Are the newer 686s bad compared to the older smith's?
The newer ones are probably the equivalent. It depends on whether you think MIM is inferior and whether you can co-exist with the keylock commony called the Hillary Hole that Smith got saddled with due to some lawsuit back during the Clinton era. Many guys HATE the keylock and some hate MIM parts. I personally like the look of the older guns better. I especially like the look of a square butt gun better unless you need extra concealment from your weapon.
