Im about to buy a 686 Prelock, which one! Help!

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johnny_yuma

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I just put a deposit on a S&W 686 .357&W PreLock 4". The also have a S&W 686 .357 Prelock 6".
I put money down tonight over the phone on the S&W 686 Prelock .357 4 inch in "Mint/Near Mint" condition asking $1100 which they bargained to $899.00. They sent me detailed photos and its a near mint clean including original box. ***But the Plot thickens... tonight on their website I noticed they also have another S&W 686 Prelock 6" w/ original box & wood grips for $599.00. Now Im wondering...Whichever gun I buy, it is to be a collector/range piece. I dont know the dash number of either at the time of this writing, and damn sure Im on the phone to know the dash #'s asap. Only that both are Pre-Lock 686's. One is 4" @ $899 and the other 6" @ $599 asking. For me either one is gonna be a safe queen, range gun. question #1) Should I care about Dash # between them? Which Dash #'s are preferable" and #2) BIG QUESTION: are the 4 inch , prelock 686 a better long term investment than the 6" prelock?. $599 for a sweet prelock 686 6" is an appealing deal but 4" have nice balance and seem to be in higher demand. I'd like to hear what you all think. Thank you all Kindly.
 
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Myself I favor the 4", but for a 300 dollar savings I could live with quite nicely with the 6". Not sure there is any major difference in dash values.

Walt
 
Buy both, it is the start of a set. 2-1/2" , 4", 6" , and 8-3/8" barrels. We have 3 L-frames with 4 " barrels; M686 square butt, M586 round butt, and M586 square butt. These revolvers become addictive.
 
Model 686-4

The 686-4 is the most desirable, in my opinion. It's the one with the Case Hardened hammer and trigger instead of being Flash Chromed, like previous versions, No Dash, Dash-1, Dash-2, and Dash-3. This is purely an aesthetics advantage for the Dash 4.

Best of luck with your negotiations. :)
 
D Brown said:
The 686-4 is the most desirable, in my opinion. It's the one with the Case Hardened hammer and trigger instead of being Flash Chromed, like previous versions, No Dash, Dash-1, Dash-2, and Dash-3. This is purely an aesthetics advantage for the Dash 4.

Best of luck with your negotiations. :)
Click to expand...

Agree. The 686-4 is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the 686 models. Last to use forged in lieu of MIM hammer and trigger, drilled and tapped frame, and redesigned rear sight. However any 686 of any variant is a great choice. This is my 686-4 :)

 
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$899 is a little steep for a 686, but a 4" 686 is one of the best Revolvers ever made.

A good 4" 357 Magnum is arguably the single most versatile firearm anyone can own.

So if I was going to start somewhere, I would do well starting there.

$599 is a very good price for a 6" 686. That is a great price if the gun is in nice shape. For range duty, you can put hot Magnums through it all day long and you won't kill your hands.

In all seriousness, if you can get both, do it. If not, I personally would lean toward the 4" gun if I could only get one.
 
Tom_R said:
$899 is a little steep for a 686, but a 4" 686 is one of the best Revolvers ever made.

A good 4" 357 Magnum is arguably the single most versatile firearm anyone can own.

So if I was going to start somewhere, I would do well starting there.

$599 is a very good price for a 6" 686. That is a great price if the gun is in nice shape. For range duty, you can put hot Magnums through it all day long and you won't kill your hands.

In all seriousness, if you can get both, do it. If not, I personally would lean toward the 4" gun if I could only get one.
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Thanks and the advice means alot. Talk about tough decisions. By the way, Pre Lock 686 4" are going for $1000-$1200+ and they have been going up up up over the last several years. Two years ago there were several online for $600-$800. Those days are gone. These are scarce items. The 6" are going up also, but dont carry the cult following willing to pay nuts money like the 4" and shorter. Im really in a hard to make decision and its going down today at the Local Gun Store in a few hours. I'll be sure to let yall know.
 
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What everybody said, buy em both!!!!!

I have a no dash 4" that is a great revolver, would love to have a 6".

Have a blessed day,

Leon
 
$900 for a 686 is too steep for me. $600 is reasonable.

I prefer flash chromed forged hammer and trigger, looks correct on a stainless steel gun.
 
NONE ARE DOGS IMO.

As far as being a collectable investment & safe queen I don't believe so, unless it's NIB. The way I see it, buy it use it with care as much as you like, as long as you like & get your $ back maybe more if you ever sell it. ;) I wish I could do that with trucks. You already put a deposit down, SO ???
 
Those are top prices and unless you buy both and average out your expense, it will quite some time before you break even. Guns are not good investments unless you find something very special at a great deal.
 
Too high a price for the 4". I personally like the 686-5 for the floating firing pin. Unless you get a holster and speed loaders with it, I'd negotiate down toward $6-700.
 
Mis-Perceived Inflation In Today's Used Prices

I paid $313.00 for my 4 inch 686 No-Dash back in August 1986.

According to the .gov inflation calculator, my $313 THEN is worth $717.84 TODAY.

Consider this... $899 - 717.84 = $181.16 profit. HOWEVER returning that amount of profit into 1986 dollars, it comes out to just $79.00 real profit. And THAT only took 32yr to make! :eek::eek::eek:

That said, I surely don't understand all the hoopla about these posted used gun prices being TOO expensive. Especially since the quality of S&W guns have ebbed in recent years.

IMO, buy it to shoot it!
 
where are you guys seeing pre-lock smith and wesson pistols at these prices?? Just about every gun store in the country has their guns on gunbroker. There is nothing on Gun broker under a grand. Last summer there were several pre-lock 686 between $650-$850.
Today, anything nice is $1000 and up on gunbroker.
 
HorizontalMike said:
I paid $313.00 for my 4 inch 686 No-Dash back in August 1986.

According to the .gov inflation calculator, my $313 THEN is worth $717.84 TODAY.

Consider this... $899 - 717.84 = $181.16 profit. HOWEVER returning that amount of profit into 1986 dollars, it comes out to just $79.00 real profit. And THAT only took 32yr to make! :eek::eek::eek:

That said, I surely don't understand all the hoopla about these posted used gun prices being TOO expensive. Especially since the quality of S&W guns have ebbed in recent years.

IMO, buy it to shoot it!
Click to expand...


I plan on buying it to shoot it. Don't get me wrong. Im the dude, just like you all who has bought lots of guns. -Many of them polymer junk. So, I've got all the polymer carry guns I'll ever need. What I enjoy shooting most are my stainless 1911's... and Revolvers. Just now getting into .357. I have a Ruger SP101 3" which I love.... and I also have a S&W JM625
45acp 4" which I thoroughly enjoy shooting. This ain't about resale, Its a never sell that I give to my Son many years from now. That said, someone earlier here pointed out that the 6" lets me go nutz with hotter loads.... more velocity. Given I have the 3" 357 and a 4" 45 wheel gun, maybey the 6" is the ticket. At this moment still waiting for the gun shop to call me back with the details on both.
 
johnny_yuma said:
where are you guys seeing pre-lock smith and wesson pistols at these prices?? Just about every gun store in the country has their guns on gunbroker. There is nothing on Gun broker under a grand. Last summer there were several pre-lock 686 between $650-$850.
Today, anything nice is $1000 and up on gunbroker.
Click to expand...
You gotta go to your local places. Last week, I left a deposit for a -4, 4" 686 with a 7 shot cylinder and the original box for $600. Its going to be $660 something out the door! (DROS fee and they got me for the cable gun lock)
It sits in a California jail for its 30 day background check , followed by my 10 day background check!
And that's in LA! I just got lucky I guess..

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
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switched to the 6" Dash -2
Bought her, just now
IMG_5987_zpsozfx7pmh.jpg

IMG_5989_zpsu7p2spah.jpg

IMG_5988_zpscxjefwcr.jpg
 
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