My new to me 681 no dash, date of shipment info?

[bikerlbf406]

I just got my new to me 681 no dash, out of layaway the other day. It is a true double action .357 mag and does not have the "M" on the inside of the yoke, like i hear some people talking about, whatever that is for? I paid $479.99 before tax, which equated to like $512 I believe it was after tax. The serial number is 532xX
(the first small x, is in place of a number, the second big X is the actual letter at the end of the serial number, there is no letter prefix). Below are the pictures of it.







Why are people talking about having the letter M on the inside of the yoke, what does it mean? Also what year was this probably shipped? Also did I pay a fair price? Also did these not originally come as true double action, as I heard some talk on other sites that it being double actions means the trigger assembly been replaced?

 

[bananaman]

I would consider it a very good price if mechanically sound. The stocks / grips are not original to the gun. (aftermarket) It should be double action. ( double action/ single action) This means you can pull the hammer back and lock it. Then pull the trigger and the hammer falls. Double action ONLY, you do not have this feature. The proper serial # for the gun is found on the bottom of the butt under the grips. The "M" was stamped on the yoke, if recall was done for a hammer nose bushing fix. The issue is/was that when firing certain 125 gr. .357 ammo, the cylinder could bind, and cause the cylinder to lock up. This was a potential issue on L frames, no dash, and early -1's. I have a no dash 586, that has not had the work done. Recall work on these is still done. Easiest fix in my book, is don't shoot the 125 gr. stuff. The price tag on the gun indicates nickel finish. It is stainless steel. It is early and I am half asleep. Somebody will fill in any holes I might have left. Enjoy your 681! Bob

 

[bikerlbf406]

I would consider it a very good price if mechanically sound. The stocks / grips are not original to the gun. (aftermarket) It should be double action. ( double action/ single action) This means you can pull the hammer back and lock it. Then pull the trigger and the hammer falls. Double action ONLY, you do not have this feature. The proper serial # for the gun is found on the bottom of the butt under the grips. The "M" was stamped on the yoke, if recall was done for a hammer nose bushing fix. The issue is/was that when firing certain 125 gr. .357 ammo, the cylinder could bind, and cause the cylinder to lock up. This was a potential issue on L frames, no dash, and early -1's. I have a no dash 586, that has not had the work done. Recall work on these is still done. Easiest fix in my book, is don't shoot the 125 gr. stuff. The price tag on the gun indicates nickel finish. It is stainless steel. It is early and I am half asleep. Somebody will fill in any holes I might have left. Enjoy your 681! Bob

Thank you for clearing all that up. Yes it is Double/Single action, my bad. Also I took the Grips off and the proper serial number for the gun under the grips is AJR705x (x replacing the last number). What is the number in the yoke and also on the side of the butt under the grips (the number is the same in both places and is the first number I gave thinking it was the serial number?

 

[bikerlbf406]

I will post pictures later, but I just remembered I had a pair of grips that I bought from an auction I attended last year, and had no clue what kind of revolver they fit. Just pulled them out and low behold they were original S&W grips and looked like they'd fit the 681, so I tried them on just now and fits like a dream. Small 1/2" hairline crack at the very top of the left hand grip, that I'm hoping dont expend when shooting it, but I got them for like $1 when I bought them, so if it does, no big deal. They still cover up the serial number on the butt of the gun, but so did the grips that were on it.

 

[bananaman]

The numbers in question are assembly #'s used when the gun was made. Any K, or L frame square butt stocks should fit your 681. No guarantee, but carefully put some super glue in the crack. What do you have to loose? Bob

 

[murphydog]

Bob has good information above.

Prefix AJR is likely from 1986. Without the original box or a letter you can purchase with the exact ship date, that is as close as you'll probably get to that.

It likely came with Magna or service stocks that do not cover the SN; these are easy to find and not expensive, but you may find shooting it easier with larger stocks.

Finally, the 680 series guns are stainless steel. I suppose you could nickel plate it but there wouldn't be much of a point to doing that . Enjoy!

 

[bikerlbf406]

Yeah I'm not worried about nickel plating it. The pawn shop I bought it from just simply did not know no difference between nickel & stainless steel apparently. No big deal there. I'm not worried about the exact shipping date, just a rough estimate is fine, so 1986 works. I might look online and see if I can find a pair of magna or service grips for it. I didn't think of using super glue on the crack but I'll try it. But even if it don't work, its no big deal being I only paid $1 for them.

 

[Sixgun100]

The correct magna stocks should be the rounded "PC" grips. A little harder to find, but with persistence on eBay, you should be able to find a pair. Good luck and enjoy that Model 681!

 

[bananaman]

You occasionally come across some decent cheap stocks. Got these from my FFL for $15. They feel good in my hand. Bob