Does anybody know when the pinned front sight was introduced on the 686? Especially the 4". I have a -3 made in 1989 and it does not have a pinned sight. But I was looking at one on Gunbroker with a pinned sight (4" barrel like mine) and it had a pinned sight. The S&W 4th edition does not specify the pinned from barrel with dash changes that I can see.

Thanks.

You have to look very, Very closely . . . sometimes the pins are placed in there and polished so nicely that you can just barely make out the fact that it's a pin and often you can not tell at all without a magnifier, at least if your eyesight is like mine


That has been true of both blue steel and stainless steel revolvers going back many decades




This model 686 was manufactured in 1984 and it is a pinned in front sight but it is polished so nicely that you do not notice it


Here is the view of the revolver from the other side and it is a little more obvious that this is pinned in front sight




Usually, the job is done better than this one

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"Acta non verba"

Are you saying you believe they were always pinned, going back to the early 80s. I don't think that is correct, Have several that definitely were not pinned. Wiegand kits were sold for years and gunsmiths would have to machine off the ramp and install because the L frame front sights were not pinned.

I have a first year 8 3/8" 686 no dash s/n range is ABV 56XX that has the low patridge single pin front sight Not polished but left proud if this is any help. I am original owner & this is how the revolver was originally configured as purchased.
I hope this bit of information helps or is of some relevance to your studies, although I know you specifically targeted 4" barrels. Sometimes manufacturing practices carry forward consistently until a uniform change is made.

Thank you for that. It may be one of those things that is not consistent. I don't have an older 686 without a modified barrel now. Really was just trying to determine if the 686 no dash on gunbroker with a pinned sight with a black blade was a replacement barrel. Thank you.

I never said that they were pinned going back to their day of INTRODUCTION

You were asking about a revolver made in 1989 and my only comment is that my revolver made in 1984 is pinned

I am not a big fan of the L-Frame revolvers.

However this engraved one caught my eye and I bought it. I don't have examples that go back to the beginning of time for the L-Frames

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"Acta non verba"

I can't speak to L frames, never owned one, but if it was a Model 66 (or M19), they did go from an integral front sight to pinning the blade late in 1998 at about CDAxxxx. The ones with a pinned sight also had a heavier barrel profile.

Over the years I have owned numerous no-dash six-inch 686s with a pinned Patridge front sight. I wouldn't mind buying another one but they don't come up for sale terribly often and when they do, the guns frequently are a bit rough.

Ed

A pinned plain black blade is infinitely more preferable than the plastic insert red ramp abomination.

dash 0.. pinned
dash 3.. polished but pinned
dash 6.. pinned