1984 S&W 686 (no dash)

[357smallbore]

This gun is what I believe to be the best 357 magnum ever. Sweet action , crisp and smooth trigger, and more accurate than I'll ever be. Reliability is an understatement. A 4in beauty it is. Been with me a very, very long time. One day my boy will get, along with my other guns. I reload and shoot 98% mild 357 loads through it. But I have a batch of thunder blasters I occasionally shoot through it.
I have a GP, original King Cobra and other modern 357's. Just none as good as this ole S&W.
When they came out with this model, they set the bar high.

 

[shoebox1.1]

I love mine. Yours is pretty

 

[Charlie98]

That was a very, very good pistol.

I had a 4" 686 no-dash just like that one... it was a retired Westerville (Ohio) PD pistol I bought for a stupid price... $239 or thereabouts... many years ago. Mine had been well taken care of, and I'm convinced he'd done, or had someone, work on the trigger... it was that good.

I traded mine off for a pistol that I thought I really wanted, but it turned out to be a dud... I wish I had it back.

 

[Riomouse911]

Nice! Love the 686, I agree that it is one of the finest revolvers ever made.

Mine is a 686+. I bought it and used it as a duty gun for several months when recovering from a thumb injury back around 2005. I got lots of comments from folks who appreciated seeing a sergeant toting a revolver in a swivel holster.



(I had it head blasted several years ago to cover up numerous scratches it got riding on my hip.)

I also have a 4” GP-100. To me the 686 is more refined revolver, with a nicer look and better DA-SA trigger pull. Plus the 686 is more accurate in my hands, which is the best thing of all.



Your son will be a lucky man someday when you give up shooting and hand it down to him. (Let’s all hope that’s a long time in the future! )

Stay safe.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

My very first handgun was a 681- they only came in fixed sights with a 4" barrel. Had to sell it because the kids were hungry.
Got a 6" 686 no dash now and it'll be my last handgun when they dump me in the dirt.

 

[gilgsn]

Very nice!
Mine is blued, 586 no-dash. No issues shooting stout loads of 158gr.
Interestingly, it's a tad heavier than my Blackhawk.

Gil.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Mine is a 686-4 and I think it has been tuned a little bit. It has the best DA trigger of all my revolvers. I just wish it had the wood grips on it like the OP's. Maybe someday.

 

[MrBorland]

Congrats on your 686. I'm a fan of them myself...

 

[bannockburn]

357smallbore
Hey smallbore something looks mighty familiar about that Model 686-no dash...kind of looks a lot like mine!

 

[Mark_Mark]

Nice! Love the 686, I agree that it is one of the finest revolvers ever made.

Mine is a 686+. I bought it and used it as a duty gun for several months when recovering from a thumb injury back around 2005. I got lots of comments from folks who appreciated seeing a sergeant toting a revolver in a swivel holster.

View attachment 1177882

(I had it head blasted several years ago to cover up numerous scratches it got riding on my hip.)

I also have a 4” GP-100. To me the 686 is more refined revolver, with a nicer look and better DA-SA trigger pull. Plus the 686 is more accurate in my hands, which is the best thing of all.

View attachment 1177884

Your son will be a lucky man someday when you give up shooting and hand it down to him. (Let’s all hope that’s a long time in the future! )

Stay safe.

686 that good???

my Canadian PD bring back GP100 is BOMB

my New GP100 MC needs lighting springs and 500-800 dry fires!

I need a 686 no-lock!

 

[fastbolt]

Nice early production 686.

I carried one just like it when we started issuing them in '84. I had to turn in the first one so the FP nose and bushing retrofit could be done (by the armorer), and carried a replacement 686 that had already had the modification. I carried that one for a while before having to turn it in on the then-new 9mm hi-cap duty weapons. I still kick myself for having passed on the opportunity to buy it for $235, as it was a sweet revolver. I'd only fired approx 3500rds of Magnum, and some assorted +P, through it by the time I turned it in.

 

[Riomouse911]

686 that good???

my Canadian PD bring back GP100 is BOMB

my New GP100 MC needs lighting springs and 500-800 dry fires!

I need a 686 no-lock!

I think so. Feel and balance are really nice, plus the trigger (to me, anyway) isn’t stacky like all of my Ruger DA triggers are. (I can compare to my SRH, RH, 2 GP-100’s and 2 SP-101’s) It’s a straight, even pull all the way through the trigger stroke.

A nice 586 (blued) or 686 is a real gem, if you get one I think you will see the difference.

Stay safe.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I think so. Feel and balance are really nice, plus the trigger (to me, anyway) isn’t stacky like all of my Ruger DA triggers are. (I can compare to my SRH, RH, 2 GP-100’s and 2 SP-101’s) It’s a straight, even pull all the way through the trigger stroke.

A nice 586 (blued) or 686 is a real gem, if you get one I think you will see the difference.

Stay safe.

thanks! need to try out a few, I’ve been a big fan of used revolver for shooting. They are broken in and ready. Especially service revolvers that have been service by the armors. I actually don’t own any modern Smith except for a 460V 5”

 

[J-Bar]

I'm in. My 1984 686 no dash with his nephew, a 3" Model 60 from the 90s.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I think so. Feel and balance are really nice, plus the trigger (to me, anyway) isn’t stacky like all of my Ruger DA triggers are. (I can compare to my SRH, RH, 2 GP-100’s and 2 SP-101’s) It’s a straight, even pull all the way through the trigger stroke.

A nice 586 (blued) or 686 is a real gem, if you get one I think you will see the difference.

Stay safe.

Just handled (3) used 687+ 7-shot, and they are smooth like old Smiths!

they have a 3”($750) 4”($699) 6”($799) !

If I was not on a Gun 12-step program!!!!

 

[Riomouse911]

Just handled (3) used 687+ 7-shot, and they are smooth like old Smiths!

they have a 3”($750) 4”($699) 6”($799) !

If I was not on a Gun 12-step program!!!!

Oh please! You didn’t buy all three?!?!

The 586/686 series are ones you will like once you pull the trigger on one.



Stay safe.

 

[StrawHat]

Good thing there is all this love and fanboy worship for the stepchild of the S&W lineup. I had a 4”, Model 686-1 and a 6”, Model 686. Used them both for competition. When I left the competitive world, I sold both. If I am going to carry that much weight, I want a larger caliber.

I did carry the 4” on dusty for about two weeks before I stripped that holster of my belt and went back to the issued K frame.

Glad others like it, just not the revolver for me.

Kevin

 

[Mark_Mark]

Oh please! You didn’t buy all three?!?!

The 586/686 series are ones you will like once you pull the trigger on one.



Stay safe.

NO! I’m on a Gun Diet! Just buying $60/1000 primers

That’s just what they were selling used 7 shots for. Tell you what! they were smooth!

 

[halfmoonclip]

NO! I’m on a Gun Diet! Just buying $60/1000 primers

That's my story. Just coughed up 1k @$74, though they are Feds.
Yeah, I'm cleaned out as well, a LNIB 67 followed me, and the '92 is at the 'smith to become a 16"
Had both a 4" & 6" 686, no dash, and really wish I'd kept the 4" at least.
A little like Straw Hat, been on a jag with older K-frames for their lighter weight (an L on your hip would get tiresome). The classic cop gun, a pencil barrel K, would ride easier.
Moon

 

[Mark_Mark]

That's my story. Just coughed up 1k @$74, though they are Feds.
Yeah, I'm cleaned out as well, a LNIB 67 followed me, and the '92 is at the 'smith to become a 16"
Had both a 4" & 6" 686, no dash, and really wish I'd kept the 4" at least.
A little like Straw Hat, been on a jag with older K-frames for their lighter weight (an L on your hip would get tiresome). The classic cop gun, a pencil barrel K, would ride easier.
Moon

Love a Nice 19 snub!

But the used 686 was smooth as silk! but like you… who knows when primers will be back like this. I remember countless & fruitless primer safari’s over the last 3 years. Won’t be caught primer-less again

 

[Jonesy814]

I am a big fan of the 686. I bought this no dash, used about 10 years ago


That just made me want more. Next was this 2.5”, 686-6


A year or two later the LGS had a 1 day, cash only, 20% off all used handguns sale. I had been looking at a used 3 inch 686-6 they had about a week earlier. I called the afternoon before the sale day and asked if they still had it. They did. I was there 5 minutes after opening time and got it for $480. While filling out paperwork someone else called inquiring about the gun.


A year later my buddy decided to sell his 6 inch no dash and offered it to me at the friend price. What’s a guy to do with that kind of offer?


I’m currently in treatment but a 5” SSR for the right price would probably knock me off the wagon.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I’m currently in treatment but a 5” SSR for the right price would probably knock me off the wagon.

Admitting we are powerless is the 1st Step. Me… I’m not a Quitter! lol

 

[MrBorland]

a 5” SSR for the right price would probably knock me off the wagon

They made a 5" SSR?

AFAIK, "SSR" stands for Stock Service Revolver, presumably for use in IDPA's SSR Division. But IDPA limits barrel length to 4.2", so it'd be ironic if a 5" were offered.

 

[Jonesy814]

They made a 5" SSR?

AFAIK, "SSR" stands for Stock Service Revolver, presumably for use in IDPA's SSR Division. But IDPA limits barrel length to 4.2", so it'd be ironic if a 5" were offered.

Saw one on Gun Broker a while back, but maybe it was some other Pro Series 686 that the seller misidentified

 

[Riomouse911]

There was a 3-5-7 series of 686+ revolvers that had unfluted cylinders and grips specifically to that series. Naturally, they came in 3”, 5” and 7” barrel lengths.

I shoulda bought a 5” when they were around locally..

Stay safe.