My 686 story

[slobhunter2]

Was going to post this in the wheel gun thread, but I decided to just start a new thread. Apologies for bad grammar and punctuation.
I have a 686 that my wife of 34 years bought for me a few years before we married, she had a local guy engrave my initials on the side plate, fast forward a few years, we got married and bought a small house several miles out of town not far from her parents, I came home from work one Friday afternoon and went to the back door, went to put my key in the lock and noticed someone had forced it opened, I had been robbed.
We had a nice oak gun cabinet and I could see the door was opened and a couple of rifles, my 686 a Blackie Collins S&W Bowie knife were missing along with just about all my wife's Jewelry.
So fast forward again about 10 years and 2 kids later, my wife and I were grocery shopping at the local Piggly wiggly and ran into the sheriff which I have known since I was a pup, I had just about forgotten the stolen revolver but he was asking me some questions about it, like something about my initials being on it, I replied that was correct but was surprised by it being brought up now, then he told me to come to the jail.
So as soon as we finished shopping, off to the jail and in the evidence room in a opened cardboard box I seen my 686, it was dirty with a few scratches on it but it was mine.
Carried it back to the lgs that she purchased it from and he cleaned and polished it up best he could, it's not perfect but it doesn't matter it's back where it be belongs.

 

[nakneker]

Neat story, good post! Glad you got it back, too bad the thief didn’t get hung by his neck but I’m glad you got the pistol and gift from your wife back.

 

[K22]

Wow! That's quite a story.

Having a girlfriend that buys you an S&W would definitely check "Box 1" on my list for potential mates.

 

[slobhunter2]

There's some more to the story, I'll add to it as I have time.
In the box it was shipped in was a police report that probably contained some information I wasn't supposed to have, but upon reading it I discovered that it was recovered over 6 years earlier in Davidson county TN, which is about 50 miles northwest of where I live, when I looked at the shipping label date on the box the sheriff's department had it in their possession for over 6 months, I'm surprised it was ever returned to me.

 

[slobhunter2]

Wow! That's quite a story.

Having a girlfriend that buys you an S&W would definitely check "Box 1" on my list for potential mates.

As I was trying to type this story out this morning and not sound like a hilljack, she was frying bacon and eggs, think I'll keep her.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Probably close 40 years ago a shooting buddy and his family were on vacation and his home was robbed. A coin collection and a 629 Smith were stolen. Insurance co paid the loss and it was forgotten. 10 years later he got a call from Texas. An illegal killed another illegal with the 629, was caught, convicted, and incarcerated. They were sending the gun back to my buddy. He said he did not want it, they sent it back anyhow. It was traded off at a gun show shortly there after. I am glad you received your special 686 back. Sure sounds like she is a keeper, the wife that is.

 

[slobhunter2]

She definitely is a keeper, over the years she has bought me several S&Ws.

 

[slobhunter2]

My son graduated from high school in 2013, for a graduation present he wanted a 686 like mine but I couldn't find one of the older ones anywhere, then a guy on a local board posted up 4 for sale, one of each barrel length but he didn't want to split them up, after a few days of the add being posted I called and asked if he would consider splitting them up and selling me the 6 inch, eventually he agreed .

 

[john 800]

Thats good to hear. My brother had his house broken into and his safe was busted open. Most of his guns were stolen, two have been recovered and are currently in evidence, neither has been returned in 5 or 6 years. I bought a 6” 686 from my grandfather last year, my dad had early 686, the later model I bought from grandpa is nice, just not quite as nice as the early ones, I don’t blame you for wanting it back!

 

[slobhunter2]

The gentleman that sold me the 686 for my son was extremely nice older man who lived about a hour from me in Sparta TN, I don't believe he would have split the 4 gun set had it not been for the story of me wanting one for my son's graduation present, I was working 2nd shift at the time and he was retired so the next morning I drove up and picked up the 686, we had a long conversation about S&W gun's and I was telling him, at the time I was into the P&R era revolvers, I didn't ask but he never says anything about having any for sale so I head home.
Upon getting home I have a little time to kill before heading to work so I get on the local gun board and he had posted for sale a very nice model 19 so I called him up and had to make another trip the next morning.
I am glad I could purchase several back then, they have seemed to double in price in the last 10 years.

 

[OMW57]

I HAVE IT'S TWIN! BOUGHT MINE IN THE EARLY 90'S, LOVE SHOOTIN THAT RASCAL!

 

[ebb]

Glad you got it back, hope the thief got the beat down he /she needs.

 

[slobhunter2]

I pretty sure on who I think done it, but the kid that got caught with it would have been too young to be in on it.

 

[andym686]

That's a great story. I'm glad your revolver is back home, and thanks for posting about it.

 

[john 800]

Do you know what happened that it ended up coming back? And sed in a crime? Kid got caught with some other peice of stolen property?

 

[slobhunter2]

The level of pissed off I was experiencing at that time would probably have caused me to have a stroke these days, as I was standing at the back door I could see the gun cabinet door open but I didn't know if anyone was still in the house or not, didn't have a gun or anything and that was a really crappy feeling, I don't think I'll ever forget that. We lived on a state road but it was rural so not much traffic, I ended up flagging down someone and getting them to run down the road and get my father in-law to bring me a gun so I could check the house, didn't find anyone.

 

[slobhunter2]

Called the cops and got the police report they didn't seem overly enthusiastic about doing anything so after they left I started looking around and noticed it looked like something or someone had walked through the hay field behind the house, I'm no blood hound or tracker but I just took off following what I was seeing in grass, after about 3/4 of a mile I came out at a pull off spot on a old country back road, I could tell that a vehicle had been parked there recently, as I was looking around I seen where someone had dumped out an ash tray and it had been full of Salem cigarette butts, the person I believe broke in, him and his wife both smoked Salems, I haven't laid eyes on either one.

 

[FNSafari]

The gentleman that sold me the 686 for my son was extremely nice older man who lived about a hour from me in Sparta TN, I don't believe he would have split the 4 gun set had it not been for the story of me wanting one for my son's graduation present, I was working 2nd shift at the time and he was retired so the next morning I drove up and picked up the 686, we had a long conversation about S&W gun's and I was telling him, at the time I was into the P&R era revolvers, I didn't ask but he never says anything about having any for sale so I head home.
Upon getting home I have a little time to kill before heading to work so I get on the local gun board and he had posted for sale a very nice model 19 so I called him up and had to make another trip the next morning.
I am glad I could purchase several back then, they have seemed to double in price in the last 10 years.View attachment 1412654

 

[FNSafari]

IMO the model 19 or 66 is the perfect balance of weight and bulk in a 357. Won’t stand up to competition shooting but for carry and practice it’s great. The 2” 19 is a dream to carry.

 

[brokeasajoke]

As I was trying to type this story out this morning and not sound like a hilljack, she was frying bacon and eggs, think I'll keep her.

Mine bought me an 11-87 premier super mag. She made homemade biscuits this morning. Nothing wrong with heritage and dialect in my opinion. Hilly billy (as a Mexican friend calls it) and proud of it.