686 6” CS 1, the ultimate 686 unicorn?

[Dermako]

I’ll start with being a fan and collector of the pre lock 686 platform.
I personally prefer very good condition because I am going to shoot them, they are not going to be safe queens. That said.
I have the 2 1/2” (-1), 4” (-1), 6” (no dash), 8 3/8” (-3 w/scalloped barrel, millet rings).
Have for years been looking for the 3” CS 1 and always seem to just miss it for any number of reasons. Currently know where one is and expect to pay a premium but I am not paying stupid money for one (it’s been for sale for several months if that says anything).
Now to the topic.
I have read over the years here and elsewhere what information there is about the CS 1. There is some information that conflicts about the CS 1 so that adds to the confusion, unknown and mystique of the series.
But the information posted is almost all about the 3” and 4” versions with a passing reference to the 6” version.
I have looked and searched in every query I can think of and cannot find any information or even a picture of the elusive 6” CS 1.
I know, or from what I’ve read it was issued in very limited numbers but that is about the extent of my research so far and certainly no pictures of such horned animal.
Does anyone else have any insight to share…

 

[ACE10000D]

Never seen or heard of one tbh

 

[ARgon]

I’ll start with being a fan and collector of the pre lock 686 platform.
I personally prefer very good condition because I am going to shoot them, they are not going to be safe queens. That said.
I have the 2 1/2” (-1), 4” (-1), 6” (no dash), 8 3/8” (-3 w/scalloped barrel, millet rings).
Have for years been looking for the 3” CS 1 and always seem to just miss it for any number of reasons. Currently know where one is and expect to pay a premium but I am not paying stupid money for one (it’s been for sale for several months if that says anything).
Now to the topic.
I have read over the years here and elsewhere what information there is about the CS 1. There is some information that conflicts about the CS 1 so that adds to the confusion, unknown and mystique of the series.
But the information posted is almost all about the 3” and 4” versions with a passing reference to the 6” version.
I have looked and searched in every query I can think of and cannot find any information or even a picture of the elusive 6” CS 1.
I know, or from what I’ve read it was issued in very limited numbers but that is about the extent of my research so far and certainly no pictures of such horned animal.
Does anyone else have any insight to share…

6” was made for the pistol team, you will likely never see one.

 

[Dermako]

6” was made for the pistol team, you will likely never see one.

Yes sir they were. BUT, there are some out there somewhere. Or at least were at some point. Surely one of the team members snapped a picture of one. I could even see them having to be returned and then possibly destroyed at some point. Still think at least a lone wolf is out there somewhere.

 

[ARgon]

I’m a bit surprised someone is not putting 6 inch barrels on 3 inch guns. I had one in three inch, Smith tested each cylinder during test fire of them.

 

[SSGRock]

My Model 686-4’s.

 

[PatriotX]

I have been looking for a 6-inch CS1 for years. No pics have even surfaced, just rumors.

 

[Dermako]

Yes sir. Very little information on them and no pictures to document their existence that I have found.
I have put a fair amount of time in over the years on the subject with virtually no reward for my efforts.

 

[Keysmia]

It depends upon who the Commissioner was at the time. Being that they would have been service guns, (USCS pistol team) they would go back to the firearms training branch and either be destroyed or resold to another government agency. If it was a gun friendly Commissioner, an officer buy back may have been offered. The CS-1’s came about at the end of the revolver era where some may have been purchased by officers/agents to pave the way for the SW 6906’s.
I remember seeing bins full of revolvers when I was issued my GP100. They were long gone when I had to turn the GP in 2yrs later. There was still literally TONS of Remington 125gr JHP ammo.

 

[Dermako]

Correct. All of my research confirms that and the pistol team and Agents were already in process of transitioning to semiautomatics. Primarily the SW 6906 as you state. And all talk in that time frame is about the SW 6906 and the transition.
Everything I can find in that time period talks about retiring, decommissioning or destroying the past era revolvers.

 

[326MOD10]

Here are a couple pics.

Looks like the 686.

 

[CobiaS&W]

The 6" would be a Nice addition to my Collection.

 

[1Celticfozzie]

I would be happy finding a 3 or 4”. Have not seen for sale yet locally

 

[Jeep 1]

If they did exist, and they were in government hands more than likely, they were some the ones that were destroyed by the idiotic Attorney General Janet Reno, and Bill Clinton
I don’t remember the exact percentage, but I’m pretty sure it was close to half of the CS-1 that they destroyed. The rest they say of which some of them were shipped to foreign countries and Smith & Wesson got the others back for service and did not return them afterwards.
Tom

My CS-1’s

 

[Jeep 1]

In my earlier picture the one on the right with the combats is my shooter, The other two Are both pretty special to me because they came out of Ed Brown of Ed Brown's Customs 1911 personal collection and went to Wayne Hazelrig who is known for being Mr 629, In a trade for a Shelby Mustang The 3" I was able to purchase from Wayne before his passing the 4" I bought from his estate.

Here's about the most thorough information that I know of available today on the CS-1
Tom

Thread 'US Customs Service 686 CS-1'

Feb 8, 2012

This is not meant to be a definitive thread on the US Customs Service 686 CS-1 revolvers. This thread is a distillation of information I have gathered on this, and other boards. As well as from folks who were there and know about these fine revolvers.

A great deal of the information in this thread was provided by SmithNut, in threads on this very board. I cannot locate these threads, many from 2003 to 2006. Sadly, one of the last exchanges I had with SmithNut was when I posted that the older CS-1 threads were "pruned". SmithNut declared that to be "misinformation". In any case, I cannot...

• 18DAI
• Replies: 175
• Forum: S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present

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[Mongo Safari]

I don't know if this plays into the CS-1 thread. I shot with my dad (USCS Senior Inspector) and his CS-1 revolver before I went to the Border Patrol academy in 1988. There I was issued the BP-1, identical 686, 4" revolver.
The USBP was a much smaller agency compared to USCS so there were much less BP-1 made/issued. That is the Poka dot unicorn revolver. By 1990 we were issuing Ruger GP-100's and 1995 transitioning to the Beretta 96D, double action only, 40 S&W. Later were the HK USP Compact and P2000 40 calibers. I retired in 2019 before the Glock 9mm was general issue.
I would love to have a BP-1, 4" revolver.

 

[clang444]

Don't think I ever saw a 6" CS-1, not even a good picture of one. I was lucky enough to score this old veteran some years ago at a local gun show. It was mixed in with a bunch of surplus 4" 686s (not CS-1s). The seller insisted CS stood for Custom Shop, I didn't argue with him, I just paid the asking price.

 

[Keysmia]

Here are a couple pics.

Looks like the 686.

Those are indeed 686’s from the USBP pistol team. The USBP team had a lot more leeway with their revolvers. A buddy of mine sold me his Model 19 that he used for the matches while he was on the team.
The CS-1’s were used by the USCS (Customs) team which were an entirely different agency from the BP.
Customs and Border Patrol have since merged together and have a “national team” but it is still the USBP team. They are excellent shots and awesome gunslingers!

 

[CALREB]

The guns in both pictures are PPC revolvers not distinguished guns like the 686. Easy to spot in the first photo and the second with the spotter it still looks like a full rib on top of a bull barrel. I shot against the BP Team {and was friends) for way over 20 years and those fellows would have come on the job a long time after revolvers were issued. I do remember some guys shooting their 4" CS-1s in the Service revolver match but never saw anyone show off a 6" one.

I know that there is a least one retired member of the BP National team on here. Maybe he can add some info.

I shot the Rocky Mountain Nationals at Whittington Range in Raton several times, years ago. Beautiful ranges and surrounding area. Always wanted to rent a motor home in Raton and just stay on the facility. Elk and bears running around when I was there. Only bad point at least during those years, hardly anywhere to eat in Raton which is a bit of a depressed area. Hope things have changed over the years.