Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns S&W 686 value?

I have a S&W 686 .357 with a 6" barrel that a friend is interested in buying. I bought the gun new in 2005, it probably has around 100 rounds through it. I'm trying to figure out a price that is fair for both him and me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

$600

A bit more in my parts, $650-$750. Box paper ammo etc. Just about any Smith revolver other than a J frame is over $800 new nowadays.

I have the original box but I don't think I have the paper, I'll have to check. I'm getting a different .357 so there'll be no ammo in the sale. Thanks for your help guys, I appreciate it.

Is an '05 model a lock gun or pre-lock? Makes a difference to some.

What do you mean by lock gun? I don't think it would matter to him (he's seen it and fired it), I'm just curious.

he is referring to does it have a keylock on it, right by the button to unlock the cyclinder on left side.

$600 would be what I would sell to a stranger for, $500-550 to a friend.

I saw one go for over 700 last year. It did not have the lock and had a 2" bbl and the modification.

Do you have one for sale...friend?

It is a lock model. I found all the paperwork that went with it. I even found the keys, which is surprising. The way I am I figured I would have just thrown them out when I bought it.

I was originally thinking in the ballpark of $550.

To someone who doesn't care about the lock $550-$600 would be plenty fair for both of you.

To someone who does care about the lock, like me, I'd look elsewhere. But that's just me...

Just curious again, why does the lock make that big of a difference?

they tend to engage themselves under recoil

I have heard this in a couple of cases, don't have direct knowledge either way though.

I for one just can't stand the idea of a built-in lock on my gun. Makes no sense to me and will never own one. Kinda like Marlin putting that ugly assed crossbolt safety on their lever guns....why?

This is just my opinion which is likely shared by many others. Your mileage may vary.

The lock is a non-issue. A lot has been made of it engaging under recoil. I don't know what the actual chance of this happening is, percentage-wise, but it may be of significance. If you feel that it is, the lock is easily disabled, from what I understand, by just about anybody. If the hole bothers you, there are kits available.

Never heard of this in any size Smith frame.



Not fond of the lock myself, but a 2005 is better than the ones they are producing now.

Yup, a non-issue. Unless you are bothered by...

The looks of it. That hole in the sideplate is just plain ugly. Even when removed and plugged, it just doesn't look right.

or

The higher possibility of failure. Again, no personal experience with this as I have never owned one and never will. But have known a couple different guys speak of their integral locked S&W locking up on them. Murphy's law comes into effect here.

or

The politics behind it. I'm still PO-ed at S&W for bowing to the Clinton administration and slapping this thing on their wheelguns.

or

The principle of the whole thing. Our government is trying it's best to make this a big warm and fuzzy nanny state, we really don't need gun makers helping them out. Firearms should not fall under the same "save us from our own stupidity" safety standards that other products like toasters and gas cans do.

That said, I do currently own half a dozen S&W wheelguns and really like 'em all. My 3" 65 is on my side most everywhere I go, I do most of my deer hunting with a 629. My kids have learned to shoot handguns with my 17 and 18. Great revolvers!

I've heard way more good folks say they have had zero problems with their IL S&W wheelguns as have had problems, and that's great. The question was asked about locks and these are my thoughts on them. No ill will towards any who may disagree.

My .02 cents worth.

Has been posted here by members when they first started showing up. I won't own one.

Folks say the S&W locks turning themselves on is a myth. If so, I'm a farkin' unicorn.

A few years ago I had a M66 with the lock. It locked itself under recoil with 158 gr 357 Mag loads. I sold the b!tch. I currently have a 625-8 with the "safety" lock. The lock turned itself on on 2 separate occasions on me, firing moderately warm loads. I had it disabled when I had an action job done on it. The revolversmith I sent the gun to for action work has seen numerous S&W's that locked themselves up under recoil.

I will not buy another S&W gun with the internal lock. There's too many non-lock guns out there to mess with these pieces of scheit.