Which 686-# is "Top of the Heap"?

[MSR_Gal]

I've been lurking here about a month but this is my first post.

I plan to start looking for a 686 with 3" barrel and round butt. This will be a retirement present to myself (gives me 3 years to find it) and I want to get one that represents the best of the breed.

I've heard some say that in general the -4 is the most desirable but I have also heard others wax poetic on the virtues of the CS-1. The CS-1 seems to have been issued about the same time as the change from the 686-1 to 686-2. So is the CS-1 more like a -1 or -2? Does it have the floating hand? Which is the best revolver overall for a user – not a collector?

I understand that with the 686-1, the floating hand was introduced. I see it mentioned but not much discussion on its problems or merits. I assume it was a bad thing since I believe it was later eliminated in the -3 and later models. Is it a problem? What problems does it potentially cause? Will S&W convert a 686 with floating hand to one without? Are only the hand and trigger affected?

Were there any 686-4+ made with 3" barrels?

 

[cptdco]

I can't answer most of your questions regarding the virtues of the floating hand, but you're right...S&W did choose to eliminate it in the next iteration. I (somehow) ended up with three CS-1s...its been quite a while since I have had numbers 1 & 2 apart but #3 was a recent purchase and when I took that apart for cleaning it had the floating hand. I shoot #1 and #2 regularly and haven't had any trouble. As to the best 686, my first revolver was a no-dash and over the years I've built up a small collection of no-dash L frames. But shooters not concerned with such nostalgic issues will often lean toward the dash 4s: all the improvements and no MIM parts or locks. The hot number is the dash 4 Plus models, which I understand were more limited in production, meaning that the -4s were produced primarily in 6 shot and also (perhaps later in the run?) in 7 shot.
But they're all good. I had a dash 5 (MIM, no lock, 7 rounds) and it was a fine gun; accurate and well fitted as far as I could tell. I only sold it to focus on the aforementioned no-dash models. Good luck with your shopping. And welcome to the forum.