I have a 686, Talo version, unfluted cylinder, seven shot 357 magnum.
I use it for plinking and generally shoot pretty light loads, using case 158 SWC that I load.
The empties extract with difficulty.
I don't shoot any factory.
Am I doing something wrong in the reloading process, or is there something else I d=should consider?

Thanks

How do the cases look after extraction?

Do unfired rounds extract easily? How about empty, unfired cases?

Do you dry the chambers thoroughly after cleaning them? Leftover lubrication in the chambers can cause extraction difficulty.

+1 for cleanliness. Especially if you use 38 Special cases in 357 chambers. AND especially if you use light loads. Heavy loads will smash that brass hard against the chamber walls and minimize combustion residues being blown back behind the case mouth. The lighter the load, the dirtier the whole chamber (and the frame opening, for that matter) gets. At least that's been my experience.

A 40 cal bronze brush with solvent, twisted several rotations down near the front of each chamber, is a routine I have to go through occasionally to get things back to bare metal. (I find the brushes marked 357/38 Special don't fit tight enough in a chamber to really get things loose, although they're just fine in the barrel.)

If everything is sparkling clean and you still get sticky cases you might try what Buffalo Bore suggested to fix a sticky case problem I had with their +P loads in a 32 H&R Mag. I put a felt drum in a Dremel tool and smeared some Flitz polish on it, then spun it up and down and around each chamber for about 30 seconds. I did not get a mirror surface, but did get one smooth(er) enough to eliminate the stickiness. It was a quick, cheap fix.

I am embarrassed. I hadvnot cleaned the cylinder in a while and was not thinking that is was dirty. I don't shoot 38 specials in my 357s.
I cleaned the cylinder and its much better with previously fired but not resized cases and loaded cases. I might try the flitz treatment also.
Thanks guys.

I second the use of .40 caliber brushes for the chambers. That's what I use in my .38.