Not blasphemy IMHO... I'm with you a 3" L frame is too big to CC IWB...
I had a 3" 586.... traded it for a PC Shorty-9 IIRC.......(looking back should have kept it as a safe queen LOL).
IWB CC I'll stick with 3" k-frames.................
The Ideal 686
- Thread starter HOUSTON RICK
- Start date
Not blasphemy IMHO... I'm with you a 3" L frame is too big to CC IWB...
I had a 3" 586.... traded it for a PC Shorty-9 IIRC.......(looking back should have kept it as a safe queen LOL).
IWB CC I'll stick with 3" k-frames.................
HorizontalMike
US Veteran
4" 686 Is The Winner!
I bought my 4" 686 No-dash back in mid 1986 and just love it! Had trigger job done at LGS at that time. It is a very sweet handling and shooting revolver.
That said, I picked up a 2.62" 627PC this past year, and after some DIY tweaking it shoots well, but NOT as well as my original 686. BOTH the 627PC and my 686 weigh nearly identical when loaded, just 0.6oz more for the 686. This makes recoil very comparable, but handling the 686 is a dream worth repeating IMO.
I have toyed with the idea of picking up a 6" 686 in order to give me a wider range of barrel lengths, but from what I see in this thread about 6" revolvers, I will probably put that decision off for awhile.
I bought my 4" 686 No-dash back in mid 1986 and just love it! Had trigger job done at LGS at that time. It is a very sweet handling and shooting revolver.
That said, I picked up a 2.62" 627PC this past year, and after some DIY tweaking it shoots well, but NOT as well as my original 686. BOTH the 627PC and my 686 weigh nearly identical when loaded, just 0.6oz more for the 686. This makes recoil very comparable, but handling the 686 is a dream worth repeating IMO.
I have toyed with the idea of picking up a 6" 686 in order to give me a wider range of barrel lengths, but from what I see in this thread about 6" revolvers, I will probably put that decision off for awhile.
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markepilot
Member
686
I'm a big fan of the 6" 686. This is mine, it's a -2. It had a nice trigger. Now it has a great trigger. Just disassembled and installed a reduced power mainspring and a 14lb trigger spring. Polished the transfer bar and associated parts. SA pull is just a tick under 3lbs and DA is 9lbs. It seems i can't load 38 special fast enough to satisfy my trigger pulling needs.
I'm a big fan of the 6" 686. This is mine, it's a -2. It had a nice trigger. Now it has a great trigger. Just disassembled and installed a reduced power mainspring and a 14lb trigger spring. Polished the transfer bar and associated parts. SA pull is just a tick under 3lbs and DA is 9lbs. It seems i can't load 38 special fast enough to satisfy my trigger pulling needs.
Messer
Member
I've owned 686's with 2.5", 4" & 6" barrels.
I've only kept the 4", and I don't see it leaving here any time soon.
If we want to list our "Dream" 686, mine would have a 3.5" barrel, round butt, with a "Black Powder" cylinder like the S&W Mountain Guns came with, and a DX quick change front sight like on my 625 JM. (and NO lock!)
Maybe if I hit the PowerBall lottery, I'll get S&W to run a batch of them for us.
Bob S.
I've only kept the 4", and I don't see it leaving here any time soon.
If we want to list our "Dream" 686, mine would have a 3.5" barrel, round butt, with a "Black Powder" cylinder like the S&W Mountain Guns came with, and a DX quick change front sight like on my 625 JM. (and NO lock!)
Maybe if I hit the PowerBall lottery, I'll get S&W to run a batch of them for us.
Bob S.
I have the 5" stocking dealer special (above) AND a 3" CS-1...I don't own a 686 but if I did I'd want this one, which was a limited run some years back:
I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite... both are great choices...
spad124
Member
I have a 686-1 6" that I bought new in 1988. I'll carry it around our property in full flap holster. In the early 1990s, and after trying several different grips, I found a set of Davis grips that fit me well and that have been on my 686 for about 20 years. Since its been in that configuration for 20 or so years, I'd say it's perfect for me.
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helmsp
Member
My ideal 686 is the only one I own:
S&W 686 CS1 2M with cordia Ahrends grips by Patrick Helms, on Flickr
S&W 686 CS1 2M with cordia Ahrends grips by Patrick Helms, on Flickr
alfsauve
Member
Ideal 686
Well they're kinda like Lays potato chips. You can't just own one.
My favorite one is my 5" classic competition gun. It started life as a 5" 686+ but I had a new cylinder installed, along with the full apex treatment to make it a 6 shot for ICORE and other action competition.
Of course, there's the 4" version legal for IDPA and as a back up for the 5".
Well they're kinda like Lays potato chips. You can't just own one.
My favorite one is my 5" classic competition gun. It started life as a 5" 686+ but I had a new cylinder installed, along with the full apex treatment to make it a 6 shot for ICORE and other action competition.
Of course, there's the 4" version legal for IDPA and as a back up for the 5".
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The ideal 686 is my 686 mtn. gun.......NO stinkin underlug and a tapered barrel. w/7 shots.
AveragEd
Member
I have four 686s but really only shoot two of them. Along with the three in this photo, I have an unfired 6" 686-4 PowerPort.
If I'm ever going to shoot it, I would use the 6" 686-3 Classic Hunter for targets after swapping out the ramp front sight for a Patridge. When I'm scouting for deer in the late summer and early fall, the 4" 686-3 (or a 4" 66-2) goes along charged with snake loads. But if forced to pick the one 686 I like best, shoot the most and would never sell, I have to go the 5" 686-3 National Match in the middle.
Ed
If I'm ever going to shoot it, I would use the 6" 686-3 Classic Hunter for targets after swapping out the ramp front sight for a Patridge. When I'm scouting for deer in the late summer and early fall, the 4" 686-3 (or a 4" 66-2) goes along charged with snake loads. But if forced to pick the one 686 I like best, shoot the most and would never sell, I have to go the 5" 686-3 National Match in the middle.
Ed
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The shortest barrel revolver I have is a 3" M36,the longest is a 6.5" M610. Never owned anything shorter or longer. I've got 4inchers,6inchers,and a 5" Talo 686+ unfluted(hope to acquire a 3" and 7" 686+ Talo).The 4inchers are great,the 6inchers are great,but there's something about the balance of the 5" 686+ that goes beyond the 4"s and 6"s.
I like my plain old 686+ that I sent back to the mothership for the Master Revolver Action Package. Really a sweet shooter. I regularly get Tupperware shooters asking me what I'm shooting, mostly because it can be a bit louder than a 9 or 40.
computerdynamics
Member
I just love the bottom of the grip on your 686!! I have a nice 19 but that is just killer! I make knives and it looks like the grip on a knife. Any more info on it? Oops forgot to include the owners pic. Alfsuave. My bad. ; )
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Gryff
Member
My personal favorite is the 686SSR. I have a preference for 4" revolvers, and I love the appearance of the slanted underlug.
Bulldawg Dad
Member
I currently have a 4" 686 (no dash) and a 2.5" 686-3. I'm currently looking for a 6" in the -3,-4 range. If I could only own one handgun it would without a doubt be my 4" 686. Not really into the 686+ models probably only due to the fact that I have a plethora of comp II and comp III speed loaders with just 6 holes.
BCDWYO
Member
As many of you know I'm fond of 686s so of course I must play!
My favorite would depend on the intended purpose; the 6" 686-4 plus is the one I shoot best at the range, but if I had to choose one for carry and shootability, I'd have to agree with Engine49guy and others, and go with the 686+ Mountain gun:
My favorite would depend on the intended purpose; the 6" 686-4 plus is the one I shoot best at the range, but if I had to choose one for carry and shootability, I'd have to agree with Engine49guy and others, and go with the 686+ Mountain gun:
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