Question 686 no dash

[Angus938]

Hello everyone, I am a Newbie to this forum and would like to shed some light on a model 686 I own. Round butt, 6" barrel with a smooth cylinder. Which is also noted on the tag on the original box.
Every helpful suggestion is greatly appreciated.
I called S&W and was told the year of manufacture is 1984.
It is not M marked. To my knowledge, all 686 models back in the 80' had a square butt except 2.5" barreled guns. Also, I could not find any evidence that smooth cylinders were used on those revolvers back then. I am not familiar with reading the product code as well.
- 104249-
Does anyone have info on that ?
Thanks, guys.

 

[Vtgw938]

No personal knowledge but the Standard Catalog of S&W indicated 104249 is a Classic Hunter, unfluted, 6 inch barrel etc. as yours has with Hogue grips. 5000 believed made. Also seems to indicated it should be 686-3, 1988.

 

[S&W Fan]

I had one that I bought when it first came out, it was definitely a square butt and came with walnut target grips.

 

[CH4]

Yep, a 4, 6 or 8 inch 686 ND would have a sq butt and target stocks, only the 2.5” had a rd butt.

 

[Nightowl]

Well now, that is an interesting 686. For one, the front sight is a pinned ramp sight. Most 6 inch barrels had the red ramp front sight integral with the barrel. There were some pinned Patridge front sights, however, but not very many. Round butt frames and unfluted cylinders didn't show up until several years later. The M update applied to the L frames on no dash and dash one models. The dash two and up included the update and were not stamped with the M.
However, I looked up the product code.
Your product code 104249 is described in the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson page 322 as: Classic Hunter w/unfluted cylinder, 6" barrel, .375 semi-target hammer, .312 smooth combat trigger, white outline rear sight, Hogue combat grip, 5000 belied manufactured, 686-3 1988.
No mention of front sight or round butt frame.
It appears your gun should be marked 686-3 and the grips were changed. Nice find!!

 

[Angus938]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and input.
Yes I've read about the Hunter model ln the late 80'.
I called Smith and Wesson twice , gave them my serial number, and was told this 686 was manufactured in 1984.
However there is also the chance that it was placed in the wrong box by the previous owner
. The serial number on the box was blacked out and the one from my gun was hand written on the tag. ( which I blacked out on the photo