Just picked this up on Monday, S&W 686. $375 used. I've been looking for one and haven't seen anything under $500. This one is in good shape so I grabbed it. Picture isn't the best...

 

Very Nice!! Good luck with it!!

Sweet looking deal and gun, congrats.

Great gun and great deal. Enjoy

Nice ! Good luck with it !

Pre-lock 686 for under $500. Great find!

sweet..............

Very nice.

Nice pick up! Get out and start practicing....6 rounds, gotta make em count!

Nice find! Love 4" wheel guns myself.

Very nice and a darn good price to boot..

Excellent choice. Great deal. Enjoy!

 

ETA: This appears to be a 686 (no dash). Check and see if it has the "M" stamp indicating it has been back to the factory for the firing pin bushing recall.

PB. I'm still new to SW revolvers. Do you mind sharing how you can tell this is a no-dash by just looking at the pic?

 

I got a 586 no-dash recently without the "M" stamp. It's in prestine condition so in your opinion is it a good idea to send it to the factory to have the recall work done?

 

thanks!

 

Excellent choice. Great deal. Enjoy!

 

ETA: This appears to be a 686 (no dash). Check and see if it has the "M" stamp indicating it has been back to the factory for the firing pin bushing recall.

Nice score!

Excellent choice. Great deal. Enjoy!

 

ETA: This appears to be a 686 (no dash). Check and see if it has the "M" stamp indicating it has been back to the factory for the firing pin bushing recall.

Thanks! Where would the dash M be located? The model # which is on the inside of the frame when you open the cylinder has a -4 on the end of it, I assumed for 4" barrel. Above that is what I believe is the serial # [i haven't taken the grip off so as far as I know those are the only stamps].

 

PB. I'm still new to SW revolvers.

Same here, first wheel gun.

autox:

 

On the stainless guns the no-dash 686 had a stainless front sight. S&W realized that it was hard to see so switch to a black front sight. I believe that the change occurred concurrent with the -1 (dash one) guns, but it isn't listed as an engineering change.

 

The firing pin bushing recall was on both the 585/686 and 586-1/686-1 guns. The hole in the bushing (in the recoil shield) was too large and on very hot loads the primer could flow back into the hole and tie-up the cylinder. Guns that had the bushing changed should be designated: 586M or 586-1M / 686M or 686-1M.

 

Up to you whether to have it done at this point. If the gun was mint ANIB condition with all papers, tools and box, then an unmodified version may be of some additional value to collectors. If it is a shooter, then impact on collectible value would be nil. In the overall scheme of things S&W, L-frames were the new kid on the block until the X-frames, so they would really have to be unique - as in a low production variation - or pristine to be of any interest to collectors.

 

I also have a feeling - and that is all this is, I have no empirical evidence - that today's .357 factory loads are not as hot as they were in the 1980/1981 time frame, so primer flow is probably much less likely to happen. If you are a handloader, and like the monster loads, then it would probably be a good idea to have the recall done. I imagine that S&W would send a call tag. Just beware, when I had a gun come back from a recall check, they shipped with no prior notification and no signature required - found it on my porch when I came home from work.

 

Enjoy your revolvers guys.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

The model # which is on the inside of the frame when you open the cylinder has a -4 on the end of it, I assumed for 4" barrel.

 

My mistake - either the contrast in your picture makes the front sight appear silver or the finish on the sight is worn. The -4 is not barrel length, it is the engineering change. S&W revolvers go through an evolutionary process with each engineering change designated by a progressively higher dash number. Your gun would not be subject to the FP bushing recall. The -4 change occurred in 1993 and involved a rear sight leaf and extractor change, the introduction of Hogue grips and drilling and tapping the frame - not sure what the last one entailed, but it may be on this change that they drilled the top strap to make it easier to mount optical sights (but I thought that occurred later than 1993). Open the cylinder and look at the underside of the top strap and see if there is a hole there that would be covered by the rear sight when viewing from the top.

 

HTH

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

What an excellent deal! Congrats. I'd definitely have scooped that up at that price.

My mistake - either the contrast in your picture makes the front sight appear silver or the finish on the sight is worn. The -4 is not barrel length, it is the engineering change. S&W revolvers go through an evolutionary process with each engineering change designated by a progressively higher dash number. Your gun would not be subject to the FP bushing recall. The -4 change occurred in 1993 and involved a rear sight leaf and extractor change, the introduction of Hogue grips and drilling and tapping the frame - not sure what the last one entailed, but it may be on this change that they drilled the top strap to make it easier to mount optical sights (but I thought that occurred later than 1993). Open the cylinder and look at the underside of the top strap and see if there is a hole there that would be covered by the rear sight when viewing from the top.

 

HTH

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

Great information, thank you!

Might I ask where? $375 is a great price.

Bullethole! It was on consignment. I've been looking for one for a while, didn't want to spend $900 on a new one. Just missed Wolfy's SSR sale a week ago but just happened to ask while I was shooting on Sunday. Lucked out.

dam that was a fantastic deal! very nice....