A little while ago, maybe a few years I snagged a 4” CS-1 barrel off eBay for what I thought was a decent price. Certainly no more than any new 686 barrel. I just tucked it away until I figured out what to do with it. It has the bead blasted finish and pinned in black ramp sight, I knew what it was instantly.

Well also a little while ago I picked up a 686-1 in my LGS. This wasn’t the gun I typically buy. It had been bead blasted in the past, since it had an M stamp I knew it had at least returned to the factory at one point. The wheels started turning in my head and the more I looked at the CS-1 barrel and my new bead blasted 686 they are so close finish wise I’m thinking my 686 was likely refinished at the factory.

Now I would not commit to using this barrel because of its scarcity. I know they are never making another CS-1 black ramp barrel and you just never know when you might find one that for whatever reason needs a barrel. It seems though that being newly married my gun buying days are mostly over. Even a bad CS-1 is likely out of my price range. I’m scrounging through my parts and guns I bought as projects trying to keep myself busy.

That’s where we’re at today. Should I do it? New barrel with the black ramp sight that I prefer, plus I want to replace the floating hand. Maybe just maybe round butt her in the future to have a clone CS-1?




The barrel shoulder needs trimmed just a little to index properly before tightening. The forcing cone is already cut I just may have to set the gap when it’s on.

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-Matt

Build it like you want it, a gun in pieces is not doing you any good. If you save the barrel for a rainy day, someone else will end up with it when you're gone, and you will have missed all the enjoyment of having it in the first place.

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protocalldesign.com

Thanks for the insight, I just needed to reaffirm what I was doing. I trimmed the barrel down a hair and it indexes where I want it so I’m going to tighten it down tomorrow. Swapped over the locking bolt and knocked the pin out of the trigger for the floating hand.

Midway seems to have standard width hands in stock so I ordered a few.

__________________
-Matt

I agree, glad you went forward and are building the gun YOU desire!
Life is short!

I agree, do with guns what you like to do. None of my guns are how they were delivered.

But why not mill the original barrel to accept a pinned front sight?The result is almost the same and you still have the CS-1 barrel.

For now I’m just undertaking projects I can do myself. Minor fitting, filing and barrel swaps. No lathe or mill work yet.

__________________
-Matt

Barrel is on. Lined up well, match range rod passes through with no restriction. Also checked the yoke, it is lined up good too.

That is about all I can do until my new hand gets here



Oh and I stuck the cylinder in and the barrel to cylinder gap is good. I’m not going to have to trim it at all.

__________________
-Matt

Than that is super. And looks real good.

It came out okay. The original barrel the match range rod would not even enter the bore. The new barrel it does and it passes all the way through and touches no chambers.

I never got the standard L frame hands I ordered from midway. They’ve been stuck at the post office somewhere in Missouri for 2 weeks. I’ve tried to remain patient but I’ve about had it with the post office.

Last night I took apart my 686-4 2.5” to clean and inspect the insides. Just for the heck of it I measured the hand, same .091” thickness as my floating hand so I dropped it in my 686-1. It worked okay but not perfect, I had to peen 2 of the ratchet teeth to get it locking up consistently. I would really like to try a .092 or .093 if I can get one. If not I’ll stone down an oversized hand.

Oh well here it is. 686-1 square butt with a CS-1 barrel

__________________
-Matt

Okay my hands finally came today. I was nervous after finding a .091 hand was likely stock even though the non floating version was too thin for my gun. Luckily I did order 2, one measured out at .091 and the other .093. I don’t know if the factory does this on purpose but if they do I’m grateful. I figured the .093 would be good for this gun. The shorter of the 2 hand pins was a little proud, the one that sets the depth beside the trigger. I filed it down until it sat in the window straight. Cycling the action I could feel the hand dragging on a few of the ratchet teeth, none of the ones I peened thankfully. Filed a few teeth, put the gun back together and it’s as good as I can do with it. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to shoot it soon.

__________________
-Matt

Excellent project! You’re doing what the factory should have done (and probably would have 50 years ago.) Yes, there are manufacturing tolerances in mass produced parts, and a gunsmith (or even a proper assembler) should be able to parts match or make slight fittings to get proper function. The closer to proper spec, the better. I’ve heard the process called “blue printing” like they do with race car engines.

Please keep us informed on the final steps as you complete your project.

Regards,
Froggie