Thinking of buying this 686 tomorrow...how much to bid?

[gumpys]

Waaaaay too much money . Just last December (2011) I bought at a gun shop a 4" 686 no dash with the factory wood grips for $425.00 . Looks and shoots great .

Very good buy.

 

[Avery11]

To the OP,

You have good taste and seem to have done your homework on which gun you want to buy. Add that you have a realistic expectation that you will not get something for nothing and not only are you way ahead of the game, you have instantly made lots of friends here.

That said, you sound like a man who deserves an honest deal and I think everyone is looking out for you in hopes that you get one.

We've all had the "fever" when we make up our minds and the gun we want seems to be extinct.

BE PATIENT. Your gun will come along sooner than you think though the search will seem to go on forever.

The search is the best part so savor it.

You asked for a price so I will answer your question directly. If I really had my heart set on a 3" 686, I would look for a -4 or earlier version as I believe the MIM parts started with the -5 I could be and likely am wrong so verify this.

To get one like new with box and original grips I would pay up to $800. I think anything less than $700 for a 3" would be a great deal in today's market.

At $1400 you are well past what any 686 is worth including the 3" 686 CS-1.

If you were going $100 over value, no big deal. We've all done it.

However, the seller is waiting for someone just like you to come along and triple his money if not more. That's just wrong. Take a pass and you will absolutely get a better deal.

Please let us know how it works out.

A.

 

[JamesArthur60]

If you want a 686 that bad, I'd sell you my 686-5PP (c:2000) no IL, with a 6" barrel and a trigger job. Great gun and you could have the barrel cut (for example by SDM Fabricating) to your size and save lots of cash over the one posted. Keep looking...

 

[2hawk]

To the OP,

You have good taste and seem to have done your homework on which gun you want to buy. Add that you have a realistic expectation that you will not get something for nothing and not only are you way ahead of the game, you have instantly made lots of friends here.

That said, you sound like a man who deserves an honest deal and I think everyone is looking out for you in hopes that you get one.

We've all had the "fever" when we make up our minds and the gun we want seems to be extinct.

BE PATIENT. Your gun will come along sooner than you think though the search will seem to go on forever.

....
A.

Well stated Avery.
I might add that if you buy this one you'll see one similar to it at a much better price almost immediately- if your luck is anything like mine

 

[lhump1961]

Avery11 hit it pretty good on the price expectation. Up to $800 I could live with for my perfect gun...any more than that is unreasonable. The advice in this thread is right on IMHO. Paying a little too much is one thing (I've done it myself!) but then there is getting taken advantage of.

I can understand pining after a 3", I really can! I have a 3" 66 and several 2.5" K frames and a 2.5" 686-1. I can honestly say I like my 2.5's just as much as my lone 3". If you aren't stuck too hard on a 3" maybe take a look at the 686 in 2.5"...they are around at less than half the price and are just as good if not better than anything else Smith ever made. Here's a pic if you haven't looked much at the 2.5".

Good luck in your search...your gun will be along shortly!

 

[UDR2]

I had a 7 shot 686-5 with 2 1/2 barrel in great condition, I sold it for $600. I would not pay double for another 1/2 inch.

Well, I might pay a lot for an extra 1/2 inch, but not in a gun barrel.

 

[gumpys]

To the OP,

You have good taste and seem to have done your homework on which gun you want to buy. Add that you have a realistic expectation that you will not get something for nothing and not only are you way ahead of the game, you have instantly made lots of friends here.

That said, you sound like a man who deserves an honest deal and I think everyone is looking out for you in hopes that you get one.

We've all had the "fever" when we make up our minds and the gun we want seems to be extinct.

BE PATIENT. Your gun will come along sooner than you think though the search will seem to go on forever.

The search is the best part so savor it.

You asked for a price so I will answer your question directly. If I really had my heart set on a 3" 686, I would look for a -4 or earlier version as I believe the MIM parts started with the -5 I could be and likely am wrong so verify this.

To get one like new with box and original grips I would pay up to $800. I think anything less than $700 for a 3" would be a great deal in today's market.

At $1400 you are well past what any 686 is worth including the 3" 686 CS-1.

If you were going $100 over value, no big deal. We've all done it.

However, the seller is waiting for someone just like you to come along and triple his money if not more. That's just wrong. Take a pass and you will absolutely get a better deal.

Please let us know how it works out.

A.

Could not have said it better especially the part about tripling his money on that gun

 

[mattbiel]

To the OP,

You have good taste and seem to have done your homework on which gun you want to buy. Add that you have a realistic expectation that you will not get something for nothing and not only are you way ahead of the game, you have instantly made lots of friends here.

That said, you sound like a man who deserves an honest deal and I think everyone is looking out for you in hopes that you get one.

We've all had the "fever" when we make up our minds and the gun we want seems to be extinct.

BE PATIENT. Your gun will come along sooner than you think though the search will seem to go on forever.

The search is the best part so savor it.

You asked for a price so I will answer your question directly. If I really had my heart set on a 3" 686, I would look for a -4 or earlier version as I believe the MIM parts started with the -5 I could be and likely am wrong so verify this.

To get one like new with box and original grips I would pay up to $800. I think anything less than $700 for a 3" would be a great deal in today's market.

At $1400 you are well past what any 686 is worth including the 3" 686 CS-1.

If you were going $100 over value, no big deal. We've all done it.

However, the seller is waiting for someone just like you to come along and triple his money if not more. That's just wrong. Take a pass and you will absolutely get a better deal.

Please let us know how it works out.

A.

Thank you so much Avery11 and everyone else! I have gained so much knowledge I feel like I owe everyone here a beer. I will use $800 as the top of my range. I will be patient. I will savor the hunt for "my" gun. I will search and scour and get the word out to my local shops and when the time comes I just may pay $100 too much for that extra 1/2" (thanks for that one, UDR2!) but I'm not going to triple anyone's money just because I have to have something.

I'll post when I have made a purchase to say thank you again and let you know how it went.

 

[ckprax]

So is the reason for wanting a 3" because you can import it into CA using the single action exemption or just personal preference?

 

[trauma1]

I picked up a 4" model in the box with everything for $500 OTD!!! 3x's the money for 1"< barrel. Don't do it. Keep looking around and go to as many LGS and Pawn shops as possible. Go at least twice a week as new items are usually put out for sale daily after the mandatory 30 day hold period for pawns/sold/traded guns. Patience is the key. you can buy 2-3 686's for the "buy it now" price.

 

[hsmith9491]

Well if you are buying beer I say wait till one comes along
with a better price. Way to high. Good luck.

 

[rbert0005]

You can buy a new one for under 750.
The lock wouldn't bother me that much.

Bob