S&W 986 Not Selling?

[8shot]

Very interesting! I will have to try that in mine.
What powder charge?
I've been using Bayou 135s with Bullseye.

Using +/- 3.7 W231 (125 PF) but that 138 BNWC bullet must have a 1.075-1.080 AOL. If you have the factory barrel .358 bullets are in order. Also consider that my barrel has a 1 in 9.8 twist and is .355

BTW: 9mm roll crimp

 

[TAROMAN]

Thanks for the tips!
I just ran out of the 135s, so time to reorder.

 

[44wheelman]

I was considering one, but when I heard bbl is .357, and cartridges did not chamber on case mouth... I was meh. And potential issues with the Ti cylinder... eh..

 

[Oldsalt66]

Commonality of ammunition with 9mm semi automatics.

That's about it.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

I have several 686+ revolvers. Interesting is that 38 Colt short with 686+ clips drops right in the 986.

My 986 with 6" Walther 1-9.8 twist .355 barrel shoots really awesome 50 yard groups.

You may find that the 38 super will shoot in it to.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

The 986 was built to fit a niche for target games. The N Frame holding 1 more round overshadowed it and it was soon discontinued. It remains a "collectable" and some have never seen one. They did make a good shooting platform.

Smith and wesson currently makes two N frame 8 shot 9mms. The 327WR and the 929.

9mm is more popular than ever.

Didn't Jerry Miculek make another world record with the scandium framed 9mm? 8 shot?

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Not selling to me........I have zero use for it.

 

[8shot]

I have extra 986 barrels and sent a request to S&W inquiring about purchasing a 986 cylinder for a future project.


Rec'd this response:

Thank you for contacting Smith & Wesson.

Thank you for your interest in our products. At the current time we do not make a firearm in this configuration. Information on our firearms can be found on our website through the link below.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/

Does this mean the end of the 986?

 

[reddog81]

Smith and wesson currently makes two N frame 8 shot 9mms. The 327WR and the 929.

9mm is more popular than ever.

FWIW the 327WR was limited edition and is now sold out. I would have bought one if they were priced somewhere around $1,500 instead of $3,000.

 

[DesertFox]

Picked up a 986PC recently after selling a 629PC that was too much for my arthritic hands. So this snub nose 986PC is a .357 Mag barrel just marked 9mm?

Accuracy seems decent enough. Only real issue I have is the front site wants to fall off. May have to send in to get it staked or whatever they do to make it stay put. Trigger is decent. Doubt I'll be in the market for any additional 9mm revolvers... Pretty thin use case scenario, besides the fact that revolver cartridges have gotten so expensive...

The 386NG and 629 5" lying around here are more entertaining to shoot.

 

[reddog81]

Picked up a 986PC recently after selling a 629PC that was too much for my arthritic hands. So this snub nose 986PC is a .357 Mag barrel just marked 9mm?

SAAMI Spec shows 9mm and .357 Mag barrel diameters to be the same, so it would make sense that they are the same. On my 929 the throats are .357. If using cast bullets you want to go with .357 bullets. But I use .357 bullets all my other 9mm's so it works out.

 

[8shot]

Check your cylinder ports, .358 bullets will pass through, not the case with my 940 revolver.

 

[Green Frog]

As somebody said, this is a niche product and the niche seems to be filled. When a particular firearm as a LEO application, there is an ongoing market, but a purely civilian gun, built for sporting purposes, just doesn’t sell for long! Add to this that many civilians regard revolvers as obsolete, plus,the purists’ disdain for the IL hole and you’ve got a recipe for failure.

OTOH, when the bottom falls out on pricing, put a few NIB examples in your safe to pay for your grandkids’ education!

Froggie

 

[8shot]

OTOH, when the bottom falls out on pricing, put a few NIB examples in your safe to pay for your grandkids’ education!

Froggie

I'm waiting ....would like another stock 986 5" to work with...but not willing to put out $1400 right now!

 

[BC38]

Why buy a 986? you can buy a 686+ and have the cylinder cut for clips and 9mm, buy another cylinder and shoot 38 short colt, 38 special, and 357 mag.

I was wondering about that. How hard would it be to modify the cylinder on a shooter-grade 357 magnum to accept moon-clipped 9mm?
Just curious...

 

[Beju]

I was wondering about that. How hard would it be to modify the cylinder on a shooter-grade 357 magnum to accept moon-clipped 9mm?
Just curious...

TK Custom does it for $350, and I'm guessing that they're not the only ones.

 

[Shrek Of The Arctic]

I can actually appreciate the idea of a 9mm revolver. Unless I'm missing something, 9mm ammo remains the least expensive centerfire ammo we can get. For the person who doesn't reload their own ammo, it seems a bargain. The power level ain't awful. It's a bit more snappy than .38 Special, but certainly not as bad as .357 mag.

I notice Pietta is making single action revolvers in 9mm. While I certainly would would not choose to "git my cowboy on" with Parabellum marked cartridges in the ole belt loops, but it does help to bring new revolver shooters to our ranks, and maybe keep some going.

I personally think a 9mm S&W revolver would be pretty cool. Granted, I might prefer a 929 to a 986 but....the biggest thing holding me back is a $1400 price tag. I just can't swing that for a toy. Not even a really cool one that wouldn't be too shabby if pushed into a protection role.

 

[8shot]

I can actually appreciate the idea of a 9mm revolver. Unless I'm missing something, 9mm ammo remains the least expensive centerfire ammo we can get. For the person who doesn't reload their own ammo, it seems a bargain. The power level ain't awful. It's a bit more snappy than .38 Special, but certainly not as bad as .357 mag.

I notice Pietta is making single action revolvers in 9mm. While I certainly would would not choose to "git my cowboy on" with Parabellum marked cartridges in the ole belt loops, but it does help to bring new revolver shooters to our ranks, and maybe keep some going.

I personally think a 9mm S&W revolver would be pretty cool. Granted, I might prefer a 929 to a 986 but....the biggest thing holding me back is a $1400 price tag. I just can't swing that for a toy. Not even a really cool one that wouldn't be too shabby if pushed into a protection role.

My exact thoughts, can't remember what I paid for my 986 about 1-1/2 years ago, probably around $800. Have my eyes open for another. Years ago I had a 547 that I installed a 6" heavy barrel on and it shot ragged holes at 50 yards.

My current pocket gun is a 940.

Also had a Manurhin MR 73 with 9mm cylinder that shot one hole groups at 50 yards.

 

[JMD999]

I use 38 j frames (and will stay that way)-but I picked up a "like new" used Taurus 905 for 248 just to have a snub in 9mm (or .380).