need a little help please - The Firearms Forum

358 winchester · 09-14-2005, 10:24 AM

This week end I picked up a few new guns

One is a Smith & Wesson Mod 686-3 4 inch barrel (with a great trigger job already done

)
but it has some strange markings on the right side of the barrel and I would like help in finding out what they mean.

" CAI ST AIR VT " these are the letters and spaced as I have done them here.
I am guessing maybe some sort of a police trade in?
I hope ibtrukn don't see this post he will make a word out of it for sure

Thanks
Ron

22WRF · 09-14-2005, 10:49 AM

Import mark
Century Arms

Wonder where that Smith has been

LIKTOSHOOT · 09-14-2005, 10:50 AM

Century Arms International (CAI) and yes, probably a trade in.

LTS

lead · 09-14-2005, 11:09 AM

I found a guy at the last gun show with 3 model 10's, all with the CAI import mark. Someone speculated that they had been to Canada.
I had never heard of a police dep't. outside of the U.S. that carried .357 though, the 686 surprises me.

358 winchester · 09-22-2005, 04:07 PM

I just could stand it so I found out
this pistol was issued to a DEA task force in south America and imported back to the states by Century Arms as apart of a buy back program when the task force went to auto's.
Now how true all this is I don't know but that is what a so called expert told me.

09-14-2005, 10:24 AM	#1
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	need a little help please This week end I picked up a few new guns One is a Smith & Wesson Mod 686-3 4 inch barrel (with a great trigger job already done ) but it has some strange markings on the right side of the barrel and I would like help in finding out what they mean. " CAI ST AIR VT " these are the letters and spaced as I have done them here. I am guessing maybe some sort of a police trade in? I hope ibtrukn don't see this post he will make a word out of it for sure Thanks Ron __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand? -->

09-14-2005, 10:49 AM	#2
22WRF Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pea Ridge, FL Contributor Posts: 4,251	Re: need a little help please Import mark Century Arms Wonder where that Smith has been __________________ NRA GOA CCRKBA Happiness is a warm barrel

09-14-2005, 10:50 AM	#3
LIKTOSHOOT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 9,367	Re: need a little help please Century Arms International (CAI) and yes, probably a trade in. LTS

09-14-2005, 11:09 AM	#4
lead Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,522	Re: need a little help please I found a guy at the last gun show with 3 model 10's, all with the CAI import mark. Someone speculated that they had been to Canada. I had never heard of a police dep't. outside of the U.S. that carried .357 though, the 686 surprises me. __________________ The best things in life, are not things.

09-22-2005, 04:07 PM	#5
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	Re: need a little help please I just could stand it so I found out this pistol was issued to a DEA task force in south America and imported back to the states by Century Arms as apart of a buy back program when the task force went to auto's. Now how true all this is I don't know but that is what a so called expert told me. __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?