Trying to buy a new 686 6' Target Champion here where i live, Sweden.
Got the answer from gunshop , waiting time is about 1,5 year right now.
Well, gonna try to find a used i think then.
Dont like the red thing on front sight or the finnish on regular 686.
Cant understand why they put that plastic thing on the sight, everybody change to other sight to get it off here and must pay extra money to do it..
Do you like it? Not good for precisionshooting, maby for defens.

Forstaar Du meg naar jeg snakker in Norske?

Jeg er svaert glad I Sverige.

The red ramp is a good all around front sight.

For target shooters here, they usually change the sights out.

The 6" model is a fine gun. If you don't like the finish, you can always have it polished.

Yeas i understand norwegian, most swedes do
Well its just that, what ppl buy the 686 6', i think mostly target shooters. We like a black front sight, if you compete in other things like ipsc you maby like a fiber optic sight.
I think that little red plastic thing is no good and dont like alround. Think its to bad that the first thing you wanna do is start to change things on youre new gun if you buy a 686 and gonna have it for competing target shooting.
Maby just us Swedes ( not all but many) that dont like the original sight?
But we love the rest of the S&W
Otherside thats why the TC exists, black sights from box

Hi there in Sweden,
I have had nearly the same problem here in Germany, waiting time around 9 months.... I searched auction houses looking for unshot S&W from collectors. And got lucky. Wonderful unshot 686-5 International DX!!!!!!! Maybe you`ll find one trough that way as well. Good Luck!

Found one on a swedish forum
Its a 686-5 Target Champion, used, wanted a new one but not gonna wait up to 1.5 year.
I can buy a new one later when you in USA got all the guns you need and stops buying them all ;-)
Dont have it home but gonna do the deal in a few days.
Got many things extra in the deal to a good price so very happy now.


(Not my picture)

I feel your pain. I waited almost that long for my Model 29 back in the really early 70s. The new 686s have a pinned on front sight, so changing from the red ramp to a black patridge for sport shooting should not be a big deal for a gunsmith.

Congratulations on your find. I am sure you will enjoy it.