This is not meant to be a definitive thread on the US Customs Service 686 CS-1 revolvers. This thread is a distillation of information I have gathered on this, and other boards. As well as from folks who were there and know about these fine revolvers.

A great deal of the information in this thread was provided by SmithNut, in threads on this very board. I cannot locate these threads, many from 2003 to 2006. Sadly, one of the last exchanges I had with SmithNut was when I posted that the older CS-1 threads were "pruned". SmithNut declared that to be "misinformation". In any case, I cannot locate them. If anyone can, please provide links to them in this thread.

If you have additional or conflicting information, by all means please post it here. If you were a Customs Service officer or employee please join in the conversation and relate what you know.

The information I am posting is from hundreds of pages of 686 CS-1 threads I printed at the time, and filed over the years. It is only from the public posts. Not PM's or Emails.

Thank you SmithNut for all of your expertise that you so willingly shared with us and your patience in answering our endless and sometimes repetitive questions about the CS-1 revolvers.

Lets start by defining what a 686 CS-1 is.....and is not. The 686 CS-1's were NOT Performance Center guns. The Performance Center had not been created yet when the CS-1's were produced. The 686 CS-1's were factory guns made to the US Customs Service specifications.

Made in 1988 according to the SCSW, 1987 to 1992 according to various other sources, the 686 CS-1's were 6-shot 686's made in three barrel lengths, 3 inch - 4 inch and a small quantity (unknown how many) of 6 inch guns for the Customs Service pistol team.

The 686 CS-1's were finished in a dull gray bead blast finish with flash chromed hammers and triggers. They featured a narrow black blade front sight (1/10) and plain black rear sight. The firing pin was mounted on the hammer. All three barrel lengths featured a round butt grip frame. All the 686 CS-1's delivered to the Customs Service were shipped with Pachmayr RB Compact grips. More on the grips in later posts.

Many threads asking about the CS-1 grips were posted over the last decade.

SmithNut told us that the actual service guns were delivered to the Customs Service wearing Pachmayr Compact round butt grips with a "window" in the bottom.

These Pacmyar grips were created specifically to meet the Customs Service contract - which stated that the installed grips must allow viewing of the revolvers serial number.

Early production Pacmayr compacts did not have medallions - BUT - evidently SOME later examples DID.

Overun 686 CS-1 guns were sold directly to distributors wearing wooden magna style round butt grips with S&W medallions.

I have yet to locate a copy of the Customs Service request for proposal. I can tell you that it called for specific demonstrable accuracy and durability - above what the standard production 686's delivered.

So the rumor of these CS-1's being "better made" and having "DX" accuracy is likely true. Periodically a 686 CS-1 was selected from a production lot and required to demonstrate the durability and accuracy requirement. If it failed to do so it was sent back to S&W and a subsequent example pulled and subjected to the same test. We are told that there were few that failed - but there were a few examples.

More in a bit....

Interesting.
What is the difference between. CS-1 "M" vs CS-1 "2M" ?

There has been alot of discussion over the years about the markings on the Customs service 686 CS-1's. Some of it has been incorrect.Obviously all the Custom Service CS-1's have the "CS-1" stamp inside the crane area. There has been much confusion and conflicting info on the "M" and "2M" stamps.

SmithNut told us back around 2005-6 the following info.

The production of the 686 CS-1 occured during the recall for the L-frame hammer nose bushing. At that time there were over 4500 686 CS-1's in service. S&W had incorporated the recall modification in production. So some of the 4500 in service revolvers were modified, and some were not.

The US Customs Service decided to do the recall modifications on the in service guns at its Glynco GA facility. S&W sent four factory armorers to Glynco GA. All the in service CS-1 revolvers were run through the inspection. Those that were found to already have the modifications were given a "2" stamp to the left of the "M" stamp. The unmodified guns were corrected and given the "M" stamp.

For those interested in whether their 686 CS-1 saw actual service, without lettering it, SmithNut suggested the following. If your 686 CS-1 has a "2M" stamp and is wearing Pacmayr Compacts it is a pretty good bet that yours is actually one of the CS-1's that saw service. SmithNut also suggested lettering the gun for verification of same.

Boxes - I have seen much about the 686 CS-1 boxes. Yes, it appears that the majority of the blue folding cardboard boxes with the white lettered "revolver" on the cover, that the 686 CS-1's shipped in, were indeed destroyed. However not ALL of the boxes were destroyed. Many were not. The two 3 inch 686 CS-1's I own/had both came in their original boxes. No tools were included in either. Both had the original warranty cards and owners manuals. The first one had a small red sticker on the top of the box. Handwritten in black ink was "Treasury $421". Both Julian dates were for mid 1988.

If you have the matching box for your CS-1 check your Julian date code under "spec order" and let us know what yours says.

It is possible that S&W made new boxes for the 2500 used 686 CS-1s that were at the factory under the Sales Exchange program - and subsequently released directly to distributors, when Customs transitioned to the S&W 6946.

Of course all the overuns were shipped with CS-1 markings and in brand new boxes as well.

We will tackle numbers produced next.......

This is seemingly a moving goal post situation. Numbers from one source conflict with other numbers provided from very reliable sources. I will lay out what numbers have been provided. Perhaps someone with access to the US Customs Service records will reconcile these figures from the official records.

In a 2005 post the total number of 686 CS-1s, in all barrel lengths, was quoted as 7,850. This number was attributed to the factory historian Mr Roy Jinks. The poster claimed to have lettered his 3 inch CS-1.

In another 2005 post SmithNut tells us that the number of 3 inch 686 CS-1s made was 3,281 and 5,419 of the 4 inch CS-1. He goes on to say that the CS-1 configuration was quite popular and S&W made it available to other agencies as well as the public. S&W produced 3200 additional 686 CS-1s - 1600 3 inch and 1600 4 inch and released them directly into public distribution.

So not counting the 3200 "overun" guns released, there is a discrepancy of 850 between the Jinks letter number and the 8700 number.

As to surviving original "issued" CS-1s, SmithNut again provides much interesting information. Approximately 2500 686 CS-1s were released through the Sales Exchange Program before then Attorney General Janet Reno ended that program and ordered federally owned service weapons destroyed rather than sold. Additionally some 686 CS-1s were returned to the factory for service/repair and were released into distribution rather than being returned to the Customs Service.

It is an educated guess that perhaps this account for the relatively frequent appearance of 686 CS-1s bearing the 2M stamp and still having original matching boxes.

So counting the 3200 overuns and the 2500 used CS-1s sold to distributors we have a pool of approximately 5700 potential 686 CS-1's out there.

I've no idea how many 6 inch 686 CS-1s were produced for the pistol team. Perhaps a SWCA member can post some info or a picture here for us.

I assume there is no mention of the CS-3 on purpose here.

18DAI, thanks for compiling and posting this information!!!

8062.

has "2 M" stamp, box includes tools. shipped 3/4/88

Attached Images

	Image15.jpg (143.1 KB, 698 views)
	686cs1012.jpg (55.3 KB, 939 views)

Great info!

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Tim

In 1989 I purchased a CS-1 3inch from a local gunshop here. It appeared to be brand new and was in the blue and white cardboard box. It had regular service stocks on it and had a couple of the round "dot" stickers stuck to the gun and grips. If I remember correctly, it did have all the paperwork and the tools in the box. The gun shop had several of them in 3 and 4 inch lengths. I do remember it wasn't cheap, I think I paid about $350.00 for it then. The reason I bought it was I had seen a very good article in a gun magazine about these revolvers, I think it was written by David Steele. I had it for a very short time and sold it to a co-worker who was here while his wife attended law school and they moved back to their home state shortly after I sold it to him. I have had a few since then but that was the only one I bought "new" with all the tools and box. If I knew what they would be bringing today I would have kept all of them.

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Danny A.

I have two. Both with known history to day one. I am the 3rd owner of each. The first I bought from a LEO who got it from his brother who was with the Customs office, it came in a brown box, with compact Pachmayers with medallions. Second came from a member here who got it from a friend NEW at a gun shop. It wears Magna's. Both have the 2M stamp.
I PLAN on getting them both lettered but guns, ammo, and grips keep pushing them back.

Mine has original box "2M" pach compac with window and medallions.
Spec order # 8251 product code 104228

I purchased mine in 1993 for $285.00. It came with the Pachmeyer grips (I think, as I replaced them years ago.) It is marked under the yoke CS-1 first line, second line is a lone numeral 2, and the third line is MOD. 686. Under the grips on the left side is a large letter S and a small round paper sticker with "33" printed on it. On the right side is a letter V in a circle and a triangle with a 1 inside and partially stamped over that is a heart shape with a 6 inside. The SN is AYU09XX which if I am reading the S&W catalog correctly puts it in 1987. It came in the blue and white S&W box with the SN printed on it, Product Code 104229 and Julian date of 9229. The upper left corner of the label has a 2 in a circle and there is a word "Features" with a letter M above. The revolver came with Millett sights which had never been zeroed as I could not raise the rear sight enough to get it to POA. I had to take quite a bit off the top of the front sight. It shoots like a dream and I carried it on duty until our dept dictated semi-autos.

If anyone cares to comment I am curious as to the Julian date and also the Millett sights. Thanks...........keep shootin'

Of the two I have the only thing they have in common, under the grips, is they are both stamped 7843 on right side.

I don't have the original receipt at my fingertips right now, but this is what I do have: Original price of the pistol was $369.00; BNIB is a MOD.686 marked CS 1. The inside frame is also marked 2 M, with the "2" being distinctly stamped deeper than the others. The pistol came with a 3" barrel and Pachmayr/Compac grips with medallion and cut out for serial number viewing. Inside the grips, appear the marking SK- 2 and WR below the "2".
The original blue cardboard box in mint condition with label in tact. 002 is the Model No.Serial No. is AYU0741, Product Code is 104228 and Spec. Ord. is 8266. Features is M. In the box is a Safety and Instruction manual (generic) marked 4/87 and a Warranty sheet marked 03342 REV 2/87. Tools included are a rod, brass brush, cleaning swag and a neat Sight Adjustment key.
My pistol is BNIB with a very faint turn line from factory test firing and probably less than twenty dry firings. The sights are standard S&W adjustables with black black rear blade and pinned black ramp front sight blade. Finish is frosted stainless.
I read about the CS 1 series way back when in an issue of Combat Handguns. That article included photos and specs on what made this series what it was. I'll locate that article as well as the bill of sale and get back...

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Stay Safe...
jd SWCA #3276

As a former Special Agent and firearms instructor for U.S. Customs, I think I can lend a little light on the subject of the CS-1.

The CS-1 was the brain child of Mr. Mark Humphyville. He was hired as a firearms expert by former Commissioner William Von Raab. Mr. Humphyville had come from the Aberdeen Proving Ground staff. He had no law enforcement experience, and very little handgun expertise.

Mr. Humphyville belived that the .357 Magnum cartridge was the best "one shot stop" capable handgun. And without any law enforcement experience, he had no idea what it took to carry or conceal a large frame .357 Magnum revolver, in the line of duty.

Mr. Humphyville set the specs for the new revolver as it had to have a 3 or 4 inch barrel, and have a useable service life of 10,000 rounds of duty .357 Magnum ammunition. S&W put their bid in with their standard 686 revolver in both barrel lengths. Mr. Humphyville was also a national match high power rifle shooter, so when he looked at the factory specs for the 686, he felt the tolerences were not close enough, and drew up specs with much closer tolerences. He did this, believing that the CS-1 would be more accurate, like a match grade rifle. S&W developed the gun, and the contract was awarded to them.

At the time the guns came to the field, the Customs Service was using a 60 round qualification course. Most agents who carried revolvers, were carrying the .38 Spl +P+ Treasury round, instead of full house .357 Magnums. (The Treasury round preformed very well, and produced much less recoil and muzzle flash.)

When the CS-1's came into the field they were looked at as being too big and heavy for many agents to conceal or carry. Since most of the Special Agents work is done in plain clothes, the large, heavy revolver was just not a welcome sight. At the time the Customs Service policy allowed agents to carry personally owned handguns. So many agents opted to carry personally owned weapons.

Then came the malfunction problems. With many agents using the Treasury .38 round in their CS-1s, a new and serious malfunction began to arise. With the closer tolerences that Mr. Humphyville designed, the unburned powder from the Treasury load, would build up under the extractor star during firing. This would cause the extractor star to begin to push out from the cylinder face, and cause the cases to press against the frame. This caused the CS-1 to first have a very heavy trigger pull, and then eventually lock up completely. I have seen this happen many times during the 60 round qualification course. Causing agents to have to stop, and remove the unburned powder from under the extractor star, before being able to complete the 60 round qualification course.

This was unacceptable is a duty handgun. The CS-1 were recalled for repair to the Customs Firearms Program staff located at Ft. Benning, GA. The guns were modified, and sent back out to the field. However most of the agents chose not to carry the CS-1 due to it's large size, and reputation for not being reliable. (The recall seemed to cure the malfuction, but by then, most agents did not want to rely their lives on one.)

Approximately two years after it was introduced, the CS-1 was replaced by the S&W 6906 9mm pistol for all Special Agents.

To my knowledge, there were approximately 3,000 3 inch and 3,500 4 inch guns purchased on the contract by U.S. Customs. After the guns were replaced in the field, there were many sold during the exchange sale program. Lew Horton purchased many of them, and my 3 inch gun was one of them.

The Customs Service never did allow their Agents or Inspector to purchase the guns directly from them. Many Agents who wanted their guns, placed their business cards in the gun, when it was returned for exchange sale. Very few ever got the chance to buy their gun from a distributor.

After Janet Reno stopped the exchange sale program, many for the guns were sent overseas to some friendly governments, as part of foreign aid packages. Some were modified to only shoot Simunition cartridges, and were sent to the field offices for use in training. Alas, I do believe many were destroyed by the Clinton administration.

I enjoy my CS-1, and it was one that was recalled and is now a reliable handgun in my collection.

What weapons did agents use instead of the CS-1s?

I wish someone would post a photo of the CS- 1 and the dates of issuance.I was in the Customs Service from 1955-1989. I believe it was the first pistol issued to Customs Inspectors working in the field, a .38 Spl- .357 magnum. up until then we were allowed to carry our own choice of handgun. When this gun was issued we were mandated to carry it. There was a concern with it the .357 mag cartridge, to my knowledge, was selected due to its power to penetrate automobiles. If fired by officers working at the Ports of Entry this could prove very deadly around the people due to ricochets off the cement barriers, cars and misses. As I recall we were issued .38 spl+ ammo. I retired in January 1989 and believe the semi-auto 9 mms were issued sometime later.

Dingle D**n.........thanks vegasgunhand, good writeup. It also explains a problem I had when I carried my CS-1 on duty. As noted above I carried mine for a period before my department specified semi-autos. On one occassion of a night qualification my CS-1 started to get very difficult in DA. I had to finish the course by cocking for SA for every shot and I came close to not qualifying. When I got it home and checked it out there was unburned powder under the ejector star. After that, I kept it scrupulesly clean and never had the problem again but I would wipe under that star every chance I got. Still a great gun and I wouldn't consider parting with mine. Keep shootin'

I bought one from an L.E. on my department for $300. He didn't know what it was and neither did I. I traded it for a GSG .22

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Independent Field Tester/R&D

I would be very surprised if any more than 2,000 ever got sold on the exchange sale to the public. They are really pretty rare.

So; I got my used 3" CS-1 in January. I finally sat down and read all of these posts tonight. Before I post my question, here are some answers as requested by 18DAI: 686 CS-1, 3" barrel in blue/white box. Product code 104228, Julian date (Spec. Ord) 6307. Serial prefix is ANE. My revolver came with the box, standard 686 manual, warranty card and cleaning kit. The crane shows CS1 and in smaller letters Mod 686 below. On the yoke (I think I'm using the correct termnology) there appears to be the alpha/numeric X6735 stamped at the factory. Just above that - upside down and looking like a late engraving/roll mark is the number 813. No M or 2 visiable. The gun came in standard wood w/medalion Magna grips.

My question - should the Pachmayr grips been on the gun or included in the sale? I was going to buy new ones to make it period correct. However, if this gun didn't have the Pachmayr grips when it was shipped from the factory; I'll use the money towards a set of Ahrends retro combat grips.

Any feedback would be appreciated!!!

Hello to all CS1 Owners!

I bought this Gun a few Weeks ago from a Gunsmith in Vienna(Austria). #BAU1000, Product Code 104228, Spec Ord.:0074. I am not sure, is this a Overrun or a real Customs Service Gun?Next Month it comes to a Refinishing, than it looks Brand New.Here some Pics:

My LNIB CS-1 three inch is 2M and is in orignal factory box with manual and warranty card. Wood magna grips are on the gun.

I dont see how it was in service since I bought it NIB at the local store.

The action SEEMS to be MUCH, MUCH better than on any factory revolver I ever owned. MANY people value 3 inch CS'1 revolvers not for the fact that they are rare, but because they EXCELENT guns to shoot and carry.

I ordered the 4" version from Bill Hicks, a distributor that I believe is in MN. Had it shipped to a local FFL here in WV. It was nib with magnas and round butt. Serial was AZB 7299. Sold it a few years later, dang it!

I remember ads for these in Shotgun News years ago.
Wish I had bought one but had no available gun cash at the time.

I really miss the CS-1 I had & later sold off..
It was a great shooter & carry piece for an L frame..
Found a old picture of it & had to share it..

I inherited a 3" CS-1 with the 2-M stamp several years ago. It came with the box and the following information;
serial #: aywoxxx
product code#: 104228
Spec Ord#: 8063
Up above where it says Model No. in the top left corner of the label, it has 893.
The box is in great condition and come with the wax paper and generic S&W safety and instruction manual.
If anyone is still following this thread and could tell me if this was a service-used/issued revolver, it'd be greatly appreciated.
It also has the medallion RB grips.

Only way to tell where it was sent is with a letter from S&W. However since you have the matching box it is probably 99% that it was a overrun gun. The ones that were sent to the Custom Service Armory in Georgia traveled a long ways before they were finally released to the public.

What was the "fix" for the unburned powder under the extractor star? Did the malfunctions only occur with the "Treasury" load? Or was it a general problem for all loads shot?

i have a 4"with box and magna's...excellent information here!

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

My 3in CS-1 factory letters to 1986, shipped to Glynco. It has a serial number prefix of ANA. which as I understand it, also comes back to 1986. My factory letter indicates it was shipped with Hogue grips. They would have to be wood? since Hogue did not make the "goodyear" type grips back then. I got it in 1997. Traded a 2in model 10 and $50 for it. The gun shop owner and I did not know that it was anything "special" at the time. I tried to trade it for a 4in 686 a few years later and was told by one of the biggest/oldest gun dealers in my area that "Smith and Wesson never made a 3in 686". He told me it was cut down and would not trade with me at all. I was not happy and never went back to his shop...but I did do the research and turns out he did me a big favor!

Interesting. I have 2 CS-1's. One is a BAU, and one is a AYW. Looks like they made the 3281 of these in different production runs.

Factory letter...the second paragraph is interesting. Vague description of the grips that came with it.

Hmmmmmmm. Your AYD, and my AYW were delivered to civilian shops. My later BAU was delivered to Customs Service.

So instead of the LEO's getting their guns and the remainder going to civilians, with this it was the opposite?

Hmmm is right...Good question.

maybe mine could be part of that group (???)...and I noticed that Grousehawker's (post # 26), with a AYW prefix, was shipped the day after.

Guys: Thanks for keeping this thread alive. I just found a CS-1 with the 2 and M marks as described above. Clearly it was a Glenco modified gun. I did not get a box or papers with it. It appears to not have been fired much at all. The only thing I am unsure of is the chambers, all six are perfectly chamfered, like you would see on Performance Center gun. I am not sure if that is a part of the original specifications or not.

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Captain Dave Funk

I am on my 3rd CS-1 3" and none had recessed cylinders......BUT that doesn't mean S&W didn't make it that way. Get it lettered.

Get that lettered as soon as you can. It may very well be one of the guns that was custom tuned by the U.S. Customs armorers at Ft. Benning for the U.S. Customs Shooting team.

I'm a bit confused about the discussion of a CS-1 that does not have recessed cylinder(s)....

No CS-1 or any other L frame revolver(s) have ever had recessed cylinders....

Or am I missing something??

As for CS-1's made for the Shooting team, those were 6" guns, to my knowledge none of those have ever surfaced in the real world.....

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.............SmithNut

The original post (on page one of this thread) lost something in translation. A subsequent poster changed the details.
"The only thing I am unsure of is the chambers, all six are perfectly chamfered, like you would see on Performance Center gun."

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Hoot Gibson

They are not resessed, just competition chamfered, for easy reloads. I am thinking some one else did it along the way.

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Captain Dave Funk

Thank you SmithNut!! Best regards, 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

The January, 1988 issue of SWAT also had a good article written by a Shawn McCarver.

Having seen so many threads on the CS-1 over the years, this evening I queried a friend (a retired Customs Service firearms instructor) about the CS-1.
After a roll of eyes he replied how many agents disliked the guns, complaining about the weight compared to their beloved K-Frames. Said they were called "boat anchors".
He went on to detail the circumstances that led to many of them being given to the Haitian Police.
That said, I'm quite fond of my 3" 686-5+, but usually carry a 12-3!

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

As to the inquiry about powder residue buildup underneath the ejector star, this can happen to any revolver with ammo that does not burn completely, or mostly completely in the barrel. The "Treasury load" 110 gr +P+ load was particularly miserable in that respect. To get to +P+ specs(there are no recgonized industry specs-only what the particular agency wanted) one had to use a fast burning ball powder and a lot of it. The result was a lot of unburned powder. And a lot of it migrated to all parts of the revolver, but under the ejector star was a place where it could be trapped, and it was.
I have a 3" and 4" CS-1, both were "overrun" guns. I have fired both of them extensively, I never used the +P+ load, but the "FBI" or "Chicago" load in .38 special 158gr SWCHP, or full house 125 gr .357 mag loads. The only time I had the powder buildup problem was when I used handloads of my own that used 2400 powder, which is very slow burning and should only be used in longer barrel guns or rifles. I used it because I had a lot of it on hand and got it cheap. So the idea is to use a powder that will burn rapidly for the barrel lenght concerned so there will not be any extra unburned powder to gum things up. Ball powder due to its shape is particularly bad when trapped under the ejector star. YMMV-but not much.
The CS-1 guns were great guns, and probably the best duty revolver that S&W turned out-not counting the N frame .357s of course.

I was on Gun Broker this morning and queried "U.S. Customs". There is a CS-1 for sale for $1,700.00!! I'm glad I got mine for $369.00 when they first came out on the exchange sale program!

Good luck getting that price. There is another dreamer on there as well who thinks these guns are worth a small fortune

A few months ago a 3" model went for $2400 WITHOUT box. Bought my first one for $700 with box.

Look at the 3' 547 that recently sold for $3200, or the 671 for $2375. With S&W's no such thing as crazy prices these days.

Can you say shilled ????? it seems like the same sellers get those price's too. I have got a few high price's in my time , but for guns that there were less than 100-150 made not 4000 made.

Eric