Price Check on S&W 686???

[Fastball]

Hey gang, I've been prowling for a small carry revolver and came acrossed a used S&W 686.

I've been informed it was sent back to Smith and had an action job done, the barrel was ported and had a fiber optic front sight installed. All factory work.

It is a 2.5in barrel, SS, 6 shot that looks really fine!

He's asking around $500. Not familiar with Smiths at all, so was wondering if any gurus could tell me,...good deal?

Thanks!!

[Mity2]

I think 2.5" 686 is hard to come by. Most I see are 6", 4", and 3".
With factory porting and FO sight?
Specialy if its pre-Lock model, I'd gradly snach it for $500.

I paid $475 for mid 90's 4", 6 shots with no factory porting. Great weapon. Its my bedside/hiking gun


Word of advice tho. No matter how nice it may seem, be sure to remove the grip panel(Specialy if equipped with Hogue monogrip!) to inspect underside for rust.


Both of my 686's - my old 6" and current 4" had rust there...

Also, another issue I have noticed with 2.5" 686 is that their ejector rod isn't long enough to actualy eject spent case from cylinder. It only come out 3/4 of way or so. So I think if you looking to perform fast reload, its bit dificult.

With that being said, Pre-Lock 686 with 2.5" barrel with 7shot cylinder with facotry porting would be like a dream carry gun for hiking IMO

[Grillman]

I think that's a great deal for a 686 with factory work done to it.I have a
686+P with a 2 1/2'' bought it new 600.00. Like i said great gun you will
like it.

[drphil1057]

+1 on the Smith! 2 thoughts... If you want to spend a few more dead presidents, you can have it cut for full moon clips. The reloading time is cut by more than half, and the rounds are always together. Both of my 686s are done that way (a 6 shot 4" house gun with a laser grip, and a 7 shot comp gun with a mini red dot). Check out "T.C. moonclips" on the web. The other thought is, when you fire that ported gun, you will know why they are called "blasters"! Great gun. Lots of noise,blast, pure havoc! Gotta love it! Years ago, I fired the first "hybid" from Jack Weigand. A 2 1/2" Ruger SP101 ported along the top rib. No muzzle filp, lots of recoil to the palm, dead on target. But, don't forget the (double) ear protection!

[Fastball]

Not really into spending any more money.

Actually this Smith is more than I was looking to spend, but it seemed to me like a decent deal for the extra work that was done to it.

Thanks to all that have responded! Now to make up my mind.

[Fastball]

Well I guess it wasn't meant to me. She found a new home and it wasn't with me. Those adj. sights are what made me so hesitant. I don't think they belong on a SD piece, but that's just me.

Something does puzzle me now that have gone back and reflected a bit. How the heck does a SS revolver get rust on it???

I have quite a few SS pistols and 2 of them for 20+yrs and carrying all the time,.... no rust. What's up with it on the S&W??

Are they known for this like a certain make car??

Just curious.

[JoeyBones]

"Stainless" does not equate to "stain-free."

Stainless steel comes in various grades/alloys, and most of them can and will rust if moisture is allowed to dwell long enough.

For instance, S&W M&P pistols have a stainless steel slide that is then treated w/ Melonite - And yet you can find reports of those slides rusting despite their combination of a stainless steel substrate and the application of what is usually a pretty corrosion-resistant treatment (Melonite).

Regards,

Bones

[Fastball]

Stainless steel comes in various grades/alloys, and most of them can and will rust if moisture is allowed to dwell long enough.

The impurities/alloys in with the metal makes sense now that I think about it. Personally, I guess I expected more on such a high end revolver manufacturer as S&W.

As mentioned above, after many, many years of carrying my SS Colt Officer's model IWB, thru hot summers here in PA, no such pitting on her. Even under the grips. Maybe some crude, but some cleaner and a SS brush,.....all good again.

Of course I'm a bit anal on cleaning/lubing mine, too.

[Steve_NEPhila]

Also, another issue I have noticed with 2.5" 686 is that their ejector rod isn't long enough to actualy eject spent case from cylinder. It only come out 3/4 of way or so. So I think if you looking to perform fast reload, its bit dificult.

Proper reloading technique will remove the above problem. Here is the right way to do a revolver reload:



Note, in the above video the ejector rod of the 325 TR revolver Clint is using is very short. Speed and gravity are necessary to insure positive ejection of the spent casings.

As for the 686, it sounds like a pretty reasonable deal.

[Fastball]

As for the 686, it sounds like a pretty reasonable deal.

It was for someone. Just wasn't meant to be for me.

Clint's the best!