Front night sight is now invisible all of a sudden

[Kursac]

Ok my S&W E series is less than a month old and only has 50 rounds through it so far. Now the black scandium frameis delicate to the touch and scratches very easy and is anoing but I was willing to live with it. This morning I went to holst my 1911 at 4 am as I do everyday out of my bedside gun safe in the dark so not to bother my wife. I immediately noticed I could not see the front sight. This really annoys me because me because if I had to deal with an intruder in my with no ability to line up on the front sight in the dark since this is a feature that I am accustomed to with this firearm. Has this happened to anyone else? I will be sending this back to Smith & Wesson this week. Never the less I am irritated

[SkippySanchez]

You sure that's a Tritium sight? It looks painted to me. Tritium sights sit in a chrome-like setting. The rear sight looks dinged up, too. Did you buy this new?

[Kursac]

Yes I did buy it new and yes it does have night sights. The finish on this gun scratches so easy. Now it is a carry gun but it is brand new. I havn't even had time to run more than 50 rounds through it.

[Engineer]

That sucks to hear. It was probably a manufacturing defect that caused the vial to crack during your last range trip. For what it's worth, I had a SIG do the same thing to me - SIG sent me a call tag and a week or two later I had it back with a new night sight. My guess is that S&W will do the same for you.

[SkippySanchez]

Yes, I can see in your other pics that they are indeed Tritium sights. I had a S&W 1911 ES (not the same as yours) and the finish on the frame was also easily scratched. The slide was not finished in black so any scratches were not visible.

I had the whole gun Cerakoted because, 1, I don't like two-tone guns, and 2, I didn't like the laser printing and warning signs on the frame. I ended up trading the gun for a Colt Officer, but I did like the way the gun shot, carried and handled. It was a good gun, but the finish sucked.

[Kursac]

These are the scratches to start with, their are more but these are the worst. I was just going to live with it but since I'm sending it out I might as well have it fixed

[EazyE12]

I have the same scratches on my stainless. Lucky for me its not as apparent. I've noticed smith makes their firearms very "tight" fitting. I think you're just gonna have to deal with it.

[Bigmant]

Smith will definitely fix the sight for you. And yea while you're at it have them fix the bluing. Mine has the same problem, but I'm just too lazy to want to send it into smith JUST for that. I might do it eventually, but otherwise I'm just going to live with it.

[KRod877]

Bro Bring it Back To Smith & Wesson.. I had the same issue with the scratching and mines was a day old.. They took care of it Quick. It helps i live down the street from them.. I have a The Two Tone 4inch ES. That melonite finish is flakey and it does scratch very easy..

[Kursac]

Originally Posted by KRod877

Bro Bring it Back To Smith & Wesson.. I had the same issue with the scratching and mines was a day old.. They took care of it Quick. It helps i live down the street from them.. I have a The Two Tone 4inch ES. That melonite finish is flakey and it does scratch very easy..

I was thinking of taking a ride out there, I have made deliveries out to them years ago when I was still driving truck before I went into Managment. It's only about 1 1/2 hours from me. The scratches under the safety happened immediately after I purchased the gun. The one at the slides stop was there when I looked at it in the shop before I purchased it. I carry it in a crossbreed holster so I figure it is going to ware from the holster anyway but the sight going dark is another issue. I do like my stuff to look nice though and I am less than impressed with the finish.

My question is how has your finish held up since you has S&W fix it. I love the gun but I just would like the finish to hold up a little better. I am realistic and realize it is a tool and everyday carry but even tools don't have to look bad. That is the reason I buy quality equipment and not bargin items. I might just take a ride out ther today and drop it off.

[dakota1911]

Nice gun and they are rare down here in the SW. I would talk to S&W on this one.

[Kursac]

I talked to them this morning and just got back from dropping it off at S&W out in Springfield. I will probably get it back in about a week or so. They said the night sight was not an issue and they told me to wright up the scratches in the blueing and said they will see what they can do. The 1st rep I spoke with pretty much told me it was something that was very common with the tolerances and the finish on the blue guns & their wasn't much that can be done about it. I called back later to say I was going to just drop it off and the second rep said to write up anything you can think of including the scratches and they will see what they can do. So I dropped it off this afternoon and will have them Fed-ex it back to me when it's done. I'll let you know what happens and update it with pictures.

[Kursac]

By the way the sticker price on the gun case was $1179. I am pretty sure I got at least a good deal on it when I read what other people are paying for them. I really can't complain, it is a beutiful gun?

[KRod877]

Sounds Like a plan. DID you stop by the store to see they have every single 1911 in stock a very rare thing too see.. the finish has been holding up good so far so good..

[Kursac]

No I didn't get past the guard shack, I didn't know they had an onsight store. I didn't ask though either. Oh well I'm sure I'll be out their again. That's good to hear, I do hope the do something with the finish, I'm a little disappointed it fails so quickly but then the tolerance on all the parts are very tight too. I'll have to see hen I get it back. So far everyone I have delt with as been very friendly.

[Redhat]

Originally Posted by Kursac

No I didn't get past the guard shack, I didn't know they had an onsight store. I didn't ask though either. Oh well I'm sure I'll be out their again. That's good to hear, I do hope the do something with the finish, I'm a little disappointed it fails so quickly but then the tolerance on all the parts are very tight too. I'll have to see hen I get it back. So far everyone I have delt with as been very friendly.

Is the exterior finish not Melonite? I have an older 1911PD Commander and it has proven to have a pretty tough finish.

[Kursac]

Originally Posted by Redhat

Is the exterior finish not Melonite? I have an older 1911PD Commander and it has proven to have a pretty tough finish.

The finish is Black Meloniite. I have herd that it is tough as stone but have also herd and seen many examples of damage under the thumb safety & slide release. Both CS reps I spoke with said this was normal but I have a hard time with it being considered exceptable under quality control. I am interested and seeing what they do with it. I think ware is one thing but scratching and gouging through normal operation is not & should not be considered exceptable ware on a 30 day old gun.

[Redhat]

I agree that is unsat in my opinion. Mine does not exhibit any wear marks under the safety.

[BlueOvalBandit]

Just an FYI the frame isn't melonite. Melonite is a process for steels only, the frame is a scandium aluminum alloy, I imagine it is also just a bluing that offers no additional hardness.

[hogrider05]

Originally Posted by BlueOvalBandit

Just an FYI the frame isn't melonite. Melonite is a process for steels only, the frame is a scandium aluminum alloy, I imagine it is also just a bluing that offers no additional hardness.

According to S&W, they call the finish on the all black round butt, black melonite.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_Y

[BlueOvalBandit]

The slide is melonite, that is all, the frame is black anodizing, they say so themselves in your link.

[hogrider05]

So were does the "bluing" come into play?

[BlueOvalBandit]

What I call bluing on the frame is the black anodizing. All anodizing does besides change the color is create a thicker oxide layer. Aluminum always has a protective oxide layer that forms immediately when exposed to the atmosphere.

I call anything black on a gun blued regardless of the process, that's just me. Melonite itself isn't black but a dark gray that is then subjected to a coloring process, same with glocks tennifer finish, which is parkerized at the end for the color. That's why when the melonite or tennifer does wear you see a dark grey, its just the coloring wearing off revealing the true melonite finish.

[ClassicD]

my E-series had pretty bad scratches under the safety after only 2 weeks from purchase, I think ill just live with it for now but be sure to update us on whether they fix it or not. as for the the front site, after 200 rounds i could hardly see my front night site.. and then i thought to clean it off.. now i see it as clear as day. was just some powder build up on it. can of air duster and a q-tip fixed it.

[Kursac]

Originally Posted by ClassicD

my E-series had pretty bad scratches under the safety after only 2 weeks from purchase, I think ill just live with it for now but be sure to update us on whether they fix it or not. as for the the front site, after 200 rounds i could hardly see my front night site.. and then i thought to clean it off.. now i see it as clear as day. was just some powder build up on it. can of air duster and a q-tip fixed it.

I will keep this thread updated when I get it back, I found it frustrating that the finish failed on the frame. I hope they do fix the finish, if they do I will probably take the safety off and hone the back side if they don't do it at S&W.