|
|
11-23-2011, 01:47 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Fredericksburg, VA USA
Posts: 101
Likes: 2
Liked 55 Times in 24 Posts
|
|
686 sights
My second gun...and second S&W... was a model 686 with 6 inch barrel. I bought that gun over 25 years ago but I remember it having a Patridge style front sight. I have seen 686's with red ramp sights, adjustable front sights and 2 different heights of the Patridge style sights.
Why were these guns made with a high and a low Patridge sight? I want to buy another 6" barrel gun and am trying to decide on which front sight.
Kenny
S&WCA 1525
|
11-23-2011, 05:14 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Enola, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,369
Likes: 592
Liked 2,596 Times in 1,132 Posts
|
|
My buying experience suggests that most early 6" (and other lengths as well) 686s had red ramp front sights but I prefer the pinned Patridge sight for target shooting, which is how I use my handguns 99% of the time. For hunting, I like the red ramp or a white or gold-dot Patridge - I have a 6.5" 629 Classic with the red ramp and a 5" 629 Classic DX with a white dot Patridge installed for when I take a handgun deer hunting.
I think the pinned Patridge gives owners the option of numerous front sights that the integral red ramp does not.
Unfortunately, my preference in adjustable rear sights is the now-discontinued Millett 100. The S&W adjustable is nice but for me, the Millett just affords a little better sight picture.
Ed
|
11-23-2011, 05:49 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 4,189
Likes: 3,543
Liked 3,996 Times in 1,627 Posts
|
|
I find the VERY common combination of the RR, WO sights with the TH, TT to be strange. I would think that the black Patridge front blade and plain black adjustable rear sight would be more appropriately paired with the TH and TT.
__________________
'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.
|
11-23-2011, 07:19 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Enola, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,369
Likes: 592
Liked 2,596 Times in 1,132 Posts
|
|
I agree. But I've never seen a 686 that was factory-equipped with a target trigger and hammer. However, I suppose they exist because the forged target triggers and hammers are available. I've installed those parts in two of my 686s.
Ed
|
11-23-2011, 07:51 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 4,189
Likes: 3,543
Liked 3,996 Times in 1,627 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by AveragEd
I agree. But I've never seen a 686 that was factory-equipped with a target trigger and hammer. However, I suppose they exist because the forged target triggers and hammers are available. I've installed those parts in two of my 686s.
Ed
|
AverageEd, I recently purchased this 8 3/8" no dash that has RR,WO,TH,TT. I SUSPECT that the 6" version may be similarly equipped--although I have never handled one. My 2 1/2" has a RR with smooth trigger and black rear sight. My 4" Mountain Gun has black sights all around with a smooth trigger.
__________________
'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.
Last edited by one eye joe; 11-23-2011 at 07:54 PM.
|
11-23-2011, 09:28 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Enola, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,369
Likes: 592
Liked 2,596 Times in 1,132 Posts
|
|
From the angle, I can't say for sure about the trigger in your gun but I don't think the hammer is a target item. Your gun's trigger appears to widen at the beginning of its curvature, so it might be a target version. The spur on a target hammer is thinner in cross-section, longer and wider than yours appears in the photos. The photo below is of three Model 66s but you can see the difference in the hammers - the 6" and 4" guns have target hammers and triggers while the 2-1/2" one does not and its hammer matches your gun's.
I've owned about a dozen 6" Model 686s and looked at dozens more on GunBroker and other auction sites - none had target triggers and hammers. That doesn't mean that none were made with them but it does suggest they were a rarity.
Out of curiousity, I checked my copy of the SCoSW. It does not list any 686s that were made with target hammers. Target triggers were installed on 8-3/8" Product Codes 104209, 104210 (your gun, I believe, as it is the only one with RR/WO sights), 104217, 104226 and 104227. All were 8-3/8" guns so there were no 6" 686s with target triggers or hammers.
That's odd - I wonder why. They made lots of Model 66s with them.
Ed
Last edited by AveragEd; 11-23-2011 at 09:35 PM.
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|