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Old 09-11-2010, 11:37 AM
officerdave officerdave is offline
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Default Advice on carry 681

Guys, I picked up a nice 4" 681 and am thinking of having it cut down to a 3" with a nice meprolight or similar frt sight for off duty carry. I have a backup J-Frame I sometimes carry, but like the L frame for carrying with magnums. Thoughts and any real world experience with gunsmiths that can do this kind of work. thanks
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Old 09-11-2010, 05:07 PM
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Where I live, gunsmithing is so expensive it doesn't make sense to cut barrels. It's smarter to just buy a gun with the barrel you want and keep or sell the other gun.
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Old 09-11-2010, 06:26 PM
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I would sell it and buy a model 65 with a three inch barrel.
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Old 09-11-2010, 06:37 PM
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Cutting the barrel on a "nice" 681 . . .
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Old 09-11-2010, 07:11 PM
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Default NOooooooo

If you wanted a 3", you probably could have found one...maybe not a 681, but nonetheless a 3" 357....like a 66,65,686....they all came in 3" versions and you won't make certain people on this forum cry....I for one, would trade a 3" 65 for a 4" 681, but that's just me.

As for cutting the barrel...I have recently bought a 'spare' 4" 681 barrel from a forum member and it is at the gunsmith this very moment waiting to be cut down to 3"....now mind you, I am saving the 4" barrel in the event that I want to sell the 681, or want it back like it came. Be prepared to pay good money to chop it off, and lose money when you sell it.

just my .02.....but seriously, if you want a used 65, I know where to look
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Old 09-23-2010, 09:25 AM
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You will spend more that it is worth - just buy a M65 or M66 3" bbl. If you can see your way clear to keep the 4", you will have two fine guns, if not, you can sell the M681 to help finance the M65 or M66. Aside from which, (and this of course is my personal opinion) why would you want to tote all the extra weight around to fire the same cartridge that the K frames do? Unless you shoot thousands of 357's out of a K frame, it will last you forever. Practice with 38 spl's. and pop off a few .357's for practice once in a while so you remain familiar with the power of the 357. The 3" K frames are highly sought after for this reason and remain one of the best carry pieces S&W ever produced! I too have an L Frame, but you will never see me carrying it. Too heavy and more importantly, too bulky to justify for firing the same exact cartridge as my smaller, lighter and very controllable 3" M65.

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Old 11-09-2020, 10:52 PM
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681s are highly sought after and valuable. I would look for a 3" 686 and swap or sell. I like adjustable sights on 357s because bullet weights dramztically changes point of aim.
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Old 11-09-2020, 11:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by officerdave View Post
Guys, I picked up a nice 4" 681 and am thinking of having it cut down to a 3" with a nice meprolight or similar frt sight for off duty carry. I have a backup J-Frame I sometimes carry, but like the L frame for carrying with magnums. Thoughts and any real world experience with gunsmiths that can do this kind of work. thanks
officerdave
If you’re game send that 681 to Mark Hartshorne
He’s a pro, many folks here have sent guns to him.

Pick up a 7 shot cylinder @ Midwayusa for a unique revolver, with a round butt.

Pinnacle High Performance - Custom Revolvers, Revolver Gunsmith

Check out what he did on DHarts 581. Simply phenomenal.

A very special 581 Custom
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Old 11-09-2020, 11:16 PM
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If you are aiming for a carry a lot 3" .357...... IMHO go K-frame ....... 13,65 or if you're lucky a model 66.

keep the 4" 681 as a SHTF belt carry .357.............. cut it down ... no way..... now round butting it........ if the serial# permits.... go for it.

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Old 11-09-2020, 11:49 PM
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Default You Mean.....

like this one, with a meprolight nite site



I didn't care much for the 4 inch. I rounded the butt, & added a cylinder crane ball detent also. It was a little loose when I got it. Enjoy

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Old 11-10-2020, 12:11 AM
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Prelocks cut down to 3” are hot right now. I have seen several bring more money than factory 3” for a couple of reasons like full length ejector rods on N frames and a lack of 3” 686 prelocks available. This little jewel slipped away from me. It went for a grand six months ago and I bet it would bring $1200 today. I wish I would have just paid it.
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Old 11-10-2020, 09:19 AM
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Prelocks cut down to 3” are hot right now. I have seen several bring more money than factory 3” for a couple of reasons like full length ejector rods on N frames and a lack of 3” 686 prelocks available. This little jewel slipped away from me. It went for a grand six months ago and I bet it would bring $1200 today. I wish I would have just paid it.
Beautiful 3 inch 681. The factory should have made a lot more. As far as value goes, I’ve seen many custom guns go for some bucks.
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Old 11-10-2020, 09:57 AM
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The only thing left to do to my 686 3" (had been 6") is to round the butt and I should get to it fairly soon. Sometimes you just have to make 'em the way you want them. S&W installed the 7 shot cylinder.

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Old 11-10-2020, 10:15 AM
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The only thing left to do to my 686 3" (had been 6") is to round the butt and I should get to it fairly soon. Sometimes you just have to make 'em the way you want them. S&W installed the 7 shot cylinder.

Stu
Advice on carry 681-686-3-3-22-jpg
I like the non fluted cylinder.

I have a fluted 7 rd cylinder waiting in the wings.

After talking about it for years( Nedroe knows) I finally printed off a work order for one of my 681’s. It’s going off to Mark Hartshorne for a RB, chop to 3 inch, conversion to 7 shot, and whatever else I can think of.
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Old 11-10-2020, 10:27 AM
Loyaljeeper Loyaljeeper is offline
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Mark is legendary enough that modifications done by him may appreciate in value over unmodified shooter Smiths. I am voting against the popular opinion and I think it is a decent investment for a S&W that you want that the factory didn’t build enough of. I will take a prelock correctly chopped to 3” over some of the junk being produced today.
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Old 11-10-2020, 10:33 AM
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Stupid me traded off a 3" 586 back in the 90s ....... with a 3" 66 for concealed carry the 586 never left the house. Kept the Spegel Boot grips that were on it..... and got a Shorty-9 in trade.
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Old 11-10-2020, 10:36 AM
Loyaljeeper Loyaljeeper is offline
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Beautiful 3 inch 681. The factory should have made a lot more. As far as value goes, I’ve seen many custom guns go for some bucks.
Just to be clear, but I believe you are, that started as a 4” and was chopped by Hellfire Customs.

I remember reading an article where someone was chopping and round butting two old LE trade in K frames. They actually looked better than anything produced by S&W in the last 20 years. I watched the auction and they ended up going for ridiculous money. Don’t quote me, but I think the pair went for $2800.

Last edited by Loyaljeeper; 11-10-2020 at 10:44 AM.
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681, 686, cartridge, gunsmith, l frame, m65, m66, model 65, model 66

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