Can someone explain why the S&W 586 in all of its factory configurations bring more money than the S&W 686! I really don't understand it.

Only dofference from.my research is nickel and blued vs stainless steel

I wasn't aware of this but I'll take your word for it and offer an opinion. A blued gun will show usage and wear more than a stainless gun will. Therefore, nice condition 586s may just be more rare than same condition 686s. Basic laws of economics, supply and demand, perhaps would cause the nicer 586s to bring more money simply because there is less of them available to willing buyers.

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'Merica!

Fewer made. Scarcity drives up price. Lots of guys like the old school traditional blueing on the M586. It was deep and, by today's standards, the guns were well polished.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

pretty sure G-Mac and the Kernel hit it on the head. Lot more 686s out there! High condition 586s are getting harder to find unless you want a new "Classic".

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Brad

From what I see a no dash 586 and no dash 686 both lnib will bring close to the same money. The 686's have become very popular the last several years and have gone up in price quite a bit.

Thanks for the input. I just find it unusual that the 586 will command more money in the Mid-Atlantic states than the 686.....just didn't understand why. A supply issue that I understand.

S&W needs to stay ahead of the trend to make money. The "stainless" craze is just that, a fad. S&W saw this and filled the need. The "new" stainless models were desired because of initial uniqueness and a different look. Justification at the time was "rust proof" (hardly). From S&W's point of view, it was "sell 'em what they want". After all, no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of American public!

Classic Blue or Nickel are elegant. Brushed stainless simply hides manufacturing scratches on a softer metal. But then, what does the public know? Look who they selected as Commander-in-Chief. Run against the tide. Go Blue.

I own all the barrel lengths of 586's. I love their looks in blue. But I also own some 686's too. I shoot the 686's, as well as other stainless because they're easier to clean and I'm not worried about the finish. (I clean the cylinder faces and return them to new look frequently...I know...I'm a nut...) To me, the polished blue with beautiful grips are more valuable and I enjoy their looks.

Blued is my most desireable. It seems for lots of shooting SS is more desireable for the sake of practicality...

I have all SS and (1) blue 29 Classic 8 3/8" with very few rounds since new in 1994. I LOVE all of em'. Blued is the most pretty! It's the USA so you get to choose!!! That's the BEST part...

Being that I have been trying to help a friend locate a LNIB 4" 686 no dash for a while now,I will totally agree with you.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

Many people like the appearance of the blued finish over the SS. To them a 'real' gun is blued preferably with wood grips. I like blue myself, but for my 686 that would need harder cleaning with the powder and lead spatters around the front of the cylinder and forcing cone I just preferred the stainless.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I've had 4 L frame .357's, two blue, two stainless.

IMO, the blue is nicer, a better finish with less tooling marks, rough edges.

Also, while stainless is more practical to a degree, carbon steel is more durable to a degree.

Shooting my 4" 686 and the 4" 586, all else being equal, I liked the feel of the 586 better. Couldn't put a finger on the why of it, just was.

This is what I have heard as well, just not as common a firearm.

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Still just a kid at heart

if i can go slightly off topic. recently there was a post about a purchased new 686 plus 2.5" performance center, about $1000 otd. what should one expect to pay for that gun used, say in "good" condition?