The 686 - Page 2

texas bulldog · February 23, 2007, 11:32 AM

...proud owner of a 586 6". i will certainly always have other handguns, but i just can't see the 586 getting displaced as the nightstand and car trip gun. if only i could conceal a 6" magnum...

side note: i seem to be noticing a preference for stainless over blued on the revolver forum. i like the blued myself, but the stainless ain't bad. anyone care to comment?

redneckdan · February 23, 2007, 11:41 AM

My everyday coat is a filson double mackinaw cruiser. I've found that its easily possible to conceal my 6" 19-4 in a cross draw holster, due to the fact that the mackinaw cruiser has good helping os stiff wool. I went with the cross draw because I can hang the holster over the side of my trick seat while driving.

texas bulldog · February 23, 2007, 12:18 PM

where do you live, redneckdan?

here in texas, i only get to wear a coat about two months out of the year, and even then it's generally a light one. most of the year it's just a t-shirt or other thin top. certainly i could pull off much larger carry guns in the north.

PzGren · February 23, 2007, 01:15 PM

I appreciate my 6" M686 since about a dozen years.
It is easy to shoot accurately.
It takes a stout load.
The stainless finish is easy maintenance.
Did I tell you what a great D/A trigger it has already?

$360 new out the door at the Indy gun show - and that was money well spent.

jad0110 · February 23, 2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

side note: i seem to be noticing a preference for stainless over blued on the revolver forum. i like the blued myself, but the stainless ain't bad. anyone care to comment?

I love both!

Kor, thanks for the holster links - they have been bookmarked.

fiVe · February 24, 2007, 01:14 AM

Alright! Another "club" thread! Great pics, too.

I wish this club great success. Shucks, these things are major cool. I like the 4" version, and one day hope to join.

Kind regards from the 642 Club,
fiVe

KillitnGrillit · February 24, 2007, 02:57 AM

Can someone explain the differences in the different dash models?Or a website dedicated to the 686? I'm hoping to get one soon,Thanks.

Iggy · February 24, 2007, 08:25 AM

http://www.handloads.com/misc/Smith.Model.Changes.asp

Sistema1927 · February 24, 2007, 10:36 AM

I'm in.

4" 686 with night sights that was part of an order for the Albuquerque Airport Police but never issued (they got Glocks). I gave $350 for it NIB. The day that it was advertised there were 7 of us lined up at the counter filling out 4473's within 10 minutes of the shop's opening time.

I replaced the Hogue style rubber grips with a pair of Pachmayr Compacs and it fits my hand very well, and carries fairly easily.

Black Knight · February 24, 2007, 01:32 PM

Carried one many nights on security patrol duty. It is a fine gun, next to my Pythons it is the best duty revolver I carried. Love it.

Confederate · February 24, 2007, 02:47 PM

Jad)110: What type of grips are those and did you grind your grip to a round-butt K-frame? The gun shown below also has a round butt, but whether it came like that or not I can't say.

I agree with those who have said that the 686 is one of the most perfect revolvers ever to hit the market. The accuracy exactly rivals, if not surpasses, that of the Colt Python. The gun will take far more magnum rounds without parts replacement than a Python, and just about anyone who can replace a spring can make the action equal to an out of the box Python. And a good gunsmith can make the 686's action exceed that of the Python.

But there's one place where the Python will always exceed the 686, and that is price. And some will say looks, but that's in the eye of the beholder. My 686 is almost the equal of a Python except that at the very end of the stroke, it goes a little heavy. Still, that's with the factory spring. A Wolfe spring undoubtedly would fix that problem.

These guns aren't mine, but they're nice specimens. I don't suppose
anyone will have a Glock engraved!

1man · February 24, 2007, 04:43 PM

another 686 fan. 686-4 4" RB with Hogue Bantam Grips. I'm going to get a set of Crimson T one of these days!

warriorsociologist · February 24, 2007, 07:05 PM

I'll join.

6" 686-4 7-shot
6" 686-4
4" 686-4

***WANTED*** --> 686 Mountain Gun...3" or 4" 686 CS-1...and 3" 686-4

Nematocyst · February 24, 2007, 09:33 PM

Ah, looks like I've come to the right place for an education about my new revolver: 686-6+ 4".

Thanks to Jad for the heads up, and to G5 for starting it. We'll give you post #686 in a few months.

I've been lurking and posting in numerous other 686 related threads for a while, but I'm really glad to see this one pop up. I hope it's a clearly house for info on parallel to our 642 club, where I've learned a ton about mine.

Just got it last weekend, haven't even had a chance to shoot it yet. (Good sized storm rocked through here today; not as big as what's hitting the midwest today

, but this is your next one.)

Anyway, I really like this gun already even if I haven't shot it. It could be two weeks before I get to since next weekend is a working weekend for me.

I'll post a pic once I get a decent one made, but it can't compare to some of the impressive pics that have already been posted. (Mine is "plain", comparatively, but beautiful in its own way.)

Image added by edit.

I look forward to learning lots here about grips, rnds, holsters, care, shooting tips, etc.

Nem (#39 on the way to 1000 ...)

Confederate · February 24, 2007, 10:12 PM

Yes, owners of 586s should be part of the family.

But we need photos. And pleeeeeeasse, all of you with blued guns and digital cameras, make sure you set the controls for about 1 stop overexposure. We can't appreciate the blue finishes you have if they're silhouettes! It's like snow shots. People mistakenly assume because snow is bright that they need to underexpose. It's just the opposite. Snow can make a picture come out underexposed, so it needs to be slightly overexposed.

My first 686 was a 586...well, you know what I mean. Anyway, it was beautiful. The gun didn't have all those scratches on them that the stainless ones often do.

jad0110 · February 24, 2007, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Jad)110: What type of grips are those and did you grind your grip to a round-butt K-frame? The gun shown below also has a round butt, but whether it came like that or not I can't say.

Packmayr Compac Grips SK/C S&W "K"&"L" Frame Round Butt.

http://www.lymanproducts.com/cgi-bin...re/page88.html

I got mine off of eBay for $25 with shipping. The box says "S&W 'K' - Round Frame SK-C", but it also fits the round L frame since the L shares it's grip frame with the K. So no grinding necessary.

They were a little tough to get on at first, but after a few days the grips "set" to the gun perfectly. I much prefer them over the stock Hogues, as it's finger grooves were in the wrong place

.

I'm thinking of getting some Ahrends wood stocks for mine. But I'm tortured between sticking with a Round Butt style or going with a Round-to-Square conversion.

Any thoughts on this?

My main use for my 686+ is as my primary nightstand gun/range fun. I don't CCW it, yet anyway. I may or may not, haven't decided yet.

Nematocyst · February 24, 2007, 10:54 PM

Well, fiVe and G5, you've started something with the concept of "club".

If there are any Marlin 336 owners in here, come on over to the 336 Club.

We now return you to the regularly schedule 686 club, already in progress ...

Nem

jad0110 · February 24, 2007, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Yes, owners of 586s should be part of the family.

Might as well let in 581s and 681s too

.

The 686 Club could really turn into something special! Afterall, I was reading elsewhere on THR that more 686s have been sold than any other revolver. That's the myth anyway.

Confirmed or Busted?

Quote:

I look forward to learning lots here about grips, rnds, holsters, care, shooting tips, etc.

Hey Nem, welcome to The Club #2!!!

Grips: Pachmayr Compacs (though some sweet Ahrends are in the future, see post above).
Rounds: Practice - Any name brand on discount (WWB 38 Special works pretty good and I've had good luck with Independence 158 grain 357 Mag); Home Defense - 38 +P Remington Lead Semi Wadcutter Hollowpoint (LSWCHP) R38S12, the famed FBI Load (don't want to go blind touching off a Magnum in a darkened room); Car Gun - either the FBI Load or 357 Magnum Federal C357B 125 grn semi jacketted hollowpoint, depends on my mood

.
Holster: Some cheapo no name OWB. Works well enough at the range (and hiking in the Blue Ridge Mtns, if I ever get the time).
Care: Breakfree CLP, a Boresnake, and a Leadaway cloth (STAINLESS GUNS ONLY) make cleanup a snap.
Shooting tips: As shooting 38 Special feels like a 22, be sure not to fall asleep

. Seriously though, the best tip I can think of is to remember the 4 rules.

Tim L · February 24, 2007, 11:24 PM

Cool, a club I can Join! Just picked up a 4" 686 no dash, and am looking forward to shooting it.

Tim

Nematocyst · February 24, 2007, 11:24 PM

Thanks, Jad.
I have a feeling this thread could turn into a class act and an education in itself.

What Jad just posted above ...

Grips:
Rounds:
Holster:
Care:
Shooting tips:

...is something we started over on the 642 club.

Good way to collect information about what each user does with respect to each of those. Then G5 - as thread founder - can collect all the information after about 1000 posts and summarize it for us.

I'll hold off for a while since I'm a brand new owner of a 686 and not experienced enough yet to fill in those blanks.

Nematocyst · February 24, 2007, 11:29 PM

Bob79 and others,

What's a source for speedloaders for a 7 shot like in your image, please?

g5reality · February 24, 2007, 11:35 PM

I use HKS model 587-A 7 shot speed loaders for S&W 686+
or
586-A for the 686 6 shot

hexidismal · February 24, 2007, 11:41 PM

Same here Nematocyst, I use the 587-A loaders.

Nematocyst · February 25, 2007, 12:39 AM

G5 and Hex, thanks. Found the site for those loaders.

Confederate: pheeeweeee, you've got some 686 porn!

antediluvianist · February 25, 2007, 01:38 AM

"I have a 686+ 4" and love it. "

Me too. Mine is a non-lock -5.

Had a severe financial reverse recently, but can't get myself to sell my 686+.

February 23, 2007, 11:32 AM	#26
texas bulldog Member Join Date: February 20, 2007 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,013	so 586s DO get to join? ...proud owner of a 586 6". i will certainly always have other handguns, but i just can't see the 586 getting displaced as the nightstand and car trip gun. if only i could conceal a 6" magnum... side note: i seem to be noticing a preference for stainless over blued on the revolver forum. i like the blued myself, but the stainless ain't bad. anyone care to comment?

February 23, 2007, 11:41 AM	#27
redneckdan Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Posts: 483	My everyday coat is a filson double mackinaw cruiser. I've found that its easily possible to conceal my 6" 19-4 in a cross draw holster, due to the fact that the mackinaw cruiser has good helping os stiff wool. I went with the cross draw because I can hang the holster over the side of my trick seat while driving. __________________ Looking for some one to test a bullet design, preferably on critters such as hogs. Must have own .375 caliber rifle, preferably in .375 H&H to .375 RUM range. Pm if you are interested.

February 23, 2007, 12:18 PM	#28
texas bulldog Member Join Date: February 20, 2007 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,013	6"carry where do you live, redneckdan? here in texas, i only get to wear a coat about two months out of the year, and even then it's generally a light one. most of the year it's just a t-shirt or other thin top. certainly i could pull off much larger carry guns in the north.

February 24, 2007, 01:14 AM	#31
fiVe Member Join Date: January 7, 2003 Location: West Florida Panhandle Posts: 1,260	Alright! Another "club" thread! Great pics, too. I wish this club great success. Shucks, these things are major cool. I like the 4" version, and one day hope to join. Kind regards from the 642 Club, fiVe __________________ When you heed the call to battle, let your witness be as steel. ═══════════════════════ The 642 Club part 1 The 642 Club part 2

February 24, 2007, 08:25 AM	#33
Iggy Member Join Date: December 24, 2002 Location: Wyoming Posts: 2,392	Try this http://www.handloads.com/misc/Smith.Model.Changes.asp __________________ Old Geezer

February 23, 2007, 01:15 PM	#29
PzGren Member Join Date: June 28, 2003 Location: SoFlorida Posts: 713	I appreciate my 6" M686 since about a dozen years. It is easy to shoot accurately. It takes a stout load. The stainless finish is easy maintenance. Did I tell you what a great D/A trigger it has already? $360 new out the door at the Indy gun show - and that was money well spent.

February 24, 2007, 02:57 AM	#32
KillitnGrillit Member Join Date: January 3, 2003 Location: Columbus,Ga. Posts: 29	Can someone explain the differences in the different dash models?Or a website dedicated to the 686? I'm hoping to get one soon,Thanks.

February 24, 2007, 10:36 AM	#34
Sistema1927 Member Join Date: May 21, 2004 Location: "Land of (dis)Enchantment" Posts: 3,921	I'm in. 4" 686 with night sights that was part of an order for the Albuquerque Airport Police but never issued (they got Glocks). I gave $350 for it NIB. The day that it was advertised there were 7 of us lined up at the counter filling out 4473's within 10 minutes of the shop's opening time. I replaced the Hogue style rubber grips with a pair of Pachmayr Compacs and it fits my hand very well, and carries fairly easily. __________________ Lew Wallace was an optimist. I want my country back!

February 24, 2007, 01:32 PM	#35
Black Knight Member Join Date: June 19, 2006 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 1,176	Carried one many nights on security patrol duty. It is a fine gun, next to my Pythons it is the best duty revolver I carried. Love it.

February 24, 2007, 02:47 PM	#36
Confederate Member Join Date: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2,489	Jad)110: What type of grips are those and did you grind your grip to a round-butt K-frame? The gun shown below also has a round butt, but whether it came like that or not I can't say. I agree with those who have said that the 686 is one of the most perfect revolvers ever to hit the market. The accuracy exactly rivals, if not surpasses, that of the Colt Python. The gun will take far more magnum rounds without parts replacement than a Python, and just about anyone who can replace a spring can make the action equal to an out of the box Python. And a good gunsmith can make the 686's action exceed that of the Python. But there's one place where the Python will always exceed the 686, and that is price. And some will say looks, but that's in the eye of the beholder. My 686 is almost the equal of a Python except that at the very end of the stroke, it goes a little heavy. Still, that's with the factory spring. A Wolfe spring undoubtedly would fix that problem. These guns aren't mine, but they're nice specimens. I don't suppose anyone will have a Glock engraved!

February 24, 2007, 04:43 PM	#37
1man Member Join Date: June 12, 2005 Location: N-the-Shadows Posts: 164	another 686 fan. 686-4 4" RB with Hogue Bantam Grips. I'm going to get a set of Crimson T one of these days! __________________ Train how you Fight! Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast! "Anything you do can get you killed, including nothing." Murphy's Combat Law

February 24, 2007, 07:05 PM	#38
warriorsociologist Member Join Date: January 7, 2003 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 436	I'll join. 6" 686-4 7-shot 6" 686-4 4" 686-4 *WANTED* --> 686 Mountain Gun...3" or 4" 686 CS-1...and 3" 686-4 __________________ - Chris NRA Life Member & Certified Instructor moorecd@hotmail.com

February 24, 2007, 10:12 PM	#40
Confederate Member Join Date: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2,489	Yes, owners of 586s should be part of the family. But we need photos. And pleeeeeeasse, all of you with blued guns and digital cameras, make sure you set the controls for about 1 stop overexposure. We can't appreciate the blue finishes you have if they're silhouettes! It's like snow shots. People mistakenly assume because snow is bright that they need to underexpose. It's just the opposite. Snow can make a picture come out underexposed, so it needs to be slightly overexposed. My first 686 was a 586...well, you know what I mean. Anyway, it was beautiful. The gun didn't have all those scratches on them that the stainless ones often do.

February 24, 2007, 10:54 PM	#42
Nematocyst Member Join Date: August 5, 2005 Location: 44°N x 69°W Posts: 11,610	Well, fiVe and G5, you've started something with the concept of "club". If there are any Marlin 336 owners in here, come on over to the 336 Club. We now return you to the regularly schedule 686 club, already in progress ... Nem

February 24, 2007, 11:24 PM	#44
Tim L Member Join Date: October 3, 2003 Location: Sarasota, Fl Posts: 251	Cool, a club I can Join! Just picked up a 4" 686 no dash, and am looking forward to shooting it. Tim

February 24, 2007, 11:29 PM	#46
Nematocyst Member Join Date: August 5, 2005 Location: 44°N x 69°W Posts: 11,610	Speedloaders for a 7 shot? Bob79 and others, What's a source for speedloaders for a 7 shot like in your image, please?

February 24, 2007, 11:35 PM	#47
g5reality member Join Date: January 31, 2007 Posts: 379	Speed Loaders I use HKS model 587-A 7 shot speed loaders for S&W 686+ or 586-A for the 686 6 shot

February 24, 2007, 11:41 PM	#48
hexidismal Member Join Date: September 3, 2006 Location: Ulster County, New York Posts: 1,834	Same here Nematocyst, I use the 587-A loaders.

February 25, 2007, 12:39 AM	#49
Nematocyst Member Join Date: August 5, 2005 Location: 44°N x 69°W Posts: 11,610	G5 and Hex, thanks. Found the site for those loaders. Confederate: pheeeweeee, you've got some 686 porn!

February 25, 2007, 01:38 AM	#50
antediluvianist Member Join Date: May 16, 2003 Posts: 182	"I have a 686+ 4" and love it. " Me too. Mine is a non-lock -5. Had a severe financial reverse recently, but can't get myself to sell my 686+. __________________ " Klaatu barada nikto."