4" bought at gun show for $300 clean with box......nearly unfired . the old guy said he shot one box of shell thru it and i believe it to be true.
it is as tight as a bulls hind end and when he fired it he didnt even bother to clean it.
i bought a set of hogue nonogrips for it , took it home and cleaned it and it looks like new. carrying the box around it came in, i was stopped 3 times and wanted to see what smith i had. when i told the ones inquiring about it what i just paid , they all offered to make me a profit from $50-$100 ...no questions asked !
i said thanks but no, the only place it is going to go is to the gun range in the next few days .
now .... it has the original flat latch cylinder release on it and it has a frame mounted firing pin also,
i know the latch was changed to a to a speed loader type friendly one, but didnt smith also change the frame mounted firing pin to a transfer type of one later on ?
if it is any help , it has a no-dash serial number also.

any comments or production date speculations welcome....i suspect it is one of the early production models.
it has an excellent feeling trigger release, very smooth and fairly light
thanks rock

The 686 no dash was made between 1980 and 1986. If you serial prefix happens to be AAD you should be in the first production run.

the sr. # is14** ajd does this give you an idea of the production date?

what about the hammer mounted firing pin ?

i didnt realize this gun was produced as early as 1980

Plain and simple...you stole it! We need pics

__________________
"I'm your huckleberry."

i got a great price and i realized that at the time.
i did not go to the show to buy a gun but could not pass that one up !

i haven't posted pics before on the sight

if i take a couple and connect my camera to the computer what would be the next steps ?
explain in detail and i may try it

I post mine on photobucket then put the links to the pics in my post.

__________________
"I'm your huckleberry."

Any Mod 686 for less than $450 is a steal. You have got one great gun and need to get it to the range.

The 686 is one of the best L frames that S&W currently makes.

Wow, great score! I picked up one of no dash (AAD series serial number) earlier this year for $525 and thought I did OK. You put me to shame with that bargain!

It's a 686 no dash but has a frame mounted firing pin?

yes , that is correct.....it has no dash in serial # and has the frame mounted firing pin.

i will later try to post pics , i am still not sure how to . have never used photo bucket