I recently started my S-W revolver collecting with a nice 4" 28. I had been a S-W semi-auto collector before that and decided I needed some wheel guns. (Now I'm hooked, of course) Anyways, today I added number 2 to the collection. A never fired 686 4" w-the black finish. I have read the finish isn't very durable, but that's fine. I don't intend on carrying it much. Why didn't I just look around for a blued 586? I don't know, good question maybe. I stumbled on this one locally, figured it's something a little different, and bought it. Any comments, positive or negative appreciated. (That's not discoloration on the bbl/underlug, its a shadow.)

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Let go...Let Gun

Very nice! I'm a little biased though. The 686 is my favorite.

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Happiness is a warm 686

Congrats on the purchase! Looks very nice. I'm a big 686 fan as well.

Thanks for the replies and thank you budman for your LEO/military service. I'm really curious about this finish. From what little I could dig up here on the forum it is considered extremely inferior to standard blueing. There were a few posts that made it sound like a stout breeze would just blow the finish off. I hope not, I guess I'll find out. It would be a bummer to find out these "black" 686's were just gimmicks. According to the SCSW they only made around 2k of the 4" black 686 so therefore it was a little pricey compared to a blued 586, but like I said earlier, it's something different and I think the finish looks cool. I can't wait to fire it.

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Let go...Let Gun

In the past I've owned a couple of the Midnight Black 686's and trust me the finish IS NOT durable. Carrying the gun in a holster will certainly speed up the wear in all the high spots and the end of the barrel. The black finish used in the late 80's was discontinued for a reason.

They are nice guns and may eventually have more of a collecter value. If your's is unfired, I would leave it that way and buy another 686 or 586 to carry and shoot.

Great pics of your growing collection.
Thanks for sharing.

Don

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Laus Deo! <><

Great looking 686 and a 4 incher!! Good for you!

Very nice 586. Have the same finish on my 3" 36-6. It is not durable at all, but shoots and looks like a mini 586.

Congrats! They are shooting machines.

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V/R
Roger / SG

Bud, if you come near Clinton, wave, I should see ya

Well my plan is to use the heck out of it, only carry it here and there to save the finish. This 4" 686 is way to much of a shooting machine to just leave in the safe. Yes the black 686's are hard to find, but it's not like it's an unfired model 27. I traded a mint 5906 and some $$ to get this and I plan to have some fun w-it. I guess I paid more than I would have it would have been a 586, and apparently these have an inferior finish, but when you come across something at a local shop that is unfired in it's orig box it's hard to pass. Gunbroker is great, but nothing beats scoring locally, not bidding, and the worst part... waiting!

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Let go...Let Gun

congrats on your find...i'm a big 686/586 fan as well...enjoy!

A man could do just fine for the rest of his life with nothing but a Highway Patrolman and a 4" 686.

Very nice start.

Bud, that is a sweet thing

Just in case you would like to have one (686-2 black finish) with a 6" barrel, I would be more than happy to talk purchase. They are a really good weapon. I don't see the finish as being east to ware>