A couple of years ago, I purchased a 681-2. I know the 681 had a 4" barrel and fixed rear sight. This particular gun has a 6" barrel and what appears to be a factory adjustable rear sight. I LOVE this gun, but am wondering what the modification did to the value, desirability, etc of it.

Serial number starts with BAN, so I believe that puts it around 1988?

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I believe it to be a mis-marked 686.

I agree. The front sight on a 686 is different too. It's not a 681. It might have some value to a collector of factory error guns though.

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Pax Per Potens

Just to confirm it's not a 681 that was modified some photos of the top strap/rear sight might help. It's possible for it to be either one; mismarked 686 or a modded 681, without looking at it in person or with high quality close ups of the rear sight it's hard to tell.

Thanks, I'll try to get a couple pics of the rear sight on this evening.

Pending photos of the topstrap, I'd wager the frame is miss-marked. I have a 5 inch pencil barrel model 10 marked 10-6. Problem? the -6 is supposed to denote the heavy barrel version of the 10-5 revisions.

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That rear sight looks like it's set further back than the sight on my 586-1,but the front sight looks correct for a 686.I'm guessing rebarreled and adjustable sight fitted to a 681.Take a look at the nickle 586 thread.

I agree with arjay. That rear sight doesn't look quite right. It may just be the angle of the photo but I would guess it is a converted 681. I'd also guess the guy who had it done had more invested in it than just buying a 6" 686 would have cost on the used market.

Dave

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I agree also, the rear of the frame under the sight is more rounded like a 681 and the rear sight sits way too far back.

If it is a mis-marked 686, it is a curiosity which may have questionable value to any potential buyer for all of the reasons stated in this thread, i.e. confusion over what it is.

If it is a converted 681, the value is is - well - not much. Too many questions about whether it was done correctly. If the photo is not an illusion, and the rear sight really hangs over the end of the frame, then it means that the whole job was done by Bubba, and that means all sorts of things. Most of all it means that a perfectly good 681 was ruined.

Sorry to be so blunt.

Update...S&W says that it left the factory as a 681. I'll take a closer pic of the top strap anyway, and some more closeups where the barrel meets the frame. No need to be sorry about bluntness, I've put a lot of rounds through it, the cylinder is tight, grouping is tight at 50 yards, never had a malfunction with it. I have always just been more curious about whether it started life as a 681 or a 686...and if I do decide to go and get a .44, what I might be able to get out of selling it. I bought it for closer-range deer hunting and didn't pay a whole lot for it.

After blowing up the photo, and comparing my 686 to my 681 I would have to agree that someone took a 681, re-barrelled it with a 686 barrel and put on an adjustable rear sight. The top rear of the frame is rounded like a 681, not having the rear sight notch as on the 686. It's a shame that a beautiful 681 came to this end. I consider the 581/681 models to be among the most beautiful guns to come out of S&W since the P&R era ended. Why someone would do this to replicate a ubiquitous model is very curious. It's certainly not a valuable, collector's gun, so shoot it and enjoy it.

That was probably a bad set of pictures. I've looked at a lot of pics on the internet, and have come to the conclusion that it is a 681 alright, but not as bad of a bubba job as it may seem. They did take a notch out of the original front sight, but it does look like it sits a little more rearward than some...but looking at where it sits, I don't see how it could be much more forward. The rear elevation screw was set all the way down, putting the sight a little high as well. My own personal conclusion is it's not good for a collector, but I'm a shooter and I didn't pay much for it so it serves it's purpose. Should I be concerned about the barrel? Are they readily interchangeable?

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Here is what a 686 supposed to look like:

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Hi, partner. If no one has welcomed you to the Forum as yet, allow me to. Can never have too many new members.

We are pleased that you like your 681/686 and that it has worked out well for you. What we can't seem to understand is why a previous owner would go through so much trouble to create a replica of something (a 686) that already existed and was commercially available.

Stay safe, partner.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

It sure sounds like you got into it right and as long as the barrel was installed properly w/proper gap you should be just fine. Someone went to a fair amount of trouble & expense to do that, hopefully it was done properly and you'll have a great shooter for a long time.

There are a lot of S&Ws in different configurations than how they left the factory running around out there. If you have any concerns take it to a gunsmith (not a "parts changer" lol) that knows their stuff to give it the "once over".

Thanks for the welcome note! I've only got 2 S&Ws...this one and a 908S. After seeing the expense of what all is involved, I'm kind of wondering why someone would do that too. Bought it in a pinch, had shoulder surgery and the .30-06 was not getting raised that deer season. Guess instead of trading or selling it for a good .44, I'll just keep it around.

Not saying this is the case with that particular revolver, I have seen some interesting final projects come out of gunsmithing classes. Some things that were in no way an economical modifications were done just to display the student had the skills to do them.