Hello Guys. Any Help would be appreciated. I bought a 686 No Dash Model 4in barrel with original box and papers and it came with the Combat Style Smooth Wood Grips. The serial number of the gun is ABC5071. On the matching label box is has features as "special" and the product code is 6860094030. I cannot find this product code ANYWHERE. The special order number is M176. Can anyone out there tell me what I have and what makes it a special order? I cannot find anything on it. Thanks so much!!!

Welcome to the forum.
That serial number should come from 1982. Looking in the SCSW, 3rd edition all the product codes under the M686 only have 6 digits so I can't help with the special features.
The mods may move this to the 1980 to Present section.

Post a pic of the gun and end label of box. That might help.

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PTLAPTA!

For a few years in the early eighties S&W Used a 10 digit code on the box labels. This is how it is interpreted......

686 - the model number
00 - Dash number
9 - code for stainless steel
40 - code for 4 inch barrel
30 - unsure. Line or Lot number perhaps

The word "special" on the label is probably there because of the combat stocks. Those were not typical.

The special order number is the way they did it in the early eighties. I'm not sure what it really means, like if it's a code for the date somehow like later special order numbers are.

Your label looks different just because of its early date, that's all. It's really a normal looking label for its time.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Does the gun have a Patridge front sight? That's another reason why the label might be marked special.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

A likely ship date of Jan 1983.