So, I went to the local gun shop today, and I found a 686-6 2.5" with the IL. Now, I swore to myself I would not buy a gun with an IL, but I also want a 66 or 686 snubby really bad. This one looks like new, 6 shot, and unfortunately has the IL. Listed at 550. Now, should I dish out and replace with the plug? or wait for a true no IL gun? Will I find a 686 without a lock for 500 or so?

Please help.

No-lock snubby 686s come up from time to time. I'd say the $550 for the -6 is an OK price; no-lock 66s and 686s go for about that much, I think...

Going thru the samething,I am getting tired of waiting for a no-lock stubby 44,Im thinking,''just buy the IL and remove it'',Good luck

i have both lock and no lock variation...both shoot just fine...

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I would hold out for a no lock version, here is my thoughts behind waiting. First of all if you originally wanted one w/o the IL, then why settle on something you're not 100% happy with? 2nd, if you are like me and think the lock is just butt ugly, then guess what? Even when you replace it with the plug, the only thing accomplished is that you took it out and the gun will function fine, but it'll still have the ugly hole. 3rd, if the price is about the same for a no lock gun, then why not get a no lock gun that will hold its value much better, especially being that S&W is producing some no lock guns for 2010.....maybe they'll start producing no lock guns in larger frames.....

I bought an IL revolver the other day. Don't see what the big deal is. Not gonna remove it, plug it, or anything else. Don't anticipate a problem based on the evidence I've seen.

I've had two IL S&W's, both 3" 66-6 (one a 3.25" Hiviz and the other an F comp). Wanted an F comp badly, and couldn't find one that was pre-lock, so for that I went went with an IL F comp. Seemed like a reasonable trade-off.

Why did you say this to your self if you are going against what you said?

Been looking for a long time for a pre-lock without much luck, and this seems like a good deal. By the responses though, it must not be as good of a deal as I thought. I am thinking I will pass and keep looking for a pre-lock.... maybe even a 686+.

I said I wouldn't by a gun with the lock because I think it is a dumb mechanism that introduces a new possibility of failure, and I do not want to support the degrading of fine weapons. I am sick of society trying to make everything idiot proof. We are screwing up Darwin's theory, and setting back the human race.

Bingo
Just look around for a while in the for sale section and see how hard people are having to get some one to buy their revolvers with the lock on them.
A non lock gun will sell in a heart beat, compaired to the same with a lock.
Think about resale.

Have you looked in the classified section of this site?

This one just sold for $540 (shipped): SPF.....S&W 686-5 2 1/2" $540 shipped

And this one was just listed at $575 (shipped): http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sa...86-1-snub.html

Thanks for the links. I would prefer buying the gun in person so I could look at it and go over it before I am committed. That second one was not posted until after I started the thread, but I will consider it.

Thanks.