Value of a S&W 686

[Guest bkelm18]

Hey folks, since some of you are esteemed revolver aficionados, what is the approximate value of a 15-20 year old S&W 686 4" in stainless. It has the adjustable rear sight but standard front sight. Thanks!

[Guest jdavis]

I would say somewhere around 450 in good shape but im not a pro the other guys oppinion will be better placed.

Edited January 23, 2009 by jdavis

[VERO1]

I haven't seen one in a shop around here for less than $550 in quite a while. I have been looking for one for a while.

[glockster157]

I see gun shops asking, in my opinion, extremely high prices these days for SW revolvers. I say that based on the fact that I see very few moving. One problem with the 4" 686 guns is that there were a ton of used police guns dumped on the market back in the early 90's. If you have the box and stock grips you should be able to get that $450. If it shows wear, no box, aftermarket grips, maybe had the trigger "worked"(always a problem with SW's) them you may not see that. I bought a 6" 686 with the wood grips from a fellow a while back for considerably less than $450, though I feel extremely blessed and lucky about that deal. Just trying to be real especially considering the economics of the times.

[Warbird]

The police guns dumped on the market in the late 80's early 90's were the 681, with the fixed rear sight. Yes I agree the S&W are overpriced. They were mass man guns that had trigger probs, barrels were overtightened on them, several probs.

That said I have one of those 681's, I prefer it to the 686. It is overwhelmingly my preferred backup pistol when I am hunting, It is rugged, can get dropped and no worse for wear, no sights knocked out of alignment, doesn't rust. Hell of a gun. It's like the gun version of American Express, I don't hunt big game w/o it.

[Guest Grout]

They won't rust if you keep them reasonably clean.I bought a 629 once that had quite a bit of rust on it.It is "stain-less" steel not " stain-proof " steel.

[Guest Traumaslave]

Get it for the best you can but, get it!! Arguably the best .357 out there. Love my 7 3/8" silhouette. Picked it up for $250 @ a show.:D No clue what it's really worth with factory extras but I know I got a deal. I love the good ol' boys at the range who mock me when I pull it out for 100yrd practice.

[glockster157]

The police guns dumped on the market in the late 80's early 90's were the 681, with the fixed rear sight. Yes I agree the S&W are overpriced. They were mass man guns that had trigger probs, barrels were overtightened on them, several probs.

There were a lot of 681'a, same gun as a 686 with fixed sights, but there were a ton of 686's also. Dealers at the shows back then used to have tables full of them and M66's for $225-250. Most were well carried and hardly shot and what was shot was +P 38's.

that being said, what I meant about the triggers is that every shade tree gunsmith thinks he can do a trigger job on a SW revolver. I have traded for a lot of guns that had the springs cut, the strain screw backed way out(no biggy there), the main spring sides ground down($12-17 fix), the biggest thing I have encountered is the main SA sear has been rounded by polishing and you can push the hammer off from a full cocked position. I have learned how to fix all these but I have also learned to look for them also. What has amazed me is I have found many this way on gun shop store shelves(used of course) and when I point it out to the clerk they ignore it and put it back in the case.

[Volzfan]

Hey folks, since some of you are esteemed revolver aficionados, what is the approximate value of a 15-20 year old S&W 686 4" in stainless. It has the adjustable rear sight but standard front sight. Thanks!

I've got one exactly like that description and S&W told me it was first shipped out in 1984 and had it at G&L a few weeks ago and they told me it was worth about $450