Have a new to me 686-5 Plus in 4" coming this week and am looking for pics of what others have tried in the way of "new shoes" for theirs.

If you could share a pic, I'd greatly appreciate it.

The 4", to me, does not look all that good with Combats on them, just a personal thing, as is my detesting rubber grips. So...save your Pach Pics if you will (or show them, why not) .

Just trying to get a feel for what the options look like. Any assistance appreciated and thanks in advance.

Here's my 686P with Hogue Monogrip Pao Ferro w/stripe cap grips.

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... ed ...

S&W Model 686-6 Plus (3 inch barrel) with Smith & Wesson Magna stocks.

Ahrends "tactical finger grooves" in cocobolo. I like them very much.

My 4" 686 no dash w/ Jerry Miculek grips by Hogue....



The wife's 6" 686-6 w/ S&W SSR grips....



Sorry for crappy cell phone pics

Hogue, rosewood, smooth, finger.

Ahrends with tactial combats and the picture is labled wrong.

Awesome "L's" folks. Thanks.

Keep em coming.

Does anyone know if Spegal makes a conversion RB to SB, extended and checkered? Just curious. They're kind of pricey but...they're Spegels.

Anyone got a Collin's gripped L ?

Thanks to all who responded, GREAT pics, even cell phone ones (I should be the one to apologize, I take really crappy pics).

Here's my 4-inch with Ahrends grips.

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The world is a very strange banana, but the monkey is not worried at all...

My early 686-4 Plus with Hogue #19403 checkered “Lamo Camo” finger groove square butt conversion grips. (They're for sale!)



Steve

3-inch 686 Plus with a set of Herrett's Cocobolos............



Same gun with the Pachmayr "Compac", my preferred CCW grip which I have on several 357's



And with a set of Spegels that now reside on my duty revolver. They're too nice NOT to wear at work!

Hogue's on mine...

Thanks Gents!!!

Anymore pics out there? Getting lots of great ideas on where I'm taking this one. Leaning at the moment toward Ahrends due to pricing but...those Spegel's and Hogue's may prompt a change of heart/mind/wallet. Sure are purdy.

Hogue

Please don't think Ahrends are low quality for the price. The fit and finish are right there with the best. You would have to send your gun in for a more precise level of fit.

Please don't take my statement as a knock on Ahrend's products. I own several and the fit/finish is top notch...but they are more "aggressive" in price than the other two I mentioned.

What I'm looking for is to see how others look prior to making a purchase.

T

My Nickel four inch 586 has nifty factory footwear.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachm...-smith-002.jpg

686-4P with Ahrends Cocobola grips...B

Ahrends tactical cocobolo, no grooves. Great for medium - small hands.

both are wearing slightly reworked Ahrends

Not the best photo (taken with my BlackBerry and a bit too bright this morning), but these are cherry grips with S&W medallions made by Ajax. I bought them back in 2004 shortly after acquiring the 686-4:

Not on my 686, but my 586. Like many others have shown, these are Ahrends cocobolo tactical finger groove grips. Since I just ordered some retro combat grips from Kim for the 586, these are for sale.



Here are the Ahrends on the 586 and the Ajax on the 686 in the same shot:

jughed,

What did you do to them?

Looks like aretro bananna on your 3" but what did it start out as on your 2.5". Interesting, very interesting and I'm not a slob with tools so...hmmmmmm.

Rio,

Where did you get the shoes for your 686? They look very nice!

Every once in a while Hogue would run an auction on "cosmetic seconds." (HoghuAuction.com) That's what the one's on my 686P posted earlier are and they were half price which, a little under five years ago was $37.48 plus $6.00 S/H. And I've never been able to see what makes them seconds.

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... ed ...

i shortened them, removed any finger grooves, rounded the sharp edges, and refinished them.

the grips in the 2 1/2" actually started out the same as those on Doug Add's 586. shortened them, rounded the back, etc.. they came with the gun, so rather than spending more to buy new, i made them more comfy.

you're right about the bananas. this is the same pair when i got them...

Hogue Pau Ferro installed in 1988.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Thanks for all the help Folks.

USPS site says the 4" arrives today, and I went with Ahrends RB tacticals with no finger grooves (off GB for under $30 on a "Buy Now" ). If the pics on GB aren't too distorted, they appeared to be super dark Morodillo with a pretty nice, but subtle grain to them. The grips should be here tomorrow so...God willing and the PO not being inefficient...I try and post pics up when both arrive and the new shoes go on.

Thanks again for all the help.

Almost ashamed to post my pic now...some of you folks ought to be in the photography business is all I'm saying. But a promise is a promise so...here "she" is in all her Ahrends decked out glory. Also snagged from the forum an express white line rear sight that makes sighting this gun in a dream. VERY fast sight acquisition. Thanks for all the pics and help on this.

Ahrends Retro

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Hogue Pau Ferro (19333)

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I better start shopping around,my factory grips are looking pretty bland after seeing the beautiful guns on this thread!

.357Magger,

I love your final choice. I have almost the same on my 28 and will never part with them.

Look like factory stocks to me


Product: K/L Round Dymondwood Checkered Service

Thank you. I'm "diggin" em.

Got these uber cheap on GB, less than half the Ahrends cost, and they were the tung oil finish. VERY dark tone with slight lighter grain. Look like ebony. I like them enough (and I have a couple of other Ahrends stocked Smiths) that I'll never go back to the poly finish. The $20 he charges for the oil is worth it.

Wish I had better pic capability.

Will share something else here I learned in this search. The sights were purchased from a forum member as N frames. Did not know until I tried to install them (and did install them) that N and L/K frame sight (or at least sight screw placement) is identical now on the different frame sizes. I originally put them on a 627, fit there, but I carry this 4" now and obviously they fit here too. Makes sense from a manufacturing standpoint, not sure if this was true previously, but it is now.

Ahrends...

Great lookin' retro combats

Thanks ladder13, I've just completed an order with S&W!

Its just a lowly 681, but another vote for Ahrends:

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

No dogging of 581's or 681's allowed!!!

(I want one bad...)

lots of nice grips - those Ahrends look good

How about factory aftermarket?

Hogue cocobolo checkered bantam

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I don't know what these are called. They were on the gun when I got it and I have never bothered to try and find out. They are nice and beefy for the big-handed shooter.....a real nice handful.

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Hey Mattbiel, does Hogue still make two piece grips. I am not a fan of the monogrips. The rubber ones I had on my 686 were "a little loose". Those are some nice looking grips there sir. I just picked up a pair of Ahrends Retro Combat grips a couple of weeks ago, the fit is absolutely perfect, but I would prefer too have the availability of checkering as it provides a more positive grip for me. If anyone knows where to get those two piece Hogue's or any other quality two piece grips I would appreciate any suggestions.

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Enjoy Every Sandwich

Here is my 686P.

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I've gone back to using the original checkered targets on most of my S&W revolvers but I really like this set of S&W accessory stocks in laminated rosewood, shown here on a 6" Model 66-2.



I've also used them on a Model 686; they are very comfortable, fit my hand well and look very nice at the same time. As indicated by how far they extend past the gun's grip frame, they are slightly longer than the factory stocks, which is good for my somewhat wider hand, but not so much longer that they look out of place.

Ed

Round Butt Rosewood Checkered Grips with the S&W Medallions. Got them off gungripsupply.com 686-6 Plus Pro Series

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S&W 686-6 Plus Pro Series

I found an new old stock pair of J Scott faux stag grips that I couldn't pass up.