Used S&W 686, buyers remorse?

No remorse, I personally believe pre-locks are better guns, not that the lock
guns are bad, (I own a model 57-5 Mountain Gun in .41 Mag) but the pre-locks are better IMO. I love my 57 but wish I could have found a pre-lock 57 for the price I got mine for($650). Pre-lock 57's go for $800 to $1600.
 
Geez wish I could remember what I posted. It was probably very witty and to the point.

Everyone gets buyers remorse. Don't sweat it. Get some stainless polish and for gun will look bright as a new penny.
 
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If it weren't for used guns I would have darned few of them. A lot of guys are trading in their old big clunky revolvers for the latest fad in the gun magazines, so there are some great guns out there competing with the new ones.

As for the 7.5 out of 10 -- I suspect that was not a formal rating of the gun's condition but your subjective "happiness" rating on having bought the gun at all. A 75 would be pretty bad. It would be hard to beat a 686 down to a 75.
 
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I didn't get to enjoy that new gun smell with these guns either. It has taken many trips to the range, a lot of Hoppes #9, and, in the case of the 617, about a couple dozen squirrels, but I think I've gotten over it.

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Thanks all. Its a keeper. Appreciate the feedback & advice.

Got a chance to fire a few rounds through it, and then clean it up. Shoots like a dream & was very nice once cleaned up. I'm surprised the Sporting Good store didn't spend 15 minutes cleaning it. I'd now say its a 90/100! I'll post a pic of it & the 617 when I get a chance.
 
I'm surprised the Sporting Good store didn't spend 15 minutes cleaning it.
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Cleaned up guns are like cleaned up cars: worth more; unfortunately, not many people in gun shops seem to have realized it.

Shoots like a dream & was very nice once cleaned up.
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We tooooold you so! (Sorry! Couldn't resist.)
 
Good job TMT!

Yes they almost aways clean up well.

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None of the guns above (all mine) are new. Everyone was a pawnshop find.

And they all shoot great.

So yea, you got a real good gun. Enjoy!

Deaf
 
TMT: Just ignore the guys who fixate on the lock -- it's like a cult or something -- they go on and on and on about it every chance they have as if the lock was part of a plot to destroy life as we know it. It's not a big deal.

More importantly, those guys should know that when a new guy buys a gun -- if you don't have something nice or constructive to say -- just put a lid on it.
 
STOP!

Your used 686 has the advantage of being fired numerous times and should be much smoother firing then a new one.

Plus,since you've very well checked it out before you bought it,it should be flawless in use.

A new 686 would simply cost way more money.

Remember,you cannot simply return the gun you bought.

You will take a close to fifty percent loss on what you paid for it if you trade it in.

Shoot your new to you 686 and enjoy it.

You shooting it six shots at the range will cure your buyers remorse.
 
Theoretically, The Lock's no biggie,
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There--fixed it for you.

If you want that "new gun smell" badly enough to settle for an ILS revolver, there are many who will be happy to give you a good price for your pre-ILS S&W.

But a year or three from now, you will likely come to regret that decision.
 
New gun smell or a price tag hanging off a gun, or anything else, does not influence me.

When I was a kid, a friend had a beautiful blued S&W Model 27, which I lusted for. Years later when I was ready to buy, I came across my stainless 686 and thought "hey, the latest generation, and it's stainless too!". But I'm still lusting for a traditional blued M27 with the factory wood grips I always wanted. I am traditional in that I like metal frames, beautiful wood, traditional grips....real artistic beauty.....not cold polymer functionality of modern combat guns. So I guess I could call that a kind of regret, but the 686 is in no danger of leaving. It will have a cousin at some point. :D
 
As mentioned before, the -5 model is probably the best blend of features. No ILS but still has the frame mounted firing pin. If you don't like it you can resell it and break even.

I know what you mean though about not having that "new gun" feel to it. I buy mostly NIB guns. However, I will purchase gladly used if the gun is what I want and the price is significantly less money. IMHO the "new gun feeling" is similar to the "new car feeling."

I have discovered with cars AND guns, you only get THAT feeling from buying NEW. Equally, I have discovered that the "new" feeling fades quickly AND the "that's a NICE car/gun" feeling.

In the long run, I feel "pride of ownership" is the feeling you really want to achieve with a purchase. My advice is to spend some time cleaning and polishing the gun. More importantly shoot it to a bit and see if you still regret buying it.
 
I say it is a piece of junk, I will pay shipping on it to my FFL so I can see that it gets properly disposed of in my range bag.:p

You have a keeper. Also the buyer's remorse would have been over the new gun loosing way more resale, or trade value than the one you already purchased used would. Used S&W prelock revolvers are like 74-87 Chevy trucks. They do not depreciate much, if any if they are properly cared for, even if they do see hard use.
 
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