686-4+ 4" square butt?

[Wasabi]

Did S&W ever make a 686-4+ 4" with a square butt grip?

Thanks for any input.

 

[g17]

Yes, I once owned one. It came with wood grips just like the earlier models vs the rubber hogues that came on the -4 round butt models

 

[Wasabi]

Thanks. Now I have to find one. I thought only the early 6 shot and 6" versions did.

 

[girvin02]

I believe the 7-shot "686+" model didn't arrive until the -5 revision. I suspect that g17 was referring to the fact that his -4 had a square butt and did not catch that you specified the + model.

 

[bigggbbruce]

I believe the 7-shot "686+" model didn't arrive until the -5 revision. I suspect that g17 was referring to the fact that his -4 had a square butt and did not catch that you specified the + model.

Wrong all the way...

-4 round butt only, and 7 shot available..

 

[Ranger514]

My 7-shot, 6-inch 686-4 is a RB.

 

[girvin02]

Wrong all the way...

-4 round butt only, and 7 shot available..

That's funny, because my first handgun was a 6" 686-4 with square butt. I was mistaken, however, about the -5 being the first 7-shot - just looked in the SCOSW and it was in fact available late in the -4 production.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

I've never seen a 4-inch M686-4 that wasn't a square butt, though I would not be surprised to learn S&W made many as round butts. I've just never seen one. Even the one 7-shot 4-inch -4 I saw in the box was a square butt. At least, that's what I wrote down.

 

[Wasabi]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I knew the 6" -4 +s had some square butts and the early 4" -4 non +s had some square butts. Guess I'm out of luck in hopes of a 686-4 + 4" square butt.

 

[Wasabi]

I've never seen a 4-inch M686-4 that wasn't a square butt, though I would not be surprised to learn S&W made many as round butts. I've just never seen one. Even the one 7-shot 4-inch -4 I saw in the box was a square butt. At least, that's what I wrote down.

Yeah, I think the later -4s transitioned to round butts and then from then on all 686s were round butt. That's interesting that you saw a 686-4 + 4" with a square butt. Hmmm, now I'm confused.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

You can always get a round butt gun and put a round-to-square conversion grip on it. Your hand will never know the difference. Your eye won't either, unless you look at from the back strap.

 

[SS57]

Yeah, I think the later -4s transitioned to round butts and then from then on all 686s were round butt. That's interesting that you saw a 686-4 + 4" with a square butt. Hmmm, now I'm confused.

My 4 inch 686-4 6 shot is a round butt. It came with the rubber hogues. The Ahrends on it now look much better.

 

[grip frame]

My 6" -4 is a square butt also but it is an early -4. I have never seen a square butt 4" -4 let alone a 7 shot square butt -4 with 4". I know they made many square butt 4" -4's though.

Since the 7 shot came in the later part of -4 production around the same time the square butt was being eliminated I would assume there is very few to no -4 square butt 7 shot 686's of any barrel length.

 

[ls6man]

Every -4 + that I've seen or owned was a RB. I was told by a Smith sales manager that the +'s were all RB, but I guess it would be possible a SB was made if using up frames. I know I've never seen any pics of a box label showing it though.

I would guess a SB + was a converted 6 shot (cylinder conversion). Anyone have any pics of a revolver and box label showing SB?

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

... I've never seen any pics of a box label showing it though....

Reading box codes can be tricky. Often S&W will put "SB" on the label, but it refers to the grip.... not the frame. To tell if it's a round or a square frame, ideally, you need the grips off. But if you can see the back strap it's possible, most of the time, to tell a round-to-square conversion grip from a square butt.

Sometimes you see the code "SGB" on a label. That's S&W's code for a round-to-square conversion grip. But they only used it in the mid '90's to early 2000's. Even then, they didn't use it much. Labels today have no letter codes at all.

 

[1911-10MM]

Hello,
I have a -3 square and a -4 round

-3

-4

 

[Voyager28]

In all the years I have owned/shot/carried S&W revolvers I have learned that, when discussing them, there are two words to avoid: Never and Always.

Bob

 

[Allen-frame]

As per the end label on my 686 -4 box.

model ... cal. ... bbl ... fin. ... Stock .... features

..686 ... .357 .. 4'' ..... S .. SB ...... 7 Shot


Ser. # ... Prod. Code .... Spec ord.

CAN95** .... 104194 .... 6012

This one was produced in January 1996.



The 686-4 engineering change started in 1993.

1995 Introduce 7 shot cylinder.

1996 - Delete square butt.


All 4 inch 686-4 7 shot I have seen are round butts.



You will find them with both the forged and m.i.m. thumbpiece .





With the serrated grip frame , case color hammer and trigger ,
forged parts and the new rear sight with the frame drilled and tapped for a optics mount
the -4 is a great gun.







The only thing neater is if it was a Mountain Gun.






Regards

Allen Frame

 

[Paulie686]

I have owned two 686-4 Four-inch guns that had SQUARE BUTT Frames and SEVEN-Shot Cylinders from the Factory--Both were fairly early in 686 Plus production--HTH--Paulie686

 

[Wasabi]

Thanks again for the replies everyone.

I'm hoping to find an early one that will have the square butt and possibly also a flash chromed trigger/hammer. I realize I can get some conversion grips but may want to dress it up with factory square butt combats.