So, I noticed last week that a local shop had two S&W 627 Pro series revolvers in stock.  I didn't have the time that day to look at either of them up close, but I have been thinking about stopping back by for a closer look. Each was marked $1049 + tax.

Just wondering if anyone here has experience with a recent production example? If so, how was the fit & finish? Canted barrel?

Roughly 12-18 months ago (at this same shop) I passed on a new 627 due to multiple manufacturing defects -- canted barrel, gouges / tooling marks on the frame and recoil shield,  and finally, the factory had installed the wrong front sight and it actually extended out past the end of the barrel by a significant amount.

Hoping these new ones are built better.

I have what I believe to be a newer production 4" 627 Pro Series.  Bought it used.  I'm no expert but I can't find anything wrong with it.  I've only shot it a few times but I'm quite happy with it so far.

I picked up a NIB 627 PC with the 2.5” barrel from a gentleman on this site.  No fault of the previous owner but it had a canted barrel and some unsightly scuff marks on one side of the barrel.  S&W gave me a RMA and I sent it in to correct the issues.  They cleaned up the barrel and fixed the cant about 50% of the way.  The barrel still has a very slight cant to it but I figure they’ve had multiple chances to get it right and couldn’t so I’m done with them.  

Inspect the revolvers thoroughly and pick the better of the two.

I picked up a new 627 two weeks ago and I had to send it back to S&W. Gun fired fine in single action. Double action was a different story. When trigger was released and then pulled gun would intermittently do the following: cylinder would advance to next round but hammer would start to come back slightly and then move forward. If I went slow, released my finger (so it does not touch the trigger) from the trigger completely I could get the gun to fire. If any sort of pressure was on the trigger, when letting it go forward the malfunction described above occurred. I wasn't "short-stroking" the gun as I was shooting my 686 and 586 in the same manner without any issues.

I’ve always wanted one. 8 shot .357 is pretty sweet. Ended up going with a 7 shot 686pc instead just for frame size

I see S&W sent the benchmark in being consistent with their quality.

You really have to actually handle what you want to buy and check it over close.
Check the timing, look for burrs/bad metal work on the barrel extension, check the cylinder, check all the metal work over the gun, check the crown, etc.

My experience recently:
625 brand new, never fired - canted barrel.  Had to go back to S&W.  They sort of straightened it to better than it was but it is still canted.  Gun shoots lights out accurate even with a slightly canted barrel.
686SSR - Bought new sight unseen (stock photo) from a reputable seller on GB.  Rib front sight sits on was dented pretty good which caused the pin that holds the front sight in to get fucked which means someone at S&W put some glue in the front sight channel to hold the front sight in place.  After I got it home I found the dent on the rib and tried to change the sight and the spring/detent and glue residue yeeted themselves all over my basement.  New sight installed with new pin/detent/spring and spring pressure holds front sight in place and it is solid and straight even with the dented rib.  Metal work on the frame is sloppy - like they did not bother polishing up the edges inside the frame at the cylinder area.  Gun shoots lights out and is smooth.
929 - In a gun shop I happened into.  Brand new in the case - rare to see in this area of PA.  I asked to see it, say I am interested, they get the paperwork out and as I am checking it over I notice that the metal on the bottom of the barrel where the extractor rod goes into the barrel - it is bent up in.  It took a hard hit at some point directly on the bottom of the barrel right at the frame.  The bent up metal did not interfere with the extractor rod but I am not super interested in taking a dowel rod and beating part of my barrel back into place on a $1400 gun from the factory.  Passed on it because I am paranoid the hit could have been hard enough to fuck up the barrel and how it shoots.

Buyer beware and check them over close before you buy.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I finally had a chance last week to stop by the gun shop and look at both 627's up close.

Both examples were a bit rough for brand new guns... both had a mixture of the usual s&w  problems -- canted barrels,  poorly cut forcing cones, and  tooling marks / cosmetic defects in multiple areas.

One of the two guns was considerably worse off than the other, due to a MAJOR functional defect. The barrel to cylinder gap was filed or cut VERY unevenly, leaving the left side tight and practically rubbing the cylinder while the right hand side had the largest barrel to cylinder gap that I have ever seen on a revolver after well over 20 years in the shooting sports. The defect was so extreme that I actually wonder if the entire barrel was installed in the frame at an angle.

I recommended to the salesman that it be sent back rather than being sold, but I doubt that will happen. Whoever ends up with that gun is going to have immediate and major issues with gas and lead blowback.

Needless to say, I left empty handed and the desire for a new 627 is out of my system again for the time being.

I really believe most people would gladly pay an extra $50 - $100 for every new S&W revolver if they could be guaranteed that it was built properly. The problem here, I think, is that without some major changes to production, any new QC procedures put in place would simply end up rejecting far more guns than the number that would pass QC.

Hoping they up their game after the move to TN

6 months ago I looked at a 627 Pro. The rear sight channel that is milled into the top strap where the rear sight sits in was cut crooked . Easily seen with the naked eye.
That gun would never shoot straight.  Surprisingly the barrel wasn’t canted . Passed on that one and I’m still on the hunt for one .

@chase45

Unless plans have changed recently, everything I have read on the topic indicated that revolver production was staying put in Springfield, MA permanently.

I have seen that exact same problem mentioned by several other people recently too.

I think to S&W, if they pull the trigger and it goes BANG, they pack it up for sale, regardless of defects.

Dang I just figured the whole shop would move.

They're probably in a situation similar to the one Remington found themselves when they moved to Huntsville, AL.

Not only was their experienced labor force there in Ilion and hesitant to move, but the Ilion plant had so much hazardous chemical crap in and around it that Big Green couldn't afford to clean it up had they shuttered the plant. It was easier to keep a few lines open there.