Picked up my Model 681-1 today.

It was re-imported to the US by Century International, and was a police gun in supposedly either Canada or France. The gun is in great shape with only a few minor scuffs, and is mechanically excellent.

This gun, like a few other 681s I've read about was accidentally stamped "686" with the number 1 stamped over the last numeral.

I cleaned the gun up and gave it a light polishing with Flitz. The stocks are a set I bought from an eBay seller in Thailand. They have a S&W medallion on the right side.

Don't know how it shoots because I just brought it home.

You'll love it! They are great shooters, mine will always find its way into my range bag!

I bought a new model 681 20 years ago at a LGS. It was stamped with a NYSP marking, but was never issued in NY. It looks identical to yours (but with different grips). A beautiful revolver and a great shooter. Congrats!

I really like the 681s and you have a fine one. This one I have has a great trigger and locks up solid. It has small nicks on the right side probably from a ring of keys. I think it was a security gun.

How do you like those Thailand grips?

I've seen them advertised on ebay, but I was wondering about the quality and fit.

They look great in your picture.

Got a buddy that just picked-up one of those off GB. FYI....I had that import roll-mark on a Colt 1911. I had the slide hard chromed and the finisher was able to make it go away and you can't tell it ever had an import mark on it.

On those "economical grips"...for the price, the wait is worth it. I have tried a couple of sets and they are good looking and well made grips. Look at the medallion very close and you may detect some slight changes....from a distance they look authentic, or it may just be my eyes?

Those guns with the import roll-mark will shoot just as good as the ones without it. I would almost trade my 686-4 for one in very good condition with the right dash-number.

I really like the Thailand grips. Fit and finish is excellent, especially considering that they were only 38 bucks.

I decided to get them for my Smith (bought before I got gun off of layaway) after getting 2 different sets for both of my GP100 3" revolvers. Here's what those look like:

(Can you tell that I'm fond of fixed-sight, stainless .357s?)

I think I gave $27 for these on this 940. I needed a little bigger grip with the 9mm in the J-Frame and am not a fan of synthetics. These are round-butt conversion grips.

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I'm glad to see your gun has been released from layaway jail and is back home where it belongs. Very nice piece!

Got a link for those Thailand grips!?

I've got that same gun and have been watching these grips on ebay (from Thailand). I have the small rubber ones with wood inserts now...are those as comfortable as they look? I am really wanting a set - do you recommend them for the 3" GP100? Thanks, B

The grips use interesting woods with nice grain patterns. They are comfortable, but the fit is only OK, at least on the two sets I own.

I think that the grips are quite nice and comfortable. I would recommend the ones without the finger grooves as being the more comfortable of the two sets. I have very small hands, and finger grooves almost never fit my hands correctly.

I also have the compact rubber grips with inserts and they are quite nice. The fit my hands very well. For carry, the rubber would grab my cover garment, though.

I saw on another forum where a guy bought the Thai grips without the grooves for his GP100 and cut about half an inch off of the bottom and refinished them. They were roughly the same size and shape as the Lett grips and looked amazing.

I think the seller has a couple different eBay stores with different names. I've bought from both and they showed up fairly quickly considering that they were mailed from Thailand.

Here's a link:
jaruwan.p | eBay

Here's the link for the other eBay store selling the grips:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/reddkultt/m....p2047675.l2562

Yep....e-bay. For the cost, it was worth the experiment. I envisioned some little guy sitting under a thatched roof hut with his pocket knife whittling away, but it's not that way at all. The grips I purchased are well made and fit like a glove. BUT...I do not have my PayPal account tied to a CC....that would be like playing Russian Roulette. The seller has thousands of transactions as I recall.

I love Thai grips. I have some I use on duty revolvers and they never fail to get compliments from the public. Something about seeing an old-fashioned firearm with beautiful wood that takes the "shy" out of people...

Oh, and I just bought another K-round set. For only $38 I can't say no!

So if it's French, it's never been fired & only dropped once?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Congrats on bailing out that beauty. I've been looking for her sister for a while now; maybe this fall I'll get lucky.

Hi, I retired from the NYSP and the 681 was my first issued revolver. Out of curiosity how do you know yours wasn't used by the NYSP. Thanks

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Just saw that this thread is active.

Here's the way my 681 looks these days.

I bought a set of Ahrends grips for it. The wood is Cordia.

The 681 with these grips is a great combination.

Once on ebay, just search S&W grips. You can narrow it down to frame size if you wish. They will be mixed in with other grips.
I bought a N frame S.B. combat, (Thailand) and they required fitting. Never had to do that to ANY grip before. Altamont is a good looking, good value grip. Bob

I checked out the sellers ebay link and the grips look good.
Price is right with the free shipping, but I guess my bias is
showing up. I just can't bring myself to put a set of grips from THAILAND on ANY of my USA made Ruger or S&W revolvers, but that's just me. To each his own

I bought 1 set! They are in my grip cabinet along with other orphans! Bob