That ratchet is a real POS and I would of been disappointed if all the defects were not disclosed.
I don't understand why anyone would think Snap On should warranty it and give you a new one if the head is floppy because usually all you have to do is tighten the screw and your good to go, the old washer can also be bent a little to provide the necessary friction.
But since you said the washer is missing , the kit you ordered should take care of it.
With the old ones where it was just a pin ,sure there your stuck once there really worn out ,but these ,no problem.
There is no copper layer ,it bare metal , then nickel, then chrome.
The nickel will have a yellowish tint.
It looks like someone sanded all the chrome off it as the darker areas are the bare metal.
It should have a lock button and the locking pin to engage the grooves on the flex head.
That is bizarre that there is no lock button, it does look like the hole for it was filled in with something.
The hole in the top of the handle just below the flex joint is for the locking pin .
Someone has obviously removed the locking assembly from this ratchet.
Why they would do that ...who knows ...but yes it would of been covered under warranty.
Altering the tool generally voids the warranty.
I just don't understand why anyone would take so much time into doing something like this. Wouldn't a broken lock be something that would be warrant-able?