I have been shopping for a 686 variant for quite some time now. Preferring a 6", but entertaining 4". Even had a eye open for a good GP-100. My search kept turning up over priced retail models in the $700 to $800 range plus tax. <<<< Not good imho. And the used 686's I came across were either abused or over priced. The pre-lock examples fell into the same category's. The last pre-lock I found in a local shop was a pretty 6" with wood stocks. No box, no papers. The grips where original to the pistol but they didn't fit worth a darn. And imho it was sloppy. And they wanted $600 for it plus tax. Naw,,,, aint going there.
Knowing that the wife was going to have her brand new Mod 60 Pro real soon and thus start shooting. I now HAD to have my own revolver.
I grabbed a few $100 bills and left out Sat. morning to find my revolver. Friday I purchased ammo for her pistol. Some basic cleaning supply's, hearing protection and such.
First stop was the last stop. A local dealer / pawn shop has had two 4" 686+'s and a standard 3" CS for quite some time. Prices were firm at $750 ea. OTD for all three pistols. Time to see if they were ready to deal. I knew for a fact they have had these pistols since first quarter of 09. They were getting display and handling worn. No way the pistols were ever going to sell for there asking price. Sue enough they were more than ready to deal. $200 off on all Smith & Wesson pistols. 
REMEMBER the pistols have a semi used look about them. Call it a scratch and dent sale if you will.
I picked the 686+ I wanted, did the stupid paper work, handed them the money and left with a new 686+ that needs a bit of detail work.
I brought it home and got a " WOW that was quick " from the wife. I set down to clean the pistol up and get it ready for it's first range visit. It had been factory test fired 3 times and the fired brass date that came with the pistol is 1-19-09, product #164194 with a S/N CLU9800. With no drag line.
I grabbed a box of Rem 130gr 38 spl, a box of Win 130gr 38 +p. Along with a box of Rem 125gr Mag, a box of Monarch 158gr Mag. Ready to go to the range at this point. I stopped set the range bag down and loaded up 50 rounds of H110, with mag priemers with 125gr XTP's. Max book loads,,, and grabbed my kevlar gloves just in case.
Off I went with a sinister grin on my face.
The pistol shot great! It can out shoot me period! Off hand I was good for 3" groups @ 25 yards and off a make shift rest 1.75" seemed to be the area it shot in. Since I got rear ended in July my shooting has been off. And this is only the second time I've shot since being rear ended by a idiot driver in a monster SUV in my Mazda 3.
The 38/+p shot like a B-B pistol with a pop. The retail Mag rounds had some recoil, but nothing bad at all. On par with my M&P .45 acp max loads. It was really buttery smooth in my book. The reloads had some pepper to them and lots of flavor. They made me as giddy as a school girl. I could not help myself! I'm not recoil sensitive nor do I have hand pain issues even though my hands are pretty beat up. I had a blast with the pistol!
With all the ammo I brought use up, it was time to go home.
Got home, cleaned it up then took some 2000 grit paper and Meguiars Swirl-X to it. Then sealed it up in Rejex. Finish is Ok for now.
Knowing that the wife was going to have her brand new Mod 60 Pro real soon and thus start shooting. I now HAD to have my own revolver.
I grabbed a few $100 bills and left out Sat. morning to find my revolver. Friday I purchased ammo for her pistol. Some basic cleaning supply's, hearing protection and such.
First stop was the last stop.
A local dealer / pawn shop has had two 4" 686+'s and a standard 3" CS for quite some time. Prices were firm at $750 ea. OTD for all three pistols. Time to see if they were ready to deal. I knew for a fact they have had these pistols since first quarter of 09. They were getting display and handling worn. No way the pistols were ever going to sell for there asking price. Sue enough they were more than ready to deal. $200 off on all Smith & Wesson pistols. REMEMBER the pistols have a semi used look about them. Call it a scratch and dent sale if you will.I picked the 686+ I wanted, did the stupid paper work, handed them the money and left with a new 686+ that needs a bit of detail work.
I brought it home and got a " WOW that was quick " from the wife. I set down to clean the pistol up and get it ready for it's first range visit. It had been factory test fired 3 times and the fired brass date that came with the pistol is 1-19-09, product #164194 with a S/N CLU9800. With no drag line.
I grabbed a box of Rem 130gr 38 spl, a box of Win 130gr 38 +p. Along with a box of Rem 125gr Mag, a box of Monarch 158gr Mag. Ready to go to the range at this point. I stopped set the range bag down and loaded up 50 rounds of H110, with mag priemers with 125gr XTP's. Max book loads,,, and grabbed my kevlar gloves just in case.
Off I went with a sinister grin on my face.The pistol shot great! It can out shoot me period! Off hand I was good for 3" groups @ 25 yards and off a make shift rest 1.75" seemed to be the area it shot in. Since I got rear ended in July my shooting has been off. And this is only the second time I've shot since being rear ended by a idiot driver in a monster SUV in my Mazda 3.
The 38/+p shot like a B-B pistol with a pop. The retail Mag rounds had some recoil, but nothing bad at all. On par with my M&P .45 acp max loads. It was really buttery smooth in my book. The reloads had some pepper to them and lots of flavor.
They made me as giddy as a school girl. I could not help myself! I'm not recoil sensitive nor do I have hand pain issues even though my hands are pretty beat up. I had a blast with the pistol! With all the ammo I brought use up, it was time to go home.
Got home, cleaned it up then took some 2000 grit paper and Meguiars Swirl-X to it. Then sealed it up in Rejex. Finish is Ok for now.
