got a chance to pick one up

what can ya tell me about them, the good,bad,ugly thanks steve
Model 686, 7 shot, Mountain Gun, tapered 4 inch barrel, L frame, round butt is, hands down, the most useful S&W ever made in .357 Magnum.
It holds 7 shots, and has the strength of the L frame, but the weight of the K frame due to the extra hole in the cylinder and the tapered barrel.
The round butt makes it concealable, when needed, yet concealable stocks can be replaced for a more hand-filling grip if desired. The 4 inch barrel makes it long enough to be capable of great practical accuracy, yet short enough to conceal, if the need arises.
The 7 shot cylinder has the locking notches offset between the charge holes in the thickest part of the steel rather than right over the thinnest part of the charge hole, making it as strong as the Model 27 or ".357" Magnum.
The stainless steel makes it resistant to bad weather, perspiration, humid climates, etc. The adjustable sights allow you to "dial-in" for target, duty, or hunting loads.
As it was the best idea to come out of 2100 Roosevelt in decades, it is predictable that S&W would make only a limited run, and not make it a standard catalog item. Unfortunately, S&W has a history of poor decision making along those lines.
If you find one, buy it as they rarely come up for sale.