Am I Crazy?

[Robocarullo]

I recently decided I needed a pre-lock 686 shooter, not a safe queen. At first I thought a 4" would do but after handling some 3" .357s, more thought, and looking at way too much gun porn I decided it had to be a 3". That does not leave me with many options.... and they all seem to be pretty expensive and hard to get a hold of/ As far as I know for the 686 that leaves me with the CS-1, and a PC variation.

So unless one of the two above gems happen to come up for sale within the next few weeks I am going to plan B.

Plan B = Find a good deal on a nice well taken care of 4" or 6" pre-lock 686 and send it off to have the barrel chopped and re-crowned. While it is there I'll probably have some XS big dots installed, have the smith give her a good once over, and get an action job (if it needs it).

I figure if the deal on the base gun is good enough I won't end up spending any more than I would for either of the afformentioned rare finds.
Does anyone else do this or am I crazy?

[Wheelgunner840]

If you have your heart set on a 3" 686, then go for it. I personally love my pre-lock 686 snub (2 1/2") and they are easier to find than the 3" variety. To each his/her own! I would see what they are selling for, and then check out the price of the work you would have to do to cut one down and get a more precise idea of the difference in cost.


WG840

[gregintenn]

If you get what you want, and then figure out it isn't what you want, you would be harder pressed to recoup your money from the cut down revolver than you would from the one that is the way it is supposed to be.

[Jellybean]

No, I don't think you're crazy, but then everyone thinks I am so what does that tell you?

Anyway, if you want a particular gun and it's not made or hard to come by, and you have the money and patience to have the work done, then have it built. Everyone has their likes and dislikes and there will be many that will tell you to do otherwise, but they won't be shooting it in the end, you will.

Welcome to the forum and post some pictures once you get it done.

[Robocarullo]

Thanks for the thoughts. I have been doing some thinking and came up with a few options. There is a gun show coming up in September at the Valley Forge convention center, so I might be able to find something good there. The Action job, cut, re-crown, etc... is gonna cost me around 300 bucks, not including a new front sight blade or shipping both ways.

I have also been considering getting the new Talo edition 3" 686 with the forged hammer and trigger, and then just removing the IL.

Decisions decisions.....