686+ Grips Interfering with Speedloader - Advice?

[PaladinVC]

I have a S&W 686+, and I recently obtained some HKS 7-shot speedloaders for it. When I try to use one to reload the revolver, however, it gets hung up on the left side of the factory rubber grip. I can push it past, release the cartridges and remove the loader, but it's a clumsy, slow, attention-demanding process that seems out of keeping with the spirit of the device.

Has anyone else run into this problem? Is this something I should overcome with practice and training, or should I look into either modifying or replacing the grip on my revolver?

All advice welcome.

 

[ironvic]

I have a 686 Plus with "factory" rubber grips and have no problem with the HKS speedloader. If I was having this problem, I'd invest in new grips. I kinda like the Pachmayr Compac Professional grips.

 

[2RCO]

The factory grips on a 686 should not interfere with a speedloader. --Are you sure they are factory grips?

 

[PaladinVC]

They're the ones that came on it, yeah. This one:

http://world.guns.ru/handguns/SW686.JPG

I can't get a 100% success rate of the rounds falling free from the loader into the cylinder, and if one gets hung up inside, I can't pull the loader straight back, due to the grip being there.

It's getting slightly better with practice, but I still have to wiggle a bit more than seems right, and if I try to go quickly, I often pull one or two cartridges out when I remove the loader.

This is my first experience with speedloaders, so I'm guessing I'm just doing it wrong. Maybe I can find some slo-mo videos or handy pictorial instructions. I figured it would be fairly intuitive, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

If a small portion is interfering with the loader body, trim it away as needed.

 

[Drail]

One word---Dremel. I have had to trim almost every grip on every S&W I own for this reason. They will almost clear the speedloader but not quite. Doesn't matter if they're Hogue, Pachmayr or factory. I don't think these people have ever actually used a speedloader. Some factory S&W grips will catch ejected cases if the cylinder is lined up just right. Check all your guns for stuff like this.

 

[rcmodel]

+1

This is one of very few good uses for a Dremel sanding drum used on a gun.

Just take off the offending part of the grip.

rc

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Remove the grip from the gun before you cut away on it, in case your tool slips.

 

[BlindJustice]

I have a 686 Plus - I have Hogue grips, they're the
Compact profile with finger grooves and checkering - the portion
just behind the rear of the trigger guard is NOT the problem
with getting them in however on extraction sometimes if it's lined
up just right two empties will hang because of the cyl. release
so a little roatation of the cyl. and an extra stroke on the
extractor gets em out.

I can send you a pic of my gun/grips if you want - send me an
email for the request.

Randall - yeah I have HKS 587 speedloaders

 

[AKElroy]

One word---Dremel. I have had to trim almost every grip on every S&W I own for this reason.

My HKS works fine with the factory rubber grips on my 686, but I do have to angle it sideways slightly to get it in. I should probably recess this with a dremel to make this a more fluid action.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have a M686 and had a M619, both worked perfectly with HKS sppedloaders. Both did come with Uncle Mike's rubber grips though, not Hogue grips like in the picture you linked to above.