S & w 686

[jim goose]

Go with a 4", much better holster options and the perfect amount of gun in a .357. You will never need a second handgun, unless your contract the illness.

 

[Strykervet]

Go with a 4", much better holster options and the perfect amount of gun in a .357. You will never need a second handgun, unless your contract the illness.

Great advice for carry and HD and range. 4" Best overall, but they make the 686 in more barrel lengths than any other product they make, so pick the one you prefer. The 686+ is my choice, I like the seven shots. If you are savvy and frequent shows and stores, and are patient, you'll turn up one just like you want. I prefer the ones with no locks and frame mounted firing pins with either case hardened lockwork or stainless lockwork. MIM is okay, mine is MIM and is phenomenal, but I like my revolvers like swiss clocks.

You can get a new one and have a fine revolver too. You can disable the lock if you like, I did mine and the way I did it you can't tell anything was done, the lock still looks fine it just doesn't work. Besides being ugly, and a sign of defeat to the antis, the lock can and has, albeit rarely, seized up and engaged due to inertia. It isn't supposed to, but I've read stuff about guys that had this very probelm. Mostly in the scandium ultralights, which is capable of unseating the other rounds, heavily crimped, in the cylinder due to inertia --this will lock up the revolver too. This has happened to me personally. Just beware.

And if you get the illness, sorry, no known cure. Best off just getting the one you like best and going from there, trying to rationalize the purchases based on carry needs and range needs and so on and so on...

 

[Deaf Smith]

Here is a pair of my -3s. A M66 and M686.

Notice I like 'em short!

Deaf

 

[MtnSpur]

Sorry for being late to the dance. You won't be sorry purchasing the 686. It's a well made and accurate revolver. I bought one about a year ago so that my wife could have her own SS revolver. Granted it has the idiot hole in it :banghead: but the wife can throw 6 down the chute at 10 yards and group at 1 1/2". I did get a set of Ahrends for dress up but the standard grips are ok.



You can also find M66's out there that are tanks and will run you quite a bit less IF you want to save some bucks and buy used

Here's my PD marked 66 with Ahrends (RD to SQ conversion)

 

[Hotshot10]

So, I am now the owner of a 686 with a 4-inch barrel. Does anyone have any suggestions for holsters that I should consider?

 

[Stainz]

A 686 posting without the 2004 'Stocking Dealer Exclusive', SKU #164284, a 5" half lug 686P with a HiViz front and V-notch rear sight and Ahrend grips? Gads! I've had mine - my only 686 example - for over seven years. It was a no-brainer - I am not so fond of full lugs. It was pushed out of the range bag 5/08 by the 4" 627 Pro.



Stainz

 

[Loosedhorse]

Does anyone have any suggestions for holsters that I should consider?

Why not stick with S&W?

And congratulations! May she serve you well.

 

[oldfool]

"if those of you who own them have had positive experiences"
old thread re: OP date, I know, but...

my 'favorite' THR competition shooter shoots a 686
my 'favorite' THR S&W hater bought a 686 for his own daughter
and at least one former Navy Seal on-board-THR likes 'em a lot

all that says quite a lot, whatever else might be said

 

[ACP]

Probably the most accurate, reliable and smoothest handgun I own, or have ever owned (and I have carried 18 different handguns in my time).

If open carry was legal in my state, this would be it. Instead, it serves as a house and field gun.

Mine is a 4" pre-lock.

1000% recommended.

Edit:

Congrats on the purchase! I like FIST holsters or -- since this is stainless steel -- Kydex.

 

[S&W-Keeper]

You will not go wrong with any of the S&W L frames.They are excellent revolvers.There is nothing wrong with the J, or N frame either.

 

[GAMALOT]

Maybe you just forgot about the K frame guns from S&W that were the standard bearer for many years in most LE organizations. I learned to shoot revolvers with a Model 10, 4" bull barrel and still own it to this day. Great guns from which many others are copies.

 

[shoot_the_walkers]

Go with the 686!!!

Can't say enough good things about it. I have the 4" 7 shooter (model 164194) and love it more than my other gun, which is the S&W M&P 9mm VTAC. Both great guns, but the 686 is rock solid and dead on accurate.

 

[ms6852]

I have the older version I bought about almost 28 yrs ago. Which is pre-lock.

 

[sirsloop]

Just get one... or two... or three.. or four... prelock preferred!!

 

[Japle]

Before you take your new gun home, be sure to count the chambers and cylinder flutes and verify the number is the same.

You don’t want to end up with one like this!

 

[sig228]

Omg not ^^^this^^^ again. C'mon Japle you already beat this one to death in your other megathread.