..  I would have thought that would have been caught immediately if it was in fact an issue, but it does look like it is the culprit now that I look closer.



 

As I promised to update. S&W sent me a new charging handle and it does seem to make a little difference. It appears that the "gauge" of this handle is a little more beefy in the area where the gas key rides.  The latch is exactly 1/32" thicker on this handle than the stock unit. I can't tell any difference in anything else except for the actual "meat" where the gas key rides. It appears to be a bit thicker in the I.D, not the width of the handle area that sets in the upper groove. I believe the perceived "bit" more of snugness is due to the gas key and charging handle mating up a bit more snug.

To touch on previously sending it back to S&W, I cannot recall the wear being there at that time. I truly doubt they ever fired the rifle because the work order never mentioned an issue, cause or diagnosis. I was new with the AR platform and I took to these forums for help.
What finally became the last straw was when I had a few buddies over and showed them the rifle, naturally we went to shoot and like normal it was FTF after FTF and that was with XM193. I went the next day set on melting the gun, I was so damn mad at the piece of shit that I sat down with all the ammo I had at that time (about 900 rounds, I had 30 mags) of M855, and I just started dumping. At about 300 rounds on a 95 degree day and after a handful of FTF's things started to get interesting. At about mag 15 the rifle suddenly started acting right and it was at that point I think whatever was out of spec combined with the heat finally smoothed out. Not a FTF since. Doesn't matter what ammo I fire, it eats it all now. Strangest thing I have ever witnessed. Its now my "little friend" save for this issue which may no longer be an issue, what do you guys think? Also, they sent a handle wth a different latch as the pic shows, I have to say that's a score no matter what!

I say shoot the crap out of it and if it doesn't give you anymore problems then don't worry about it.  The extended latch on the charging handle is definitely a nice bonus.

That upper is all kinda of incorrectly milled.

Well initially you would be correct. Went to the range since the pic and have had zero problems so far. I have resigned myself to not sending it back to S&W, in part because the BCG is now super smooth in the upper. My newest and last question to the hive is this: Can premature or excessive wear in this area, even cause an issue? Other than that of a handle being sloppy as hell? If not, I'll lay down and say screw it.

Yea your charging handle channel of the upper is incorrectly milled. I would have the upper receiver replaced.

The photo shows upper receiver overhang wear attributed to the charge handle being lifted when pulled. The unusual gouge may have helped supply the surfaces with bits of abrasive. And if you ever installed an AccuWedge and used the receiver overhang to compress the Wedge then the overhang may be slightly bent. To make a long story short, ask S&W to replace the upper receiver (they may install a new upper assembly) and purchase a BCM charge handle. And in the future instead of holding it to floor until it decides to run right take it to a qualified gunsmith.

Sorry man, that's not from lifting up on the handle, as stated earlier I don't even let the handle ride home. I'm cool with it though. Also, I damn sure hope that sending the rifle back to S&W qualifies as a "qualified gunsmith". I'd hate to think the manufacture doesn't qualify.