S&W 686 question

I have never heard the term Distinguished Combat Magnum before.

The M586/686 is the Distinguished Service Magnum.

The M581/681 is the Service Magnum.

The M19/66 is the Combat Magnum.

Prior to 1957 S&W had model names, not numbers. The Combat Magnum became the M19 Combat Magnum.

Even though the L frames (586, 686, etc.) didn't come along for more than 20 years after the switch to number, they still gave names as well, for some models anyway, even if most people don't use the name.

ETA: Could DCM in the name reference a special run comemorating the Department of Civilian Marksmanship?

"Distinguished Combat Magnum" a term sometimes applied to 586 and 686 models. http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...me&ie=UTF-8&q=s&w+distinguished+combat+magnum

As to it meaning nothing, well, it doesn't mean anything more than some of the other fruity nomenclature that ad departments come up with. I don't think Smith uses terms like that any more. The Model 19 used to be the soi-dissant "Combat Magnum" and the Model 15 was the "Combat Masterpiece."

9mmepiphany said:

My memory, I was shooting revolvers in PPC when the 686/586 were introduced was that:

The 586/686 were the Distinguished Combat Magnums - Distinguished to refer to the PPC Distinguished Match for which is was designed to compete with the Colt Python and Combat Magnum to tie it's linage to the M19/66

The 591/681 were the Distinguished Service Magnums - The fixed sights on there guns would classify them as Service guns

Click to expand...

After reading your post, I did some research and found I was in error. My memory of the early 80's is not as good as yours. I stand corrected.

It was all just adverting buzzwords anyway. The 686 is a heck of a revolver whether you call it a "Distinguished Combat Magnum Stainless" or just "L Frame."

My 586 "Distinguished Whatzit" is reliable as the day is long. It may be the best pistol I own, and I got it when the cop shops were trading them in. Best $200 I ever spent.

This past week, I had too past up a great deal on a rare 3" S&W model 66
regular "Combat Magnum". I bumped an offer of $300 cash dollars, up
to $450 cash dollars; but the seller backed out on me. This deal was nothing
but a BUMMER, from the start; cuz the seller had given up a nice AR on trade
and that made my offer seem very poor~!

Carried a 4" 686 for a few years. loved it and kept it. Rarely used but it's still fun every so often when I don't feel like chasing brass.

My memory coincides with what 9mmepiphany replied except I do not remember different matches for fixed and adjustable sighted revolvers. I do remember different matches for worked over revolvers like my Davis Model 64 and stock revolvers like my 686, and concealble revolvers like my M36.

The 686 was a great revolver for the PPC matches and was often scene on the line and in the winners circle. For several of us, the 686 was as accurate or moreso than the custom revovlers and cost a lot less. At some point, my Davis revolver became my "spare" and the 686 was my main competition revolver.