S&w 686-4

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hAkron

hAkron

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Picked up my first S&W revolver today. It is a 686-4. No lock, and the hammer and trigger appear not to be MIM (they don't have that dirty black look like the new ones do). It was hanging out in one of the gun stores I frequent for the last couple of months, but it was missing it's rear sight. I labored over buying it and then trying to source a replacement site from Numrich. I priced a rear sight assmebly out for around $70. My plan was to see if I could haggle them down $100 off of what they were asking because of the missing part. I went in a few times to think about it and never made my move. Today I happened to be in the area and wondered in. To my delight, there she sat sporting a freshly installed sight. The price was the same as it had been before the sight was installed. I managed to easily get them down to LESS than what I had planned to offer + my cost to install the sight, so I went for it! I have not had a chance to shoot it, but I loaded some snap caps into it to test the trigger. WOW! I have heard people describe trigger that 'break like glass' but until now, I didn't really know what they were speaking of. The single action trigger is about 3.5" on my scale, but it has a solid and satisfying 'snap' to it that is truly amazing!

IMAGE_C801B2DC-6EB3-41B9-95C1-196776265958.jpg

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Hey...I'm happy for ya! Hope you love yours as much as I love mine.
Yeah...that trigger is something, huh?
My Dash 4 has case-colored hammer and trigger, though. I noticed it appears from your pics that yours don't have CC?
Mine also came with ugly rubber Hogues, but the first thing I did was dress her up in a pair of Ahrends Retro Target Stocks in Cocobolo.

Have fun when ya get her to the range!
 
When did they switch to the case colored hammer and trigger? I always assumed those were MIM parts, but that must not be the case. My SN is BRF2XXX, but I'm not sure yet when it was manufactured.
 
I just ordered a 686+ TALO and seeing these pics made me go look - the TALO has the dark trigger/hammer. Seeing the case colored combo makes me just a little jealous...
 
When did they switch to the case colored hammer and trigger? I always assumed those were MIM parts, but that must not be the case.
Click to expand...

My 6" 686-4 also has the case colored hammer/trigger and it is a 1994 production. They are definitely NOT MIM.
 
None of the Dash 4's have MIM parts.
As for the CC's...the previous owner may of had the hammer & trigger redone.
I have to go to bed now, but tomorrow I'll post more on this.
 
Nice gun. 20+ years ago, I carried around 2 big glossy pictured brochures for 6 months trying to decide between a 686 and the other maker's gun.
 
Nice find there! Looks great and it's got a nice trigger too. Maybe some work was done on the action but don't be surprised if it wasn't. My 686 no dash still has the best DA/SA out of the box trigger pull of any S&W revolver I have ever tried.
 
The screws on the side cover plate don't look marred on any way, nor do any of the other parts, so it is possible that if there was action work done, it was done carefully. The only wear I can see on it at all are a couple small bright spots, possibly from a holster, and a couple of small wear marks on the bottom of the grips where they come together. The inside of the barrel looks clean with no visible fouling. There is a small bit of carbon in the normal spots, the front of the cylinder, on the forcing cone, and a bit on the front and rear of the top strap. I would call this gun 90-95% if I was buying it, 98% if I was selling it :)
 
post in the DOB Revolver forum and Radagast will tell you when your gun was made.

He is a REALLY nice guy.

Enjoy your "new" toy
 
Congratulations: That is one fine revolver, I believe the 686 is the finest revolver ever made by Smith & Wesson followed closely by the Smith & Wesson Model 19. Beware those revolvers tend to multiply if used too much, you also got a good deal on it price. Soooooo to avoid any future problems with that 686 I will let you give it to me, so as to save you from all the problems such a revolver will bring you. Such as increased ammo costs, additional gun cleaning items, the cost of a good shining cloth and polish. A 686 will shine up very nicely.(Be careful a dazzling and blinding 686 becomes an addiction,,, so I heard) Enjoy

Westy39
 
here are my two S&W 686,s,a m 686-1 with a 6" barrel serial #awu7357 and a mod 686-3 with a 2.5" barrel serial #BDB6141 as they have been working guns i replaced the wood grips with paky,s. they have traveled may miles with me,never letting me down and have killed every thing from deer to skunks. and two finer handguns i do not own. eastbank.
 

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I believe the 686 is the finest revolver ever made by Smith & Wesson followed closely by the Smith & Wesson Model 19
Click to expand...

certainly not made to the standards of a Model 27 or an early 29. It was supposed to be a "working man's gun" that any officer or guard could afford. And it served that role exceptionally well until the Glock came along.

I think of the 686 as a Toyota Camry. Good. Dependable. Good value. Lots made.
 
I took the gun out to the range Saturday. The site needed considerable elevation adjustment, and I only had my pocket knife with me and no screw driver. I knew I was going to have to adjust it and I was annoyed at myself that I didn't bring a screw driver. Once I dialed it in though it shot very tight groups. I put 100 .38 special handloads through it, and a couple of .357 Magnum factory loads that I had left over from before I started reloading. It is a nice shooting gun.
 
Congrats! :)

The 686-4 was the last of the MIM free S&W 686s. Widely considered the best of the 686 line.

I have the 686-4 7-shot. A fine revolver. Enjoy yours! :)
 
I bought a M686-2 a few years back and I'm glad I did. It's just about the same revolver you have and I know they are great to shoot. you might want to switch out those grips for shooting a lot at the range, I know i did...
 
I do kinda hate the grips. They rub my finger funny when I cock the hammer. I would like to what everybody else is doing. Pictures would be great if anybody has them.
 
I like the old Uncle Mike's grips S&W was using before Butler Creek lost the rights to use the Craig Spegel design.

Pachmayr also makes good grips in several different configurations. You can choose short or long drips with or without an open back strap. Pachmayr Gripper-Grips are my current choice and they work well for me.
 
They rub my finger funny when I cock the hammer. I would like to what everybody else is doing. Pictures would be great if anybody has them.
Click to expand...

What is this "cocking" to which you refer? :confused: And why would you do that? :confused: ;) Experiment with your grip or with different grips maybe? Those S&W grips never worked for me, personally.

I'm another fan of Uncle Mike's (pic below), though I cut the bottom finger groove smooth to better fit my grip. Not as pretty as nice wood, but they work. Others have great things to say about Ahrends and Herrett's. Keith Brown grips are gorgeous, too.

Nice gun, btw. Congrats.



686pair.jpg
 
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