7-shot vs 6-shot

[eotp]

Are there any disadvantages to the 7-shot S&W 686 revolvers compared to the 6-shot ones?

 

[Standing Wolf]

One more shot.

Seriously: the extra shot could lend you an advantage in a tight situation.

 

[P95Carry]

I have a Taurus M66 .. 7 shot. VERY nice piece .. even been adopted by my wife as her HD gun.

Gotta say tho .... after many years of ''6 shooters'' .... never quite got used to that feature. Tho as Standing Wolf says ... for sure ..... it's one shot extra!

Probably the only thing that ''niggles'' is simply from an engineering standpoint ... a .357 mag rated gun .. with that cyl capacity and ... to appearance at least ..... none too substantial chamber walls. Still - seems to take the punishment just fine!!

 

[Ala Dan]

I don't reck'on there is a disavantage to either the
six shot, or the seven shot? Just load up
what 'ya got and blast away! If a perp
showed an intent to cause you harm; a 7-shooter
could prove to be an assest!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I bought the seven shot -- I just like the idea of having one more chance to shoot the SOB...but that's me.

 

[Ala Dan]

I guess that is why GOD made individual's different;
as I bought a 6" six-shot S&W 686-5. Just
can't warm up to a wheelie digesting seven rounds.
In a "do or die" situation, knowning the number of
rounds fired becomes increasingly important!
I've never seen a seven, or eight shot model show
up on a PPC course?

"Come on punk, make my day; did I fire six or seven
rounds" ? Now, um! maybe I fired eight~

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[c_yeager]

Having carried snubbies for so long even six shooters look a little funny to me now. Plus i always want to reload them with one live round still in the cylinder. I think a 7-shot would just be too weird for me.

 

[BluesBear]

As the Canary Kid said as he hit the dirt in the movie The Shakiest Gun In The West...


A seven shooter?????????

 

[RWK]

Yers . . . there could be a potential problem

I have read – but I cannot confirm – that “seven shooters†can suffer from timing/lockup problems more easily than sixes. Again, I cannot verify this. However, it makes some sense to me, since the cylinders are identically sized and made of the same stainless steel alloy; therefore, the energy of firing/operation will have less material and mass available to absorb theses forces.

 

[rbert0005]

Try the 8 shot action. I think it's unbelievable. The timeing for lockup is that much quicker.

As far as the 6 and 7 go, the extra shot does wonders for shooting plates and such.

Bob

 

[10-Ring]

I just have issue w/ 6-shooters that shoot 7 or even 8 I guess the extra shots would come in handy in certain situations, but it just doesn't seem natural.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

I bought the 7-shot because it was all the dealer had in stock----doesn't make any difference to me either way.

Would have taken the 6-shot if it was all they had---I just wanted a S&W 686.

 

[Wanderer]

6-shot speedloaders are probably more easy to find in a SHTF scenario.

 

[SnWnMe]

Are there any disadvantages to the 7-shot S&W 686 revolvers compared to the 6-shot ones?

Yeah, Bianchi Speed strips only hold six cartridges

 

[tomthel]

Teddy Jacobson maintained that 7 and 8 shot revolvers go out of time sooner as the ratchet pads are smaller and the hands thinner. Jack Weigand at one time said they were not as smooth. The topic came up on the S&W forum some time back and some there said their 7 shots went out of time sooner. Others claim they have run 20,000+ rounds through their 7 shots and they still are in time.

That being said I have a 7 shot 686 Mtn. Gun. A benefit is actually the cylinder is at least as strong as the 6 shot as the bolt slot is not over the chamber but between the chambers. As for smoothness mine seems awful smooth to me but it has been tuned by Alan Tanaka. Didn't have any trouble finding HKS speedloaders either although I prefer Safariland which doesn't have the 7 shot model. Another benefit of the 7 shot 686 is it is about 3 oz. lighter than the 6 shot 686 with the Mtn. Gun version weighing slightly less than a 4" 66.

Now if Smith would come out with a 627 8 shot Mtn. Gun I'd have to get one.

 

[clubsoda22]

Ah-ah, I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well to tell you the truth in all this excitement I've kind of lost track myself.

BAM!

seven shots jackass!

 

[tomthel]

5 or 6?

Interesting. I read somewhere about some punks who attacked a guy in a rural area and did count the shots and when 6 had been fired closed on the quarry. Unfortunately for the idiots he had a high cap 9mm. So, I guess having an extra shot or two wouldn't hurt.

 

[twoblink]

I like the 5 shot revolvers simply because when you take 50 rounds to the range, you can put the brass back in the slots after you are done, and it's in clean rows. 6 gives you weird numbers and 7 does as well..

But more is usually better if you are willing to carry the extra bulk.

 

[BluesBear]

twoblink,

Randomly load five in your six-shooter. It helps to see if you're flinching.

 

[Checkman]

I own a 686P 4" and I like it. I've only owned it for a few weeks and have probably fired about 150 rounds, but I haven't noticed any problems. The trigger is smooth, it absorbs the recoil nicely (though not as nice as my 28's) the cylinder spins smoothly, and it's very accurate. I also don't plan to fire the thousands of rounds necessary to put it out of time. I like having seven shots - it's odd and I frequently catch myself shooting six and ejecting the last round with the empties, but I do like that pistol.

 

[Dave R]

There is a definite tactial advantage.

"I know what your're thinking, punk. Did he fire 5 shots or 6 shots?"

Would've taken all the suspense out of Mr. Eastwood's soliloquy.

 

[Penforhire]

I did as much research as I could before I decided on the 7-shot. Too many people were completely satisfied by its durability and the evidence of any weakness just wasn't solid. I can see where Tomthel's comments might be true but I could feel no difference in a couple of new guns I handled before I bought.

 

[MR.G]

More shots are better. The last five S&W 686 revolvers that I have bought are all seven shot. No problems with any of them, and I have shot two of them a lot. All are very smooth, after a tune up.

 

[DennisE]

Its not the # of shots, it's the size of the revolver. I find my K-frame 2.5" and 3" S&W Model 66's are very easy to carry, much more so than the L- and N-frame revolvers. So I'd vote for 6 in a 66! Dennis

 

[seeker_two]

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Are there any disadvantages to the 7-shot S&W 686 revolvers compared to the 6-shot ones?
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Yeah, Bianchi Speed strips only hold six cartridges

But SKS stripper clips hold TEN!...