Does this amount of play look normal for a 627?

[Shadowrider]

Do you guys understand that QC on the Performance Center revolvers is actually much worse than the standard production line stuff? They have almost nobody left at the factory that knows how to do any real fitting work. (The regular production guns are now designed to be assembled with virtually no hand-fitting.)

As many have said in the past, you have to look at them as raw material.

Don't know if the PC stuff is anything different other than a feature set really, but your overall assessment is spot on in my opinion.

I'm under the impression that they don't have ANY of the "old school" hands still on staff. You know, the ones that used to be trade craftsman when everything in the action needed to be hand fitted and checked individually? I'm sure most all of them are retired by now anyway, but one would think that they would have a couple that were at least trained by the old ones or at least were capable 'smiths. After all they still service their older guns that were made that way. But I really think they just have "parts changers" these days.

This is a byproduct to the MIM process and to a lesser extent their CNC machining. In the size envelope of these hammers, triggers, etc., the MIM process when done properly is completely capable and can hold well south of .001" tolerance from part to part. The problems I'm seeing like the one depicted in this thread are actual machining issues, and a marked lack of post machining processes like deburring and a general lack of attention to detail such as Bountyhunter has shown. It's just sad really. In case you can't tell I come from a long line of machinists from myself back to my great grandfather. German no less, can you tell?

It's also not just S&W. Ruger has had the barrel clocking issue for instance, just as long, if not longer. That is one thing that still has to be fitted, even CNC won't machine to tolerances like that consistently from part to part. At least not a machining process that cuts the metal. But then again Ruger has always been had a "working man's" business model just using good steels. And lots of it!