New to Me: S&W Model 686-3

[Curt32955]

Hello. I just picked this up today from a local seller. My S&W book says its from 1992 I believe. I paid $1000 for it without a box so I might have overpaid?? (not sure) but it's a gun I wanted plus it's from a year I've been looking for. 1992 is the year I entered the military so I've been wanting to pick up a gun from that year....just happened to be this beauty. The seller was the second owner and he said he bought it in 1992 or 93 and that he's never fired it. It's been sitting in a safe for 30 years. Well, she's gonna get recalled from Safe Queen status today. I'm going to give it a quick cleaning and to the range we go.

 

[xfarfuldog]

I have a 686-1 snubbie with the combat grips. I paid a little more but I have the original box. Also mine is a Lew Horton. Great gun at a good price.

 

[Shark Bait]

Excellent gun! No doubt you will love it. Looking forward to the range report.

 

[Baxter6551]

I picked mine up earlier this year. No box or anything. Traded a rifle and some cash for it. My first L frame. Don't know why I waited so long. It had cosmetic issues and trigger and hammer had been worked on by "bubba". I obtained replacements from the forum classifieds and my gunsmith redid it in my preferred "combat revolver" style with replaced parts, trigger job with Wilson Combat springs and bead blasted. I changed grips out to Hogue cocobola. What a great gun. I have about $650 into it.

 

[cda322]

If you overpaid, it wasn't by much and I wouldn't have a second thought about it. Pre-lock 686 snubs have been going for more than that on Gunbroker with no box.

 

[Curt32955]

I put a hundred rounds of factory 357 magnum through it. It shot great without any issues. I didn't mind the recoil but I did notice that when I relaxed a bit too much, the trigger guard would say hello to my middle finger. I always shoot double action, for some reason I find that I'm more accurate than single action....doesn't make any sense. Does anyone else find that they shoot better in DA? The first picture is shooting standing unsupported in DA at 7 yards. The second is the best I could do at 10 yards....the group opened up quite a bit. I'm going to blame the eyes and not the gun. Anyway, loved it. Will try .38 special next time I take it.

 

[kaaskop49]

attn: OP

^^^^what he said! Couldn't really tell you if I shoot better in DA since I only shoot the first 5-6-7-8 rounds SA depending on capacity when the gun is brand new. I feel this helps to seat the parts. Anyway, I feel better. As long as you follow the DA trigger down to the rest position after firing, you should be fine. Good shooting!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. TWO boxes of factory magnum ammo!? You and I must come from the same planet. Where do you garage your saucer?

 

[Curt32955]

My saucer gets parked in central North Dakota.

 

[swagmeister]

Great looking revolver and getting harder to find at any price. The other 2 ain't bad either. Thanks for showing.

 

[walkin' trails]

I think you picked up a nice shooter. Whether or not you paid too much is probably a moot point if you didn't buy it to immediately try to turn a profit at the next gun show. There aren't as many of those short barreled L-frames as there are four inch guns. I think you can still pick up an original box san label for somewhat reasonable if you feel your gun is incomplete without, but I'd say that it would probably be more complete with a nice holster to ride in from, say, Milt Sparks or El Paso Saddelry (along with matching belt, speed loader pouch). And ammo, a gun that has been residing in a safe for 30 years is hungry.

Again, you got a nice gun!.