Brian Williams
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The answer to the question is yes they made a Customs Service 686 in 3" and 4", and I am suprised that Dhart did not post a picture of his.
The 3" guns are great for carry. Get one and you will love it.
CCW - Stainless Revolvers
- Thread starter JREwing
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The 3" guns are great for carry. Get one and you will love it.
Brian is so right. But I didn't mention the 3" 686 for three reasons: they're danged hard to find, expensive when you do find one, and I don't view that size gun as a very good CCW revolver... I just think the puppie is too big and heavy... but I sure love 'em!
686's make great home/RV/car guns and general use guns, even if they aren't the greatest for CCW. In fact, I just sent off my 4" 686 Plus to the S&W Perfromance Center to have a 3" 686 barrel installed on it. I lucked out as they found the last available 686 3" barrel in a bin and it's going to go on one of my 686 Plus frames. They're going to move the 4" barrel from the 686 Plus over to my 6" 686 six-shooter and I'm going to store the unused 6" barrel because I just don't really like that length. Here's a 686 3" CS-1.
I think the 3" GP-100 makes a better 3" carry gun than the 3" 686... here's an excellent custom rendition of the 3" GP-100:
These photos (source unknown, or I would give credit) were found on an internet gun forum and I enhanced them slightly. This is illustrative of what David Clements can do with Ruger DA revolvers... I really love the treatment on the barrel and the fugly markings are gone!
David Clements Custom GP-100 3"
Unfortunately, finding a 3" GP-100 isn't necessarily all that easy to do either... though they are much more readily available than a 3" 686.
I am sending my 3" SP-101 off to Clements for the same treatment which was given to the 3" GP shown above. And, of course, 3" SP-101's are plentiful and available everywhere. They make a very good CCW gun.
686's make great home/RV/car guns and general use guns, even if they aren't the greatest for CCW. In fact, I just sent off my 4" 686 Plus to the S&W Perfromance Center to have a 3" 686 barrel installed on it. I lucked out as they found the last available 686 3" barrel in a bin and it's going to go on one of my 686 Plus frames. They're going to move the 4" barrel from the 686 Plus over to my 6" 686 six-shooter and I'm going to store the unused 6" barrel because I just don't really like that length. Here's a 686 3" CS-1.
I think the 3" GP-100 makes a better 3" carry gun than the 3" 686... here's an excellent custom rendition of the 3" GP-100:
These photos (source unknown, or I would give credit) were found on an internet gun forum and I enhanced them slightly. This is illustrative of what David Clements can do with Ruger DA revolvers... I really love the treatment on the barrel and the fugly markings are gone!
David Clements Custom GP-100 3"
Unfortunately, finding a 3" GP-100 isn't necessarily all that easy to do either... though they are much more readily available than a 3" 686.
I am sending my 3" SP-101 off to Clements for the same treatment which was given to the 3" GP shown above. And, of course, 3" SP-101's are plentiful and available everywhere. They make a very good CCW gun.
S&W Model 60 Chief's Special Stainless
I like this little snubbie.
Put some Badger grips on it and it's great for summer work when you might be sweating a bit.
I like this little snubbie.
Put some Badger grips on it and it's great for summer work when you might be sweating a bit.
Nice looking 3" S&W you have there.
I would never do anything to my 6" S&W, even though I like a 4" length more. I bought my gun before I knew any better - it is the first handgun (in fact, the first firearm period) that I ever bought. I'm too sentimental over it to mess with it!
But - I still keep my eye open for a used 686 at the right price, even one that's been slightly abused. I'd like to send it off to a good S&W 'smith & have it worked over into something like what is pictured. Perfect for home, car - or even belt carry while riding a motorcycle.
I would never do anything to my 6" S&W, even though I like a 4" length more. I bought my gun before I knew any better - it is the first handgun (in fact, the first firearm period) that I ever bought. I'm too sentimental over it to mess with it!
But - I still keep my eye open for a used 686 at the right price, even one that's been slightly abused. I'd like to send it off to a good S&W 'smith & have it worked over into something like what is pictured. Perfect for home, car - or even belt carry while riding a motorcycle.
Kevinch... the little 642 shown above is my motorcycle jacket pocket protector... perfect... small and light, you don't even know it's there!
A buddy of mine just got his first gun on Saturday. He was looking at the 2-1/2" 686 however he decided on a Model 60 because he wanted something that he would actually carry. The steel frame will give him enough weight to help with recoil yet he can carry it if he wants to.
Sure the snub nosed 686 would be great when using full house .357 magnum loads however concealing might be unpleasant and the weight would probably discourage you from carrying it after the first or second week.
Also, there is much more concealment holsters available for the J frams and SP101s I'd think.
-Jim
Sure the snub nosed 686 would be great when using full house .357 magnum loads however concealing might be unpleasant and the weight would probably discourage you from carrying it after the first or second week.
Also, there is much more concealment holsters available for the J frams and SP101s I'd think.
-Jim
My vote has to go to the S&W (old model) 60, in .38 Special, as it was the
very first stainless steel handgun on the U.S. market. It was a very valuable
life insurance policy tucked away in a rucksack in the hot and humid jungles
of southeast Asia.
very first stainless steel handgun on the U.S. market. It was a very valuable
life insurance policy tucked away in a rucksack in the hot and humid jungles
of southeast Asia.
More times than not, I carry a Colt Mustang PocketLite in my inside vest pocket when riding. It's easy to carry & easy to hide.
There are times I belt carry my 1911, but I worry about what might happen if I went down with a cocked & locked .45 on my belt. To than end, I have a 2¼" Ruger SP101 that I'm seriously considering sending off for some custom carry work & using it for OWB carry when riding.
Funny you should mention the Mustang... I have a standard Mustang that I carried a little until I decided that .380 just wasn't the caliber I wanted it to be and bought a Kahr PM-9. The PM-9 is a superb pocket gun... close to the size of a Mustang, but carries seven rounds of 9mm +P in a very rugged and extremely reliable pistol.
Since you mention the 3" 686 most people seem to be concentrating on the medium framed snubs.
You can (as said above) find a 3" 686, but they are only available used. If you want new and you want a 686 you need to go with a 2 1/2" barrel.
I love my S&W 65LS. Great gun! I hear (on this board) that they are discontinued. That is sad to hear, but for now you can probably find new ones at dealers if you want new (these aren't that easy to find used as people tend to hold on to them).
A 3" non-LS S&W 65 is a good one, but you can only get it used and 3" K-frames, while they sold a lot, don't show up often on the used market (owners tend to hold on to them, for good reason).
If you want new I think the only S&W medium frame 3" still available is the S&W 64 (the stainless M10).
A gun I'm eyeing right now in blue (though you can get them stainless) is a used Ruger Security Six with a 3" barrel (if it was a K-frame Smith I wouldn't be eyeing it, I would have definately bought it).
If you want to go used you might be able to find a used Taurus 82, 65 or 66 in a 3" barrel though they are rare. Unfortunately, Taurus doesn't currently make any 3" guns (I may buy a 4" or 6" Tracker in .357mag, .45LC or .45ACP and have it cut down to 3").
If you want a K-frame sized gun, but not necessarily a .38spl or .357mag look at the Taurus 441 and 431 (3" .44spls) or the Rossi 720 (fairly lightweight 3" .44spl), though these are only available used. New you can still find the 2" 450 (.45LC), 445 (2" .44spl) and 415 (2 1/2" .41mag).
If you want to consider 2" and 3" small framed snubs you have a ton of options. 2" Taurus revolvers in just about every configuration (9mm, .32mag, .38spl, .357mag; bobbed hammer, regular hammer, "hammerless", shrouded hammer; 5 shot or 7 shot in .38 or .357, 6 shot in .32mag, 5 shot in 9mm; aluminium, titanium, or steel). There are also a ton of S&Ws.
You can (as said above) find a 3" 686, but they are only available used. If you want new and you want a 686 you need to go with a 2 1/2" barrel.
I love my S&W 65LS. Great gun! I hear (on this board) that they are discontinued. That is sad to hear, but for now you can probably find new ones at dealers if you want new (these aren't that easy to find used as people tend to hold on to them).
A 3" non-LS S&W 65 is a good one, but you can only get it used and 3" K-frames, while they sold a lot, don't show up often on the used market (owners tend to hold on to them, for good reason).
If you want new I think the only S&W medium frame 3" still available is the S&W 64 (the stainless M10).
A gun I'm eyeing right now in blue (though you can get them stainless) is a used Ruger Security Six with a 3" barrel (if it was a K-frame Smith I wouldn't be eyeing it, I would have definately bought it).
If you want to go used you might be able to find a used Taurus 82, 65 or 66 in a 3" barrel though they are rare. Unfortunately, Taurus doesn't currently make any 3" guns (I may buy a 4" or 6" Tracker in .357mag, .45LC or .45ACP and have it cut down to 3").
If you want a K-frame sized gun, but not necessarily a .38spl or .357mag look at the Taurus 441 and 431 (3" .44spls) or the Rossi 720 (fairly lightweight 3" .44spl), though these are only available used. New you can still find the 2" 450 (.45LC), 445 (2" .44spl) and 415 (2 1/2" .41mag).
If you want to consider 2" and 3" small framed snubs you have a ton of options. 2" Taurus revolvers in just about every configuration (9mm, .32mag, .38spl, .357mag; bobbed hammer, regular hammer, "hammerless", shrouded hammer; 5 shot or 7 shot in .38 or .357, 6 shot in .32mag, 5 shot in 9mm; aluminium, titanium, or steel). There are also a ton of S&Ws.
DHart those are great pictures.
I really like your custom grips. Do you have the website for Ahrends and Spegal grips?
I really like your custom grips. Do you have the website for Ahrends and Spegal grips?
As yet, neither have websites.
Kim Ahrends Grips
(515) 532-3449
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Craig Spegel Custom Grip Maker
503-368-5653
Kim Ahrends Grips
(515) 532-3449
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Craig Spegel Custom Grip Maker
503-368-5653
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