686-4 4" 6-shot: When did Square Butt ---> Round Butt occur?

surfdog76 · Feb 11, 2010

After much research here (kudos)... My quest for a 4" 686-4 has begun!

Unless I'm on the wrong track, postings indicate that at some point during the Dash 4 production run, S&W changed the frame
from Square Butt to Round Butt (?). If this is correct, can anyone comment on when this change actually occurred?

Unfortunately, I'm finding that it's not as 'simple' as asking the gun's owner. Many will claim a SB, when the gun could very well be an RB
with an RB-->SB Conversion Grip on it. Is there some way to distinguish the two, short of physically removing the grips from the frame
(e.g., Serial Number)?

I'm searching for a Round Butt model because I have a growing collection of RB grips that I'd like to be able to switch between
my K-frame 617 and the L-frame 686.

TIA!

UPDATE: More research seems to indicate that 686-4's with serial #'s in the CBCxxx to CBNxxx (+) range are Round Butt.
Fairly rare, since;

- According to the Smith & Wesson Standard Catalog, 686s changed over to round butts in 1996.
The model 686-5 was introduced in 1997 (thanks stevieboy).

- 686-4 Round Butt Conversion Grip Began in August 1996 with the "CBC" Prefix.
(source: Smith & Wesson 686-4 not 66 4" SS NIB S&W "MINT" : Revolvers at GunBroker.com)

- Both the 686-4 RB in that GB listing and dma1's 686+ -4 have CBN serial numbers...

Good thing the search is half the fun!

valkyriekl · Feb 12, 2010

surfdog76 said:
Unless I'm on the wrong track, postings indicate that at some point during the Dash 4 production run, S&W changed the frame
from Square Butt to Round Butt (?). If this is correct, can anyone comment on when this change actually occurred?

1996, according to my copy of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 3rd Edition.

surfdog76 said:
Unfortunately, I'm finding that it's not as 'simple' as asking the gun's owner. Many will claim a SB, when the gun could very well be an RB
with an RB-->SB Conversion Grip on it. Is there some way to distinguish the two, short of physically removing the grips from the frame
(e.g., Serial Number)?

Sure is: if the grips have a square-butt profile, look at the backstrap. If the whole backstrap is exposed, almost all the way down to the bottom of the grips, it's a square-butt. If the grip covers the bottom third of the backstrap, it's a round-butt.

A picture to illustrate:

left-to-right:
Round butt (S&W 15-7, made in August or September 1997)
Square butt (S&W 686-1, made between July 1987 and December 1987)
Round butt (S&W 14-6, made in August or September 1997)
Square butt (S&W 14-5, made in October 1993)

In the foreground is a set of Hogue grips for a K/L-frame round-butt (note the rubber would cover the bottom third of the grip frame).

surfdog76 said:
(e.g., Serial Number)?

You could do that, too--serial numbers in 1996 and later started with CAMxxxx, though there are exceptions (CLS was in 1995, SDE was in 1994, TWT was in 1986). There will probably be some overlap here, with some 1996 686s having square-butt frames.

Also, according to the SCSW3, the round-butt frame was made exclusively only between 1996 (when the square-butt frame was deleted) and 1997 (when the 686-5 w/ MIM parts) started shipping.

HTH

surfdog76 · Feb 12, 2010

Good Man, Valkyriekl... That helps a lot!

PS: I have followed a number of your posts, and have learned a lot (e.g., -4 was first with factory D&T).

Thumbs up!

red9 · Feb 12, 2010

The 686 4" RB started with the CS-1 of 1988. Were there any other limited runs before the transition?

Nice photos.

Bob Hart #946

Mack · Feb 12, 2010

Two round butts, 686 3" SN CAC and 686 + 4" SN CAY.

m.

valkyriekl · Feb 12, 2010

surfdog76 said:
Good Man, Valkyriekl... That helps a lot!

PS: I have followed a number of your posts, and have learned a lot (e.g., -4 was first with factory D&T).

Thumbs up!

Sometimes I wish I had never bought the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson--although it gives me a reference with which to speak with authority on this stuff, it also shows me that my collection is woefully incomplete--I think I 'need' a S&W 610 in 10mm now!

Re: looking at backstraps--I just remembered that if the backstrap is completely covered (i.e. one of the new Hogue X-frame grips, or a set of Pachmayrs or Uncle Mikes, or whatever) then looking at the backstrap won't help in determining RB vs. SB. The serial number would help in this case...of course the one sure way to tell is to pull off the grips and look.

SPEEDGUNNER · May 10, 2010

What grips came on the 686-4 RB from the factory?

Is this one year production (1996) an anomaly, or are they particularly rare?

Ken Cleghorn · Oct 14, 2011

I am new to the forum and I am looking for some information on a revolver that I have owned for more than 20 years. I have a 4 inch 686 with a round-butt, satin finish, and solid black metal sights without the plastic inserts. The original owner claimed that the gun was made for the U.S. Border Patrol when I took him to the Rod & Gun Club in Mainz, Germany to pick it up after he special ordered it. I traded him out of it before he rotated back to the states in 92. I am guessing that we picked it up in 89 or 90. It also has the distinction of having German proof stamps that I guess they added when it was imported; however, I am just looking for info on the pistol itself. Any takers out there?

minconrevo · Oct 14, 2011

I owned a 686-4 round butt 4" with prefix BSN.

slumpy · Oct 14, 2011

Can anybody provide pictures of round and square butts without grips side by side?

47D · Oct 14, 2011

slumpy said:
Can anybody provide pictures of round and square butts without grips side by side?

Stevie · Oct 14, 2011

I own 686-4...serial number BRS 86XX...definately a square-butt...not for sure when it was made..1990's probably.

I've had several folks tell me the 686-4 was supposed to be a round-butt..butt mine ain't!

TheGerk · Oct 15, 2011

Stevie said:
I own 686-4...serial number BRS 86XX...definately a square-butt...not for sure when it was made..1990's probably.

I've had several folks tell me the 686-4 was supposed to be a round-butt..butt mine ain't!

Your “Dash 4” gun was introduced in 1993
It is most definitely a square butt gun, just like it was supposed to be

In the future, if you present the product code number this is more helpful than the serial number in researching model particulars.
This should be on any S&W paperwork you received with the gun and on the labels of the S&W gun box or case.

It is a six digit number starting with either
104XXX
130XXX
148XXX
149XXX
164XXX
170XXX
604XXX

This number ties all the guns sights, stocks, trigger and hammer features to the particular gun
FYI….

TresXXX · May 28, 2012

This thread seems to have expired. But I just found it interesting that I acquired a 686-1 serial # AWD19XX that is definitely a round butt. I took the grips off and compared it to picture in the previous post. Previous posts said 686 round butts started around generation 686-4. Was this some kind of a special run?

AveragEd · May 28, 2012

686-1s with 2-1/2" barrels had round butts. Otherwise, I can't explain why it does.

I thought almost all 686-4s had round butts but I guess not as many as I thought actually do.

Ed

Young Gun · Jul 16, 2016

I have a 686-5 round butt. Wishing it was square. I wish smith decided to make square butts the standard.

FFJAB · Nov 3, 2016

I just picked up a dash 3 with an 8 3/8" barrel and round butt. I can't wait to shoot it.

Kernel Crittenden · Nov 4, 2016

Young Gun said:
I have a 686-5 round butt. Wishing it was square. I wish smith decided to make square butts the standard.

Easy solution: buy a round-to-square converstion grip. Will result in the exact same profile as a SB frame. A set of Hogues will set you back about $16, custom grips can run $200+, and every thing in between. All the mfgrs offer them.

Joe Hohmann · Nov 4, 2016

I bought mine in 1994, and glad it was square butt, which is what I prefer. I changed my new 617 to a square profile with new Ahrends grip at a cost of $90.
Can I assume the rounded rubber grips, on most of todays revolvers, are in answer to the "home defense" craze?

BAM-BAM · Nov 4, 2016

Joe Hohmann said:
I bought mine in 1994, and glad it was square butt, which is what I prefer. I changed my new 617 to a square profile with new Ahrends grip at a cost of $90.
Can I assume the rounded rubber grips, on most of todays revolvers, are in answer to the "home defense" craze?

Most feel that round butts conceal easier as the butt doesn't print like a square butt................which is why most short (3" or less) barrel Smiths have "always" had nice round butts.

Edit...... I personally like round butts on guns up to 4" L-frames...... Ns and 6 inch guns are GTG with square butts......

686-4 4" 6-shot: When did Square Butt ---> Round Butt occur?

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