It has been a number of years since I have done any serious target shooting with any of my handguns. I finally decided in the new year to try out the local gun clubs indoor shooting range. I took about four handguns with last night after work, three being S&W's. I am not the worlds best shot by any means and admit I have a number of guns that shoot better then me. The first gun I took out for my session was my Model 681. This gun is simply a delight to shoot. I had some 158gr. semi jacked semi wad cutters and after about 15 rounds or so I was making one nice big hole. Dang was that fun!
Fun with my 681.
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Vulcan Bob
Member
Haint nuttin better than fun with yer 681! Sound's like a good time, my trigger time has been curtailed due to snow and ice!
The L frame's are wonderful revolvers. The 681 is about the best development of the fixed sight .38/.357 S&W revolvers. Your range experience is the gratifying norm with these revolvers when fired with good ammunition and proper marksmanship technique. Sincerely. brucev.
I searched the S&W site and could not find a Model 681. Has something else replaced it?
Bob
No replacement. S&W does not currently make anything as nice as a 681. To find a 681 you need to go on Gunbroker or one of the auction sites.
My favorite L-frame revolver....well the 581 is nice too. Regards 18DAI.
My favorite L-frame revolver....well the 581 is nice too. Regards 18DAI.
Wee Hooker
Member
The 681 was the plain Jane, fixed sighted version of the 686. Seems the 681 fell out of favor when PD's (who were a big client) went from revolvers to high capacity semi's. I still question their logic and the end result but agree that all those 681's are SWEET. I was able to find one made for the Royal Canadian Rail Road chambered in 38 spl. It's one of my all time favorites and "go to" "shootin" gun.
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Bullseye Smith
Member
Here are one or two 681, just needed some pictures to stir the blood a little.
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Here is one I picked up a few months back.
I find it to have an extraordinary trigger and is one of the smoothest post war guns I own.
The only improvement on this model would be to take about an inch off the barrel and voila, perfection.
enjoy,
bdGreen
I find it to have an extraordinary trigger and is one of the smoothest post war guns I own.
The only improvement on this model would be to take about an inch off the barrel and voila, perfection.
enjoy,
bdGreen
You're welcome. The 686 seems to be universally loved by its owners. I don't recall ever hearing a bad thing about them (other than the internal lock on recent models, but you can easily find used pre-lock 686's for sale, and S&W MIGHT be heading in the no-lock direction). Be advised, there is the 686 which is 6-shot, and the 686P (aka 686+ or 686 Plus) which is a 7-shot.
Get one and you'll have no regrets. You'll just have a desire to get more of 'em!
TexasSTEP
Member
bluetopper
Member
There's been a nice original 681 sitting in my local pawn shop for sale for $459 and I keep thinking , should I?
Bullseye Smith
Member
Are you back with it????? That is about the going price, bet you can get it out the door for that!!
papajohn428
Member
When my department made the transition from revolvers to semi-autos we gave up our excellent 681's for a bunch of (yecch!) Berettas. Worst deal I ever got, and our qualification scores plummetted instantly. The department offered our guns to us for $100 each, and I was poor as a churchmouse. My co-armorer bought a dozen. If I could get one now for three times that I'd be ecstatic.
But I did order a new 3-inch 686 last month.......that should help ease my pain.
But I did order a new 3-inch 686 last month.......that should help ease my pain.
Dragonfly
Member
Although I don't own one (yet!) I really like the 681. I would say that if you had to pick one handgun that could be used for any purpose that you might need, the 681 would come awfully close to fitting that purpose. Small enough for carry with fixed sights for a snag-free draw, a long enough barrel and powerful enough round for (close range at least) hunting, plenty robust for long-term reliability with heavy loads, stainless construction and simple design for rough weather durabilty.
stantheman86
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581
Here's my ex-police 581 with grips either modified by the cop, or by another owner who had it later for easier use of speedloaders. I also like to put together "rigs" for all my police guns, and have the perfect one for this revolver, with a 3-pouch speedloader set with some older HKS loaders for the 586. I am debating whether to add some square butt Magnas and a Pachmayr grip adaptor or leave it as is......I have a set of the "large" Pachmayr grips but I do not like the look of rubbers on a blued gun........hmm, an excuse to get a 681!! I love the L-Frame .357's, that beefy cylinder has lots of meat around the chambers, and it feels like a "real gun" heavy, beefy and all steel. Makes my K-Frame 4" .38's feel like pocket revolvers. I'm a huge fan of fixed sight 4" S&W's like the M10-M64, and my 581 feels like a Model 10 on steroids.
A 681 chambered in .38 would be awesome, just to have something "different". I shoot mostly .38's in my .357's anyway, I would imagine a 581 or 681 fired with .38's would just about last forever, heck it would last forever with .357's! Shooting light .38's in my Dad's 6" 586 feels like shooting a .22, it's a classic example of a duty gun built for constant use of hot .357 service loads.
I also have the Ruger "version" of the 581, as I compare them, the 4" full lug fixed sight GP100, mine is chambered in .38 Special.
I am looking for a police trade in 4" 586, also as a stainless fan I "need" a 686 and 681!
Of all the S&W's the 586 6" has the most "sentimental" value for me, it's the first handgun I fired as a kid, my Dad still uses it as his "bump in the night" gun. I am usually not a fan of full lug 6" revolvers but somehow it's perfect on the 586-686 revolvers.
Here's my ex-police 581 with grips either modified by the cop, or by another owner who had it later for easier use of speedloaders. I also like to put together "rigs" for all my police guns, and have the perfect one for this revolver, with a 3-pouch speedloader set with some older HKS loaders for the 586. I am debating whether to add some square butt Magnas and a Pachmayr grip adaptor or leave it as is......I have a set of the "large" Pachmayr grips but I do not like the look of rubbers on a blued gun........hmm, an excuse to get a 681!! I love the L-Frame .357's, that beefy cylinder has lots of meat around the chambers, and it feels like a "real gun" heavy, beefy and all steel. Makes my K-Frame 4" .38's feel like pocket revolvers. I'm a huge fan of fixed sight 4" S&W's like the M10-M64, and my 581 feels like a Model 10 on steroids.
A 681 chambered in .38 would be awesome, just to have something "different". I shoot mostly .38's in my .357's anyway, I would imagine a 581 or 681 fired with .38's would just about last forever, heck it would last forever with .357's! Shooting light .38's in my Dad's 6" 586 feels like shooting a .22, it's a classic example of a duty gun built for constant use of hot .357 service loads.
I also have the Ruger "version" of the 581, as I compare them, the 4" full lug fixed sight GP100, mine is chambered in .38 Special.
I am looking for a police trade in 4" 586, also as a stainless fan I "need" a 686 and 681!
Of all the S&W's the 586 6" has the most "sentimental" value for me, it's the first handgun I fired as a kid, my Dad still uses it as his "bump in the night" gun. I am usually not a fan of full lug 6" revolvers but somehow it's perfect on the 586-686 revolvers.
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