Weird Smith and Wesson 686

[jeffyhog]

20181129_145933.jpg
Hey guys,
I picked up this 686-1 a couple years ago and have been puzzled by it ever since. Hoping somebody here might have some insight.

It's a 686-1 with a round butt and a 6" barrel. It also has the "M" stamp in the area under the crane. It has a weird series of machine marks under the cylinder on the left side and I can see that there were letters or numbers under the machine marks.

I've seen one other S&W with the exact same set of machine marks under the cylinder, but no history or information was known on it either.

Im assuming the gun was a police trade in, probably got sent back to S&W where it was given the recall work, and the police department name was machined over.

I have no idea when the bead blast finish was done. Any ideas if S&W bead blasted trade-ins that looked especially rough? I'm also not aware of any early 686-1 with a round butt and 6" barrel. Anybody aware of any special orders or Police agencies that had them custom built? I guess somebody could have swapped on a 6" barrel and did the bead blast, but maybe somebody knows about some odd combinations that S&W may have produced.

There is no CS stamp on this gun. Any idea what agency may have used it? There are a couple partial letters peeking out from the machined area.

[TKM]

What did Smith & Wesson say?

[jeffyhog]

What did Smith & Wesson say?

I didnt think the gun was worthy of the extra $50 to get a letter at the time I picked it up. I think the letter cost is $100 now.

The one time I paid for a letter for a weird gun, it came back and said that S&W had no record of my gun, and couldn't give me any information. They kept my $50, but I guess a letter stating no record is sort of interesting in itself.

[denpython]

On the S&W forum or maybe it was calguns,a CA guy bought a 28_2 that had been converted to something like .41 caliber. It was a 4 inch barrel and the square butt had been expertly rounded. Apparently a feat not easy to do.
So stuff happens!
I can't visualize the marking "under the cylinder".
Do you mean on the frame instead or at the front face of the cylinder? Like quasi concentric marks as if from scrubbing or forcing cone rubbing?
Post an imgur photo link!

[M1NM]

I can't visualize the marking "under the cylinder".

I think he talking about those 6 blocks of what looks like peened marks to erase what was probably an ownership mark.
I'd say it's a refurbished trade in.

[jeffyhog]

I think he talking about those 6 blocks of what looks like peened marks to erase what was probably an ownership mark.
I'd say it's a refurbished trade in.

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. I imbedded the photo so it can be seen without clicking the link

[The War Wagon]

Previous CIA/spook duty?

[Mr. Beretta]

OP

Have the original factory box? If so, what is the production # ? 104289 ?

Does it have a pinned, serrated black ramp front sight?

Factory Goncalo wood grips?

[jeffyhog]

OP

Have the original factory box? If so, what is the production # ? 104289 ?

Does it have a pinned, serrated black ramp front sight?

Factory Goncalo wood grips?

No box came with it. The front sight has no pin that i can see. It has the same bead blast finish as the rest of the gun, but has a red insert. It came with a rubber 1 piece grip.

[jeffyhog]

Here's another 686-1 that I found on gunsamerica.com with the exact same markings under the cylinder.

https://www.gunsamerica.com/938937997/S-W-686-1.htm

And another 686-1 with round butt and 6" barrel, but in like-new condition, so apparently S&W did make this configuration.

https://www.smithandwessonforums.com/threads/pictures-of-686-1-round-but-and-please-share-your-pictures.200371/

[RayPDA]

Jeffy, are you on the smith forum? I’d try there too - I’ve been scouring for a bit on this and I agree, I don’t know of any 6” rb 686-1s.

Like M1NM my guess would be some agency trade in that had the serial etched on the frame, and which was later removed when someone had it converted to a rb and bead blasted.

Here’s the link to what denpython was talking about:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/635740-help-needed-what-did-i-buy-28-2-a.html

[PoorRichRichard]

Tag

[Mickey D]

Former DEpt of corrections or security patrol revolver.

[Nestor]

this is as mysterious as the monolith found in the utah desert

[TurboChrisB]

Former DEpt of corrections or security patrol revolver.

Are you guessing or do you know this for a fact?