[Ricklin]

My friend has a 686 in stainless that went through a fire, and he shoots it. He made new grips for it. I keep telling him he is playing with fire.

The same guy also chose to salvage the frame of the trailer that it burned in. I again told him the steel was nothing more than scrap, and that he was building a dangerous trailer.
Did not take long for him to figure it out. The trailer folded when he put a car on it. Thank goodness it folded then and not on the road.

I had a very good day yesterday. I picked up a Colt 1889 civilian new model army and navy. The seller thought it was out of time since the cylinder could be rotated with the hammer down.
Nice condition, no rust but the base of the hard rubber Colt grips have chips in them. The end of the ejector rod is missing which is common. It's a little loose, I won't be shooting it anyhow. It does lockup and function fine.
It's been fun researching it. Made in 1895. Kinda fun to find the first commercial swing out cylinder revolver for chump change.
I'd say the blue is at least 60%, screws have been turned but not buggered.

Had I not bought it at a large gun store I would feel guilty paying so little for it.