I first saw them at the LGS in 1989

by FOG, Sunday, May 12, 2013, 04:24 (4217 days ago) @ cubrock

They were 'overrun' guns, NIB, 3-inch and 4-inch barrels, round-butt frames, bead blasted, black sights. I thought they were interesting, but I was selling, not buying at the time, so I passed.

I read about them later, possibly in The Standard Catalog Of Smith & Wesson (SCSW), maybe American Handgunner, or perhaps some other magazine. It was there I learned about the US Customs Service spec concerning the beveled yoke; when I first saw it in person, I had taken it as merely 'bad workmanship'.

Since it isn't supposed to be, but it isn't 'standard' for the 686 either, it wouldn't surprise me if there are CS-1 guns out there that don't have it.

Even if it *was* standard, there would probably be 686s that didn't have it.

Furthermore, there are probably standard 686s that *do* have it.

If there is one 'rule' with S&Ws, it must go something like this: There *are* no rules, only trends marked by exceptions, many of the latter well beyond counting.

In addition, the books are nothing more than guides. I've never seen one that didn't contain errors or otherwise contradict experience, and the SCSW is certainly no exception. I had the 1st Edition for many years, skipped the 2nd, and only recently picked up the 3rd.

The 1st Edition was rife with errors, and the 3rd contains its share, too. Perhaps I should have got the 2nd...

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