I thought this was an interesting pistol, and I'm buying it. Until I saw this, I thought that a 686 was pretty much guaranteed a full underlug. The seller swears it's not just a 5 inch 620, but a half lug 5 inch 686. Can anyone tell me more about the half lug 686?

__________________
NRA Life Member

I thought this was an interesting pistol, and I'm buying it. Until I saw this, I thought that a 686 was pretty much guaranteed a full underlug. The seller swears it's not just a 5 inch 620, but a half lug 5 inch 686. Can anyone tell me more about the half lug 686?

__________________
NRA Life Member

I bought one a few years ago it is a 686 with the half lug, I bought mainly because of the 5 inch tube. i have enjoyed mine

__________________
Stan

I also purchased the 5 inch Model 686 with heavy barrel, half lug, and HiViz sights. It's a real pleasure to shoot. I believe it was a special run for one of S&W's distributors.

Next question. $600 shipped... Did I get my lungs ripped out? Seller says it could pass for a new pistol, it's in such good shape.

__________________
NRA Life Member

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/for...4/m/6151072703

Just discussed a couple days ago.

$600 seems a tad high, but one never knows - do one?

It's worth what you are willing to pay, but a late model M686 isn't worth that much to most of us unfortunately. Regional variations do apply, especially if you are in CA.

686. Was a limited run I believe. A 620 would have the two piece barrel, these are one piece. If not for the lock, I would own one.

__________________
Formerly know as Lucky Derby

Probably couldn't do much better on the price. I saw one go for $550 and it sold fast. I seldom see them for sale.

You can usually find info on these if you Google the exact phrase "Stocking Dealer Special"

Good looking piece of smith. Have not found an L frame I didn't like. Hope she shoots good for you. 66er

I really like that half lug barrel!!!
I wonder it nurmich has them?

$600 to $700 would be a good going price if NIB shape. They are hard to find, those that do have them hold on to them. Nice find and price. Later John

Mine was $489 nearly four years ago - new. It was cheaper then than a new standard 4" 686. A new 620 at my local pusher's was $610 Monday. The #164284 'Stocking Dealer Exclusive' was delivered with an Ahrend's square conversion finger-grooved cocobolo stock, too - as mine sports below. The HiViz front/V-notch rear sights were nice, too.



BTW, it's a real keeper!

Stainz

The actual agreed price was $550 plus $52 shipping from AZ to WI. I was looking for a regular 686 with the 4 inch full underlug. I had one years back, and almost cried the day I had to sell it. Tougher times then... I went looking, and this caught my eye.

Anyway, my money has cleared, and my FFL is in touch with the seller. The pistol should make it to WI in two days or less, then I wait two more for the sake of the Guv-Mint red tape.

I also do not understand the lock. I had an M&P 9mm, and it was optional on that pistol. not on the revolvers then? SUX!

__________________
NRA Life Member

A good, used, 686 of any barrel persuasion is getting harder and harder to find for less than $600.00. Buy it now, next year the price will be GREAT!

Seller is packing it up, and hopefully it heads to my FFL dealer today.

I saw new 4 inch 686s for $680-ish. Used ones for less.

I also looked at a few 66s. I was very tempted to buy a 4 inch 66. The "cool factor" of the half lug 686 and a 5 inch tube pushed me pretty hard.

Again, to me it was interesting, and that's about it. As long as $600 wasn't an embarrasment of a deal, I'm OK with it.

BTW, is it legal, or advisable to remove the IL? By gunsmith I mean. I've read lots of folks hate them. Dunno why, but I guess I'm gonna find out...

__________________
NRA Life Member

New 686's are in the upper $600 range at the cheap store here - a 620 is $610. My 627 Pro was a deal two weeks ago Thursday at $719. They had another in the store Monday at that price. The short barrel (2.5" ?) 686+ was $689 new. I love my 5" h-l. Did the seller say he had the original wood grips, too? They are nice, but would cost $60 + $6 s/h from Ahrends.

Stainz

I ordered a set of Ahrends Kingwood Finger Grove round to square grips today. I didn't ask him about any accessories. I would have assumed that it came with the rubber S&W Hogues, as it was pictured.

__________________
NRA Life Member

FH - I think your price was fine. Though we all think of it that way, you can't fairly say transportation costs are the fault of the gun and seller. Those are the fault of the unscrupulous carriers who let their employees steal things, and then, as a misguided control action, expect us to foot the bill for the problem by shipping every handgun according to their whims.

Probably no gunsmith worth his salt will remove the lock feature of your S&W, but you can do it yourself. On the other hand, if you are not going to use the gun for self defense, you might just use it a while as-is and see if it works for you. For a "small caliber" (Doc44's quaint little expression ) field gun, it probably isn't much of an issue - other than cosmetics.

Here is proof that I save everything. I bought my new closeout 6" 66-6 9/03 and immediately fitted a HiViz front sight and Ahrends square conversion fg cocobolo grips to it. Then this info sheet came from S&W - dated 10/03! It was nearly a year before I finally got one. I still have it and the 66. Oh, my cat, Casper, tried to take off with it - he ate the missing piece.



As you can see, it came with the Ahrends grips. My JM PC 627 V-Comp came with Miculek-style grips. The first owner didn't like them - and had no idea what he did with them. Some folks just don't like wood grips. I don't like rubber!


Stainz

This pistol will be my range gun primarily. It will be the underbed bump in the night grab and go, however. It will live in a lock box much of it's life.

My regular carry is a Springfield XD-45 compact, dressed my way. That one never sees the inside of the lock box.

I'm not sure I'll remove the lock.

__________________
NRA Life Member

I bought one of the Stocking Dealer models when they came out.It is a nice revolver.

The lock is not required by law and thus it is not illegal to remove. It is very easy to do yourself.

My pistol made it to my local FFL today. I had a chance to check it out as the nice lady called to see if I was an OK guy or not. In about 48 hours, it comes home with me!

The seller was very accurate with the description. It looks like a brand new pistol that someone fired 7 shots through, and gave up. It needs a good detail cleaning, but it's in fine shape.

I'm new to a "V" notch. I'm not sure how much I like it. It will take some getting used to.

I wanna say the test fire date was 10-04.

__________________
NRA Life Member

I adapted a quick way to use the V-notch on mine when shooting steel Plate Challenge. I bury the orange dot in it's apex below the nearby plate's (7-12 yd) center and put it at the top of the vee for longer distance plates (25+yd). It works well with my lite .38 Special/wimpy .357 Magnum homebrews. You'll love the balance, particularly when you get your Ahrends grips. Be sure to post a picture - and enjoy it!

Stainz

I got the pistol out to the range, and I love it!

I sighted in at 25 yards with 38 Specials, and then stepped up to 50 yards. I could not hit at all.

I swapped out to the Hornady LeverEvolution 140 grain magnums, and I put 21 shots onto an 8 inch Shoot-N-See target.

Now I just need to practice, and get that out at 100 yards!!!

__________________
NRA Life Member

This 7 shot 5 incher is a great, great revo; really, i think s&w's best overall 357. Consider its advantages: <UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI>5 inch tube is the best for 357: much handier than a six for me, and ballistically adds a lot over 4 and shorter; <LI>L frame means durable for 357 and odd number means a strong cylinder; <LI>Although i love N frames, they make for a clumsy 357 bigger than needed; <LI> Stainless is better for me in a working gun.[/list]I love the front sight too . . . but couldn't handle the V; thats okay, for a few dollars i substituted a square notch.

For me, the best s&w 357 ever made.

-- gary ray

First time out. 50 Yards.

__________________
NRA Life Member

Here is mine, still NIB. Later John

These were a special run of 686s with 7 shot cylinders made for one of the distributors.

Stocking Dealer gun...




Not to be confused with the earlier full lug M686 with 5 inch barrel, also made for the Stocking Dealer program

I happened to see one of the five inch full lug revolvers at a local gun show yesterday. I'd never even heard of a five inch 686 before. When I did a bit of research I found several references to the half lug version but this is the first info I ran across on the gun I saw.

The gun had round butt Hogue rubber grips; perhaps they had been changed.

686-6. Bought used, has 5 inch barrel with standard sights, and houge grip. I believe the serial number is from 2001 that predates the Stocking dealer exclusive.

Barrel is a one piece, it isn't a 620.

Attached Images

20170618_213541.jpg (107.1 KB, 40 views)

Mine is the full lug, pre lock 5" stocking dealer with the sights changed.

It's interesting that Smith & Wesson latched on to the term "half lug barrel". Smith originally termed this a "heavy barrel" such as that on the original .44 Magnum and 1955 Target .45. This would be as opposed to the standard tapered barrel on say the .357 Magnum. Then again, their marketing folks came up with "crush fit" barrel fitting which is really just standard fitting less the pin.

Bruce