Out of curiosity, has anyone ever actually seen one lock up during shooting? I know there's the internet lore, happens daily I hear.

Never seen it.  Never heard of it happening in my shooting crowd.

I avoid the lock. Imagine the day you finally need your pistol for self defense just to find out the that it's true and the damn pistol locks up on you

That was kind of the OP's question: has it happened outside of anyone's imagination?

Not to me because I avoid them. I can say pistols without the locks have been great.

I own three lock guns, they all work.  I also own two unlock guns, they work too.

What I don't get is why we can't use the same reasoning for the lock, that we do with any self defense weapon.  Like how we  might treat any Glock or auto loader or any serious gun.   Somewhere between 400-600 rounds, make sure it runs.  Run the ammo you'll use for self defense.  Once it works a while, then it's tested and rely on it.  Any gun can have a part break on the 1500th round and lock it up.    When you don't expect it.

You have to just have faith at some point.  And carry a back up.  Which reminds me.  I need to carry a BUG more.  2 is 1 and 1 is none and all that.

Admittedly, the lock is just another part that COULD fail.  And an un-necessary addition.  But I mean if you do your due diligence with it, I don't see why it should be treated different than any other part that can fail.  Other than it's meant to actually lock the gun.  I do think any kind of lock like that on a gun is stupid.  Like the ILS on springy's 1911 MSH's.  I swapped a different MSH on that gun.  Whoop deee ding.  Take out the lock and plug it.  Problem solved.

Not sure why everyone makes such a big hairy deal about it.  Especially since it can be removed.  Now if it couldn't be removed, that would be even more irritating.  But even then if you do what I said above about due diligence, I would think that would suffice.

Appreciate it, I do plan of course to shoot it a bunch. This isn't my first rodeo concerning shooting, just never had a lock gun and never seen one in anyones hands. All my other ones are prelock.

Yeah, I wasn't saying you were coming across as a total doubter.  It's just a thing out there.  I didn't mean to sound rude either if I was.  But to me, most people don't apply the reasoning I stated above to the lock smiths for some reason.  Like it's somehow an anomaly and much worse than any other part that can break.   Maybe it is.  I'm no expert.

Wouldn't know.  All of mine are without a lock.

Has anyone here removed the lock? I have a 5” 629 classic with a lock. It’s been perfect so far but if I could remove it I would.

I've owned a few lock models and have removed it on all of them. The lock isn't a deal breaker when buying, but I refuse to leave it in there. It's easy to do and there are a few different options to disable or remove it.

You can remove the lock and put a plug in the hole, then it can't lock up on you.

That's what I plan to do on my next purchase. I'm going to get the plug kit and enjoy every minute of installing it.

As far as what JJ was saying, I think the due diligence is either keeping the key on your person (during range trips or always if you carry it) OR removing the lock altogether. Even if in actuality, S&W gun lockup has happened much less than we hear about, the concept is just too "out in the open" for me to really have 100% faith in it if I'm going to carry it.

All I can talk about it what I've experienced....which is nothing. I own some S&W "lock" revolvers and never had a problem with any of them...nor have I ever seen any other lock S&W revolver lock up on anyone that I've shot with.

Hicock45 was recently running a new Model 19 and it jammed up on him right in the middle of shooting it. I just believe that some of their products are lemons.

I've seen it lock S&W out on sales. The last time I purchashed a new revolver I chose Ruger (who ended their grip lock program) over S&W.

Yeah, I agree.  I don't have kids and have no need for my guns to be any more complex or have additional points of failure just to lock the gun vs put it in a locked container if it's not needed.

But it being on my person... needs to go hang if I pull the trigger.  Removing the lock increases the reliability of it, even if it's just 0.10%, that's still enough for me.

If I had one with a lock that was a serious gun, I'd feel better about it out.  But really you can play that game all day long with parts and I'm not sure it's MUCH different.  For example, do we think an MIM trigger is more likely snap in half than an older bar stock trigger.  Maybe it's not QUITE the same, but it's similar.  Either it runs or it doesn't with the parts it has.  There's no way to predict what round something might break on.

Now, obviously some guns just have less to break and may show that with their track record.  But if you think you can pick up a well used Gen II Glock and be totally immune to parts breakage just because it ran up until that point, that's just not reasonable.   Albeit I might trust it more than some guns.

Anyways....  I'm probably talking too much.  I just think any part can break or fail and jam a gun up.

But in the end, I'd rather not have it in there.  LOL.  

I collect S&W revolvers, and their aint no locks on any of mine.

I've heard it mentioned on the S&W forum about someone that knows someone that has had a lock engage on it's own.

I own two S&W revolvers.  A Model 638 and a Model 686 Plus.  Both with ILS.  No issues whatsoever.  I don't think about it and it is not a concern.  In fact the Model 638 is my BUG if the SHTF and needed another alternative.  Thousands of rounds without fail regarding the ILS.

I have a few locked S&W's. I installed a lock delete from here: https://www.originalprecision.com/

I own several S&W revo’s w/the lock. Never had it engage while firing.
Mine are range toys that get plenty of use but aren’t used for carry.
If would carry them as is if need be.
I would remove the lock on the very lightweight alloy guns.

I have seen it in person once on a J-frame. removed from holster went to fire and it was locked. It was cleaned and reloaded and holstered after a previous range trip. He never used the lock. No idea of a cause.  The scary part is it was his carry gun.

I may get tarred and feathered for saying this...but it honestly seems to be "somethin' from nothin'" type of deal.

I've seen theses threads pop up possibly 100's of times on various forums, every time you get the same answers:

-I own them, never had a problem.
-I own them, removed the lock because they scare me.
-I'll never own them, because OMG-WTF-LOCK-MIM S&W guns are 100% garbage and everything old is perfection. (BTW, I'm currently selling a few PRE-LOCK S&W masterpieces on gunbroker for 4x the price of a new one.)
-My bother's, friend's, neighbor had his lock up on him...it was a disaster.

If any of mine ever cause me a problem, I'll be the first to spout off about it online. So far, nothing. Of everyone I know that has internally locked S&W revolvers...also, nothing. There's so much BS and misinformation out there that is is just so hard to tell. I know for a fact that not one time have I ever even put a key into any of my revolvers...so if one locks, it will be 100% on its own. Other's claims of it locking itself? It's impossible to tell if they're full of it or not.

I think there have been some first hand people posting it locked on them on this site and Smith and Wesson forum.  But you're right, me saying it is just like you say....  cousin's sisters brother type of a thing.  Wasn't there someone in this thread?  We at least have the youtube one. But I didn't even watch it.  LOL.

ETA:  Whiskerz above is a first hand account.

Another ETA:  That youtube vid did not prove it was actually the lock.  It just locked up.

Hasn't been a issue on my 586

I have a couple dozen Smith revolvers. While I prefer a pre lock gun, some models were not available before the lock.  Like the 460 and 500, the model 69, and the 329 to name a few.

I have never had a lock malfunction, and have never used the lock function. I have removed the lock and replaced it with “the plug” a couple of guns that I have carried as a CCW. All in all the lock just isn’t a big deal, and as John Taffin says “it ain’t going away” so get what you want and remove the lock if it bothers you.

I have a 629, 60 and 500 with "the lock". I don't use it, I would prefer it not to have it but after many, many rounds, none of them have ever "locked-up" on me. I suppose if it concerned me enough, I would go the remove and plug route.

If any S&W revolver was going to lock up on its own due to recoil, it would be the x-frame 500 models...and that I've seen, I've never read a single case where one did.

I shoot 2 625 revos in IDPA and a 627 in USPSA. All three have locks.
I have fired 10's of thousands of rounds among the three with the lock never "magically" engaging.

Lock up during shooting?  No.

I've sent two back due to issues that were most likely lock related.

22-4 - shooting factory loads, slowly but surely, the revolver stopped working.  Couldn't get the hammer back all the way.  Eventually got the cylinder to release and sent back to S&W, probably 2010 timeframe.  No definitive answer from S&W on what they did, but it's worked since.

More recently a 325TR - straight from the box.  Couldn't get the hammer any further than 2/3 cocked.  Saw a faint drag line on the cylinder, so it worked at some point.  Had the man at the LGS look at it, we played with the lock, no joy.  Damn thing wouldn't cock, DA was also a no-go.  Sent it back to the distributor before it was transferred and got another one.

The returned version has a wonky tension screw on the hammer spring that won't stay put.  Love the idea of the pistol, not overly impressed with what the PC put out in these two pistols.

The alloy frame Magnums, like the 329 or the J frame 357s are the ones I've heard about with lock issues.

My M625-8 "Jerry Miculek" Revo locked up on me shooting Buffalo Bore's .45Supers. The first two cylinders went great. I thought to myself this is going to be my new "Woods-Load" for my Wood's-Gun. It's very, very accurate, gets back on target quick enough, gives off little muzzle flash, and hits deeper than any .45acp can. But on the 3rd cylinder I believe it was, full of the .45Supers... the trigger got incrementally harder each successive pull in DA from the first fired chamber to the 3rd shot. So midway thru the 3rd cylinder I opened the cylinder, and removed the moon clip to inspect the 3 empties and compare the 3 live Supers to un-chambered ones to see if they have jumped crimp. The 3 live Supers were the same exact OAL as all the other unchambered "Buffalo Bore" .45Supers I had in the BB box. So I reload the 3 live with the 3 empties and finish that cylinder with each DA pull getting harder and harder trigger pull. By the 3rd shot of the next cylinder a gorilla would have to put some effort squeezing off a round. So, I unload, put the M625 in my range bag and my brother and me finish out our range session with "J" frames, 1911's and CZ's. We immediately get the M625 on the gun-bench once I get home. Before I go to take off the side-plate I decide to get the lock's key (that I've never used before), out from its box. I inserted the key and turned it counter clockwise a smidgen to the full unlocked position. I load up some A-Zoom Snap Caps in a TK Moon Clip and trigger instantly becomes butter smooth again in both DA and SA. Later watching a cell phone video my brother took of me shooting the M625 w/.45Supers... I noticed this Revo recoiled a lot sharper than I had initially realized when shooting said "BB" Supers. The fact this Revo had been to the range twice before this incident... shooting both .45ACP's and .45ACP+P's with zero problems along with the cell video led me to believe the Supers caused enough recoil to ever so slightly rotate that lock. But it rotated just a tad initiating/starting a partial engagement of the "Lock"; with it rotating to the "on" position more and more after each successive shot. I ordered a "Lock Delete" from Original Precision, installed it in about 45minutes; and never another problem with .45acp's +P's, .45Auto-Rims, or .45Supers. It's butter smooth to this day. I've since sold it to my little brother and gotten into short barrel Smiths in .44Magnum for my "Woods-Gun". My Brother uses it as his Woods Gun and also has carried/shot the same Buffalo Bore Supers I sold to him along with the gun. Not since the lock delete has this M625 had any sort of problems with the trigger/hammer nor bullets jumping seat. He reloads and has worked up his own version of "BB's" 255 grain .45Super that pushes both Super's and Auto-Rim cases past what Buffalo Bore does and still not a problem. Take this experience for what it's worth.... OP asked for first hand experience; and this was mine... The other auto locking reports I've heard of were all with short barreled .44magnums, and aluminum alloy framed Magnum calibers.

Pic of the M625 "JM"...

I had a 329pd that would self lock with heavy 44mag loads.

And not just once.

Not fully but just enough to bind it up. The little lock flag looked "half mast"

Ive had alot of other sizes from Xframe 460 snub to N to J. The 329pd was the only one.

My problem isn't with the lock itself but with the massive decline in quality that roughly coincided with the implementation of the lock. Mis-timed barrels and blast media that hasn't been cleaned out of the guns are but some of the modern features of s&w revolvers. On top of that, the actions just don't have the feel of the pre-frame mounted firing pin guns, the grips are cheesy garbage, and the finishes generally suck.

I cannot fathom the .01% benefit. I cannot fathom the .02% liability.

Therefore......no S&W lock guns for me.

I consider new S&W handguns as locks with a gun attached. Plain and simple.

I've owned at least a half dozen key-lock SWs over the years and put at least 10s of thousands through them in calibers from .38 to .500 and I have never had one lock up. That said, I am more than willing to pay extra to get one without the lock based on pure aesthetics.

But then you still have the MIM parts.
I'll never buy a new S&W. All of mine are old-school forged pre-lock.

No, I have not seen any in person. I have heard of 2 instances from people I trust. I think they are a abomination, myself. Your safety is between your ears. They look like shit as well. The only modern S&W I own is a 442 that came without the lock. I would not have bought it if the lock were present.

No defensive handgun that you are going to use to protect you and yours should have a lock on it. Period.

MIM parts are better.

I would prefer one without the lock and if I did buy one with it I would get disable with plug.  Same as I would do with a Marlin with a Crossbolt safety.

Just say no to locks.

I removed mine.

IIRC the reason some current production J frames are offered with no lock is because one of the very large police departments allows them as back up guns... but only if they are no lock models.  That sounds like a good enough reason for me to avoid anything with a lock.

3 of my 7 S&W revolvers have locks - a 437, .460XVR, and 617. Never seen them lock up. I don't worry about it since I don't carry any of those.