Thinking of ordering a 686P 4", before I go and spend all this $$$$ how does it compare to the 6" ? I need to get some good feedback from you guys before I hit the ol' saving account again. Any help on this will be appreciated! Thanks

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Craig

Question for you is, what are you going to do with it? Those extra 2" inches add weight and inconvenience to carry. Do you need the extra velocity for hunting or do you plan on using it for home defense or carry? The 4" will do everything the 6" will do in a smaller, more convenient package.

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vim vi repellere licet

I had my 6" barrel replaced with a 4" barrel and I am a lot happier. The 6" gun seemed front end heavy. I wish I had known about the fiber optic front sight, but I guess it's not to late to put to have one of those installed.

Everyone should have at least one 6" .357. But it's true that a 4" will do just about anything a 6" will do with all but the hottest loads. You could split the differance and go with 5", there are some Stocking Dealer Specials out there, and it is one that S&W has hinted that they are going to produce after Shot Show. If you are looking at target shooting the longer sight radius and heft of a 6" is helpful, things that work againest it as a carry gun.

Unless you are bullseye shooting or hunting, get the 4". I have 4 and 6 inch .357's and the 6 inchers never get to go out and play.

My experience with the 6" is they are "MUCH" more accurate. The 4" carries much better and has better balance but if I could only have 1 it would be the 6" it does amazing things at a distance.

I love my 6", but I want a 4" someday to go with it

I had both. I sold the 6" 686, kept the 4" and bought a 5" 627PC. I think it nice to have both. However I prefer the smaller size of the 4" 686 and the revolver was a SD/HD handgun. Both seemed to shoot very much the same out to 25 yards. For longer range shooting, I use the 5" 627PC. epi seemed to hit it, as the 4" seemed to got to the range for practice, while the 6" stayed home. Though I must say that now that I have the 627PC, it gets 10 times the practice the 4" 686 gets.

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Hook686

While I am glad I got the 6" barrel, as others correctly point out, there is no "right" length. I plan on using a scope and shooting at 100 yards so I can use the extra muzzle velocity the additional 2 inches will give me. But for carry or home defense, the 4" would get my vote.

Perfect IMHO

J=2"
K/L=4"
N=6"

Half lugs on the K-N. The longer barrels are definately easier to hit with and add some to the velocity but the above just feels right to me.

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"You should enjoy life with the gun you have, not the gun you wish you had"

Traded my 6 inch for a 4 inch and don't regret it. I shoot it alot more and use it for a carry gun...something that I seldom had done with the 6 inch. Either one though is a great revolver. But I would buy the 4 inch given the choice. Let us know what you decide. Hope this helps

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You'll shoot your eye out kid

I compromised - 5" 686+. Hard to find, but out there. You never did say what you wanted it for.

The 5" 686+, a 'Stocking Dealer Exclusive' some five years back, was my choice for a 686. It's a half lug seven shooter that came as shown - great Ahrends grips, HiViz front sight, V-notch rear sight - and it was $10 less than a 4" 686+ in the same case. My favorite 4" .357M/.38 is shown below the 5"-er below - a 627 Pro. Sure, it lists for $127 more - probably $100 cost more - but it's an N-frame, moonclip ready 8-shooter, with a recessed muzzle and eased charge holes for faster reloads. The best extra - a springloaded front sight mount for tool-less sight changes. It's barely 2 oz heavier, too, than the 4" 686+ - something to consider. Ranch Products has the moonclips for $50/50 delivered, too. Possibly my favorite cf revolver.



I don't want to pull the OP from his desired revolver - just offer a selection. Good luck!

Stainz

PS The 620 is essentially a 4" 686+ with a partially lugged barrel - and at $39 less, MSRP. Another choice.

Six inch is fun to shoot but 4 inch is more practicle if you can only have one. My six inch has gone camping with me for 23 years and has protected my home, but I prefer to carry something smaller and lighter.

Since no one mentioned it is a P (ported) model I am thinking it not something he would want for anything but range use.

I have a unfired as yet 5" unfluted one of 1125 made for Southern Sports and it is really a nice gun, but it is just a tad small for my big hands and really need the N frame guns for accurate shooting.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

I own both but use my 4 inch more. Better balance and still accurate enough to have lots of fun. HTH c good

Since at least their '01 catalog, the 686, 686 Plus, and the 686 PowerPort were the models offered. The only 'PowerPort', or comped, model offered from '01-'08 was the 6" 6-shot - SKU #164272; it is not in the '09 catalog. The 686P generally is used in place of '686+' or '686 Plus', while the 686 PowerPort is denoted as the 686PP even in the '08 catalog (pg 41).

Stainz

I was just going by the box on mine as it listed it as 686 P and the website (which is a whole other problem due to quick changes) at the time had 686P as ported model. But with the way S&W does things you never know, and especailly with short runs of special guns for large wholesalers like Southern Sports, Zanders and Lew Horten.

I bet if truth be known some of these "rare" or "special run" guns are not so rare or special. And since we be talking 686 I would guess that 5" 686 might be more common then we think or S&W has let on for what ever reasons. Just my two cents,

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

Unless you plan on hunting get the 4".I have the 686P in 4" and love it and have ccw it at times.(winter)

As so many others have noted, the 4 inch model is a superior choice for all around use.

I have 3 S&W revolvers, a 4 inch 67-1, a 4 inch 620, and a 6 1/2 inch 610. What I have found is that the more weight in the barrel, the more difficult it is to shoot accurately in rapid fire double action. Back when I could afford to practice weekly, with my 67-1 I could shoot a 3 inch group at 40 feet with a 1/2 second interval time. With the 620 the best I could manage using the same 38 spl. as in the 67-1 is a 4 inch group at the same distance and interval. I really never understood why until I got my 610. The long heavy barrle on the 610 made that cause for my poorer shooting with the 620 quite obvious. It's all about the swing weight of the gun. When your shooting rapidly, the higher swing weight causes you to drift the gun past the point of aim when returning to point from the recoil. Lighter barrels have less swing weight to fight and it makes these guns easier to shoot accurately in rapid fire drills. BTW, the best I have managed with my 610 at a 1/2 second interval at 40 feet is a rather miserable 7 inch grouping. If I slow down to a 1 second split, the 610 is a drill, however any time I try and increase my speed, all that weight in the barrel just slays my groupings.

Point is, long barrels are great for slow aimed fire and very easy to shoot accurately in this mode. However, they are not as good a choice for any setting where speed is a factor.

Here you go, a five inch "ROCKS", for a woods gun. The power port is good for target shooting and I didn't know you can get it in a four inch gun.

I agree with the 686 4" for a Carry Weapon, which is the one i carried for my last 14 years as a LEO. I carry the 686 2.5 inch some now as a "retired-LEO", but even that one is still somewhat heavy. Then, i have the 686-4 6 incher which you asked about. Too long a barrel to wear under a jacket or stick down in your pants with a IWB holster. Its good for Target Shooting, or if you're a hunter. A 686-4 starts the S&W's drilled/tapped revolvers, so you can put a scope/Red Dot on it. Heres a pic of my 6 incher with a Red Dot & Full Length Weaver Rail.
Carl

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...C_1566ENSW.jpg

Man that sure
Love to have a full rail like that on my N frame 610-3 6.5" in stainless.

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Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

I don't think you can go wrong with either length. In terms of quality they are equal. In terms of characteristics, the 4" is easier to carry, faster to draw and aim, while the 6" will give slightly better velocity, a little less felt recoil, and potentially be a bit easier to shoot more accurately, although I thinkbo th are equal in terms of inherent accuracy.

I have a few 586s and a 686 in both lengths, and to me, the 6" looks and feels more right, but if I carried it I'd go with the 4", or even 2.5"unless I was going open carry. But seriously, the 686 is probably one of the finest revolvers available in .357, in any length.

Agree completely. Having said that I have the 686+ 3"

I split the difference and bought the 5" Talo version...really like the balance.

If you ask me this question last year, i would of said 6 in. Having 2 4 5 6 in. I shoot just as good with my 4 in. If your going to carry, the 4 in. is great. The 2 and 3 is great also.
Just buy all of them. One gun at a time !!!

I have a 686-6 Plus 4" that I just bought to use as a woods gun when on hunting trips. I just returned from my first hunt carrying it for 3 days. I use a cross draw holster and it carries very nicely on the "spot and stalk" hunts that I do regularly. When stomping around the bushes looking for a wounded hog I really like the comfort and easy handling of the 4" as opposed to a 6". I also carry it in the car when traveling and in my home when not traveling. It's just a very good all around gun. No, it's not as accurate at the range as a 6" but the easy of carry and shooting make it the ideal bush/woods gun for me. So far, it easily handles any and all .357 loads I've put through it at the range.

Bob

When my duty semi-auto became finicky, I traded it for a 4" 686P and never looked back. Shooting duty .38+P, I found the gun very accurate and the weighted rib kept the gun on target for fast multiple shots. I felt that it handled better with small round butt pachmyer(sp) grips. It is not a light piece to pack but I still have it and carry it occasionally in retirement.

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Metro Man

Of the two, I'd vote 4". That said, 5" is my favorite by far. Perfect blend of balance and sight radius, IMHO.
They make the 5" flavor in the Talo 3-5-7 and Pro series.

Model 686 Plus 3-5-7 Magnum Series | Smith & Wesson
Performance Center(R) Pro Series(R) Model 686 Plus | Smith & Wesson

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Dave

Anyone notice this thread started in 2009....... hope the OP made a decision by now....... and is still alive.

If you're planning long range shooting select a 6". If you are not planning on long range shooting then for everything else get a 4". I made an amazing shot once (witnessed!) with a 6" Model 586 that I don't know if I could have made with my 4" 686+. It's a maybe. The 4" barrel can go anywhere with me in relative comfort if I am open carrying (it's a woods thing for me; not in town). The 6" starts to become somewhat unwieldy so I don't even try to strap it on.

Moreover, the 4" is a great defensive gun, especially at home. I personally don't want to deal with a longer barrel in that circumstance.

From time to time someone resurrects a long dead thread. Sometimes they pop up on the daily message board, nobody reads the date, VOILA! Resurrection. It's kinda fun, actually.

Well...it can be a tough decision.

Well, since it started in 2009, hopefully he's learned the most versatile 686 plus is the 3-incher. How's that for thread drift
after all these years?

I would never advise anyone to buy a S&W. Please read my thread

I love old threads like this. I couldn't decide which barrel length i liked most, so I bought a 3", 4" and a 5" Still can't decide! I guess I need to add the 2-1/2", 6", 7" and the 8-3/4". Maybe then I can make a decision.

It's 2 inches shorter.

Seriously, neither I nor anyone else can really help you much, here. Which do you want? Decide, order, enjoy.

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Pisgah