686 AAB Serial Prefix

[ArmyVetNorth]

Anyone ever come across this before?

From the very little I can find... this is a pre-production revolver. What, exactly, does that mean?

I got it with the original box, paperwork and even the original cleaning kit still sealed in the plastic. Excellent condition.

 

[murphydog]

The three letter prefix guns started production in 1980 with AAA. Yours was produced sometime after the first 10,000 - what about it indicates to you it is "pre-production"?

 

[retired 302]

I have one too 686 AAB4XX they came out in 1980 a friend of mine was a factory Rep he showed me it and stated this was the first batch to come off the line. He wanted my 6" colt python and we traded. Carried this 686 on the job as a police officer Great shooter.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

......I got it with the original box,.....

Can you post a picture of the box end label? I don't often see L-frames this early with the original box.

The L-frame was first made in 1980. Many of those earliest guns went to LEO contracts, as the demand was huge with LEO's when the L-frame first came out. One of the reasons why you seldom see an early box.

For the first two years, or so, production was ramping up. It really hit it's stride in 1983, at which point I think S&W had everything up and running at full speed.

This is normal practice for any large manufacturer. Be it guns or refrigerators. They're training personnel, starting up new machines, fine tuning all the manufacturing steps, working with sub-suppliers to get the quality where it needs to be.

I don't know if I'd call a AABxxxx gun "pre-production" but you might be able to call it pre mass production or limited production.

 

[ArmyVetNorth]

Here are some pics of each end of the box.

 

[murphydog]

It is an early one, as evidenced by the two-piece blue box...as KC noted it's a rare 686 to be seen with this style. Others will chime in, but I don't see any evidence of it being unusual (except it sounds to be a really nice gun - oh, if only we could see photos of it).

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Nice. It's the old style two-piece box with metal reinforced corners. Handwritten label. This is normal for a L-frame from that early era. Looks totally legit.

On the opposite, printed label, you see the number 6860094033. This is sort of an early type of product code. The first three numbers are the model "686". The next number, "0", tells us it's a no-dash. "9" is the code for stainless, and the "4" indicates a 4-inch barrel.

I'm not sure what the "33" means, but I think it's an internal control number, lot number, or a line or shift number. I'm sure it meant something to the S&W bean counters back in the day.

The codes on the handwritten label are:

SS- Stainless Steel frame & cylinder
RR - Red Ramp insert front sight
SM - SMooth combat trigger
ST - Square butt Target stocks​

 

[H Richard]

I have an AAF S/N 686, and while it has a flash chromed hammer, it has a Case Hardened .500 target trigger. There was a rumor that the AA prefix guns were all built in the custom shop. I seriously doubt that.

 

[ArmyVetNorth]

Okay guys. Time for the pics. The only thing missing is the original set of grips but I will be buying a set to make it "complete" in the near future. It does have Hogue Monogrips on it which I actually prefer so it's fine for now.

So... from unboxing to the details. Here it is:

 

[ArmyVetNorth]

I haven't even given it it's first cleaning, hand buff/polish and Renaissance Wax sealing yet. Pretty much raw out of the box like I got it last night.

 

[KEN L]

Interesting.......I have it's twin, sort of. Your gun most likely shipped Aug/Sep 1981.

What's interesting is, they both have the same grips on them. I bought this gun new when they first came out because I was looking for a new duty gun. I knew the target stocks would not survive day to day police service. I always liked the feel and durability of the Hogues. In those days there were no soft rubber Hogues, just the hard plastic. Though I still have the original stocks in the box with everything, I still like the feel of the old Hogues and they are still quite comfortable when shooting full house magnums. I'm thinking your gun got the same treatment by its original owner and maybe he was a cop too! I never noticed til years later the way the model number was written on the box label. The gun is not marked that way. Also, this gun was used by me as a firearms training gun too, as i was the chief instructor for my department, even when we transitioned to autos some years later. This 686 has had many thousands of rounds through it, both .38 Spl & .357 Magnum. I never had an issue with it, never sent it back for the modification, never will. Just thought everyone would enjoy the comparison to the OP's.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

L-frame trivia......

Early guns, like the two in this thread, had the S&W Trademark logo on the right side. Sometime in 1983 it moved to the left side, where it's resided ever since. It's a way to spot an early gun without seeing the s/n.

 

[S&W Fan]

I too have an AAB prefix 686. My dad bought it new in 1981 at Jensen's Custom Ammo a now-defunct gun store in Tucson. I have the box etc as well as his original receipt. Like many in that time frame he put Pachs on but thankfully kept the original wood targets.

I've posted pics of it and the box before.

 

[S&W SS Revolvers]

You guys have all of the GREATEST info! Thank you...

 

[S&W Fan]

Here's the 686, two piece original box, unfortunately the shop where my dad bought it put their inventory sticker over the typed plain white label so those numbers are gone. The receipt is dated 9/19/81, I have his Gripper grips as well though they never go on it. My dad had sent it back for the "M" modification and it's stamped as so. The first pic has some other grips I had, the last photo shows the more orange color of the original grips.

 

[robvious]

L-frame trivia......

Early guns, like the two in this thread, had the S&W Trademark logo on the right side. Sometime in 1983 it moved to the left side, where it's resided ever since. It's a way to spot an early gun without seeing the s/n.

Do you any idea at what prefix the transition from right to left happened?

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

Do you any idea at what prefix the transition from right to left happened?

Regarding L-frames only, the last Right Logo was around s/n ADMxxxx in February of 1984. The first Left Logo was around s/n prefix ACFxxxx in July of 1983.

Everything in between is overlap and transition. These are just my own observations of standard production guns, and in no way should they be considered written in stone. General guidelines, at best.

I'd welcome additional info anyone had to share.

 

[regalsc]

My 686 no dash is ACK & its a left logo. I guess mine is 1983 late in the year.

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

My 686 no dash is ACK & its a left logo. I guess mine is 1983 late in the year.

That confirms the range I've been seeing. To "move the needle", so to speak, I'd need to see a left-logo alphabetically before ACF.

If you had the box, the Product Code and Spec. Ord. number are something I'd be interested in knowing.

 

[Nightowl]

I have a 586 with serial number AAA 92xx, with the trademark logo on the sideplate, and a 686 AUE 06xx on the left side, if that helps any.