The 686

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I am thinking about buying a 686+ 6" 7shot. The guy is asking $625 with a box of ammo and 1 speed loader. He said it has 27 rds through it. Is this a fair deal? I really love the look and feel of the 686.
 
Sig
That would be about average price for the 6 inch.

I just got my 686 about 6 months ago. Smoothest revolver I ever shot. I love the 357 magnun round fired from that gun. Makes you go ummmmmm.
 
I have an 4" 686+, a 686 SSR and a 3" 686 Deluxe TALO exclusive. Used to have a 6" 686+ but used it in a trade for 4" M27-3.
 
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My new 686+ 4"

I did a full trigger job on it, stoned/tuned and springs. Shimmed the trigger and hammer. Bead blasted the trigger and hammer to match the cylinder release. Lapped and put a very slight polish to the bore and made the rest of the pistol very Bright. :)

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been thinkin about gettin a 686 for a while now. might take the plunge when i get the tax return. its between the 686 and a 1911. i had a nice 1911 and sold it about 10 years ago. been wanting another one, but like alot of you, i have a thing for revolvers. would like to get both but cant. i also need a new furnace. every time i think i have my mind set on the .45, i come back to the 686. maybee a 625 would solve my dilema.
 
Well, let's try THIS...three 686 "Pluses", all in NON-Standard Barrel Lengths...a Three-incher, a Five-incher and a Seven-incher...The Seven-inch gun is a "Dash Five", made PRIOR TO the current "Talo" series--the Talo's are all "Dash Sixes", and have "the Lock"--the seven-inch "Dash Five" is particularly UNCOMMON...depending on who you believe, there were anywhere from 67 to around 300 made!!!...

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...hope you ENJOY....mikey357
 
Round vs Square butt grips

A year or so ago I had the opportunity to shoot a 2" 7rnd 686 with the round butt. It fit me like is was custom molded right into my hand. The first time I squeezed the trigger I knew I'd have to get one some day. I've also shot and/or handled several with the square butts, which I detested.

I see photos of 686's of both square and round. My question is, are the frames different or is it just the grips? Can you just swap the grips? For some reason I'm thinking that the frames are different.

Also, I have an opportunity to get a 4" 68-1 from a friend for an ok price, but I've balked because it has the square butt.
 
The standard S&W revolver comes with a round butt today. For most of the 20th century, they came with square butts, but many people wanted round butts, so they started making them all that way. Reason is, you can put grips on a round but to make it square, but you can't go the other way without major surgery on the grip frame. So, if you buy a new/newish one, it'll have the round butt.

The no-dash 586 I'm currently drooling over (and waiting impatiently for my tax refund to show up) has a square butt, due to its manufacturing date.
 
I just threw some Ahrends Cocobolo grips on my 686P, and its looking fantastic. They feel 10 times better than the standard Hogue grips (which I thought were also great by the way). They're a little beefier and give a bit better purchase on palm swell and finger grooves.

Here it is:

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Can I join? Yesterday's acquisition:
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Now a holster and maybe even a Hunter cartridge belt while meandering around the ranch? Yeah baby...
 
Not all 686+'s have full lugs...

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Not a fan of full lugs, when this one became available as the '04 'Stocking Dealer Exclusive', equipped as shown new - with the HiViz front and V-notch rear sight, Ahrends cocobolo square conversion grip, and partial lug - I jumped on it. Oddly, it was $10 less than the 4" 686+ on the same shelf! It was $489 + s/t then.... the good old days!

Yeah, I've shown it before... just thought other 'short lug-ites' might need something to look for in the 686 family.

Stainz
 
Lovely. I might be able to overlook that hole in the side for a half lug 6" 686. :)
 
Nice. It looks like mine. I love mine.

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Don't have a pic of it ready but I got my 686 in 1985 and it is one of the best .357s Ive ever handled. I used it to take a number of deer over the years and it's accurate with .38wc, too.
 
I see photos of 686's of both square and round. My question is, are the frames different or is it just the grips? Can you just swap the grips? For some reason I'm thinking that the frames are different.

The first RB 686's came out in 1984 I believe. The only difference is the bottom of the grip frame being rounded. If you don't mind the weight the 2.5" RB makes a very nice carry piece.
 
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