Stainz
Member
The 5" half lug 686+, a .357M 7-shooter, is a deal... probably not for much longer. I looked at them for nearly a year - and that was after buying my new 6" 66-6 and outfitting it similarly (HiViz front sight and Ahrend's square conversion f-g cocobolo grips). The 686+ has a V-notch rear sight blade, where the 66 has a square notch. The 5" 686+ came with the HiViz and Ahrend's stock.
My example was tested in mid November, according to the test case date, so I assume it is a very recent production. It seems to have a decently high standard of QC, except for a slight burr on the front edge of the sideplate. I dissected mine, cleaned and lubed, re-assembled, dry-fired 1,000+ times, dissected it again and cleaned & lubed lightly, as well as changed the leaf spring for a lighter Wolff model. Reassmbled, it took a trip to the range - along with my previous favorite plinker, that well broken-in 6" 66.
I shoot mainly .38 Special and +P rated loads, albeit in .357 cases, primed with Federal primers for reliable low spring effort ignition. In fact, the hottest ammo my .38/.357's have seen is the 'FBI' load, the +P 158gr LHPSWC. I am a plinker... and, I had a SRH in .454 for years when I needed 'emphasis', something my wrists no longer appreciate. I did have to raise the rear sight considerably to accomodate my 'lighter' ammo (158gr LRN/LSWC over 4.0gr TiteGroup yielding 875/835fps from the 5" 686+.). I finally realized that a near apex view of the fiber optic dot in the V-notch is great - and fast acquisition - for the near (12yd) steel plates, the top being appropriate for the 110yd plates, at least with those more-aerodynamically clean LRN's. The grips are my current favorites... I keep back-ordering them from Brownell's in both the K/L & N frame size... they feel and look great, although you do get to enjoy the recoil (You can't beat the UM's backstrap-enclosing combat grips to tame recoil!). It is a different feel, trigger-wise, from the 6" 66... but just slightly. I wholeheartedly reccomend it for anyone who wants a 'tradional' looking .38/.357 - with seven shots. If you don't like the HiViz, they can be changed quite easily... as could the grips (I'll happily send you a pair of UM's for them, although I doubt anyone would ever care to swap!). Oddly, they sell for the same price as the 4" 686+... quite a bargain.
Stainz
Pix of 696 and 5" 686+:
My example was tested in mid November, according to the test case date, so I assume it is a very recent production. It seems to have a decently high standard of QC, except for a slight burr on the front edge of the sideplate. I dissected mine, cleaned and lubed, re-assembled, dry-fired 1,000+ times, dissected it again and cleaned & lubed lightly, as well as changed the leaf spring for a lighter Wolff model. Reassmbled, it took a trip to the range - along with my previous favorite plinker, that well broken-in 6" 66.
I shoot mainly .38 Special and +P rated loads, albeit in .357 cases, primed with Federal primers for reliable low spring effort ignition. In fact, the hottest ammo my .38/.357's have seen is the 'FBI' load, the +P 158gr LHPSWC. I am a plinker... and, I had a SRH in .454 for years when I needed 'emphasis', something my wrists no longer appreciate. I did have to raise the rear sight considerably to accomodate my 'lighter' ammo (158gr LRN/LSWC over 4.0gr TiteGroup yielding 875/835fps from the 5" 686+.). I finally realized that a near apex view of the fiber optic dot in the V-notch is great - and fast acquisition - for the near (12yd) steel plates, the top being appropriate for the 110yd plates, at least with those more-aerodynamically clean LRN's. The grips are my current favorites... I keep back-ordering them from Brownell's in both the K/L & N frame size... they feel and look great, although you do get to enjoy the recoil (You can't beat the UM's backstrap-enclosing combat grips to tame recoil!). It is a different feel, trigger-wise, from the 6" 66... but just slightly. I wholeheartedly reccomend it for anyone who wants a 'tradional' looking .38/.357 - with seven shots. If you don't like the HiViz, they can be changed quite easily... as could the grips (I'll happily send you a pair of UM's for them, although I doubt anyone would ever care to swap!). Oddly, they sell for the same price as the 4" 686+... quite a bargain.
Stainz
Pix of 696 and 5" 686+:
Thanks for the confirmation on how good it is, gentlemen! Now I just have to endure the California waiting period. 
