Early inheritance (S&W 686).

[Malamute]

I may be mistaken, but I believe the recall problem was with certain 357 mag loads (Federal, maybe others?) flowing primers back into the firing pin hole (not just a general backing out), they made a bushing with smaller hole and tighter fitting firing pin to alleviate it. I dont think it should be a problem with 38s. I think this is also about the time they started toning down factory magnum loads. Wonder if its a coincidence?

Several guys here may know more about it, @Wayne Dobbs @Outpost75

If the recoil shield is allowing primers to back out more than normal, you should be able to see it inset below the rest of the frame surface. Theres enough room for it to happen when everything is correct, but the primer usually re-seats itself when the case comes back. its NOT a zero clearance situation. Try firing just primed cases in a normally functioning Smith and it will probably lock up. So is it just backing out or are they flowing back into the firing pin hole, the term often used is "cratering" the primer.


Do as you wish if it truly needs the fix, Im not positive they all actually needed it, I think it was done as required and guns checked and in spec or modified were marked. Id prefer someone other than the factory to work on it if it were mine. I have no intention of sending anything to the factory for any reason at this point.

[Outpost75]

The Remington 5-1/2 and Federal 200 primers have heavier cups to mitigate the primer cup flowing into the firing pin bushing. Older guns with firing pin mounted in hammer nose strike the bushing at an angle which over time elongates the hole in the bushing and enables primer cup material to flow around the striker point, particularly if gun is dry fired a lot. Frame mounted firing pin moves in axis parallel to bore and can be fitted to closer tolerance.

[jellydonut]

Nice story, and nice gun.

How can you tell what model your 686 is? Mine only says "686" on it. Would it say 686-1 or something if it was something newer?

[Duelist]

Nice story, and nice gun.

How can you tell what model your 686 is? Mine only says "686" on it. Would it say 686-1 or something if it was something newer?

Exactly: S&W revolver model numbers add -1, -2, ... -8, ... -10, etc. sequentially whenever revisions or updates to the design are put into production.

A revolver with no dash in its model number will frequently be referred to as a “no dash” to indicate that it is pre-revision. Yours would be read “686 no-dash”.

[Coal Train]

If the recoil shield is allowing primers to back out more than normal, you should be able to see it inset below the rest of the frame surface. Theres enough room for it to happen when everything is correct, but the primer usually re-seats itself when the case comes back. its NOT a zero clearance situation. Try firing just primed cases in a normally functioning Smith and it will probably lock up. So is it just backing out or are they flowing back into the firing pin hole, the term often used is "cratering" the primer.

Thanks Malamute. I could be wrong but I do not believe the primers are flowing back into the firing pin hole. I did not see any evidence of this on the breech face but I also have not opened the side plate. It seemed to me to be more a clearance issue (i.e. cratering as you describe). On the third or fourth shot the trigger got heavy and then would hit a “wall” and not go any farther when the cylinder would try and rotate. However, it was not difficult getting the cylinder to release. I examined the fired cases and the primers appeared higher than on a non-fired case. I should have keep them separate from the other spent cases from the day but all spent cases went in the same bag.

When I run my finger over the breech face the recoil shield does feel a little recessed but I do not know if it is beyond the tolerance.

I’ll give one of the previously suggested gunsmiths a call and get their input.

[jellydonut]

Exactly: S&W revolver model numbers add -1, -2, ... -8, ... -10, etc. sequentially whenever revisions or updates to the design are put into production.

A revolver with no dash in its model number will frequently be referred to as a “no dash” to indicate that it is pre-revision. Yours would be read “686 no-dash”.

Interesting. Of course, mine has no "M" mark either.

I suppose I should have that work done when I leave it with a gunsmith, I need to have the frame lug changed anyway..

[john c]

I paid less than $800 in February 2021 for a 2” 686+, $785 in 2018 for a 4” 686+, and about the same a few months ago for another 4” 686+. All were bought locally, and they’re all well made and function 100%. I haven’t checked the online prices lately…

* Wood stocks were $80 for each revolver. Two of the 686+ revolvers were bought from shops that don’t charge tax for cash purchases.

Unfortunately, in my area prices are much higher. Even buying online, with FFL transfer fees and shipping, is pretty expensive.

I did pass on a police trade-in 686 no dash last month for $450. The gun was just SLIGHTLY out of time, and as I was looking at it another guy came in to buy it. His friend had one, and he came down to the shop to buy it. We chatted while I was examining the gun, and I figured if he came down specifically to buy it, I'd let him have it. If I'd been in the shop earlier when they had a bunch, I'd have bought 2 or 3 at that price, as long as they were perfectly functional.

[Coal Train]

Update on my 686. I called a few of the recommended S&W pistolsmiths and they advised me to send the revolver back to S&W for the recall. I contacted S&W and they sent me a return shipping label on July 12th. I received the revolver back on August 19th. Apparently they turned it into a dreaded ghost gun. I wish they had included the lung blower option too but since the total cost to me was $0 I’ll not complain.





Was able to put a few rounds through it on Sunday and it ran great. No cylinder binding across 4 different manufacturers’ ammunition. Smooth trigger, soft recoiling, and accurate.

Kudos for S&W for their customer service. Hopefully this will be passed down to my kids one day.

[tango-papa]

Update on my 686. I called a few of the recommended S&W pistolsmiths and they advised me to send the revolver back to S&W for the recall. I contacted S&W and they sent me a return shipping label on July 12th. I received the revolver back on August 19th. Apparently they turned it into a dreaded ghost gun. I wish they had included the lung blower option too but since the total cost to me was $0 I’ll not complain.



Was able to put a few rounds through it on Sunday and it ran great. No cylinder binding across 4 different manufacturers’ ammunition. Smooth trigger, soft recoiling, and accurate.

Kudos for S&W for their customer service. Hopefully this will be passed down to my kids one day.

Glad that worked out.
You should probably buy a few lottery tickets...

[OlongJohnson]

I would NOT send that gun back to S&W under any circumstances - they are riddled with the cancer of incompetence. They might fix it or they might, and likely will, screw it up.

Talk with one of the legit known revolver-smith's and seek their guidance.

Karl Sokol
https://chestnutmountainsports.net/

Frank Glenn
http://glenncustom.com/

Nelson Ford
https://www.thegunsmith.com/price_list.html

Maybe start with those three - there's a few others, but those are the three I thought of first.

I assume others can/will add to the list of competent guys who are NOT Smith & Wesson.

Glad that worked out.
You should probably buy a few lottery tickets...

Maybe they have some old guy do that old service because he's all trained up on it. I've sent back two revolvers. One returned with the primary problem fixed, but new damage in the WECSOG style done to parts that I didn't expect them to touch. The other came back with the problem not fixed, but paperwork saying it was fixed. Follow-up calls revealed they didn't have parts to fix it, so they just did something and said it was fixed.

I'm in the camp of never send anything back to S&W unless there's no other choice.