I'm thinking about picking this gun up and I was curious if it was anything special? I'm not familiar with the seven shot and I was wondering if you could tell me anything about it? Does it have any additional value due to the seven shot aspect? It's in great shape and has the wooden grips and also a set of rubber (I believe Pachmayer) grips. I guess the biggest question is value because I'm thinking about taking it on trade.

Are you certain it is a -4. I'm not an authority by any stretch but I thought the 7 shot didn't hit the market until the dash 5 or 6. I've been wrong before though.

Yes...100 percent sure... apparently it's unique for that reason. They did it mid-production of -4 and didn't change the model to -5 until later on.

No authority and not an expert but 7-shot L frames are known today as + models and I'm pretty certain there were some -4's but not very many. I haven't verified this with SCSW, just going from memory.

Not many -4 686+ guns out there. 1996-97 only I believe. Quite a few more -5s and of course -6s are very common (current production).

Here's my 6". Very nice, though it would balance better as a 5" I think.

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I just picked up two -4 7 shots myself, bought a 2.5 snub last week from a guy and I snagged a 4 inch 7 shot for 700 bucks a couple of days ago. They are out there..

Yep, the -4 plus came out late 96/97. I happened onto this 2.5” at a gun show. Didn’t know it was a 7 shot until I got home an cut the wire tie.

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This kind of reminds me when I bought my 5 inch bbl Stainless GP100 new at a gun show. I thought I was buying a 4 incher when the seller informed me this was a 5 incher. Score!!

It takes a while to get use to seven shots instead of six. When I was a cop we were trained to count your rounds, at six you need to reload. So I was dumping a live round frequently during Shooting Drills.

JMHO but the 686 L- Frame is the best .357 Magnum revolver ever with Honorable Mention to the 27/28 for all the years leading up to 1980.

I agree, a five inch 686+ would be "S&W Perfection".

Buy every 686-4 you can. The old S&W made a lot of great guns. The 5/686 were right there at the top, Best of the Best.

I haven’t seen any around lately but I haven’t been looking either. I would say $900-1200, pending condition, box & papers. The 2.5” and 4” -4 seven shots tend to bring more. If you’re looking for a 3” or 5” seven shot, it will have to be a -5. Both are pictured below.

Joe

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Picked up one of the two 686-4 plus I mentioned yesterday, the -4 variants of smiths/90s models smiths have been the best across the board for me. Threw a set of ahrends rb grips on it.

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I traded for one (686-4 +) many years ago- IIRC from a member on this forum. It’s the gun I often use when introducing shooters to guns and shooting.
Simply one of the best revolvers made

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Like this one!! 686-5+ 5"

This is a new to me 686–5, 7 shot 5” barrel
This gun is pretty much unfired so I have not shot it but the balance and feel of a 5 inch is hard to beat.
I’m still doing a little investigating on it but it so far I believe it is product code 104098FC
One of the other forum members has an old advertisement for this particular gun that it was a special for stocking dealers only
Regardless what it turns out to be it’s a really cool gun

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A pre-lock 7 shot which is quite the find. Many consider the -4 to be the Pinnacle of the 686, and the 686 itself (any dash) is considered one the best revolvers ever made. 686 revolvers are my specialty and I can confirm that the -4+ does exist, it was just a limited one year run until the -5 changes came. I'd buy that gun before someone else does because there aren't many -4+ guns out there.

If you don't want to buy it, let me know what gun store, I would be happy to take it off their hands. In all seriousness though, I hope you secure it as a fellow member here I would be happy to see a pre-lock 686+ owned by you.

Coincidence!

S&W 686-5 5" | 1911Forum

Took the words right out of my mouth..

Just buy it, keep it and enjoy it. They will never be cheaper.

Kind of the same thing happened to me , won a 686-4 2.5" on gunbroker and when it arrived I was totally surprised to find it was a 7 shot!

That had to be an amazing surprise. 1 extra round of 357 magnum or even 38 +P is a huge bonus!

If it has the V-notch rear sight then yes, it appears you have the 104098 Hi-Viz. Found mine at a LGS a few years ago for a very decent price and then discovered it's a very uncommon model. Total production numbers seem to be unknown for sure, but I have heard numbers anywhere from 500 to 1200 specimens.
A 5-inch 686 is a fine machine.
I actually just ran across another one of these in excellent condition but without the box just a few days ago and am trying to decide whether or not to pick it up. They want 9 bills for it.

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Always wanted a 5" M686-4, so I had to make one to my specs,

The Performance Center did a great job of installing the 5" barrel and bead blasting it, I installed the taller then usual Patridge and rear sight to match.

Perfection.....

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

Currently, my only 686+ and it’s a prelock Mtn gun.