An Unfired 7-shot 2.5” 686-4

[686PC]

Today I came across a gun in a local listing I could not let escape: an unfired 7-shot 2.5” 686-4 for $800. A bargain these days in my area. I love it when these unexpected finds suddenly pop up.

This one an early 7-shot 686 snubby from 1996, has a 104192 product code and a CAN serial number. It came with case hardened service trigger and semi target hammer.

It sat unfired inside its box in the closet of the seller’s grandfather for over 20 years. It came with original box, label and papers.

I had to store the hideous original Hogue rubber grips and replace it with dressier shoes: a nicely grained set of vintage combats from my stock collection. It predates the gun but makes it look so much better imo.

 

[CH4]

Congrats on a very desirable gun and at 1/2 price.
I was also fortunate to find one a few years ago at a show for $650. I didn’t know it was a 7 shooter until I got her home and removed the wire tie. It was in “as new” condition with the factory Hogues, but no box. I am still smiling.

 

[cometpx4]

686

That is a great find and really nice revolver. 25 years ago when I would walk into my local shop there was always an entire case full of 686's. 6", 4" and 2.5" models, 6 and 7 shot. Back then 3" versions were not current production if I recall correct.
Took them all for granted otherwise I would have bought several and held onto them !!

 

[colt_saa]

Great addition to the Family

A Very nice find and I see it has it's 28th Birthday coming up in a couple of weeks.

Yours was manufactured On January 10th of 1996

While the 3" does provide the longer ejector rod, I like the lines of the 2 1/2" better. The Factory round butt combats are my favorite for long shooting sessions. They fit my hand well and have generous finger grooves


My 686 snubby is an old fashioned 6 shooter.

One from the original run when Lew Horton first convinced Smith & Wesson to do two things that were against their nature, make a round butt L-frame and make a 2 1/2" barreled 686

This one turns 40 years old next year

I put the smooth Banana grips on it around 1995, they looked better than the Factory supplied checkered stocks.

 

[swagmeister]

A fairly hard to find gun these days at such a great price!! You did well. Enjoy.

 

[CarNDrvr]

Where are these deals when the rest of us are looking? LOL. Nice score at an absolute STEAL.

 

[colt_saa]

Where are these deals when the rest of us are looking? LOL. Nice score at an absolute STEAL.

Hard to tell where you are from, like many Forum Members you never filled out the remaining information in your Profile

Here in Florida we have a State wide trading board meant for individuals (not Dealers)

Myself and several of my buddies watch it regularly and let each other know when we spot things. In the last 8 or 10 years I have gotten a dozen of more really smoking deals from there.

Just a summer or two ago, I got one of the Communist manufactured German PPk/s pistols from shortly after the war. I have seen plenty of these in .380, this one was in 22LR (never held one before) and it was just a couple of hundred bucks. I was thrilled with the purchase

One of my buddies picked up an EAA Witness in 9MM with 2 mags and the 22LR conversion kit and 4 22LR magazines all for $300. We found it on the same source.

Check out if your State has a similar board

In the olden days (before everyone was selling on the Internet) almost every town had a pawn shop or two with a deal in it

 

[CarNDrvr]

Texas here. We have similar boards that I watch all the time too. Unfortunately it’s filling up with scammers. It’s getting bad. Besides deals like this don’t come up too often if at all.

 

[686PC]

colt_saa, thank you for the shipping data information you posted earlier. How did you find that information? Was it from the S&W book? I looked but could only find the year.

I'm from MA and I also check the local forums daily for these types of deals. I was lucky to be able to close the deal on this 686 minutes after it was posted online, lol.

Over here sometimes you'll see a few police revolvers in small shops that are good finds, but they go very quickly.

A few weeks ago I took a few days to go see a 3" 65-2 from Mass State Police with box for $800 but that had been bought already when I got to the store. I did get to hear its back story:

The revolver was the duty weapon of a police officer killed in the line of duty. The perp was later caught when another officer stopped his car and upon a search found the gun on its trunk.

My FFL told me the revolver was bought by the arresting officer. A tragic story indeed. I can’t think of a more appropriate home for the gun. Per my FFL, the arresting officer was singing the praises of the 3" 65 as he made the purchase. He was a veteran of the BPD and loved the 3" model 65.

As consolation prize I brought home my first Ruger, a 1982 stainless Speed Six in 2 3/4" barrel in great shape.

 

[colt_saa]

colt_saa, thank you for the shipping data information you posted earlier. How did you find that information? Was it from the S&W book? I looked but could only find the year.

That is not the shipping date, it is the Date of Manufacture. The only way to get a Shipping Date is to request a Historical Letter

While today the Date of Manufacture (DOM) is often very close to the Shipping Date, it never used to be that way. The dates often were weeks or months apart and in several unusual cases even years and decades apart.

When the Factory computerized in the 1980s and went to the Computer printed End Labels, they began storing the DOM as well as the shipping date and other additional information, after all they were no longer hand writing it and putting it in filing cabinets So prior to the Computer Revolution, the Factory only recorded the Shipping Date

In 95%+ of the instances the DOM is printed right on the label. It is the 4 digit number under the SPEC ORD heading. The 1st digit is the year of manufacture while the remaining three are the day of the year in Julian format. So it does require that you know what decade the firearm was made in. The exception is usually when the SPECIAL appears under FEATURES. It is unknown what the Factory puts in the SPEC ORD field at that point

Over here sometimes you'll see a few police revolvers in small shops that are good finds, but they go very quickly.

A few weeks ago I took a few days to go see a 3" 65-2 from Mass State Police with box for $800 but that had been bought already when I got to the store. I did get to hear its back story:

The revolver was the duty weapon of a police officer killed in the line of duty. The perp was later caught when another officer stopped his car and upon a search found the gun on its trunk.

My FFL told me the revolver was bought by the arresting officer. A tragic story indeed. I can’t think of a more appropriate home for the gun. Per my FFL, the arresting officer was singing the praises of the 3" 65 as he made the purchase. He was a veteran of the BPD and loved the 3" model 65.

I have to agree that the Model 65 ended up with the correct new owner.

 

[686PC]

When the Factory computerized in the 1980s and went to the Computer printed End Labels, they began storing the DOM as well as the shipping date and other additional information, after all they were no longer hand writing it and putting it in filing cabinets So prior to the Computer Revolution, the Factory only recorded the Shipping Date

In 95%+ of the instances the DOM is printed right on the label. It is the 4 digit number under the SPEC ORD heading. The 1st digit is the year of manufacture while the remaining three are the day of the year in Julian format. So it does require that you know what decade the firearm was made in. The exception is usually when the SPECIAL appears under FEATURES. It is unknown what the Factory puts in the SPEC ORD field at that point

Thanks for this explanation on how identify the DOM! I'll be filing it away for later use.

 

[Marshal Tom]

lovely and a great deal anywhere. I have a 3" CS-1 and used to have a 7 shot 686 .357 Mtn Gun. I should have never let that one go. It's the only one I have ever seen. I traded it for a 696ND .44sp.

 

[wheelyfun66]

Wow, what a find!!
I'll double your money if you care to sell it, ha!
I'm on the hunt for 66-4 and 686-4 snubs... I've owned more than a few over the years, but have bad habit of letting guns go in order to chase the next one...

 

[44 mag]

Nice find .