A Review of the S&W Model 681

[mtngunr]

Give the man a cigar!!!!

As a matter of possible interest, the British Home Office typically didn't arm its' constables. Okay, most of you probably knew that. But the Colonial Office did. THe PPS I have is one example. It was chambered in the then British service round, what they called the .38-200., basically our 38 S&W with a 200 grain bullet.

Some time later, the RHKP dropped the .38-200 in favor of the 38i special and happily, I now have a neat little Colt.

.38-200, of "Halt! Or I'll scratch your paint!", fame. Lotta guys bought into the idea of heavy bullet "police" .38Spl loads as well, figuring the mass would help with penetration, while our own testing showed it would not penetrate a 55gal drum at close range.

 

[mtngunr]

Weren't the old Smith M&P model 10 revolvers provided with lanyard loops because of the military requirements? Much like the 1911 was when it came out. Shoot, the MPs at Swill still had 1911's with lanyard loops and lanyards in the 80's.

They also had to ask permission of their first-line supervisor to rack a round into the chamber! Incredible! Of course, your typical MP was a snot nosed kid just out of boot camp and AIT.

We were forbidden to carry cocked and locked with the 1911 in the Army, and so became quite adept at racking the slide on belt, holster, or even trouser leg seam on the draw, among other tricks long forgotten.

The Army fear of unintentional discharge is understandable, prior to the intro of (the sadly discontinued) Series 80 safety, which pre-80 failure I personally experienced, and now would not/do not carry a 1911 without it.

Combine a worn hammer cocking notch with a worn or poorly tensioned sear spring leg, and when you chamber a round, the hammer can jar off the notch as slide closes, the sear too slow to catch the hammer safety notch, and the gun WILL go off, as my bedroom mattress discovered, along with frame rail, and was lucky it did not keep going until empty and stitch up the wall into adjoining rooms. It CAN happen, but IMPOSSIBLE to happen with the Series 80 safety.

 

[mtngunr]

Give the man a cigar!!!!

As a matter of possible interest, the British Home Office typically didn't arm its' constables. Okay, most of you probably knew that. But the Colonial Office did. THe PPS I have is one example. It was chambered in the then British service round, what they called the .38-200., basically our 38 S&W with a 200 grain bullet.

Some time later, the RHKP dropped the .38-200 in favor of the 38i special and happily, I now have a neat little Colt.

Back to the 681, was just curious as to 11yrs or whatever later, do you still have the same feeling about the 681 as you did in the first post?

I pretty much am at that point of answering "681" to the perennial "if you had only one handgun" question, where prior to me stumbling across this 681, am quite sure I would have said something along the lines of my mid-70s 4 5/8ths" Blackhawk .45 Colt/.45ACP, or even early-80s stainless 6.5" Super Single Six .22LR/WMR, while for carry comfort my stainless Series 80 Govt Model.

But the 681 is a great one-gun compromise, easier IWB than a .45 cylinder, low worry stainless, better penetration than the ACP on barriers or as game finisher (much less, hunting), about same recoil as mid-level .45 Colt loads and not much over 1911, faster follow-ups than a single action, the all-purpose 158gr SP/JSPs able to handle all but largest lower-48 critters, and me not out in the woods near as much as when younger, anyhow...super rugged well regulated/snagproof fixed sights....splits the difference between auto and single action in ease of reload in that great compromise role...like the 1911 and unlike single-actions, no tendency to shed parts.
Currently plentiful variety of factory loads available, too, for whatever purpose an owner envisions, 110s to 180s at assorted velocities.

Just a great all-around handgun and the others have been staying home since I found this 681, about only downside being the high intensity "Death To Infidel Eardrums!" minus hearing protection, which I shall dodge as much as possible nowadays, hopefully for rest of life.

But otherwise, a truly great gun...yes, I think I have finally found my answer to that question.

 

[mtngunr]

Also, while talking 681, this one of mine from earlier 1983 seems an obvious LEO gun from so much holster finish wear to complete circumference of cylinder (and rest of gun, along with equally obvious retention strap wear)....

It is unmarked (first thing checked at shop to include Pachmayr Gripper removal), and this in eastern Oklahoma....

So, any of you folk familiar with any eastern PDs where 681 use was common? I figure most eastern PDs of the 1980s had (or even have) guys buying own weapons, but, even that is a guess, me only in this state for last 7yrs, and wondering at possible origins, and figuring most recreational shooters/hunters would have opted for the highbrow 686 with adjusto sights. Personal thought is that a local cop rightly figured if it were good enough for the Highway Patrol, it was good enough for him.

 

[gerhard1]

Back to the 681, was just curious as to 11yrs or whatever later, do you still have the same feeling about the 681 as you did in the first post?

~snip~

Yeah, I do. Nothing has changed for me. Yet.

I don't recall mentioning it here earlier, but I have a new 4.25" Colt Viper all paid for waiting for me at a gun shop in Wichita, and I'll have to see about it then.

When I pick the Viper up, I'lll give my initial impression of it to the forum here and later on when I get to shoot it, I'll do a full review.

If I like the Viper as much as I think I will, it will become my EDC, but the 681 will retain a very high place in my list of favorite handguns.

 

[mtngunr]

Yeah, I do. Nothing has changed for me. Yet.

I don't recall mentioning it here earlier, but I have a new 4.25" Colt Viper all paid for waiting for me at a gun shop in Wichita, and I'll have to see about it then.

When I pick the Viper up, I'lll give my initial impression of it to the forum here and later on when I get to shoot it, I'll do a full review.

If I like the Viper as much as I think I will, it will become my EDC, but the 681 will retain a very high place in my list of favorite handguns.

Hah! One reason I so much like the 681 is because it reminds me much of a 4" GP100 I owned in the late 80s, which after selling it was found to be not all that common, it had fixed sights and half underlug, and the Viper reminds me much of that gun in lines....

that GP weighed identical to this 681, while the blockier GP weight distribution more in-hand, and the trimmer Smith pleasingly (for my 158gr shooting) having more out-front hang to reduce flip and steadier hold...

but, really a tie, good guns all...and as you will undoubtedly find the Colt...however, and this not a prediction, I would not be suprised were you to find the 1980s Smith SA and DA trigger/stroke more manageable, it seems everything today, even the nice things, driven by "lawyer proof".

Neither the Colt site, nor major vendors, seem to show any easily findable weight, but have run across new version quoted weights of 28.5 ozs, which is lighter than an M&P and truthfully sounds more like an original aluminum framed gun at a quarter pound lighter than the M&P, but never held, weighed, or recall a weight of the original .38Spl...if it IS that light, I sure would not care to shoot it with .357.