357 Magnum Choice

I have a 686 in every barrel length cataloged by S&W and also have a 7" that was custom built. The 686 is a fantastic and versatile gun. It is accurate. You can change the springs and have a better action or you can take it to a good gunsmith and have an action as smooth as any gun out there. If course my suggestion would be the 686 except if the gun was to be a concealed carry gun and then hands down I agree with @SteadyD and would go with the KS6 loaded with +P .38's. You can't find a better concealed carry revolver than the KS6 in my opinion.

joneb said:

This is a good revolver when you can find them cheap.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/unlocked-004-jpg.119579/
Paid $300 used nothing but smiles when I shoot it.

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You stole it.

The only one of those in my stable is a 686 no dash 6". Wonderful revolver and has taken deer.

TB336 said:

Looking into 357 magnum choices. Which is best, Smith and Wesson 686, Ruger GP100, or Kimber K6S?

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Impala vs Malibu vs Cruze

Is there such a thing as best?

joneb said:

This is a good revolver when you can find them cheap.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/unlocked-004-jpg.119579/
Paid $300 used nothing but smiles when I shoot it.

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Been lookin' for one of those for YEARS!

I like the 686 - 3

The later S&W 19/66 are also nice. That's adding more choices though. The 686 is a nice revolver and has my vote. (My post count aptly hit 686 with this one, LOL.)

Only had this revolver for a short while but I am really liking it! Carried a 686-3 for quite a while, now have this 7 round 686-5 PLUS 4 inch.
Definitely a challenge to conceal, but is the "King Kong" .357 IMOHO.

1911junkee said:

now have this 7 round 686-5 PLUS 4 inch.

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I've got one just like yours and it's one of my favorite handguns. I'm not surprised that you're "really liking it"!

stonebuster said:

You stole it.

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I was at a gun show back in 2006, the seller was asking $350 and I offered $300 the said he would take $325 I put the gun back and said I will think about it. As I was about to walk away the seller said "how about a coin toss I win $325 you win $300" I agreed.

I have a 686-4 that I like a lot......however, I only shoot cast bullets and it WILL LEAD THE BARREL. Don't care what lube or bullet size or hardness. I've learned to run a couple of gas checks through at the end of the session.

I paid 600- for mine last week. In retrospect, I probably should have been wearing a mask! It came with everything it had when it left the factory, box , manual, original Smith grips, two 7 round speed loaders, a Tex Shoemaker dual loader pouch, even the original Smith anti-corrosion paper, the Master trigger lock it shipped with, the whole nine!
The original owner had the stock mainspring and rebound spring changed out for reduced power Wolf springs, the originals were in the box as well along with the card from the gunsmith that performed the work. I have been offered $250 for the Kim Ahrend Cocobola grips that are on it now, but they are soooooo perfect for concealed carry I don't want to part with them, plus the fact you can't get them anymore since cocobola made the endangered list.
What the hell? If I'm going to carry a 686, why not do it with some penache!

Ruger Six series... I like the PS6 the best.

e rex said:

I have a 686-4 that I like a lot......however, I only shoot cast bullets and it WILL LEAD THE BARREL. Don't care what lube or bullet size or hardness. I've learned to run a couple of gas checks through at the end of the session.

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I have had several 357s like this over the years. No amount of measuring or inspection turned up any clues, and no amount of alchemy fixed them. Thank heaven for 358156, is all I can say.

1. Colt Python.

2. Dan Wesson Model 15 (If you can't afford a Python)

joneb said:

I was at a gun show back in 2006, the seller was asking $350 and I offered $300 the said he would take $325 I put the gun back and said I will think about it. As I was about to walk away the seller said "how about a coin toss I win $325 you win $300" I agreed.

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That was a "heads I win, tails you loose" in your favor.

I have a 4" 686 and it is sweet. I'd have to vote 686. Although a GP100 is something I always wanted, since a friend had one for a few years and I regret not getting it when he sold it. I was getting real fond of it. Have no experience with the Kimber and have never talked to anyone who owns one so I'm not qualified to pass judgement on that one.

Of those choices, I would opt for an older (pre-lock, pre-MIM) 686. The older models are ubiquitous online. Rugers have never really done anything for me, but they are very solid revolvers. A GP100 is no doubt a stronger gun — but not in any way that the vast majority of people will notice. The 686 will have a much better trigger on average, and I find that the gun balances better, given its full grip frame (in contrast to the GP100’s grip peg). If you plan to shoot nuclear handloads, though, then the GP100’s stronger construction should be a bigger factor in your evaluation.

If I were forced to look only at current-production stuff, it would be a tougher call. Both companies seem to be having elevated rates of QC issues in recent years. I might actually lean to the Ruger in that scenario, because I can’t imagine ever spending money on any S&W with that stupid, ugly lock.

AustinTX said:

I can’t imagine ever spending money on any S&W with that stupid, ugly lock.

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I'm not saying the lock is pretty but the biggest reason I don't want one, especially on a revolver intended for use in self-defense, is the real (or even imagined) possibility that it might fail when (not) needed most.

S&W all the way but not current production and not a 686. If I was looking to carry one it would be the Model 13 3". There is something special about the 3" S&W in hand and on the belt.

S&W Model 28 4"





S&W Model 13 3"





S&W 19-3 4"

Yep new s&w's aren't what they used to be. edm bbl.'s, mim parts, locks, poor quality. I keep getting junk like these 6-shot groups from my box stock 686 I bought nib 2 years ago.


I've put that box stock (box stock means no mods/springs/dada) 686 up against a bunch of different revolvers and have yet to see anything come close to beating it. This is coming from a guy that runs a couple professionally tuned dw 15-2's that have custom 1 in 10 & 1 in 12 twist bbl.'s along with stock bbl.'s.


This custom ppc revolver will keep up with the 686 out to the 50yd line.


Take any of the revolvers pictured above out to the 100yd line and the 686 will give them all they can handle.

Walkalong said:

While I agree the locks are ugly, my MIM 696 has as sweet DA trigger as any S&W I own with a nice SA trigger as well. MIM is here to stay, in everything.

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Oh, I agree. That horse left the barn decades ago.

When done right, MIM works fine. Call it an at least somewhat irrational prejudice of mine if you will, but the traditionalist in me still doesn’t care for it, and I mostly buy guns that don’t contain any of it. And it’s not strictly about MIM itself -- its use is co-occurring with a variety of other cost-cutting changes over time (across makes) that I don’t view positively, but that we also don’t need to belabor and debate here.

Anyway, no doubt that you can still buy new-production S&W revolvers with very smooth actions and great accuracy.

SwampWolf said:

I'm not saying the lock is pretty but the biggest reason I don't want one, especially on a revolver intended for use in self-defense, is the real (or even imagined) possibility that it might fail when (not) needed most.

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Indeed. I didn't address it explicitly, but my first adjective for the lock was intended to encompass this concern.

Have 686 in 2.5” and 4”.

Have GP100 in 3” and 4”.

Just can not find anything about the Rugers not to love.