Old 686, what's it worth?

[caz223]

Was looking at a 686, not a 686-1, it just said 686 on the inside of the crane.
It has wood grips, a 2" barrel, I think it was a lew horton special.
It's old.
Fluted cylinder, best timing of any s&w I've held, a lot of obvious hand finishing, chamfering, no rough edges anywhere.
Firing pin on hammer, stainless steel hammer and trigger. (Not case hardned, might be flash chromed, I don't know.)
Adjustable sights.
Excellent condition.
Price tag, $425.00
Price includes a very old shoulder rig made entirely of leather.
It looks duty grade, and well worn.
Is it worth $425.00?
What do you guys think...

 

[JoeHatley]

686 (no dash) would date it to the 1st half of the 1980's. Lew Horton has had a couple of 2 1/2" versions made up.

$425, even with the holster is a little high. I'd be tempted to make a $350 offer, and not go higher than $375.

Unless I really wanted it...

Joe

 

[C.R.Sam]

I wouldn't go over $300.

If 686 with no dash number...look for a letter M stamped in adjacent to the serial number/model number. The M indicates that it has been back to the factory for some parts swapping and work.

If no M.....I wouldn't go over $200.

Patience...
And carry cash.

Sam

 

[caz223]

The only problem wiith waiting that I can see, it that this gun is the second gun I have seen with the full underlug, in .357, with the snub nose.
The bore looks a little dirty/pitted.
But I want one of these guns, and they just aren't very common.
I think the price is firm, because the gun shop owner knows the original owner of the gun, and they are friends.
Also, the gun has had several people looking at it yesterday, and the day before.
It has only been in the store two days.
It just won't be there next week.
The whole thing is, I would buy this gun new, but it wouldn't be made as well.
And it would be $550+.
Thanks for the info, guys.
I guess I'm gonna put it on layaway.
It about $100.00 high, right?

 

[Ala Dan]

Well, honest to goodness I believe my friend C.R. Sam
is right on target. A well worn relic may have some type
of collector value; but a well worn 686? Thats just
what it is- a well worn 686; and that would drop the
value tremendously! After all, Smith & Wesson is
still producing 686's.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[caz223]

The shoulder rig is well worn, the gun is minty, except for the bore, I'll have to clean it to make sure it's in excellent shape.
I'd say at worst, the bore is fair to good.
At best, very good.
Carried much, shot little.

 

[riverdog]

The bore looks a little dirty/pitted

Since you've made up your mind, what does it take to "pit" a stainless bore? Have the gunshop clean the bore so you can see what you're buying. If the pits are real, you've probably discovered why the gun is being unloaded.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Once more...
If that gun is truly a 686 with no dash number...
For LE or defensive purposes it should be fired with .38 Special ONLY untill it has been back to the factory for upgrades.

If it has been back to the factory for the upgrading it will have a M stamped over the model number.

No M.....not a defensive .357 Magnum.

Sam

 

[riverdog]

What upgrades? Sounds like a lockwork issue that should have been fixed early in design.

 

[psh]

Upgrade info for 686 (no dash) and 686-1

Smith and Wesson will still do the L-frame modification for free (including free shipping to and from the factory).

Without the modification, there is a possibility that the cylinders in the 686 and 686-1 models might bind with certain types of .357 magnum ammunition. All the later models from 686-2 on up are fine, and do not need this modification.

There was an earlier discussion here on the same topic:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=128933

Here's information on the models affected by the recall:

http://www.firearmsid.com/Recalls/FA_Recalls%205.htm

Here's a copy of the letter from S&W Customer Service on how to actually send it back:

********************

Dear S&W Customer:

We have received your email regarding the L frame modification program. We would ask that you check to see if you have a –2 or –3 after your model 581, 586, 681, or 686, or a little m stamped above the model number (which indicates the modification has been performed). If you do not have one of the items listed, then please follow the instructions below:

We would like you to forward your handgun with a letter asking for the L frame modification along with your return address (No P.O. Boxes) and your phone number. You may return the handgun to our facility by contacting FedEx at 800-463-3339 to request pick up at your location or take the parcel to a FedEx facility or Authorized Ship Center. When you complete the FedEx airbill, in Section 7 indicate "bill to recipient" and insert your return number as 2155-0874-9. The package must be shipped using FedEx Priority Overnight service. There will be no charge to you to return the handgun. Address the parcel and the FedEx airbill to:

Customer Service
2100 Roosevelt Avenue
Springfield, MA 01104

If you have any further questions, please feel free to give us a call at 800-331-0852.

Yours truly,


Kate Fredette
Customer Support

 

[caz223]

I'll have to do some checking, and might have the shop's owner send it to s&w for the upgrades.
I want to clean the barrel myself first, just to make sure it's ok.
I'm not paying asking price if he won't cooperate, or if the bore is pitted enough to be visable without using a borelight....
I didn't see a 'm' anywhere, but I will look harder now that I know what I'm looking for.
Let me just say now that I love this forum, and can't imagine what I'd do without all that knowlegeable people giving their .02 to help a brother out.

 

[caz223]

I examined it today.
The bore is immaculate.
I mean perfect.
The whole gun really is in perfect shape.
It has no marking resembling a M on, over, or by the model number.

 

[riverdog]

I checked and the Model 586 no dash # I'll soon pick up does have the "M". Have them send it to S&W for the "M" upgrade.

 

[MeekAndMild]

caz223,
FYI, Over the last dozen years I've seen three stainless pistol barrels which had small, nearly un-noticable fractures on the leading edges of the lands. One was a S&W 686 in a condition similar to the one you describe, one was a S&W .45 (I don't recall the model number) and one was a Kimber .45.

I've not ever found the cause of them and have never found anyone who was knowledgable about them but presume the Kimber was a manufacturing defect as it was new. Both S&Ws were old though and their problems could have been due to use failure or a previously unnoticed manufacturing defect.

With this in mind you might want to get a good bore light and a good magnifying glass and see what you see.

 

[caz223]

Did they go through, or were they visible only from the inside?
Were they visible if you looked at the crown of the gun with a magnifying glass?
This gun has prolly been shot less than a dozen times, and prolly most of those were .38 specials.

 

[LightningLink]

At the risk of sounding like a moron, how does one tell if they have an "L-frame" 686? Are there different frame types for the 686?

I too have a S&W 686 (no dash) model, but I thought it was a K frame (has a squared butt). I seem to remember that this was what I went by when I bought a Hogue grip for it. But, I must admit that I don't know diddly about frame types. I suppose it's possible the grip I bought said "for K and L frames".

I checked and there is no M stamped anywhere near the serial or model number. There is, however, a largish S stamped in the vicinity of the model/serial #.

So, I guess my question is: is my 686 an L-frame? And if so, then this would suggest that I need to get it back to S&W for this update? I only use this pistol at the range shooting both .38 spl and .357 mag, but I don't like the idea that it might have a potential problem.

Thanks,
LL

 

[Brian Williams]

The S&W K and L frames are the same grip size. The 586 and 686 are L frames. The 66, 13, 19, 14, 65, 64 and others are all k frames, I would check with S&W if yours need the upgrade.

 

[7th Fleet]

A couple of years back I bought a cherry 2.5" 686-3 from a local Pawn Shop for $200.00. Mine has finger grooved walnut grips and it looked like a new gun when I bought it.


7th

 

[caz223]

Two hundred bucks???
I wish.
Smiths around here seem to be a little more money.
Either that, or I'm looking in the wrong places...

 

[mcrog]

586/686

I looked over a 586 today at a local gunshow and was set on going back tomarrow and buying it. With this new info I will defenitly look for the "M" before I buy.
Its hard to beat a smith. What a wealth of information tfl is.