Questions for S&W men

1) They are the same size with the same internals. The only major difference is the lug and the barrel design. The 620 has the newer two-piece barrel, and I do not know if the 686+ has transitioned to it yet. The 620 is going to point and handle a little quicker without the full lug; the 686 is going to tame recoil a little better since it has it. Your choice. I have an older pre-lock 686 4" six-shot and it is a truly great revolver, I'd say the 686 is one of the top 10 modern revolvers.

It has been reported by a number of people that the new electro-chemical method of barrel rifling is producing shallower grooves. They work well with clad bullets, but give sub-par accuracy with lead bullets, reportedly (it is theorized the shallower grooves are not engaging the softer lead as effectively). The two-piece barrel, somewhat reminiscent of the old Dan wesson tensioning system, is supposed to deliver outstanding accuracy. I have no personal experience with these new features, but they have been widely reported and not disputed as far as I know. If you reload lead, it may make you want to find an older, traditionally rifled one.

2) The 66 was discontinued in 1999 or so. The 2.5" version is a superb carry gun, it is a "K" frame size (medium sized). I have one both in stainless (66) and blue (Model 19). You would need to find a used one. It is slightly smaller than the 686 ("L" frame size - medium/large) and thus easier to carry. I had a 2.5" 686 for a while, but discarded carrying it in favor of the 66/19 2.5" because of it's weight and bulk. I use my 4" for open carry when in the woods, etc.

3) The "classic" J-frame (small size) .38 is the model 60, all steel with the traditional exposed hammer - blued steel version is the model 36. It has been around since 1950 (stainless introduced in '65). Newer models are slightly larger and .357; I like the older style in .38 special (pre-lock days). These were originally designed as six-shot .32's, with .38's they are five-shot. These are excellent carry guns and I have used them, too. The only reason I don't know is someone paid me a stupid price for my '80s era 60, and I have not bought a replacement one yet, but at some point I will.

There are other J frame models with hammer shrouds, etc., others can chime in about them as I am partial to the exposed hammer type and don't know the others as well.

A good choice for a big Snubbie, is any good .45 ACP Revolver, with a very short Barrel.

Fast loading with the Full Moon Clips...wide array of ammo choices in .45 ACP...

I think that there's an amount of subjective affection for the 19/66 model revolvers and some of it is due to the fact that both were discontinued.

Nevertheless one of my favorite carry guns is this lightly customized M66, now wearing a fixed full length sight and a pair of factory rosewood combat grips courtesy of Oro, above, but not much worse for the previous set of Ahrend's shown...
It's a light 5 lb. fast action .357 magnum DAO revolver as shown though I can switch it back and forth as I like, or as the whim takes me.

I have a 686-4+ with 4" "traditional" barrel. It is a fine revolver. A little heavy and bulky, for me. I prefer the model 66 for carry.

That said, a LNIB model 66 can easily be found on any of the auction boards.
You will pay less for a 66 than a new 686 or 620, and it is a superior revolver, IMO.

Forged parts, one piece barrel, with real rifling. I have seven, and one on layaway. The 66 is my favorite revolver. Nothing in the current S&W catalog is comparable. Good luck with your decision.

You might want to look at the Mdl 60 and 640 series.. Stainless Steel
J frames

640-1 stainless .357 Mag. I carry this one in my pocket a lot of the time.


When I don't carry that one, I usually have a Mdl 19 21/2" on my belt.

Actually, the K-framed fixed sight 65 and adjustable sighted 66 last appeared in the '04 S&W Catalog. The last run of 4" 66's had the new two-piece barrel. Their replacements, the L-framed 4" 619 fixed and adjustable 620, first appeared in the '05 S&W catalog. Currently, the 620 (SKU #164401) offers a more traditional partial-lug look at both 2 oz and MSRP $39 less than the same 4" 686+ (SKU #164194). They share the same gripframe and come with the same grips - open back Hogue rubber monogrips - not my favorite, for sure (I like wood...).

I prefer the 4" .357M/.38 I bought - the 627 Pro (SKU #178014) at both 4.3 oz and MSRP $166 more than the 620. This is a larger N-frame 8-shooter ready for moonclips with dished cylinder and eased charge holes, as well as a modicum of a trigger job, a recessed two-piece target barrel, tapered lug, and, really important, a spring loaded front sight for quick tool-less sight changes. Mine sports Ahrends 'Retro Targets' and a HiViz fiber optic front sight - easily changed. It's the bottom revolver in the picture below.



The top picture above is of a 'Stocking Dealer Exclusive' of '04 - it is a 5" half-lug 686+. It came stock with the HiViz front sight, a V-notch rear sight, and the Ahrends wood stocks shown. A 620 would look similar, save the extra inch of barrel, sights, and stocks. Have the shortened barrel, etc, and extend the lug to the muzzle, and you'd have a 686+. The K, L, and N frames share the same innards. The commonly complained about modern MIM parts are generally the hammer and trigger, mainly because the CCH parts do look better, although the MIM parts are plenty strong, durable, and very uniform in production. The MIM parts and the IL are not a problem in my S&W world, as most of mine have them.

Stainz

We hear talk all the time of MIM vs forged internals, etc. Is there any differentiation in the internals on the above models?

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With the models you reference specifically I believe both have MIM triggers and hammers. S&W usually announces forged parts in their product descriptions such as:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...d=10001&productId=27904&langId=-1&isFirearm=Y

Though I could swear there have also been times when they've simply stated "traditional pinned sear" which, so far as I know, only works with a forged hammer. Their tech specs have been known to be incomplete.

There's a fair amount of debate on MIM generally but there may be some consensus that, in a general sense, S&W's MIM is done better than some. MAC offers a PDF design guide on their site which makes it pretty clear it's not a good idea to simply take 1908 part patterns and duplicate them in MIM - S&W's MIM parts shouldn't (and generally haven't) been heir to the grief which occasionally afflicts some manufacturer's 1911 MIM parts.

http://www.alberox.com/mim.htm

It's been stated that MIM parts can't be tuned to the extent forged parts can but this is not universal. I managed to find one 'smith that refuses MIM parts but Grant Cunningham seems to have no issue with them (provided they're not chrome plated).

I'm generally MIM-agnostic - I liked the process from experiences outside the firearms field but one nagging mystery remains: If it really is the full equivalent of forged in a hammer / trigger context, why does S&W still use forged on their flagship models? They're sure not doing it to please the traditionalists as the forged parts occur in models that have already annoyed the traditionalists in six different ways.

I can't tell the difference but then again I prefer 18 year Scotch to 25 year Scotch.

Oro said that if you reload lead (which I plan to do in .357) you might want to find an older, traditionally rifled barrel.

Any idea when S&W switched to the new shallower rifling?

Thanks

IIRC, the EDM rifling began in 2001-2002, concurrent with the other "innovations" (AKA cost cutting measures).

I was a bit surprised to learn that S&W has been using EDM on both the more traditional and the two-piece barrels. Barrels for .22s and ported barrels being an execption along with those models being supplied with Lothar-Walther barrels.

Kinda tangential but still interesting:
EDM forensics

I shoot LSWC full-house .44 Magnum loads from a 4" barrel 629-6 and it turns in groups that could be used for Bullseye competition.

I'm not sure what is supposed to be wrong with the rifling, but my gun doesn't know about it.

Of course this is very hard lead alloy, but we're talking about 24 grains of 4227, behind a 240 grain bullet. Wouldn't use a soft lead bullet for that.

Old S&W revolvers had a reputation for leading up the barrels with soft lead bullets.

Not sure what's better, or whether there are many S&W revolvers you'd want if you knew you were going to shoot soft lead through them.

Are there any?

All of my S&Ws, save a 625-6 from '96, are '01 or later. I have .22LR; .38/.357M; 44 Spcl & Mag; .45 ACP/AR; and .45 Colt - and all shoot lead while none have accuracy problems as far as I can tell. My latest were made last year. I have several two-piece barrels, too. I do have a Lewis Lead Remover for .38, .44, & .45 calibers - and it does remove some lead when used - no more than from the Rugers I once owned.

I have tried to switch, where I could, to copper clad/jacketed - the 125gr JHPs in .357" from Zero and Montana Gold being my common recent .38/.357M plinker bullet. Over the years, tens of thousands of lead bullets have been loaded in my basement - and shot outdoors. My last lead level was up, according to my last blood test. That is my reason cutting back on lead - not some shallow grooved S&W rifling fear.

Stainz

Is the Model 66, with a short barrel (e.g.,too large to be called truly "pocketable"?

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Yes it is.

A Model 19/66 in any barrel length is a belt & holster gun.

For me at least, an all steel J-Frame is the upper limit in size & weight I can carry semi-comfortably in a pocket. That is 20+ oz loaded.

A Model 19 or any other K is going to be over 30 oz loaded, or about two pounds.
Not many pockets built for that.

My real question, however, is whether the J-frames can take repeated .357 punishment to the same extent as the 66s - or, for that matter, if the 66s can handle it as well as the 686 family.

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The smaller the frame, the more of a beating it will take with equal power ammo.
It's a law of physics not easily avoided.

rc

I am of the opinion that shooting full-house .357 for practice in a J-Frame would do more harm then good for the shooter.

Maybe I'm just a wimp, but they actually hurt my poor old hand.
And rapid follow-up shots are very difficult.

rc

If you want the same basic revolver - and one must be a CCW - I am afraid your hands are tied. A CCW which requires a holster/belt for carry may not get carried as often as a pocketable CCW. That pretty much limits you to a J-frame - like a 60, if SS is your desire. If the exposed hammer is a concern, as it is for me and my CCW in a pocket, the 649 is the answer. Fixed sight, shrouded hammer, .357M-rated, 5-shot, 2.1" barrel, and 23 oz.

Now, for a more 'fun' version, consider the 60 Kit gun with adjustable sight, HiViz front sight, 3" barrel. Also, for a few bucks more, the 60 Pro has a different style 3" barrel, wood grip, ramp front sight. There was a 5" 60 in the catalog a few years back - check several dealers and wholesalers - someone may still have one in stock.

Re the J-frame... it is a 'necessary evil'. It is required for a smallish pocket gun. In my experience, the coil main spring lockwork never equals the smoothness - or lowered reliable effort - of the K/L/N frames. The larger J-frame grips are still too small to be comfortable to me. I would think a J-frame 5-shooter for CC would be ideal. It should be shot enough to become - and retain - efficiency with. It isn't - and will never be - a decent plinker. I would highly suggest you consider a K, L, or N frame as a second revolver, capacity be hanged. Heck, I have a friend with a 686+ who makes his own ammo - and loads five rounds every time... because it's one row from a box of ammo. We all have our idiosyncrasies. I have 5, 6, 7, 8, & 10-shooter revolvers - and revel in the higher capacities. Go figure.

Here is a crude picture of a 4" 64, which is a 36 oz SS version of the old 10 (M&P), a K-frame, with my 642, a 15 oz J-frame, as a pocket protector:



Look at the grips... the light weight and small boot grips of the AirWeight 642 make it less than fun to shoot - with mild loads. The 64 comes with decent grips - and all K/L frames' grips fit both K & L. Much better for plinking - as is the longer sight radius and added mass. Something to consider.

Stainz

As stated above, a 2 1/2" K-frame snubby is too large for pocket carry except for perhaps in a parka pocket way up North somewhere. As for shooting full house .357 Magnum rounds from a J-frame damaging the revolver, I think you'd probably damage yourself before the gun. Doing so is rather unpleasant and most folks don't do it much. For a steel J-frame for pocket carry, I'd get a
new Model 40:

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15704&isFirearm=Y

It's practically a steel 642/442 and it DOES NOT have the dreaded lock! This is only gun S&W currently makes that I want to buy.

Might I also suggest a Ruger Security-/Speed-Six revolver in stainless if you can find one? Of the two you mentioned above, however, the 620 would be my first choice. Don't like what I'm hearing about the barrel, but Rugers tend to be better guns that the Smiths, and if I couldn't find one of the "6" series of guns, I'd go with the GP-100.



The Ruger Security-6 is still available used, and they're
much better than the 66s.

Thanks for all the info. It appears based on these replies that the newer S&W barrels do not give problems with lead bullets. Good to know.

Because I'm looking for a 686+ to keep my Model 60 company...

I believe both have MIM triggers and hammers

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The L frame got MIM parts starting with the 1997 engineering changes (that's a -5 on 5/686's, fyi). The way to instantly spot them is to look on the left of the gun. If it has the new-style "hockey stick" (as I call it) cylinder stop machined at the rear of the frame window instead of the older stud pressed in at the bottom corner, it is going to be a MIM gun. These two features were introduced concurrently. I am not being "down" on the MIM parts, but for those who want to ID them quickly or in photos, that is the simplest way. To see what the visual differences are I'm describing here, look at the rear of the frame window for the little hooked "stick" along the back of the window on the two guns in Stainz's picture above, and then compare that to the neat little pinned-on stud on KRS's 66 pictured up above them.

It appears based on these replies that the newer S&W barrels do not give problems with lead bullets.

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I believe it would be more correct to say that based on these replies, ArmedBear's .44 magnum doesn't have any problem with his chosen lead loadings. The sample size here is "1." It has been reported by quite a few knowledgeable loaders and forum members and does exist as a problem.

If you follow Hawk's link above, you can read about how the electrode rifling process works, and why it results in a "dished" groove (sort of u-shaped) rifling pattern vs. a traditional, square-shouldered "notch" type groove. A large enough bullet won't have a problem, but others will definitely not be gripped by the rifling as effectively - it is going to vary based on the bullets actual diameter and it's hardness. If armed bear is talking about particularly hard-cast bullets, and especially if they are gas-checked (which is a strong possibility sense he's talking about a .44 magnum), then those should work better with the new rifling system than soft, slow-speed lead.

It just introduces another variability the reloader needs to control and doesn't mean these guns can't shoot lead, but they will be more picky about which lead they shoot well.

Rugers look like they were designed in East Germany before the wall came down............but they are reliable and durable.

S&W's are beautiful, and they are reliable and durable.

OK, Oro - I stand corrected. Thanks.

I ration my Carry ammuntion like a miser at camp doling out gold each month, X rounds depending on three to 6 months availible supply. But I go shoot it. I can peel off other similar 230 grains TMJ's by the box. It's the carry ammo that I care about.