What is this please? I've never seen one.

[Shootsomething]

I am looking for some insight into just what I stumbled across today? I know it is a 6" stainless 686 no dash and it was manufactured in 1985. It would appear to have a factory installed 4 position silhouette adjustable front sight.But I didn't know they put them on .357's. Any info that you ladies and gentlemen could provide as to rarity, value, etc... would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Shootsomething]

Anyone have any info?

 

[Culina]

Well it sounds like you answered your own question, its a 686 with a factory installed adjustable front sight.

 

[hiram2005]

I don't think those are real common at least not around here.
I had a 586 with that front site and an 8 3/8 in barrel.

 

[AkRay]

I remember seeing ads in gun mags in the mid to late 80s with these 357 revolvers with the silhouette model type front sight.

 

[hihosilver13]

686 w/ adj front sight

I bought a new one around 1989. Used it for compatition target shooting. Had it adjusted for 2 different loads at 2 different distances. It was a great target gun. Sold it 15 years later for what I paid for it. If you look at a old parts brake down, you will see it listed as an option.

 

[Gunhacker]

There's not much info about the 586/686 revolvers with the factory adjustable front sight to be found. The Standard Catalog of S&W only mentions that on the 586's the sight was discountinued in 1992.

Under the 686, there's no mention except for a footnote about adding a premium. The longer 8 3/8" barrels were more common, with Silhouette shooting longer barrels is the game.

I remember when the sport of Silhouette shooting first came out and took hold, Ruger came out with a 10" barreled Super Blackhawk, Thompson Contender already had 10" barrels and came out with the Super 14.

I have a 586 with a 6" barrel and adjustable front sights that I got as part of a two gun package deal, and I've always wondered why S&W put that kind of sight on a "short" barrel gun, I would imagine that most serious silhouette shooters wouldn't give it a second look.

 

[Anton Dee]

At least a couple of the 686's with the adjustable front sight in 6" made their way to the Netherlands.
I remember seeing some in a gunshop in the early 90's of the last century, and also a German guy using one at a match.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

The factory still has barrels and replacement front sights for it. They are a little on the rare side.

 

[JumpinJack]

The front sight was set up for use in NRA Police Revolver match. It allowed the shooter to use the same hold for 50yds, 25yds and 15 yds. I believe these were available from the factory under the same rules they use today for the PPC guns from the Performance Center.

 

[ken158]

It is a silhouette model - saw one yesterday in a gun shop for $575 that had been there a while, but was afraid to make an offer....

 

[Palmetto Sharpshooter]

The front sight was set up for use in NRA Police Revolver match. It allowed the shooter to use the same hold for 50yds, 25yds and 15 yds. I believe these were available from the factory under the same rules they use today for the PPC guns from the Performance Center.

Sorry to disagree but that revolver is/was illegal for PPC unless it was in the 1500. It would be hopelessly overmatched in the 1500 by real PPC guns. I bought one of these in the 586 version when I started PPC shooting in 1986. I couldn't use it for the Revolver Distinguished match so I sold it.

It was actually built for silhouette shooting like the Model 29s with the same front sight.

 

[campfire]

I can't understand why, but it seems that quite a few made their way here to Australia. There are several listed for sale on some of our gunsites.
Campfire.

 

[Tom K]

....
I have a 586 with a 6" barrel and adjustable front sights that I got as part of a two gun package deal, and I've always wondered why S&W put that kind of sight on a "short" barrel gun, I would imagine that most serious silhouette shooters wouldn't give it a second look.

A lot of times gunmakers can be clueless, and their marketing departments even moreso. I recall when IHMSA metallic silhouettes was the hot sport (early '80s), Charter Arms published an ad in the magazines advertising their .357 Target Bulldog as "perfect for silhouettes," apparently just because it had an adjustable rear sight. Pretty laughable.