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S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


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Old 12-12-2015, 06:55 PM
Dogman45 Dogman45 is offline
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Default Serial Number has an "M" added below

I am considering the purchase of an older, pre-lock 686 with such a smooth trigger pull that the original trigger mechanism may have been "improved." The serial number has an "M" added just below the other numbers. Does the "M" mean the revolver has been modified? And if so would that increase my liability exposure if it were ever to be used in a defensive shooting, and would it void the S&W warranty? Any insight would be much appreciated.
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Old 12-12-2015, 06:59 PM
k22fan k22fan is offline
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Welcome to the forum. You'll like it here.

There was a recall related to the firing pin or bushing around the firing pin hole. S&W stamped the M after making the repair.
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Old 12-12-2015, 07:00 PM
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Kernel Crittenden Kernel Crittenden is offline
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It was modified in a factory recall. Whether it is, or isn't, "M" marked has no bearing on liability in a defensive shooting scenario. It just means the gun is less likely to lock-up with a certain brand of soft primers.
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Old 12-12-2015, 07:02 PM
S&W629 S&W629 is offline
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Default M

The no dash 686 had a very very small number suffer from lock up from soft primers..flowing into the firing pin bushing...S&W offed a free upgrade of the bushing...and after the change.. would stamp on the frame "M" to identify the upgrade.....has no effect of S&W warranty...since they are the ones who did the "M"
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Old 12-12-2015, 07:07 PM
Goblin Goblin is offline
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If you're talking about inside the crane when you open the cylinder, the M means it went back to the factory under a recall for replacement of the firing pin bushing. This has nothing to do with the action enhancement, which probably consisted of polishing the internals to improve the feel. No worries about the gun if done by a competent gunsmith, but your challenge is you don't know who did the work. If done improperly, the timing could be compromised, or other problems could exist that could create misfires from light primer strikes or another dangerous situation. You could read more on this forum about checking the timing, or have it checked by a competent gunsmith. Liability is another story, and is a topic of much debate. Action jobs are used extensively by competitive shooters, less for defensive revolvers. Good luck, that's one of the finest revolvers ever made.

Edit: others responded quicker than me.

Last edited by Goblin; 12-12-2015 at 07:12 PM.
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Old 12-14-2015, 08:53 PM
Dogman45 Dogman45 is offline
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Thanks guys, I really appreciate your responses.
Even the owner of the gun shop didn't know what the M meant.
I am greatly reassured by your imput.
Dogman45
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