"New-to-me" 681... a plain Jane beauty (in pics)

[DHart]

I just found this one for a steal... well, almost. Cleaned her up with some Flitz on a cloth (man how I love stainless finishes!), dressed her up with some nice woods and here she is. Either the older builds had better actions or the years have treated her well, because the action on this gun is really smooth.

I bought this gun with plans to have the butt rounded and the 4" barrel replaced with a 3" 681 barrel. But the more I handle this gun, the more I recognize the perfection just as is. I've really entered a "fixed sights" mode these days. For a fighting gun, I think there's nothing better. I didn't used to think much of fixed sights, but now, I really love 'em! And it's strange, but for a 4" barrel L-frame, this gun really feels lean and nimble... and I guess it's just because of the fixed sights.

It may be Smith's "plain Jane Chevrolet" model, but it feels like a Cadillac to hold and shoot. It's a magnificent revolver indeed.

Smith & Wesson Model 681-1 .357 Magnum 4" barrel

 

[Steelharp]

Don... as always, magnificent photography... great gun. Did Smith ever make a 7 shot 681? That, I would love to have...

 

[farscott]

The Performance Center put out at least two versions of a seven-shot, three-inch barrelled M681. One version was satin stainless finished, quad Mag-Na-Ported, and came with the standard PC trigger overtravel stop.

 

[DHart]

Steelharp... thanks.

Farscott... yes, the Performance Center has a 3" non-ported (I'm told) barrel that they're holding for me... until I decide to put it on this 681 or not. Tough decision. I may go for it as a 3", round butt 681 would be a very fine and rugged fighting gun... basically a slightly beefier (and longer lasting) version of the venerable 65:

Smith & Wesson Model 65-5 .357 Magnum 3" barrel

 

[Tamara]

DHart,

Nice find!

Either the older builds had better actions or the years have treated her well, because the action on this gun is really smooth.

Me & Marko were looking at a 66-1 once. He was trying out the trigger...
Marko: "This is so smooth! They just don't make 'em like this anymore!"
Me: "Or maybe newer revolvers just haven't been dry-fired a bazillion times like thirty-year-old ones have..."

Anyhow, my "older build" 581, unfortunately, has a barrel and chamber that aren't even remotely coaxial. It keeps me from getting too nostalgic for the good ol' Bangor Punta days.

 

[scottauld]

Hiya Don.

Like the grips on your new one.

Scott

 

[grey9551]

Just got 681PC

DHart,

I just received today a model 681PC. Plus it was sent out to another Smith to have a new front sight and a Millett rear sight adjustable. The person I bought it from said it shot way low when it had fixed sights. I wanted the 681PC so I can shoot IDPA. My 4" 625-2 will be about 2oz's over weight for the new rules.

I am sorry if the adjustable sights seem to offend some.


Gary

 

[DHart]

Gary... looks like quite the custom! Beautiful.

 

[Gary A]

DHart - You are amassing an enviable collection of great looking fixed-sight .357s. And you take great pictures on top of that. Way to go! GA

 

[DHart]

It's a sickness... but my recent spree feels like it's beginning to cure me! ;-)=

 

[landon74]

Excellent pics! What sort of material are the grips on the 681? Are they Ebony or Micarta?

 

[pwrtool45]

*looks at pics posted by DHart*

*looks at pics posted by gray9551*



Apparently, I missed a meeting somewhere.

Glad I already got my 681.

 

[DHart]

landon... the grips on my 681 are Spegel smooth target grips, they are a hardwood, very dark, dark cherry brown, not black, might be ebony, but I'm really not sure. Possibly a dark cocobolo or dark rosewood. I am sure about how nice they feel though! ;-)=

 

[oldfella]

I'm not good at photography. Here is the other version of the 681PC:

 

[DHart]

Great gun OldFella... I really like that rendition of the gun... but of course we all have different preferences... my personal wish would be for a Smith & Wesson 581/681 with 3" barrel, fixed sights, no ports, round butt! I think that gun would ROCK... they would surely sell a couple to me! ;-)=

 

[P95Carry]

Don - beauty personified. Great - and keep it ''as is''. Lovely pics .. joy to behold.

 

[DHart]

Hey Chris... thanks for appreciating it. I think it's clean simplicity is it's great strength... no fru-fru! ;-)=

Here's another pic of it:

And as you suggest... I think I'm going to leave her just as she was intended to be. Now... to find another simple beauty to make into a sleek 3"er! ;-)=

 

[P95Carry]

Don - another wonderful pic .... know what? Much as I hate copying anyone .. sorta ''pic plagiarism'' ... I'm gonna have to play with your technique - makes mine seem real ordinary!

It really does capture the ''essence'' of the piece most admirably. Keep it up.

(BTW - any ''camera log'' notes would be of interest - ya know, light sources, white balance, exposure etc)

 

[Steelharp]

Don... you gotta stop this! I can't keep up with the wallpaper changes!

Man, I can hardly wait to get my hands on my 686+ Saturday; your pics are seriously increasing the drool factor here...

 

[DHart]

Chris... one of these days I will run out of cool guns to photograph! But not for a while yet. There are still about a dozen that I'd like to make pictures of, but haven't yet.

Remember, I've been earning a living with cameras and lights for a couple of decades! So I've got just a bit of extra knowledge and experience with this type of thing. Lighting on the pool table shots was just a floor lamp torchiere blasting the white ceiling above and to the left of the guns and a halogen desk lamp turned upward to blast the ceiling to the right... basically a very soft, bright light source, being the white ceiling.

Sometimes I'll use reflectors to throw highlights here and there as well.

Sometimes I'll use desk lamps just to the side of the guns.

Sometimes I'll use mirrors or flashlights to add highlights, etc.

Sometimes I'll use my computer screen to cast colors on the gun.

Sometimes I'll use open shade outdoors with reflectors.

I never do the same thing, I just constantly mix it up with different backgrounds, different settings, different lighting methods. It's been forever since I actually took a gun into my camera room and used "proper" photographic lighting equipment! (I'm too lazy to do that!)

About the only things that I always do are: camera on tripod with cable release, gray card used for accurate color balance, clean the guns REALLY well, pose the guns very carefully, expose very carefully to control highlights and shadows, and some levels adjustments in Photoshop and that's it. Usually I stop the lens down pretty much for good sharpness and depth of focus (f/8 to f/11), which tends to give me exposures ranging anywhere from 1/2 second to 1/15 second at iso 200.

STEELHARP... you're getting a 686+ on Saturday? Fantastic.... I'd love to have one of those puppies... I'm not there yet, though, as I'm trying to catch up on a few more of the somewhat "older" S&W models that I want to have before getting into the newer ones. It seems that the market for older beautiful Smiths is drying up just a bit... I suppose more people are collecting or holding on to them these days what with the internals locks and such going in the ones from the last few years. What barrel length and 686+ version are you getting? Please show us some pics when you get it. I really want one of those one of these days.

 

[DHart]

Grey9551... I don't think the modification to adjustable sights on the 681PC "offends" anyone. I think the reaction you've gotten here and on the S-W forum is based on the tendency for most people to value fixed sights on guns of that nature (close range defense/carry guns) and most people tend not to make such permanent modifications to "special edition" guns, so as to not devalue them. But this last factor is an economic decision. If retained value isn't important, it doesn't matter what you do to a gun, as long as you like the result.

Guns are very personal to each of us and what some folks may find all "wrong" is just the "cup of tea" for someone else. If you like the gun with the modifications you've done, that's all that matters! If others don't share your enthusiasm, it doesn't matter.

Be aware, though, that such changes to a special edition gun can make it very hard to resell and/or will devalue the gun. But if you keep it and love it, you're doin' just fine.

 

[Steelharp]

Don, it's a 4" 686-5 model; I was told that means no infernal (yes, I meant to use an "f" there) lock, but the firing pin is on the frame instead of the hammer. I haven't seen it personally yet; the deal was an interesting one. The gent that owned it lives in Tullahoma, and the gent buying my Glock lives there, as well. So, to make it easier for me to just meet one of them instead of try to arrange a three way meeting, my Glock buyer met with the Smith seller and bought the Smith for me. I'll be meeting him on Saturday in Nashville to hand him my Glock and get the Smith from him. Confused yet? I promise, I will take a couple pics of it and post them; they won't be as gorgeous as the pics you would be able to take, but I'll try my best to give ya a run for your money...

 

[DHart]

Mikey... cool! I'm looking forward to seeing it. Bet you won't miss the Glock...

 

[Steelharp]

Although the Glock is my daily carry, you're right; I won't miss it, because I've made a deal on a new 3rd gen, which is what I really wanted for carry. I like the finger grip feel, and I'm looking forward to having the rail option. I just think the Smith will be too heavy for carry on this ol' hip 'n' back... but I won't really know till I try it. I know I'm gonna love it as a house/range gun, though!

 

[MrMurphy]

You lucky dog.

I had a 581, some blueing wear, same size (4") with Monogrips.


I shot the security guard qual (easy) and everyone else was using Taurus Milleniums and cheapo 9mms cause it was all they afford.

I show up with a Smith, which the rangemaster appreciated...

"Commence firing"

pow pow pow pow pow BOOM!

pow pow pow pow pow BOOM!

"Rapid fire"

pow-pow-pow pow-pow-pow powpowpow BOOM-BOOM-BOOMBOOM!

It kind of intimidated the others. Especially when I shot a 94% (most of it Single action since there was no penalty) and everyone else, including the boss man himself, shot in the 50s to 70s.