HarrishMasher
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- Feb 10, 2011
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Over the past two years I have acquired 13 S&W revolvers. I am pretty content with my collection at the moment, but will no doubt add more revolvers in the future.
With the exception of some of my J Frames, all of my guns get shot regularly and often. I usually shoot at least once a week, and always bring two or three handguns with me. I usually put 100 rounds through each gun. J Frames usually only see 50 rounds in a session.
Here is how my collection breaks out.
J FRAMES:
317, M&P 340, 442, 638, 342PD, 337PD, 432PD
K FRAMES:
65 LADY SMITH
L FRAMES:
386PD, 386NG, 686PC 2.5", 586 L COMP 3"
N FRAMES:
627 PC 2.6"
Thirteen sounds like a lot, but when I break it out in the list above it seems rather paltry to me, and looks like I have a lot of work to do.
It also seems clear that I like revolvers with short barrels. Not a single gun with a barrel over 3". There is a reason for that. I carry all of the handguns I own. If I can't carry it concealed, most likely IWB, I am probably not going to buy it. I find it difficult and uncomfortable to carrying a revolver with a 4" barrel or longer.
(I do own a 4" Chiappa Rhino in 357, but I can carry it. The design of the Rhino is different from a traditional revolver and the action sits further back, so the 4" Rhino is the same length as my 3" S&Ws. This gun is so easy to shoot well, I cannot believe the groups I can produce with this gun. Literally consistent one-hole groups fired double action from 25 feet. If not one-hole groups, then definitely cloverleaf. It is actually an amazing gun and I recommend everyone here tries one at some point. You will be surprised and impressed.)
Back to the topic at hand. I actually have two favorite S&W revolvers: An overall favorite, and a carry favorite. My overall favorite is without question my 586 L Comp that has had the action done by the now retired Mike Carmoney. Even the most seasoned revolver shooters can't help but smile when the pull the trigger on my L Comp. Everyone always says the same thing, "I have never felt anything like that".
Imagine a double action trigger on a S&W revolver that breaks at 5 lbs. Hard to imagine right? Well this one does. It is really mind-blowing. I wish each and everyone of you could pull the trigger on this gun. It really is that amazing. The trigger is so light and so smooth, it is really like stroking your finger through butter. It is so easy to shoot this gun well. It is not uncommon to put two or three bullets in a row in the same hole on the target.
I have set it up with my favorite sights (fiber optic front, black rear blade) and the perfect set of Ahrends grips. This gun carries very nicely IWB as well. But it is not my first choice for carry.
For some reason, I absolutely love to carry my 686 PC 2.5". This gun is the workhorse of my stable. I shoot it the most and carry it the most. I know the Performance Center has been turning out some turds lately. Canted barrels, poor timing, missing ball and detents, and so on. But this one was done perfectly. The trigger is fantastic for a factory trigger. It stages and releases perfectly. Not at all heavy, but not that light either. Just about perfect for a carry gun.
The timing is absolutely perfect on this gun. It is the best timed gun I own. It is on the heavy side at 38ozs loaded, but it feels just right. It balances perfectly in my hand, and is heavy enough to come back on target quickly after each shot. The recoil, with 357s, is totally manageable because of the weight.
With a good holster and carry belt, I don't even realize I am carrying it all day. And I live in South Florida and wear shorts and a t shirt every single day of the year. IWB in the 4 o'clock position it hugs perfectly to the curves of my hip and lower back and disappears on my body. I have as many semi-autos as I have revolvers and this is hands-down the most comfortable decent sized gun for me to carry.
I have a 386NG and a 386PD which are exactly the same dimensions as my 686PC, except they are much lighter. The 386PD is half the weight of the 686PC! It would make sense to carry one of those over the 686 right? Not for me. With a proper holster and belt, the extra weight makes no difference at all. I can't tell the difference between the three guns once they are in the holster on my hip.
Further, I simply shoot the 686PC better. The extra weight means less recoil and I get back on target much faster. Which is exactly what I want in a defensive gun.
I can also shoot the lights out with this gun. I can consistently produce tiny group after tiny group. It is a fantastic shooter. It has incredible inherent accuracy. Don't let the short barrels fool you on these snub 357s, they shoot as well as the 4" guns in terms of accuracy.
The weight, the balance, and the timing of the 686PC all come together in perfect harmony. If I could only have one, this would be it.
With the exception of some of my J Frames, all of my guns get shot regularly and often. I usually shoot at least once a week, and always bring two or three handguns with me. I usually put 100 rounds through each gun. J Frames usually only see 50 rounds in a session.
Here is how my collection breaks out.
J FRAMES:
317, M&P 340, 442, 638, 342PD, 337PD, 432PD
K FRAMES:
65 LADY SMITH
L FRAMES:
386PD, 386NG, 686PC 2.5", 586 L COMP 3"
N FRAMES:
627 PC 2.6"
Thirteen sounds like a lot, but when I break it out in the list above it seems rather paltry to me, and looks like I have a lot of work to do.
It also seems clear that I like revolvers with short barrels. Not a single gun with a barrel over 3". There is a reason for that. I carry all of the handguns I own. If I can't carry it concealed, most likely IWB, I am probably not going to buy it. I find it difficult and uncomfortable to carrying a revolver with a 4" barrel or longer.
(I do own a 4" Chiappa Rhino in 357, but I can carry it. The design of the Rhino is different from a traditional revolver and the action sits further back, so the 4" Rhino is the same length as my 3" S&Ws. This gun is so easy to shoot well, I cannot believe the groups I can produce with this gun. Literally consistent one-hole groups fired double action from 25 feet. If not one-hole groups, then definitely cloverleaf. It is actually an amazing gun and I recommend everyone here tries one at some point. You will be surprised and impressed.)
Back to the topic at hand. I actually have two favorite S&W revolvers: An overall favorite, and a carry favorite. My overall favorite is without question my 586 L Comp that has had the action done by the now retired Mike Carmoney. Even the most seasoned revolver shooters can't help but smile when the pull the trigger on my L Comp. Everyone always says the same thing, "I have never felt anything like that".
Imagine a double action trigger on a S&W revolver that breaks at 5 lbs. Hard to imagine right? Well this one does. It is really mind-blowing. I wish each and everyone of you could pull the trigger on this gun. It really is that amazing. The trigger is so light and so smooth, it is really like stroking your finger through butter. It is so easy to shoot this gun well. It is not uncommon to put two or three bullets in a row in the same hole on the target.
I have set it up with my favorite sights (fiber optic front, black rear blade) and the perfect set of Ahrends grips. This gun carries very nicely IWB as well. But it is not my first choice for carry.
For some reason, I absolutely love to carry my 686 PC 2.5". This gun is the workhorse of my stable. I shoot it the most and carry it the most. I know the Performance Center has been turning out some turds lately. Canted barrels, poor timing, missing ball and detents, and so on. But this one was done perfectly. The trigger is fantastic for a factory trigger. It stages and releases perfectly. Not at all heavy, but not that light either. Just about perfect for a carry gun.
The timing is absolutely perfect on this gun. It is the best timed gun I own. It is on the heavy side at 38ozs loaded, but it feels just right. It balances perfectly in my hand, and is heavy enough to come back on target quickly after each shot. The recoil, with 357s, is totally manageable because of the weight.
With a good holster and carry belt, I don't even realize I am carrying it all day. And I live in South Florida and wear shorts and a t shirt every single day of the year. IWB in the 4 o'clock position it hugs perfectly to the curves of my hip and lower back and disappears on my body. I have as many semi-autos as I have revolvers and this is hands-down the most comfortable decent sized gun for me to carry.
I have a 386NG and a 386PD which are exactly the same dimensions as my 686PC, except they are much lighter. The 386PD is half the weight of the 686PC! It would make sense to carry one of those over the 686 right? Not for me. With a proper holster and belt, the extra weight makes no difference at all. I can't tell the difference between the three guns once they are in the holster on my hip.
Further, I simply shoot the 686PC better. The extra weight means less recoil and I get back on target much faster. Which is exactly what I want in a defensive gun.
I can also shoot the lights out with this gun. I can consistently produce tiny group after tiny group. It is a fantastic shooter. It has incredible inherent accuracy. Don't let the short barrels fool you on these snub 357s, they shoot as well as the 4" guns in terms of accuracy.
The weight, the balance, and the timing of the 686PC all come together in perfect harmony. If I could only have one, this would be it.
