I ran across a 686-4 I think Pre-lock with a 5" barrel. I was looking at a 6" barreled gun and noticed the tag on the other one said 6" also but the barrel looked shorter. I had them pull out the tape measure and sure enough it was a 5" gun.

It was in meh condition and had a Hi Viz front sight. The SCSW on my Ibooks mentions a version with unfitted cylinder but this one was fluted. Price was a rough $800 but I think it could have been had for $700 or maybe less.

Thoughts? What does it cost to have S&W freshen up the stainless finish?


Side note: I pulled a nice no dash 6" 686 out for $450 OTD. I felt like I was robbing them. It has a huge set of older looking Herrat (spelling?) grips on it.

You should post some pictures.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

5" 686's are kind of rare. I bought a TALO 5" last month and it took me over a year to find one, after hitting every LGS in my travels. I am sure I could have ordered one, but I like to see in person and dont like to order guns. The good thing about Stainless, they are easy to freshen up on your own with some scotch brite pads and polish. Post some pics when you get a chance.

Sorry for the Delay on photos. I was supposed to be back down this way last week but didn't pass through until today. I put a measuring tape on this last time I ran across it. It is a 5" barrel. No one was really around to get it out for me again to take better photos. I only originally noticed it because it was sitting next to a 686 no dash 6". I paid $450 for the 6" that is in super condition.

Serial number puts it's ship date in 1994. Not familiar with a 5-inch -4. If the LGS has the box, ask what the product code is and report back.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

There was no regular production 5" 686-4; it could be one of a special distributor run, the barrel may have been shortened, or a 5" barrel from another 686 model may have been put on it.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

The barrel is a real 5" barrel and it hasn't been chopped. I have had some chopped guns and if you look well enough they are easy to spot. The SCSW Mentions one with an unfitted cylinder and fiber sight but this one is obviously fluted. Could be a parts gun and a letter or box is the only real way to tell otherwise. The finish being beat to crud all the way around kinda suggest its been a 5" configuration for a while. It is a mystery that if the price was about half that it would be worth picking up even in its current condition.


“104254 5” Unfluted, 1988 Dual Speedloader Grips.” This is a 686-3 gun

Excerpt From: Jim Supica & Richard Nahas. “Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson.” iBooks. Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson by Jim Supica & Richard Nahas on iBooks

There is a 5", 7-shot 686 but it was a -6 with a half-lug barrel, Product Code 164284 from 2004.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I too am unfamiliar with the 5" bbl. length in that particular gun, but Smith has done many uncatalogued small runs over the years - so nothing would surprise me. If it is in fact a FACTORY shipped gun, than it might be somewhat of a collectible.

If you give Smith a call they will tell you the price for re-finishing a Stainless gun. Although I highly doubt the phone clerk has the ability to know......... you could also ask about the 5"er. Ask if anyone up there (like Roy Jinx) could speak to you.

Check out Rob's thread. If I'm reading it correctly, they're all -4's.

Smithnut has all the oddball/rare varieties, so no surprise.

Fond of the M686-4 in 3-5-7

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Sure you did

Sorry, my bad... While these are all -4's, the 5" and 7" were project guns...
Both had been posted before...
The original guns were both 6" models, just had to fix them..

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.............SmithNut

Are you sure you measured to the forcing cone and not just to the frame?

Waaaay to high priced

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Front of cylinder to end of barrel. I had a legit 6" side by side at the same time I noticed it. Thats the reason it stuck out is because the barrel was a little shorter than a 6" and definitely longer than a 4".