686-NoDash No-M Matching Alpha Serial

[HorizontalMike]

Well, I just could NOT pass this up when it showed up on GB. I have had my original 4" 686 No-Dash that I bought new back in August 1986. The original has a serial AUExxxx,... and NOW I have ANOTHER that also has that AUExxxx prefix serial number! I had my first 686 "M" modified back in Jan 1987. This new-to-me 686 has NOT been modified, so now I have examples of both.

I ended up paying $820, maybe a bit high, BUT I now have a MATCHING PAIR of 4" 686 No-Dash revolvers!

FWIW, the new-to-me 686 came with no box/papers... only the matching alpha prefix. WHY did I do this?

My original, bought new 686 has the box, the tools, all paperwork, UN-touched Concalo Alves grips that have spent less than a day on the revolver (had/have Pachmayr grips since new, and receipt/box for that too), PLUS original written and register receipts from the local LGS in CA that I bought it from.

 

[Yorkie Man]

I also have a 4" 686 with the AUE prefix

 

[HorizontalMike]

I also have a 4" 686 with the AUE prefix

Great! I love the way these shoot. I have only put 2--3,000 rounds through my first 686, and ~500 of those were in the past 2-months. That said, THAT is the reason for purchasing another, as I want to keep my first as pristine as possible.

I plan on using my second as my main 4in test-platform for my reloading of .38 and .357s and my recently purchased K6S as my 2in test-platform.

I am going to take the side plate off this morning and see just how much I can do to clean/lube everything. The best that I can tell, the side plate HAS BEEN removed at some time in the past. There is a really small pry mark on the top of the side plate, very minor but noticeable. As we all should know, we only tap on the side of the revolver to remove this plate, not pry.

After checking out all the innards, I will probably send it off to S&W for the "M" service, and am considering having a high polish job as well. It is obvious that the previous owner had polished this non-M 686 in the past, but only so so. And lastly, I will have to decide (after inspecting the innards) if I will "trust" the S&W Performance Center to do a PROPER trigger job. My past TWO S&W new purchases (627PC and 642) arrived with very poor to non-existent "tuned actions".

One thing I am seriously considering is just how much "service" to get on the non-M 686. The trigger is too stiff for my liking. While I do NOT think anything is wrong with the trigger, it is just that my original 686-M had a local smithy do a great trigger job on it back in Jan 1987. And I am really really happy with how smooth it turned out.

 

[bigshep85]

How much are these going for these days is $850 about right?

I think I paid around $700 or something for my last one but that has been three years ago or more.

I found one locally with the serial beginning with AAF6XXX

Is there a difference in AUE and AAF?

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

AAF would of shipped in.... 1982.

 

[bigshep85]

AFF would of shipped in.... 1982.

This one is AAF.

I am considering getting another to go with the plated 586 I have now. That would be an interesting set for sure.

I don't think you can go wrong with getting any older 686 though, especially that full lug barrel. They are great guns.

You know now you need some nice grips for them, either matching or contradicting. Then you can post a picture here for all of us to see!

 

[rwsmith]

If you are happy......

...then we are happy for you.

 

[HorizontalMike]

Well, here is what I have found thus far. I quickly learned that this 686 had NOT been opened in some time. Many rub marks on frame from dirt between gun and grips... Gun was at least reasonably clean all things considered and all high contact points showed old congealed lube. This is NOT a complaint, just an observation...

I went through everything, stoned all contact surfaces, sans the actual mechanical ones, and lubed everything with Jet-50 Moly using a toothpick. And YES, I know that this will eventually leak out with future gun-oil lubes, etc. All I can say is that it works wonders, quieting the mechanics of the trigger pulls.

After all was said and done, I was still not happy with the trigger pull, so will be ordering the Brownell's WILSON COMBAT - #178 S&W K,L,N FRAME SPRING KIT

Yeah, yeah, I know... I could have just sanded/modified the springs on my own... BUTT... I would rather have the old stock OEMs to go back to if I ... xxx... bluck-up... And YES, I have thought about swapping the springs between the two and ended up refusing to do so...

BTW, after re-lubing, stoning, etc. the mechanism is smoother, but not any lighter... ...life goes on...

 

[bigshep85]

Nothing better than a rescue gun! Little tlc goes so far

 

[GCF]

Ya' done good Kid!

Pics of my "no dash" "no M" attached. Got the spring kit in mine - sweet DA, w/ no light strike issues what so ever.

 

[HorizontalMike]

Ya' done good Kid!

Pics of my "no dash" "no M" attached. Got the spring kit in mine - sweet DA, w/ no light strike issues what so ever.

Thanks! Great to hear! Good lookin' gun you have also!...

Already sent mine to S&W for the "M", because the cylinder release was/is sticky (maybe bent extractor tube?). Asked them to also look at that while it is there.

When it gets back, I will swap out the spring kit parts and compare it to my first 686 No-Dash trigger job. Should be interesting for sure...

 

[HorizontalMike]

Ya' done good Kid!

Pics of my "no dash" "no M" attached. Got the spring kit in mine - sweet DA, w/ no light strike issues what so ever.

QUESTION: So what poundage spring did you end up using?

 

[GCF]

QUESTION: So what poundage spring did you end up using?

Brownells Pro-Spring Kit (Wolff Springs)
SWK/L/N-201
#080-665-201

Out of this kit I used:
Power Rib Mainspring / Type 2 - Reduced Power
14 Lb Reduced Power Rebound Spring

Before installing the rebound slide, I lightly polished the inner frame area - where the rebound rides back & forth. Aside from clean & lube, didn't touch anything else.

A lot of guys get nervous about the reduced power mainspring - especially for carry guns, but w/ this revolver, I've experienced no light strike issues w/ WW, CCI, & Fed primers.

I did have a M64 k frame, that had light DA primer strikes (SA no problem) w/ a RP ribbed mainspring, but as it turned out, the headspace was slightly out of spec - on the wide side. Frank at LSG (up in Comanche) addressed the headspace issue, & the DA light strikes went away.

Could be mistaken, but I think that Brownells also markets a kit w/ a full power (Type 1 maybe?) ribbed Wolff mainspring.

 

[HorizontalMike]

I ended up with the Wilson Combat Spring Kit #178. I will install it when S&W returns the revolver after the "M" mod and checking the cylinder sticking issue.

BTW, just got in a Lyman trigger pull gauge and will be checking when it comes back. My little 2in Kimber DA-only K6S came in with an average of ~6.75lb trigger and that feels great! I'll also check my old 642 in the next day or so, and then add the Apex springs I ordered for that as well.

Things are looking up...

 

[Whitwabit]

I just got a 686 new and the trigger on it must be 12 pounds or more .. more then my 10 pound gage will read ..

Would like to get it down to 6 to 8 in DA .. SA is a hair over 3 pounds and is fine ..

Might have to do what you did after I get it broke in a little ..

 

[splittime]

I just got a 686 new and the trigger on it must be 12 pounds or more .. more then my 10 pound gage will read ..

Would like to get it down to 6 to 8 in DA .. SA is a hair over 3 pounds and is fine ..

Might have to do what you did after I get it broke in a little ..

Mine is 11#/3#, ordered some wolf springs. I'll see how it goes

 

[CustomChevyGuy]

AAF would of shipped in.... 1982.

Let me ask, would this prefix be for all of 1982 or would the month in 1982 change part of it?
I'd be interested in March if the numbers got that specific?

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Let me ask, would this prefix be for all of 1982 or would the month in 1982 change part of it?
I'd be interested in March if the numbers got that specific?

I can't say the month. S&W began using the triple-alpha system in 1980 with AAA and for the first four years prefixes were used in a somewhat chaotic fashion. After that prefixes and dates settled down and became much more consistent and predictable.

At any given moment S&W will be using four or five different prefixes simultaneously on their revolvers. So, there's quite a bit of overlap. And the "life" of any one prefix is typically 2 - 4 months. More often than not the higher numbers ship first, so it's not uncommon to see ABC9xxx ship 2 months before ABC1xxx.

 

[GCF]

My 4" "no dash" is AFP99XX

Seems like someone estimated '84.

Really need to get that sucker out & shoot it...

 

[HorizontalMike]

Things Are Now lookin' Good!

Got my new-to-me 686 back from S&W this past week, and the cylinder release is much better. So now, I took the time to install my Wilson Combat Spring Kit #178. While at it, I also decided to do some stoning on my own. I stoned the rebound slide and paid some more attention to the cylinder release.

The cylinder release was better coming from S&W repair, but I decided to pull the cylinder release bar and stone it as well. Paid particular attention to previously formed scratches/marks. After replacing the main spring and rebound spring (I chose the 14lb), I put it all back together and was amazed! The cylinder release was now buttery smooth, just like my bought new 1986 686...!

I then grabbed my Lyman trigger gauge and started measuring both of my 1986 circa 686s below:

My original 686 (trigger job done in Jan 1987 at LGS):
DA = 7lb 1.0oz
SA = 2lb 7.9oz

My new-to-me 686 with Wilson Combat #178 Kit:
DA = 8lb 0.3oz
SA = 2lb 0.8oz

Well what'cha all think?

Personally, it looks like I probably should keep the 14lb rebound spring, since the SA is almost 2lb even. It's half a pound lighter than my original 686.

The DA 8lb pull is heavier than my original by almost a full pound. But, I think it will do as well. The new main spring has not even been through the needed ~1,000 snap-cap routine yet. Maybe that will change it some, or not.

Below, the left 686 w/CT is my original 686. On the right is my new-to-me 686. BOTH have the AUExxxx prefix serial number, so both are from roughly the same time in 1986.