xfarfuldog
Member
I have found but haven't seen in person a 681 L frame which appears to be a 3 inch barrel. Was there such a thing? It appears in fair shape and the price is under $ 500. A good deal??
Value 681 3"
- Thread starter xfarfuldog
- Start date
sbeatty1983
Member
Yeah sounds like a good deal.
SCSW shows that 3" Model 681 "Quadraport" 7 shot revolvers were produced in 1996 and 2001, each year with a different product code.
Rapidray
Member
3 inch barrel 681?
Snap that puppy up! The 681-4 is a Lew Horton 7 shot form 1996. Should have Quadraporting on the barrel.
The 681-5 is a Camfour Distributors 7 shot from 2001. Also will have the Quadraporting on the barrel. Both are from the Performance Center.
A member on the forum had the barrel put on a regular 681 and it is very sharp looking even though it is still a six shot. I would be happy to have it! So run and get it!
I would not even bat a eye at that price!
PMRet beat me to it!
Snap that puppy up! The 681-4 is a Lew Horton 7 shot form 1996. Should have Quadraporting on the barrel.
The 681-5 is a Camfour Distributors 7 shot from 2001. Also will have the Quadraporting on the barrel. Both are from the Performance Center.
A member on the forum had the barrel put on a regular 681 and it is very sharp looking even though it is still a six shot. I would be happy to have it! So run and get it!
I would not even bat a eye at that price!
PMRet beat me to it!
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Make sure you're measuring the barrel from the face of the cylinder. A run of the mill 4" 681 shows about 3" of barrel from the front of the frame, and that has confused some folks at times.
Agreed, if it is a true 3" it probably came from the Performance Center, and would be a very good deal at that price.
Agreed, if it is a true 3" it probably came from the Performance Center, and would be a very good deal at that price.
OP
xfarfuldog
Member
I received an email back. Turns out this was an original 681 with 4" barrel. He had the 4" removed and the other barrel installed. He calls it a 2 1/2 inch barrel but it still has the full length ejector rod. He also had the frame slimmed down to K frame size. I think I am going to have to pass.
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Rapidray
Member
I was hoping it was a PC! That would have been cool to have as a keeper.
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xfarfuldog
Member
The work was done by a "well known" S&W pistol smith named Jim Ball out of Cincy, OH. The frame was slimmed down to accept K frame grips. I was initially intrigued but when I think about it, I would rather have a factory Smith. I have a bad habit of selling even guns I love. I would not want to try to explain this to a prospective buyer.
gagunner 2
US Veteran
I thought all L frames took K frame grips.????
Rogue686
Member
They should...my 66 and 686 interchange grips regularly...
Never heard of a reason for gunsmithing like that,though!
Dave T
Member
I wonder if what they mean is they round butted the 681's original SQ butt to take a K-frame RB grip. That would make sense given the shorter barrel.
Actually I've wanted to do this but never found a 581 or 681 for the right price to make the project a reasonable investment.
Dave
Actually I've wanted to do this but never found a 581 or 681 for the right price to make the project a reasonable investment.
Dave
bamabiker
Member
I believe I'd take a look at it. Sounds like a L frame S&W should have made.
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xfarfuldog
Member
You may have convinced me. He only wants $ 425 for it with the original 4" barrel. The new barrel also has a dovetail installed for use with different sights. He showed me where Magnaport does the same frame reduction process.
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bodyarmorguy
Member
Wasn't there a run of 3" round butt 681's for either Customs or Border Patrol back in the mid to late 80's?
"You may have convinced me. He only wants $ 425 for it with the original 4" barrel. The new barrel also has a dovetail installed for use with different sights. He showed me where Magnaport does the same frame reduction process."
I have a Magnaport Mini Combat Magnum 629-1. What they do is remove some material and re-shape the backstap of the grip from a N sq to K rd.
I have a Magnaport Mini Combat Magnum 629-1. What they do is remove some material and re-shape the backstap of the grip from a N sq to K rd.
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xfarfuldog, you must realize we're waiting for pictures 
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xfarfuldog
Member
Yeah, I picked it up on Thursday. I hope to get pics up by tomorrow or Saturday. Nice gun.
Excellent! Looking forward to seeing it, and I bet it's pretty sweet!
Forsmithers
Member
You're thinking of the CS-1. It was a special run for U.S. Customs which were bead blasted 686's with either 3" or 4" barrels. They are marked CS-1 on the frame under the yoke and have great collector value if you ever see one for sale. I'd love to add one to the collection!
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xfarfuldog
Member
OK, I admit defeat. I could not find a thread on how to post pics. I did find the manage attachments and uploaded pics. Where they went I do not know. Help!!
I use photobucket, it takes a few minutes to set up an account, but seems fairly straightforward to use. Here's more info from a quick search:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/search.../264158-value-681-3-a.html&ss=5531j2467245j20
hth
http://smith-wessonforum.com/search.../264158-value-681-3-a.html&ss=5531j2467245j20
hth
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xfarfuldog
Member
This is driving me crazy. I am not the most computer literate person in the world, but this is ridiculous. I already have uploaded pics to imageshack. I have been unable to upload them to here or HKPRO. It is easy to upload to Gunbroker or Glock talk. I have read the instructions above and image shack but just cannot see what I am doing wrong.
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xfarfuldog
Member
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xfarfuldog
Member
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xfarfuldog
Member
Not exactly wonderful, but you can at least see them. I took a pic of a 66-3 that I also picked up the other day for comparison. The seller said it is a 2 1/2 " barrel but it still retains the full ejector from the 4inch barrel . Measurement to the forcing cone is 2 7/8 inches.
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SAFireman
Member
That will make a great carry gun...the collectors might poo-poo it, but I LIKE that one.
I like it too. As was mentioned, a 3" bbl. 581/681 is a gun S&W should have made. I'd be interested to hear how it shoots with that front site, since it looks a little tall. But, better that than too short!
OK, RANGE REPORT NEXT!
OK, RANGE REPORT NEXT!
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