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Originally Posted by flockdance
I decided to go with the 66 in the 4” instead of the 686 4” cause it’s lighter but then I have not been able to find a new one so I bought the 19 in the 4” and the store is holding it till my permit arrives, which it just did today. I hear the blue rusts more easily so should I wait for the 66 to come in or go with the 19? It is beautiful but I think I prefer the stainless steel. Anyway, hope I am making the right choice. The 686 was definitely too heavy and bulky for me.
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It depends what you are going to do with it.
If you want to conceal carry then stainless steel is a much better option. I carried a Model 13 for years and in daily carry in an IWB holster preventing rust was literally a daily task in a hot, humid southern summer. Miss a day and I'd literally finds rust starting on the barrel on the body side of the revolver.
Stainless steel isn't totally rust proof, but wiping it down can be dropped back to every week or two.
Holster wear on the finish is also much more noticeable on a blued gun, especially around the sides of the barrel at the muzzle and on the front edge of the cylinder. It'll still happen with stainless, steel, it's just much harder to see.
If it's for range use, or home defense a blued finish is just fine.
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In the 4" and 6" lengths, I greatly prefer the Model 19 or 66 to the Model 686. The full underlug barrel was mostly a style thing. It adds weight to the barrel which some folks think helps tame recoil, but a 4" or 6" K or L frame revolver doesn't need any more recoil taming in .357 Magnum. What is does is ruin the balance that you have with the Model 19 or Model 66.