Hi All. New member here. I treated myself to a S&W 686+ 6" that gets out of jail this weekend. Pretty excited. My first revolver, but not first handgun. What essentials should I pick up? Looking at items like speedloader, grips, cleaning kit, etc.

A good set of gunsmithing screwdrivers. A couple speedloaders rarely go to waste. Even an inexpensive nylon holster is a nice thing to have.

Leave the grips for awhile. It's tempting to go out and buy a really nice-looking set of grips, but it's better to try out a couple different cheap grips and decide what shape you actually like first.

If you've already got a brass cleaning rod, .38-caliber brass brush, and a plastic attachment for cleaning patches, you don't need another cleaning kit. And you should have that stuff for your autos anyway.

Do you reload? If not, start thinking about that. There's a lot of versatility in .38/.357s, from light wadcutter loads up to full-power magnums, and you can save a bundle. Lead bullets in the 148-158-grain range are about as cheap as you can get.

And to add to Wise A's post, get you a nylon bristle brush (I use a toothbrush) and also a bronze or brass bristle brush. The bronze bristle brush is real handy for cleaning powder burns off of the cylinder and forcing cone end of the barrel and the frame surrounding it. You might already have these, but I find they are a "must have" for cleaning my 627 Pro and my 629-3 Classic.

two to a half dozen speedloaders...... I prefer Safariland Comp I's or II's myself.

after that ....how are you going to use it? Range, hunting, home defense concealed carry????????

Primary use is range and home defense. Unlikely to carry because of size and CA carry laws. I can declare only 3 on the permit and it's likely the odd gun out. Carrying in a old school leather shoulder holster under a sport jacket sounds fun, but it's not like anyone would ever see it!

Nope, I don't reload. Too lazy....
Good tip on grips. Thanks.

I have a few tools and brushes for my 40's, but I really need a comprehensive cleaning kit and with brushes specifically for .357/.38. Any recommendations for a kit at a fair price? Or even brands I should look at?

Any speedloaders to recommend buying or avoiding? Get a loading block, too?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Safariland speedloaders are not available for the seven-chambered 686s. HK loaders for the Plus are easy to find and very secure. I think there's a metal model out there by someone.

No I think you are correct....... I missed the "+"

The best accessory for a 686 is ammo... and plenty of it

Agree about waiting on the grips. You need to shoot it bit to see if the stock grips (rubber) work for you. I eventually went for some vitage wood grips on my 686.

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I like the Tipton carbon fiber shaft pistol cleaning rod for cleaning my pistols, but the shortest one has a 12" shaft. That's a bit long for most pistol barrels but it won't mess up the bore for sure. Get the 27-45 caliber one if you decide to go with it as it has a larger diameter shaft.

Nice looking grips. Very similar to what I'd like to get.

Yes to ammo! Plan on only firing 357 through it....

Lots of cleaning kit options out there. I'll have to give one a try. Thanks for the tips.

Congratulations!

I shoot my revolvers a LOT! One nearly indispensable tool is a chamber brush for each caliber. I shoot lots of .38 Specials in my .357 Magnum guns. After shooting, while the gun is still warm, I brush out the chambers. That way, my revolver is always ready for any ammo I might want to use the next time (.357 Magnum or .38 Special) and the "dreaded" carbon ring is gone.

FWIW
Dale53

Bought my 686 about 20 years ago. Back then, it came square butt with wood grips...the way I like revolvers. Recently bought a look-alike S&W 617, tossed the rubber grips, and installed Ahrends square butt conversion wood grips.
I'm into target shooting, so I shoot .38 special wadcutters though my 686.

Broke it out of jail over the weekend. Even more sweet in person.

NOW THATS WHAT YOU CALL A REVOLVER! HAVE FUN & BE SAFE!

AMMO.................

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S&W Accumulator