686-3 'Competitors' how many were made? Got the answer!!!

[socal s&w]

I bought my 686-3 'Competitor' in 2004 from a LGS that had bought out the stock from another gun store. It's a great shooter and I do most of my shooting with this gun every Saturday morning. It now has close to 35K rounds down the pipe without a hiccup.

I have all three of the Standard Catalog of S&W editions, bit still cannot find the quantity run for my dash 3. I believe that it was made in 1998 or so, but no quantity clue. I also believe that this is a Lew Horton gun originally with S&W now making the latest ones for their own retail.

I have seen a couple of them on this Forum that appear to match what I have, a dash 3. So I assume that maybe someone here knows the answer....

Anyone got a clue as to how many were in the dash 3 run?

 

[socal s&w]

I hear crickets chirping....but no answer....

I have tried this question here before with no answer, just trying again cause it's time.

Any information would be great!

Thank you!

 

[BJoe]

I had never heard of it till last week. A friend asked about one and I was clueless.

 

[gumpys]

Post a picture of the 686 you are referring to, I can help you out. There was a couple different competitor models If I recall right, unfluted and fluted cylinder versions along with different barrel versions as well.

Eric

 

[socal s&w]

Hey Gumpy/Eric.

Here is a picture of the said revolver, I sent it back for the non-fluted cylinder, it is NOT original, it had the fluted cylinder when I bought it. It has a 6" barrel with the weight set below and integral rail on top. Came with the Hogue rubber stocks, but replaced with Hogue Big-Butts.

Any info that you can provide would be great as I have limited now.

Thanks much for the help!

mike

 

[socal s&w]

Back to the top so not lost....thanks!

 

[socal s&w]

Hello….hello….hello….hello….hello….anyone there?

 

[socal s&w]

Back to the top for some help please.

Thank you!

 

[socal s&w]

Really....370 hits and no one knows....I'm guessing that everyone is in the same boat as me, have the book/s, but not enough information about quantities.

Thanks to everyone for at least looking!

mike

 

[argpi]

That looks like a special run PC Lew Horton. You can call Lew Horton Distributing Co. At 800-446-7866 with your serial number and they will verify if its one of theirs. If it is just ask them how many of that particular model were made.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Need a fly's eye

Here is a picture of the said revolver... mike

Mike, Looks interesting, but I wish the picture was bigger so I could see those "Big Butts" & "Long Thighs" better.

 

[gumpys]

Hi Mike,

Can you post a bigger picture of the gun specifically each side of the barrel, that is what I wanted to see on it.

Eric

 

[socal s&w]

Thanks for the posts guys!

While there is currently no right side pic, here are a couple more larger of the left side as requested. Stamped on the right side is 'Competitor' and that's it.

Again, I thank you for you posts and interest in helping me.

Click on the pics to increase.

mike

 

[socal s&w]

Hello….
hello….
hello….
hello….
hello….anyone there again?

 

[socal s&w]

Last push to the top. I'm gonna try calling Lew Horton and see if they are any help.

Thanks to all that attempted!

mike

 

[socal s&w]

Okay, so here's the scoop....

I phoned Lew Horton this morning and talked with Bob, a very nice individual by the way, and he gave me the following information on this 686-3 revolver....

It was manufactured in 1991 for Lew Horton (of course) it sold originally for $1,100, which is what I paid for it BNIB in 2004. It had a run of only 400 all of which are consecutively numbered. I happen to have a two digit number in that run.

They were a PCC revolver with a 6" barrel and 'Competitor' stamped on the left side of the slab barrel.

I had arrived at my LGS on a Saturday morning when I saw this beauty and asked to see it. I was told that there were two, but the other one sold on the previous day....missed it by a single day getting two. They were in consecutive order as well.

So, I thank everyone that was kind enough to offer support and interest in finding this information in my posts.