The Smith & Wesson Model 686 is a six- or seven-shot double-actionrevolver manufactured by Smith & Wesson and chambered for the .357 Magnumcartridge; it will also chamber and fire .38 Special cartridges. Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 686 in 1981. It is the stainless steel version of the Model 586, which featured a blued steel finish. They are available ported and unported with a choice of 6- or 7-round cylinders.^[1]

The Model 686 is based on S&W's L (medium) revolver frame. During the 1980s, Smith & Wesson developed its L-Frame line of .357 Magnums: the Model 581, Model 586, Model 681 and Model 686. The Models 581 and 681 have fixed sights, whereas the 586 and 686 use adjustable sights.^[2]

Variants of the 686[edit]

The 686 has been available with 64, 76, 102, 127, 152, and 211 mm (2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.325 in) barrel lengths as standard models and other barrel lengths either by special order from S&W's Performance Center custom shop, or acquired from or built by after-market gunsmiths. The Performance Center made a limited number of Model 686s chambered for .38 Super cartridges for competitive shooters.^[1]

Smith Wesson Serial Number Lookup Model 10-8 For a complete listing see the books referenced below. Recommended reading: US Handguns of WW II - The Secondary Pistols and Revolvers by Charles W. Pate Americas Right Arm - The S&W Military and Police Revolver by John Henwood Smith and Wesson 1857 - 1945 by Robert J. Search millions of for-sale and rental listings, compare Zestimate® home values and connect with local professionals. As of 2014, a Smith & Wesson. The standard location for the serial number is above the trigger guard. Com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. Serial Number Lookup. Smith Wesson Serial Numbers - Revolvers. Please enter the serial number below: Please enter the serial number below.

The 686 features a 6-round cylinder. The 686P variant, marketed as the Model 686 Plus, has a 7-round cylinder. The 686PP variant, with PP designating PowerPort, has an integral compensator (also known as a muzzle brake).

The 686 has been made with pistol grips having a squared or rounded end (colloquially, 'square butt' or 'round butt'). The grips on the pistol can be changed, and multiple after-market options are available.

The Model 686 has an adjustable rear sight, and until 1992, the 152 and 211 mm (6 and 8.325 in) versions had the option of an adjustable front sight. They had Goncalo alveshardwood grips until 1994, when the grip was replaced by a rubber Hogue grip.^[1]

Through the years, there have been several variations on the Model 686. The Model 686 Classic Hunter was introduced in 1988 and has a 150 mm (6 in) barrel and a non-fluted cylinder; the Model 686 Black Stainless was introduced in 1989 and has either a 100 or 150 mm (4 or 6 in) barrel with a black finish, with production limited to 5000; the Model 686 National Security Special was introduced in 1992 and has a 76 or 102 mm (3 or 4 in) barrel; the Model 686 Target Champion was introduced in 1992 and has a 150 mm (6 in) match-grade barrel, adjustable trigger stop, and walnut grips; the Model 686 Power Port was introduced in 1994 and has a ported 150 mm (6 in) barrel; the Model 686 Plus was introduced in 1996 and has a 64, 76, 102, or 152 mm (2.5, 3, 4, or 6 in) barrel, adjustable sights, 7-shot cylinder, and Hogue rubber grips. As with all current Smith & Wesson revolvers, the 686 Plus now has a key lock integral to the frame of the gun.^[1]

Engineering and production changes[edit]

• 686 (no dash), 1981 Introduction model
• 686-1, 1986 radius stud package, floating hand
• 686-2, 1987 changed hammer nose, bushing and associated parts
• 686-3, 1988 new yoke retention system
• 686-4, 1993 change rear sight leaf, drill and tap frame, change extractor, Hogue grips
• 686-5, 1997 change frame design to eliminate cylinder stop stud, eliminate serrated tangs, MIM hammer and trigger, change internal lock.
• 686-6, 2001 internal lock
• 686-7, 2003 Performance Center .38 Super, 6-Shot unfluted cylinder, 4' barrel, Stainless Steel, 250 Made

Gallery[edit]

Smith And Wesson Model 686 Serial Number Lookup

Users[edit]

• France – Used by GIGN during amphibious operations.^[3]
• Norway – The 3'-barreled version with Goncalo alveshardwood-grip was used as a sidearm in the alien immigrant-branches of the Norwegian Police Service by individual plainclothes officers during the early 1990s.^{[citation needed]}
• United States – Used by U.S. Border Patrol.^{[citation needed]} Used by legacy U.S. Customs Service.^{[citation needed]} Used by the legacy U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service^{[citation needed]} Used by U.S. Navy SEALs during waterborne missions.^[4] Used by some smaller police departments and by individual officers in larger departments, especially in marine environments.^[5]
• Luxembourg – Used by the Luxembourg Grand Ducal Police as duty weapon from the 1980s through 2017 when it was replaced by the HK VP9.^[6]
• United States - Used by the Oso Grande 4x4 Posse as an approved weapon for posse members preferring a revolver. Some twenty revolvers were acquired in the early 2000's as issue/approved weapons.

Recall[edit]

In 1987, seven years after the release of the Model 686, there were reports of cylinder binding with some types of standard .357 Magnum ammunition for L-frame revolvers manufactured before August 1987. S&W put out a product warning and authorized a no-charge upgrade to make modifications to the revolver. All recalled and reworked guns were stamped with an M marking, signifying that they had been recalled and fixed; thus it is known as the M modification for all 686, 686-1, 586-1, and 586-2 revolvers.^[7]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcdSupica, Jim; Richard Nahas (2007). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (3 ed.). F+W Media, Inc. pp. 331–363. ISBN978-0-89689-293-4.
2. ^Boorman, Dean K. (2002). The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms. Globe Pequot. p. 119. ISBN978-1-58574-721-4.
3. ^Jim Supica (2011). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 3rd. Iola, wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 343. ISBN978-1-4402-2700-4.
4. ^Chalker, Denny; Dockery, Kevin (2009). One Perfect Op. New York: Harper Collins. p. 104. ISBN978-0-06-175129-5.
5. ^Sweeney, Patrick (2011). The Gun Digest Book of Smith & Wesson. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 104. ISBN978-1-4402-2714-1.
6. ^'So sieht die neue Pistole der Police Grand-Ducale aus'. L'Essentiel. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
7. ^Product Warning, Popular Mechanics, January 1988, p. 11.

External links[edit]

SOLD FOR: $1,111.11
LSB#: 170404DD01

Make: Smith & Wesson

Model: 686-3, The .357 Distinguished Combat Magnum Stainless, Product Code 104248

Serial Number: BBV6159

Year of Manufacture: The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson lists 1988 under the product code section and under Variations has a 1989 retail price. We suspect that it was manufactured in ’88 and retailed in ’89.

Caliber: .357 Magnum

Action Type: 6-Shot, Double Action / Single Action, Swing-Out, Fluted Cylinder Revolver

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “SMITH & WESSON”, the right is marked “S.&W. .357 MAGNUM”. The left side of the frame has S&W’s monogram logo, the right side of the frame has the four line Marcas Registradas. The butt is marked with the serial number. The yoke cut is marked with the serial and model number, the yoke and sides of the grip frame have inspector marks.

Barrel Length: 6″

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated ramped blade with red plastic insert integral to a rise in the solid rib. The rear sight is a flat top, white outlined, square notched leaf in a base that is micrometer-click adjustable for windage and elevation.

Stock Configuration & Condition: None

Type of Finish: Midnight Black Stainless

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There appears to be a few marks in the bore… These are no bulges, but there is mild damage to the rifling. Perhaps from a bad cleaning? We have not seen anything of this sort before, but there is no evidence of a bulge visible from the exterior and perhaps this is just very heavy fouling in patches that we were unable to remove?

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 97% of its metal finish. The cylinder has a light turn-line, not through the finish, the barrel has a few scattered light marks on the right side. The checkering on the hammer spur and cylinder latch are sharp. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun is in about Excellent condition as missing the grips.

S&w 686 Serial Number Location

Mechanics: Download dota 1 pc. The action functions correctly. The double action trigger is smooth and the single action trigger is very crisp. The cylinder has almost no play on each chamber when the trigger is depressed. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes in a two-piece blue cardboard box with metal reinforced corners. The box is of the correct type for Smith & Wesson, but is completely unmarked. Also included is an aluminum-handle S&W screwdriver, an assortment of factory paperwork including manual, and wax paper. The box has faint wear at some edges and corners, in about Fine-plus condition.

Our Assessment: The Smith & Wesson 686 needs no introduction. Their full-frame stainless .357 Magnum is a staple in the revolver world, renowned for its quality, durability and style. There are many variations in barrel length, sights, hammer, trigger, etc., but one of the less common variants was a small production run from 1988 with a “Midnight Black” finish on its stainless steel frame and cylinder. One could be forgiven for mistaking it for a 586, but the model number is marked “686-3” and the serial number is in the correct range for the Midnight Black guns. It is in about Excellent condition with 97% of its finish, a bright bore with a couple of spots of light erosion and strong mechanics, though it is missing its grips. This is a great find for the Smith & Wesson collector as production was limited to approximately 2,900 revolvers. Please see our pictures and good luck!

Smith And Wesson 686 Serial Number Lookup For Guns

CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This handgun CANNOT be transferred as a dealer sale in California. This handgun CAN be sold as a Private Party Transfer (PPT) at our Simi Valley shop. All cartridge firing handguns (even C&R’s and antiques) sold to a California resident must be DROS’d. This does not apply to out of state residents.