I sent my 686 no dash back for the M modification. I asked them to tighten up the action and glass bead the finish while they have it.

The work page they sent for my approval indicates the following: tighten cyl, repair timing, repair excess end shake and turn the barrel. As for parts: cylinder stop, and hand-oversized L&H. It sounds like it was a loose 27 year old revolver.

What do turning the barrel and a new cylinder stop do? Also, what is a hand-oversized L&H?

The good news is they gave me a 20% discount on the bead blast. I'm anxious to get it back.

Please post some photos when you get her back. If you don't mind, what did S&W want to do all that?

Well, you saved about $50. shipping by asking for a shipping label when you sent it to them (which I assume you did).

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Hopefully this does not violate any forum rules: Excluding the bead blast; $24 in parts and $72 labor. The bead blast is normally $155, but as I said, I received a $31 discount.

Joe, I did get the shipping label.


Here is a before picture:

I'll take one of those: turning the barrel is, as I understand it, first removing the barrel, then shaving a little metal off the barrel past the threaded part so it can screw into the frame a little farther to close up the barrel / cylinder gap.

Well, seeing as how you haven't got much of a response: the cylinder stop is the gizmo that comes up from under the cylinder and locks into the little grooves to hold the cylinder in place. Replacing a worn one will lock the cylinder up tighter. The hand is the mechanism which rotates the cylinder when the gun is cocked, either single or double action. If the action is a little worn, particularly the studs (or whatever they're called) on the back of the cylinder, installing a oversized hand will insure the cylinder is rotated far enough forward to lock up before the hammer drops. I have no idea what the L&H signifies. I had a CS-1 that was cosmetically challanged when I got it and sent it back to S&W for a bead-blast. Now granted the original finish on the gun was bead-blasted, but I was very happy with the way it looked when it came back to me

Has that gun seen a lot of .357?

That work order looks like it's for a gun that has seen some serious range time

CPT,

Thank you for the information. It gives me a better idea of what they are doing with it. I hope I like the bead blast. I actually wanted a finish more brushed than what my 686 currently wears, but less than the bead blast. I'm crossing my fingers. How durable is the blasted finish?

Stan,
I traded into this gun about a year ago, on this site. I have no idea how much it was shot, but S&W told me it is from 1984. It is my first DA revolver so I am not a good judge of wear. From reading how to tell if the action is tight, I surmised in my finite wisdom it was not. Apparently so!

There was a box waiting for me this afternoon. It went back to S&W on March 17th, and was delivered back on May 13th:







I am completely happy with the results. Looks great, nice tight action, and they definately worked on the trigger, which wasn't part of the work request. Not bad for a 27 year-old revolver! Now I have to decide if I want new grips.

Give the old girl a new set of stockings .

very nice!!!!

BTW, i have a somewhat desirable 66-4 that was originally satin finish but had been polished by the original owner. i had considered sending it in for the satin finish.
question...does S&W stamp the frame as they do when re-bluing?

Jughed,

I don't know if they stamped it. I'm not sure where I'd look for it. Under the grips?

WOW, try getting that work done at your local shop for a couple hundred bucks. It makes me glad that you can still get a good value in todays world of 3500.00 1911s, your gun looks beautiful.

That 686 is beautiful. I have always been pleased with the work done on weapons I have returned to S&W for repair....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I really like that finish.

You've got a nice gun, there.

Condition Yellow:

All I can say is, "Be still, my heart!" Beautiful 686 you have there.

Range report to follow, I trust?

Chris

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/at least she finds me handy.

Nice, my 686 was sent back for the "M" by the original owner. He also had them do some trigger work on it. It is the sweetest gun I have ever shot.

looks real nice and its good for at least another 27+ years

Very nice. Looks great now!

Sure is purdy.

Shot it yet?

I shot it today. Shoots as nice as it looks.:-)

Great looking gun, I am a big fan of these.

Looks great and S&W did you right! I too would dress it up with a new set of grips. I love Ahrends myself. Them L frames are excellent revolvers and yours should never visit the shop again if you take good care of it.

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V/R
Roger / SG

Gorgeous! Now you have me jones to send my "no dash" in for some work

Nice looking Revolver! I think my 686-3 needs the exact same treatment as yours.

I have bought two 681 no dashs and they both had the "M" update. They have the best triggers of any S&W I have owned. Like yours I suspect the trigger work was performed when the update was done. I bought both used with the M stamped on them. The new finish on yours looks great.

A nice gun, that you can be confident is "right." I have sent several older revolvers in, some not that old, that had some questionable things about them-no more questions. Even if I want some specific work done, I generally ask them to check out the whole gun while they have it. In many cases, I ask them to chamfer the cylinder, as it is already there, and costs only 30 bucks at S&W. Makes for nice loading. I am very pleased with the work that they do. I would rather have an old one that they have gone over, than a new one. I get the feeling that they like to get an oldie to work on! Flapjack.