Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Which 686-# is "Top of the Heap"?

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?

Dunno. The 686 is my favorite .357. If I was looking for the configuration you want, I'd just buy one and not worry about which dash. It will be difficult enough just locating the configuration.

If you dig around you can find info that suggests the CS-1s were a special little subset with extra features and fitting compared to a general commercial gun. I actually think the chronology suggests that they were -3 but am not certain. The bad news is that everyone else knows about them as well, and the prices for a CS-1, especially a 3", are very high, unless you find an unknowledgable seller.

I don't think there's a big enough difference between any of the dashes to override condition/price for the right gun. MIM came in with -5 and that freaks some folks out. A Performance Center gun of -5 and later may not have MIM, I'm not sure. 3" RB will be hard to find and may not exist in all dashes anyway.

If you find a no dash or -1, which I'm gonna guess does not exist in a 3" RB, you need to read up about the recall and the -M.

Jack:

This is going to be something extra special, and since you give yourself three years, why not consider doing a custom?

Find a good, solid 686, at a great price and make it 3" with a round butt if it isn't already.

In addition to the barrel length and butt shape you want, you can true the cylinder, have the forcing cone cut properly, get the sights you want, etc., etc.

It'll cost more because of the custom work, but it will be ready on-time, just the way you want it, and you won't have to chance waiting a decade to find the perfect ready-made.

Just a thought.

- Tom

I had a 4" CS-1, it was, hands down, my favorite revolver of all time. I don't like red ramps and fat sights, the CS-1 had none of that silly stuff. It shot great. I let someone talk me out of it, and I've been mad about it ever since.

ratsmacker:

Every now and then, one of these threads come along and I smack myself, and think about cleaning out my safe to finance the "perfect" revolver.

Funny, isn't it, how many 'Fire members will spend boo-coo dollars on customizing a factory Remington 700, and how few of us get around to doing the same for a Blackhawk or a K-frame?

I have to start seriously thinking about taking my own advice.

- Tom

Yep, all I did with that one, was stick on a set of Pachmayr Compacs, to keep the bulk down, and to fit my mitts. Straight out of the box, it needed nothing but the grips on it. Same size as most 1911s, not too bulky, not too heavy, it's the equivalent of Goldilocks' "just right". I used to shoot it quite a bit at the local indoor range. I could DA 50 rounds into 6" when I tried a little harder than normal. Not .38s, either, .357s.

Dammit, now I just miss it worse.

ratsmacker:

I'm thinking 180 gr LBT with gas check at 950-1000 fps.

How would that have been for you in your 686?

- Tom

I'd say Jerry Miculek's would be top o'the heap.

I don't recall running anything heavier than 160s in mine, but 180s would have been pretty nice, I'd think. It liked most anything I stuffed into the cylinder. I'd stick 6.5gr. Unique under them, and shot a lot of them DA, just because I could.

I doubt I shot any jacketed bullets thru it the whole time I owned it, except maybe some 110 Blitzes or something like them, for groundhogs and frogs and stuff.

Jack,

I was just over on gunbroker yesterday. I believe I saw a 3" barrel for a 686 for less than $100.

Buy your round butt gun and have the barrel changed by a gunsmith. At the same have him do a trigger job. I'm sure that there a quite a few 686 round butts out there, heck I just sold mine to buy my dream 4" 586. Good luck, have fun.

Like this one @ Collector's Firearms in Houston?

Smith & Wesson 686-4 .357 Magnum caliber revolver. 2 1/2" 6-shot snubbie in near excellent condition, without internal lock. $699.95
see photos Item# PR17112 Request Info

I hadn't considered that. Will any 3" or over 686 barrel fit any 686 regardless of dash #?