US Customs Service 686 CS-1

cs-1 3"

Just want to thank all for all the info on the CS-1's. I'm very fond of my 3" that I purchased new back in 1988. Serial # AVTxxxx product code 104228 stamped with the 2 and M. Still have the box (blue & white as mentioned previously) and papers that came with it.
Would love to eventually pair it up with a 4" but funds won't allow that currently.

I'll try and post a pic this evening
 
I carried one while stationed in TX and Alabama. There were many, many more Inspectors than Agents in the Service and we generally liked the CS-1. Since ours was carried on a regular gun belt, the weight and size was not an issue. We shot a ton of ammo, mostly 38 Special +p+. The tight tolerances did lead to function issues once the powder started building up but usually after 60 or so rounds. After the modifications, this problem mostly went away. The actions were smooth but not unlike the 686. In fact, accuracy was probably no different than the 686. I remember three of us getting challenged by a three goofy Army CID dudes who carried snub nosed revolvers and they kicked our butts even out at 25 yards. Two of them shot a perfect 300. Go figure.

We transitioned to the S&W 6906 which was mediocre at best. For a while we carried the wonderful Glock 9mm. Now we have the crummy H&K P2000 with the three-day trigger pull.

Overall, the CS-1 was a nice, dependable revolver. It always went bang when you needed it to. I wish I still had mine.
 
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CS-1

I fondly remember the CS-1. When I joined the Customs Service we were using the S&W Model 15 Combat Masterpiece. We transitioned to the CS-1 in The mid to late 80's. It is true that due to the close tolerences, the weapon would jam if you didn't clean it after 50 - 60 rnds. I found that it was more prone to fouling when firing .38+P. It was, in my opinion, probably one of the most accurate out-of-the-box revolvers I ever fired. In the early 90's I won 3 matches using this revolver. I am not familiar with the 3" and 6" models. (I base my experience from having been a firearms and tactics instructor for 11 years.) We later transitioned to the S&W 6946 9mm which proved to be a sub-standard piece, especially when using the Federal 147gr. Hydra-shock. I personally carried the 5906 which proved to be a far superior weapon.
 
Nothing like bringing a thread back from the grave. Thanks for all the info folks.

I walked into a local gunshop and they had bought all of the guns from a collectors estate sale locally. I spotted a 3"ish barrel 686 that had a bead blasted finish and plunked some money down on it. It looked to be in decent condition, they wouldn't allow me to pull the trigger on it (for good reason, the DA pull was awful) but the inside of the crane said
CS 1
M
MOD. 686

It sounded familiar but the price was decent and I figured it would make a good concealed carry. Googled this on my phone after I left and almost peed myself with excitement.

Would never have had any idea without the wonderful information you folks have provided. Serial is AWP23XX By the way.
 
Kernel Crittenden said:
I have your gun's brother in my s/n collection: AWP22XX. It shipped in May 1988, and was a round butt 3-inch M686 marked "CS-1".
Click to expand...

Nice. So far I haven't been able to put more than a dozen rounds through mine as a function check.

Any idea where yours was shipped to?
 
If there is any thread that deserves to be resurrected from time to time, it is this one. Especially to those of us who carried it, the CS-1 is a very memorable firearm.
 
Kaedan said:
Any idea where yours was shipped to?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, I don't actually have a CS-1. I'm not a member of that elite group (you lucky dog). I have a CS-1's serial number (and even that's missing a few digits). Actually, I have a bunch of CS-1 s/n's and ship dates. As long as people keep posting them, I'll keep writing them down. But I always X out the last digit, even when people post the whole thing.
 
One thing to note, if you have your blue/white box, and the serial matches, and your CS-1 was marked M2, consider yourself lucky. A lot of agents threw the boxes away after the guns were issued. Then when they were recalled from the filed, we firearms instructors usually just packed a bunch in a box to ship back to Ft. Benning.
 
I am considering purchasing a CS-1 and it has it's original box.
Question is were the mods done to those sold to the public or did all guns produced have to be sent back for mods??
What should I be looking at when I have the gun in my hands??
And what should I see on the box label??
Tom
 
I have a CS-1 M with 4" barrel and Pachmayr grips. It was an "overrun" purchased at a gun show from a large dealer when they first became available. I had a perfectly good Ruger Security Six (SS 4") that, for some reason, could NOT shoot to my potential. I had an action job done on it and off the bench it shot well. However, from field positions it was NOT "user friendly". I brought the CS-1 home and immediately saw SERIOUSLY better results. That was with both target wadcutters and full house .357's. I cast my own bullets and reload and was in excellent shooting shape, so was in a position to really appreciate the difference in performance.

A good friend wanted the Ruger and really liked it. I later added a 6" 686 and still have them both. As far as I am concerned (a shooter rather than a collector) the 686's are the best platform EVER for the .357 Magnum.

Here's mine:


FWIW
Dale53
 
THREEDFLYER said:
I am considering purchasing a CS-1 and it has it's original box.
Question is were the mods done to those sold to the public or did all guns produced have to be sent back for mods??
What should I be looking at when I have the gun in my hands??
And what should I see on the box label??
Tom
Click to expand...

Hello there,
Here's a pic of mine with the box. I bought it new. Mine has NOT been back for the "M" modification. I have several thousand rounds through it without issue so no need to send it back. The finish should be a matte stainless with a black front pinned blade (like mine pictured). Mine came with RB PC magnas which are in the box (I prefer the combats). The 3" version came with rubber stocks-pachmayrs? not sure. You should be able to see the info from the end label of my box to verify yours. Good luck.

 
Dale53 said:
I have a CS-1 M with 4" barrel and Pachmayr grips. It was an "overrun" purchased at a gun show from a large dealer when they first became available. I had a perfectly good Ruger Security Six (SS 4") that, for some reason, could NOT shoot to my potential. I had an action job done on it and off the bench it shot well. However, from field positions it was NOT "user friendly". I brought the CS-1 home and immediately saw SERIOUSLY better results. That was with both target wadcutters and full house .357's. I cast my own bullets and reload and was in excellent shooting shape, so was in a position to really appreciate the difference in performance.

A good friend wanted the Ruger and really liked it. I later added a 6" 686 and still have them both. As far as I am concerned (a shooter rather than a collector) the 686's are the best platform EVER for the .357 Magnum.

Here's mine:


FWIW
Dale53
Click to expand...

Should have bought a CS-1 back in the day......but I had my 686 no dash round butted and added the same pachmayr grips..years before the CS-1...........an action job and it was my PPC gun/and primary full .357 magnum carry gun for years. Totally agree on the 686 being the best 4 and 6 inch .357.

To me the 3" 686 is the 4516 of revolvers...too heavy for it's size. Might as well just carry a 4"! A better choice for a 3" is the 66.
 
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i have two 4 inch cs-1s would like to show them off if i was a computer genius.i cant seem to find how to download pics.this site is slightly hard to navigate
 
I bought a used 4" CS-1 a couple of years ago from a dealer who thought it was just a plain old 686. The price was quite good. It's a nice gun, but I sold it for a ridiculous price and was able to buy two, no dash 681's and a no dash 581 with change left over and no regrets. I really like the fixed sights on the service models, and I notice no difference in the actions. The 581, is actually much nicer, IMO.
 
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value

Enjoyed the read on the CS-1s. With that, I have a bead on one at a local shop.. 3in, original pachmyr grips with window, "2M" stamped. They have 1200 on the tag so I know I can get that down.. What is fair?
 
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