Rebarrel Smith Wesson 686

BullOnParade

BullOnParade

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I’m looking to rebarrel a S&W 686 to 4.25”. Is there a distributor for such a barrel, or do you have to custom order from S&W? Does that have to come from a registered S&W armourer? Any input from someone who has gone through these steps cares to chime in, I’d love to hear from you.
 
Smith and Wesson could have made a fortune if they produced 4.25" replacement barrels way back when the liberal nazis invented the prohib class.
 
guntech said:
Smith and Wesson could have made a fortune if they produced 4.25" replacement barrels way back when the liberal nazis invented the prohib class.
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Same with colt. I remember sitting at an auction, knowing a friend had just spent 2k on a used python, and watched two 4” pythons go to a us proxy bidder for under $700 each.
 
Curious why you want to do this. Changing classifications from P to R will still not let you sell it in Canada and if selling to the US you are devaluing it by rebarrelling.

Otherwise, yes, ask Jason at Gunco...
 
guntech said:
Smith and Wesson could have made a fortune if they produced 4.25" replacement barrels way back when the liberal nazis invented the prohib class.
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Ain't that the truth! All those $200 snubnose 38s that Allan Lever had could have been instantly made into very useful guns.
 
KotKotofeich said:
Curious why you want to do this. Changing classifications from P to R will still not let you sell it in Canada and if selling to the US you are devaluing it by rebarrelling.

Otherwise, yes, ask Jason at Gunco...
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I think he's likely wanting to go from 6" to as short as he can have without a 12(6) license, not the other way around. It was Dennis that talked about rebarreling the short barrels to restricted length.
 
Ah! Then Jason is your man. He should be able to just cut the barrel... or were you looking to keep the original 6" as a spare?

If for any reason Jason can't cut your barrel or something else doesn't work out, pm me, I'll give you a different name ;)

(this was a prohibited to prohibited barrel trim on a police positive)

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1. Less work to chop it in place without removing from the frame than removing your original and fitting a different shorter barrel. Not like you'd be able to swap them back and forth at home easily anyway, but I understand wanting to have a way back to 6" length :)
2. Try with Jason first to see if he can get you a 'repair' barrel from S&W, but if that doesn't work out, you can get a 686 barrel from Europe more easily than from the US. e.g. Zeleny in Czechia has them in stock - it will take some footwork as it's a controlled part there but it can be done. I have gotten things from them, will need to show them an import permit or IIC or similar proof it is importable.
 
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BullOnParade said:
Nailed it. I have a 6”, wanted a 4.25. Might not get to buy the 4.25 that I wanted, so I might as well spend the money and make the gun I have into the gun I want.
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I have a slicked up Model 10 that was built for PPC shooting in days of yore. Now that, seemingly, PPC is dead as disco, I have thought on several occasions about trying to find a barrel to make it a 4.25" gun. It's a blast to shoot but the bull barrel limits the usability of the gun.
 
KotKotofeich said:
1. Less work to chop it in place without removing from the frame than removing your original and fitting a different shorter barrel. Not like you'd be able to swap them back and forth at home easily anyway, but I understand wanting to have a way back to 6" length :)
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With a frame wrench and vice block, it’s not an overly scary task. Easier to time a barrel to a revolver than checking headspace on a sealed bolt. Whether brownells will ever have the wrenches in stock again is another question.
 
The only problem with cutting, other then reinstalling a front sight is the smith- wesson name gets trimmed off , but still works fine .
One had a red laser installed in the barrel lug after a trim, But I never seen the results of that.
I did have a couple 686 6 in barrels , but both gone now. a 5 in and a factory 6 in.
The nicest one I ever had was a 3 in Lew Horton 686 target, but of course it was a 12-6
Gunner Christenson use to do a lot of this as well, don't know if his son is still doing it.

BTW , the "new" smith-wesson barrel are not the same as the old standard ones.
 
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marshall said:
The only problem with cutting, other then reinstalling a front sight is the smith- wesson name gets trimmed off , but still works fine .
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What's the finish on the 686? Are they always stainless with a satin finish? The rollmarks can just be sanded/polished off but replicating that finish would not be easy. Much easier with a blued gun.

So, yeah, I suppose to do this without mucking up the rollmark and then having to worry about the finish one would have to start with a 5" barrel...

Here's a thought - I have sent a gun to be worked on in the US once. A 5" barrel is easy enough to get there (simple order from midwest even) and lots of good revolver smiths around... Not sure how the current situation with needing import permits affects that...
 
marshall said:
BTW , the "new" smith-wesson barrel are not the same as the old standard ones.
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What’s the difference? At some point they started pinning the barrels to the frame, but I’m pretty sure the barrel is drilled after install. Otherwise they wouldn’t be easily reusable. Either way, my frames not drilled, so I wouldn’t have to worry about that.
 
I am thinking of the real new ones, straight barrel with a sleeve ,
Colt did the same when they started making revolvers again, but I never had anything to do with these new ones.
The real early S-W where pinned but same other wise, It would not matter.
most 686 standard guns had a brushed finish, some where polished hi gloss, nice, but a pita to keep that way.
there where some matt finish ie bead blasted.

586 is the same , but a blued gun, I like them more then the 686, but that's just me .
BTW , give Western Gun Parts a call in Edmonton, with all the stupid BS these days ,maybe they have some smith parts in stock from
I have not talked to them for a long time. Parts come and go.
 
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