Oops, accidentally bought a Smith and Wesson... ;)

[VanGoghComplex]

Well, in my other thread, I lamented and fretted the sale of my first wheelgun, a Taurus 66, and looked forward to my new Smith 686+ Deluxe, a Talo distributor exclusive. However, today when I went in to do the deal, something unexpected caught my eye...

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57769_757767_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

I brought this home today, instead. It was the gun I didn't even know I was looking for. A 5" barrel that makes more sense than a 6" for a guy my size. A practical, and nonetheless beautiful wood grip that I won't feel remiss leaving on the gun. It's perfect!

The only thing I don't like about it is aesthetic: there unfluted cylinder. That can easily be changed though. I'll post here again tonight after I take this beauty to the range!

 

[bannockburn]

VanGoghComplex

Well that was a nice although unexpected turn of events! I have always thought that the 5" barrel on the Model 27 was the perfect combination of balance, performance, and carrying comfort. Congrats on your new Model 686 3-5-7 Magnum!

 

[64Chevy]

Nice Smith! Looking forward to your range report!

 

[PJSprog]

Very nice, VGC! You won't find many people here who will bag on a 686. They're just great guns. Non-standard barrel length? Even better. Enjoy!

 

[buck460XVR]

The only thing I don't like about it is aesthetic: there unfluted cylinder. That can easily be changed though.

I have the same gun. I prefer the unfluted cylinder over the fluted ones on my other 2 686s. That and the 5'' barrel make it a tad different than most other 686s. It took a while and a few hundred rounds to smooth out the rifling in it tho, till then it's accuracy sucked. While much better now, it still comes in second to the 6 incher.

 

[WestKentucky]

I agree, that unfluted cylinder looks off on this particular gun. I would rather have the fluted, but the barrel length makes up for it and those grips are really sweet. I would actually remove them and make a point of preserving them.

 

[Haywood]

I like the unfluted look . Verry cool!

 

[Hondo 60]

Is the unfluted cylinder meant to give 7 rds a stronger base?

If so, then it won't be "easy to change."

Please be careful.

By the way, NICE GUN!

 

[VanGoghComplex]

Well, it was a blast to shoot! Went through a hundred rounds of .357. I was concerned about recoil, as the Smith has an inch less of barrel than my old gun, and parts of the underlug are hollow for the extractor rod lock. Also, my old gun had a Hogue monogrip (which I kept) and this one has a solid wood grip.

All those things considered, recoil was a non-issue. The grip is very nicely shaped and the gun levers in my hand instead of slamming it. I might still put the Hogue on this one, but I don't feel like I need to by any stretch.

Do shorter barrels generally mean higher muzzle flash? My stout Win296 handloads made some pretty lights outta my Taurus, but they were consistently dragon fire from this gun. It startled me at first, but it was awesome.

Cylinder lockup, trigger, fit and finish are well what you'd expect from a Smith. As for accuracy, my method of determining whether I'm getting better is a bit unconventional. When I hit exactly what I'm aiming at, I take note of it. Two trips to the range ago, I called my shot perfectly once out of a hundred. Last trip it was four times out of a hundred. Then I sold my Taurus and got this Smith. This trip, I hit my point of aim exactly, nine times out of a hundred.

I find the 5" barrel is a joy for sight picture. Focusing on the front sights only just barely takes the rear sights out of focus. It seemed less severe than my 6" barreled Taurus, but it may have been new gun joy.

The finish is fantastic. It's just shiny enough to be able, for instance, to see the reflection of the cylinder in the side of the gun (considerable revolver porn for me), and also to shrug off soot with a wipe of a dry rag.

I only somewhat understand those of you who like the unfluted cylinder. To me, it makes the revolver look stout and burly, but too plain. Flutes on the cylinder are, for me, one of the defining characteristics of revolvers that makes them just look great. To each their own; I'll find out what needs to be done to get a fluted cylinder. If I wind up with an unfluted one lying around, perhaps one of you unfluted fans with a 686+ can take it off my hands for me. =)

 

[VanGoghComplex]

@Hondo 60,

Informed question, but I don't believe so. All 686+ revolvers I've seen have fluted cylinders, except this one. I think it was just an aesthetic choice by the distributor.

 

[WestKentucky]

Even if I swapped cylinders I would keep the original with the gun. There are a whole bunch of 686 out there but in the event that what you have becomes collectable I would want to be able to reassemble it to the factory, collectable configuration. Cylinders are cheap anyway. Wouldn't be worth selling it.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I have a 3" version and love the unfluted cylinder. I'd like a 5" as well.

 

[VanGoghComplex]

I have a 3" version and love the unfluted cylinder. I'd like a 5" as well.

Power to ya, my man: like what you like. I just personally don't "get it." Ah well; to Brownell's I go. =D

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Yep, everyone is different. You said that grip fits you pretty good? I found to to be too narrow.

Congrats by the way. I love 5" barreled revolvers. It seems the perfect balance for me.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Definitely a step up from the Taurus 66!

I wish more manufacturers offered 5" barrels on more DA revolvers. It's a great length, especially for .357 and .44, which benefit from the extra inch over a 4", but start to become unweildy at 6". I have long considered shortening my SRH .454 to 5" or 5.5"

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Definitely a step up from the Taurus 66!

I wish more manufacturers offered 5" barrels on more DA revolvers. It's a great length, especially for .357 and .44, which benefit from the extra inch over a 4", but start to become unweildy at 6". I have long considered shortening my SRH .454 to 5" or 5.5"

I agree. I'd love a 5" barreled, unfluted 629, with a 3/4 lug.

Have you looked at the Ruger SRH Toklat? I believe it has a 5.5" barrel in 454 Casull.

 

[buck460XVR]

Yep, everyone is different.

Yep, and we are lucky to live in a country where we have access to so many different options when it comes to firearms. Back when I was a kid, the majority of folks owned the same firearms. Winchester 30/30s, surplus M1917s and '03 Springfields were 90% of the deer rifles in the woods. If someone owned a auto-loader pistol, odds were it was a 1911 or a War bring-back. Revolvers were just as limited in options. As others have said, the unfluted cylinder, custom stocks and less common barrel lengths are why this Talo exclusive 3-5-7(3,5 and 7'') line has been going strong for over 4 years. The unfluted cylinder is much like slab barrels or Bi-tone finishes. Either you love 'em or hate 'em....or they are like SA or DA revolvers, folks just have a preference. Don't make any one right or wrong, just different, and that's a good thing. I'd sure hate to be just like everyone else here.