I am trying to decide on weather or not to buy a new or a used 686 4". My LGS is selling new 686s for $780+tax. One of my co workers has a friend who is selling a 686 that he bought in 2003 for $650. The gun was used as a range gun and was not carried. It has about 300 rounds of .38+P and 25 rounds of .357MAG. It looks brand new.

I am leaning toward the used one, but wanted some input from others with more experience with S&W revolvers. This will be my first revolver purchase, and I plan on using it for a range gun and to keep in my nightstand for home defense.

Thanks.
J.C.

Do you know what model the used 686 is? Check the serial # it will say 686-?. That will tell the age. In general older guns are a better value, better built and much better triggers. JMO.

I would go with the used one if it is pre-lock. If not then it really does not matter much either way.

I'd always go with a pre-lock given the choice. If the round count on your friend's used one is accurate it is as good as new, so regardless of the lock, I'd probably go with the used one since it is $130 less and at least as good. You may even be able to get him down to around $550-600, which would be even better.

If the used one was a pre-lock and had everything it came with new(Box, paperwork) I would probably go that route to. If it also had the lock I'd would have to go new at that price. You should be able to find a new one in the $725-750 range and whenever I get within a $100 of new I just as soon have one I know the whole history on myself. I've got two 686+s' in the last two years and maybe just lucky but the 3" has the best trigger out-of-the-box of any S&W I've ever had.

At the gun show last week there were a couple of pre-lock 686s to be had in the $500 range.

They may have seen more use than your co-workers, but these guns were made to shoot and wil not wear out any time soon.

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

I'd go for the new gun if the used one is not pre-lock. Especially since the price difference isn't too much.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

The used one of course! Spend the savings between the new one and buy ammo, new grips, holster and have fun shooting it. They are built like tanks!

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2 Timothy 1:7

Do you suppose anyone at S&W is reading threads like this in which every respondent says go "pre-Lock" and specifies "every time"?

Oh and to the OP, my recommendation would be...buy the used pre-Lock!

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

+1 on the pre-lock. I saw a pre-lock 686+ 6" at a show in MD for $650 but bought a new 4" 686+ for $720 instead. I like the new one, but I've heard of several lockups from the internal lock.

I would buy used. I bought this M686-0 modified for $395 shipped a few years back. Never looked back. Big Larry

Another vote for the used pre lock 686. Everything you need in a revolver and nothing you don't. More gun for less money too. Regards 18DAI

Those prices for both sound insanely high.......

I think i am going to go with the used one. Unfortunately, it is NOT a pre-lock as it was made in 2003. I really wish it was a pre lock gun, but I have not seen too many used 686s for sale in my area. The $780 for new is the lowest price i have found for a new one at any of my LGS.

I know which ever way I go, it is a S&W revolver and will handle more rounds than I will ever put through it!

Enjoy your new handgun. I must admit though that the prices are high. Bought my brand new 686+ for $650 about 4 years ago from Bud's.

I've been looking for a prelock Model 649 but the ones I've seen were really expensive. May end up with a new Model 638 from Bud's.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

OK offer $550 for the pre lock 686. Its not RaRe; though good.

I buy 9 used guns to 1 new one! More often than not, I tend to trade off or sell the new 1. Right now, my only gun that I have that was bought new is a T.Contender that was purchased in 1994.
I have been lucky in getting good used guns. I am picking 1 up from my F.F.L. tonight. Hope my luck continues.
Buying used normally will give your wallet a price break. I let someone else take the new price hit.
I also like the original Smiths that you can't buy any more. Bob

I got a 686-2 from a friend for $525, what a bargain. Sweet, sweet iron.

These prices are high....give me a break guys....4 years ago my house was worth 50K more than it is now, I had more hair and I wasn't as ashamed of what's in the W.H. How that relevant to today? New 686's are $720 plus and used ones $600-$650 in 2012. You may run on an exceptional deal, but that's what it is, an exception.

You paid market price Deck--enjoy the gun. You got a good one!!

Not sure I understand the OP's original statement; are you saying that it 'comes with' 6 boxes of 38 and half-a-box of .357? Or are you saying that's all that's been shot through it?

If it's $650 and comes with, basically, a $100 bucks worth of factory ammo, then I'd say that's a square deal. $650 for a used one is a little high. You can get a new one from Bud's for $700ish.

That said; I have $550 in my 686-4 4" plus and thought that was a great deal last year.

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But then, what do I know?

i would make a counteroffer (lower) on the used one...

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Like others have said, I would look for a pre-lock 686. I have never paid more than $470 out the door for a pre-lock shooter grade revolver. If the revolver was unfired and included the box etc, I might go about $550.
Look around. You will find a nice one at a reasonable price.
Good luck,
Howard

I'd shop sites like GunBroker for a 686-4 or older before buying either one. Unless 686 prices have escalated a lot in the three months since I stopped shopping them, I think you'll find a no-lock, non-MIM gun for less than either of those two.



The most I paid for any of the ones in the photo above was $650 and that was for the -3 Classic Hunter on the left and the -4 PowerPort on the right, which is unfired. The other two, a 6" no-dash and a 4" -4, were both $450 but I added the correct checkered target stocks and a target hammer and trigger to the no-dash.

Larry, that gun of yours is a real beauty!

Ed

Of course try and talk him down another $50 on the used one if you can, but save the $130+ and get the used one.

jet guns has a new 686 il 357 4" ss wo rr for $673. free shipping probably no tax. i recently bought 2 guns from jet and service was excellent both times.

My lgs has the 686 4" for $669 and the 686 + for $ 689 I just picked up the 686 + today I can't wait to go out and shoot this sweet gun this is my first wheel gun

Unless it's one of the Pro Series, $780 is extremely high for a 686. Here's a new one for $662 with no tax and free shipping.

Smith & Wesson 686 .357 Mag 4", 6 round $662.00 SHIPS FREE

I guess it all comes down to personal preference. To me, I'll take Smith's "older iron" any day of the week. I'm not a big fan of MIM parts and I hate the lock.

Current count in my safe includes 3 686's (a no dash and 2 -1's) and a 586-1.

Just squeezed a new 686-6, and yeah the trigger is gritty. Is it still better than a Taurus or a Ruger, probably, but that would be the first thing I did to any new Smith revo.

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686-4 442-1

You may be able to buy that 686 for $662, but once you add the FFL transfer fee you're pretty close to the in-state price. And the 686+ is a little more, which makes the $720 I paid pretty reasonable. Also, prices everywhere are up because the gun manufacturers can't keep up, but especially in states like MD that are not very gun friendly.

WOW! You must be paying extreme transfer fees in MD.. They are only $15 - $25 dollars here. That's still $30+ dollars difference even if the $720 was the after tax price, and $100 less than what the OP found.

I can tell you that the average FFL I've found here is $45. The sad part is that we in MD pay more for what everyone else gets for a reasonable price.

My FFL charges $40, which I think is high. When I buy a gun online I gotta factor in $70 to cover shipping and FFL.

I ended up getting the used gun. I couldn't talk him down, but the gun looks brand new. It could really pass as NIB. All the original paperwork was included in the box. The date on the spent casing from the factory is December of 2002.

I shot 75 rounds (50 .38+p and 25 .357) with it this weekend and it was a real dream to shoot. I was managing 1.5" groups from 25 feet with no problem. I am sure with practice I can do better, but I was really happy with this for my first time with it.

I do have one question regarding cleaning it. I know that it you shoot a lot of .38 specials in a .357 revolver that build up can prevent the magnums from chambering properly. Is it safe to use a bore snake to clean them out, or should I use something else?

To me, it is a no brainer. I would buy a used one, preferably from the 1980s. They are not difficult to find in really nice shape.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

The bore snake is fine. I have the 686-4 4" and shoot a lot of .38's. The gap in front of the .38 cartridge and the .357 rim of the cylinder will collect residue. Keep this brushed out or your ammo won't seat properly and the cylinder won't rotate (among other problems). I use a .40 cal brass brush - but I'll warn you - it takes a lot of work to clean the cylinder.

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But then, what do I know?

I look for prelock guns when i have the choice.

Looks like you got a great shooter!!

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Joe S.
Central MS

Wow, that's crazy. I have a friendly FFL that will do first transfer 25$, and up to 4 more for $10 each. I guess on the ATF transfer form, there is room for 5 articles, and that's why they limit it at 5 items per "transaction". You of course can do an additional 5 the same way, but honestly, how many of us buy more than 5 guns at a time.

There are a couple that do transfers for $50, but I obviously dont do business with them, most are between $20-$35. The reason I use the one I mentioned is because he gives a discount for more than 1.

As far as the 686 question, I would try to get a used one. Apparently the 686 and 585 of the "-4" revision are the best mechanically, and are pre-MIM and pre-lock, but with a couple nice technical revisions to the yoke/crane. I sadly only have two 686's, one 4" -1 "M" and one 6" -1 and no 586's. But that will change.
They are great shooters, I think actually I do my best shooting with my 6" 686 of any handgun I own. I hope to one day pick up a 686-4 of both 4" and 6" barrel lengths, but for now, I am not going to overpay for one. One will fall into my lap like most of the rest of my guns have.

You mean people buy more than 1 at a time???

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Joe S.
Central MS

People dont?

I hope I never get pulled over by some wet behind the ears cop who dont know the law, he will probably think I am some militia dude based on the number of firearms I usually (legally) have "on or about" my vehicle and person

Haha. Yea thats been a concern of mine from time to time too

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Joe S.
Central MS

STEAL!!! Well done.

I have a coupla pre-lock 686s and a coupla post lock 686s. My youngest son prefers the DA trigger on the newest 686-6 plus over the 686-4 I gave him for his 18th birthday.(I bought it new). I see no real difference between any of them(nope. don't even notice the hole.) The prices quoted by the OP are high for my area, but it sounds like he's done some shopping and those are the going prices in his area. In a 686, if there is only $100 or less between new and used I'll buy new every time. Why? Because the lifetime factory warranty is only valid for the original owner. Yes, I know that S&W generally fixes newer guns regardless, but by law, they don't have to.....and at some point in time, economics and share holders will put a nix to their good heartedness.