686-5 Muzzle Crown

[opus1776]

Helloo.........

I recently just picked up a 66-1 and was comparing the muzzle crown of the 66 to my 686-5. On the 66 the crown is rounded, whereas on the 686, the muzzle crown is flat (looks as if the end of the barrel was machined flat) and the rifling ends at the edge of the barrel. If anyone has a 686 made in the last 4 years, would you take a look and let me know what the crown of you barrel looks like? I am curious. tnx.

p.s. Another difference I found was the barrel length measured from the forcing cone. The 66 has a length of 6 1/8 inches while the 686 has a length of 5 7/8 inches.

 

[Ala Dan]

Greetings Sir!

I have my 6" Smith & Wesson 686-5 in front of me
right now; and looking from the business end, the
crown area looks like a small washer, attached to
the muzzle. And the barrel does measure 5-7/8"
in length.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[DrDanke]

You say 686-5. What does the "5" mean after the model number? Cylinder capacity?

 

[Jim March]

Dash-Five is the "engineering revision level" - what compu-guys would call the "version number". The changes do NOT happen yearly or on any other fixed schedule, but rather for any of three reasons (usually):

1) They figured out a strength upgrade;

2) They figured out a safety upgrade (the version was upped for the new keylock, fr'instance);

3) They figured out how to cut manufacturing costs (MIM parts, etc).

Sometimes several of the above go into an upgrade.

Older models are very seldom recalled, but that does happen too once in a while...in some cases, models upgraded get a "dash stamp" while others are marked with a dot or something.

There are references to what each dash-number means but I don't study S&Ws in enough detail to know where. Somebody will come along shortly with same .