686 Black Stainless

stillGHILLIE · September 23, 2007, 08:29 PM

I recently picked up a near new S&W 686 6" in near new condition. This was a limited run in blackened stainless. Its not a coating, its more like a "stain" the way I understand it. It is hard to capture the true color of the gun. It is like a "milky" blue/black, but looks very nice. It locks up tighter than a drum, and has a great trigger. I'll have to get some range time in with it this week.

stillGHILLIE

fisherman66 · September 23, 2007, 08:39 PM

Looks nice from what I can tell. I'd love to see one in person.

EIGHTYDUECE · September 23, 2007, 08:57 PM

Looks very nice.

Any S&W revolver without a "Hillary Hole" gun lock in the side is a beautiful firearm.

NCHornet · September 24, 2007, 06:59 AM

Very nice, no gun collection is complete without at least one 686, I have never seen this "Black SS", and idea on the year? How much did you shell out for it?

sophijo · September 24, 2007, 07:26 AM

That's pretty! Does the finish "behave" any differently than regular stainless? Do you know if that finish can be done aftermarket....or maybe by SW?
Thanks for the Photo!
Dave

NCHornet · September 24, 2007, 01:01 PM

From what he says it's not a coating so I can't see how it can be done afterwards, but I am curious to learn more. The photo makes it appear speckled, is this just the photo?

NCHornet · September 24, 2007, 02:30 PM

I just read this same post over at THR and a member there says this is a anodized finish, so if that is true it really isn't black SS but a coating like paint. This also means that it can be scratched and the true color of bright SS would show through. I would also be concerned how solvents and such would affect this type of finish. If anybody has any further info on this or companies that specialize in this finish on forearms I would appreciate some info. I may have a couple SS wheel guns to send off.

mossie · September 24, 2007, 02:50 PM

I would like to see one of those and find out more about it as well. I don't like stainless steel guns but that's what is available. I like blue steel but ya can't get it anymore.

stillGHILLIE · September 24, 2007, 03:52 PM

It is not a coating. It doesn't scratch off or chip. The 686 run was done in 1988 or 1989 I believe. The model is a -3. It certainly doesn't look like any anodizing I have ever seen on metal. I used to have a 5906 that was black stainless. It was pretty durable, at least similar to blueing in wear. Solvents didn't bother it. If memory serves me correctly, S&W found a way to "stain" the stainless. If you have ever seen a gun refinished with cold blue, it looks similar.

The pic looks a little grainy because I was having light issues trying to get the true color to show up. I'll try to get a better pic with natural light up.

stillGHILLIE

stillGHILLIE · September 24, 2007, 04:44 PM

Here are some better pics.

stillGHILLIE

Kreyzhorse · September 24, 2007, 07:12 PM

Nice gun. I've got a blued version of the 686 as well as a stainless. I'd love to have black stainless version. Enjoy it.

NCHornet · September 25, 2007, 07:15 AM

Thanks for giving me the -# now I know what to look for. Please keep my name in your safe and if you ever want to sell this gun look me up. Any idea how many total of the #3's were this black stainless?

stillGHILLIE · September 25, 2007, 03:39 PM

From what someone posted on another site for me:

According to the S&W collectors bible, Standard Catalog of S&W, 3rd. edition:

Product code 104248
6" 686-3 with "Midnight Black Finish". 2,876 produced in 1989.

Product Code 104250
4" 686-3 with "Midnight Black Finish". 1,559 produced in 1989.

Silvanus · September 25, 2007, 03:49 PM

"Black stainless"...That sounds awesome! I like the look of blued revolvers but I'm always afraid the beautiful finish will wear off in time. Stainless is probably a little tougher in that regard.

buck460XVR · September 28, 2007, 09:15 PM

beautiful gun......is it true, once you go black, you never go back?

stillGHILLIE · September 28, 2007, 10:10 PM

"......is it true, once you go black, you never go back?"

Well, there must be something to that......almost all of my guns right now are blue steel and wood.

September 23, 2007, 08:29 PM	#1
stillGHILLIE Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 100	686 Black Stainless I recently picked up a near new S&W 686 6" in near new condition. This was a limited run in blackened stainless. Its not a coating, its more like a "stain" the way I understand it. It is hard to capture the true color of the gun. It is like a "milky" blue/black, but looks very nice. It locks up tighter than a drum, and has a great trigger. I'll have to get some range time in with it this week. stillGHILLIE __________________ stillGHILLIE (formerly GHILLIE)

September 23, 2007, 08:39 PM	#2
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,687	Looks nice from what I can tell. I'd love to see one in person. __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

September 24, 2007, 06:59 AM	#4
NCHornet Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2006 Posts: 1,001	Very nice, no gun collection is complete without at least one 686, I have never seen this "Black SS", and idea on the year? How much did you shell out for it? __________________ When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away!! Carry ON!! NCHornet

September 24, 2007, 07:26 AM	#5
sophijo Senior Member Join Date: June 28, 2004 Posts: 666	"blackened" stainless That's pretty! Does the finish "behave" any differently than regular stainless? Do you know if that finish can be done aftermarket....or maybe by SW? Thanks for the Photo! Dave

September 24, 2007, 01:01 PM	#6
NCHornet Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2006 Posts: 1,001	From what he says it's not a coating so I can't see how it can be done afterwards, but I am curious to learn more. The photo makes it appear speckled, is this just the photo? __________________ When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away!! Carry ON!! NCHornet

September 23, 2007, 08:57 PM	#3
EIGHTYDUECE Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2001 Posts: 578	Looks very nice. Any S&W revolver without a "Hillary Hole" gun lock in the side is a beautiful firearm. __________________ "KNEES IN THE BREEZE" "Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart"- ASH

September 24, 2007, 02:30 PM	#7
NCHornet Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2006 Posts: 1,001	I just read this same post over at THR and a member there says this is a anodized finish, so if that is true it really isn't black SS but a coating like paint. This also means that it can be scratched and the true color of bright SS would show through. I would also be concerned how solvents and such would affect this type of finish. If anybody has any further info on this or companies that specialize in this finish on forearms I would appreciate some info. I may have a couple SS wheel guns to send off. __________________ When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away!! Carry ON!! NCHornet

September 24, 2007, 02:50 PM	#8
mossie Member Join Date: January 23, 2005 Location: Jamestown, PA (Crawford County) USA Posts: 17	I would like to see one of those and find out more about it as well. I don't like stainless steel guns but that's what is available. I like blue steel but ya can't get it anymore.

September 24, 2007, 03:52 PM	#9
stillGHILLIE Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 100	It is not a coating. It doesn't scratch off or chip. The 686 run was done in 1988 or 1989 I believe. The model is a -3. It certainly doesn't look like any anodizing I have ever seen on metal. I used to have a 5906 that was black stainless. It was pretty durable, at least similar to blueing in wear. Solvents didn't bother it. If memory serves me correctly, S&W found a way to "stain" the stainless. If you have ever seen a gun refinished with cold blue, it looks similar. The pic looks a little grainy because I was having light issues trying to get the true color to show up. I'll try to get a better pic with natural light up. stillGHILLIE __________________ stillGHILLIE (formerly GHILLIE)

September 24, 2007, 04:44 PM	#10
stillGHILLIE Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 100	Here are some better pics. stillGHILLIE __________________ stillGHILLIE (formerly GHILLIE)

September 24, 2007, 07:12 PM	#11
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Nice gun. I've got a blued version of the 686 as well as a stainless. I'd love to have black stainless version. Enjoy it. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

September 25, 2007, 07:15 AM	#12
NCHornet Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2006 Posts: 1,001	Thanks for giving me the -# now I know what to look for. Please keep my name in your safe and if you ever want to sell this gun look me up. Any idea how many total of the #3's were this black stainless? __________________ When seconds count, the cops are just minutes away!! Carry ON!! NCHornet

September 25, 2007, 03:39 PM	#13
stillGHILLIE Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 100	From what someone posted on another site for me: According to the S&W collectors bible, Standard Catalog of S&W, 3rd. edition: Product code 104248 6" 686-3 with "Midnight Black Finish". 2,876 produced in 1989. Product Code 104250 4" 686-3 with "Midnight Black Finish". 1,559 produced in 1989. __________________ stillGHILLIE (formerly GHILLIE)

September 25, 2007, 03:49 PM	#14
Silvanus Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2005 Location: Luxembourg Posts: 1,324	"Black stainless"...That sounds awesome! I like the look of blued revolvers but I'm always afraid the beautiful finish will wear off in time. Stainless is probably a little tougher in that regard.

September 28, 2007, 09:15 PM	#15
buck460XVR Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2006 Posts: 4,342	beautiful gun......is it true, once you go black, you never go back?

September 28, 2007, 10:10 PM	#16
stillGHILLIE Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 100	"......is it true, once you go black, you never go back?" Well, there must be something to that......almost all of my guns right now are blue steel and wood. __________________ stillGHILLIE (formerly GHILLIE)