Many years ago, in the early to mid 70s, I managed the largest gun shop in Sacramento. During that time S&W was having quite a bit of Quality Control problems. It was not unusual to get revolvers in with PURPLE bluing or cupped polishing as if someone had stood there and woolgathered while polishing, or badly streaked from horrid buffing, . . including buffing of the assembled guns across parts that caused distinct curvature of unions between the parts. One Model 29 .44 Magnum came in with a FINGERPRINT in the side plate! Another had the rolled address on the barrel almost completely buffed off. Fitting was terrible.
Good old Bangor Punta... The 50’s and 60’s saw some great guns come out of Smith, when it was run be Carl Hellstrom.