Is this normal on my 686?

[Jermz1987]

Hey everyone, got myself a brand new 686 2.5 inch and took it shooting for the first time. After getting home and cleaning it I noticed these lines on the inside under the forcing cone. Is this normal? Thanks in advanced for any help you might give,

 

[armorer951]

Milling machine marks. Looks ok (normal) to me.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

As for quality of internal finish,I've seen better!But the gun is safe to shoot.

 

[Jermz1987]

As for quality of internal finish,I've seen better!But the gun is safe to shoot.

Thanks. That was my main concern to make sure it wasn't cracking. This is the first new Smith & Wesson revolver I have purchased. My father left me his old 66. I do enjoy the 686. The stainless steel shows a lot of swirls but I suppose that is normal if it's not a nickel finish. A couple of pictures of it along with the 66.

 

[ZGrand]

You made me go look at my new 686 Plus. It does not have similar milling marks.

 

[Jermz1987]

You made me go look at my new 686 Plus. It does not have similar milling marks.

Yeah I guess it's just that famous Smith and Wesson quality control I hear so much about. The question is do I send it back for warranty work? I doubt they would even do anything with it.

 

[S&WIowegan]

Normal poor finishing of internal surfaces

The marks you show are normal since about Y2K. I can assure you S&W is not alone in this attitude. I bought a brand new Colt Python at a local gun show back about 1990. The gun has a bright stainless exterior finish but I found the internal surfaces were unfinished and rough.

I shot the gun quite often in the early 90s until I discovered the magic of S&W tuned actions.

 

[Jermz1987]

Also look at these swirls. They seem excessive. It could just be my OCD but the finish doesn't look the best. Even the barrel has spots that are dull compared to the rest.

 

[Stroker468]

All normal, and usually desirable.

Does anyone know of a way to restore that finish without polishing it to a gloss?

 

[Jermz1987]

All normal, and usually desirable.

Does anyone know of a way to restore that finish without polishing it to a gloss?

What do you mean desirable? The swirl marks?

 

[Dan Christopher]

Just get some Mother's Mag polish, and you'll have that stainless gun looking like a nickel finish without the swirls.

 

[Seadragon]

Mother's Mag polish will indeed address the swirls but be careful, it doesn't take much polishing to produce a mirror finish!

And if the milling machine marks under the forcing cone bother you just take some sandpaper and smooth them out to your liking. I wouldn't bother to send it back to Smith, it's easier and quicker to deal with it yourself - that's the advantage of stainless steel!

 

[schutz5]

I bet the finish comparison between your 66 and the new 686 hurts. I love the satin sheen of my 66-1. Perfect!

 

[Jermz1987]

Thanks for the advice guys, in all honesty if this is within the norm of newer smith and Wesson 686 I'll just have to live with it. As long as it shoots. I just wanted to make sure everything was ok or what SW QC considers acceptable. I usually use mothers to get rid of burn marks on the cylinder but I am not to keen to polish my 686. Again thanks for the advice.

 

[Stroker468]

What do you mean desirable? The swirl marks?

Upon further review, those do seem a bit more than the factory finish. Personally, I prefer the brushed stainless(as applied at the factory) compared to a polished stainless.

 

[OLDSTER]

My 686-4 has no such machining marks. In fact, if a revolver could be fit and finished nearly perfectly, my 686-4 is it.

 

[ShootMeStraight]

If you think that's bad you should check out new Rugers.

 

[Stevens]

My early 80s no dash 686 as a few marks there, similar but vertical, where the OP's are horizontal. No cracking visible.
Steve W

 

[Stroker468]

Attached are photos showing my 686 no dash(and 629-1). They are not meant to be shiny. They are brushed Stainless, which most prefer based on my limited research. You may not be able to see the brushed marks in these photos, but they are there.

 

[rmw]

I hope you didn't hit that with Mother's yet. With a green Scotch pad, I would have that looking near as nice as an early stainless finish in about an hour.Then maybe...a soft hit with the Mother's.