I'd like to hop in if I could. I'm also trying to decide between a 3" and 4". I much prefer the balanced feel of the 3" but I want to make sure I'm aware of all it's peculiarities before I put my money down.

A previous post mentioned I will have to get a custom holster if I want one that fits correctly. Someone posted on the High Road board that HKS is my only speed loader option since the 3” model only comes with a 7-shot cylinder. I'll also have a conflict if I want to go IDPA shooting since they have a 6-shot maximum capacity.

Does the 3" 686 have any other oddities as compared to it's bigger 4" sibling? For example, the 3" Ruger GP100 has a pinned front sight and only one available aftermarket option as opposed to their 4” which has a slick, plunger-anchor mechanism.