Been reading posts about the failings of some 686 guns and wondered what the overall favorite choice or preference of the 586 be. Would it be a 586 no dash, -1, -2, -3 ? Please give a logical reason for your choice. I've been looking at quit a few different 586's and thought it might be a smart idea to ask before I go any further. Thanks to all for your help.

Steve

I'm not sure what failings that you are talking about. All the 586's are great guns, I just prefer the ones prior to the lock. I have one of the first ones made and it has performed great for a lot of years and a lot of rounds.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Say What? The 686 has a pretty strong following in these parts. I've not heard a lot about it's failings.

Brian~

OK--let's forget about the 686 and try to explain the preferences by individuals about the different 586's--meaning the 586 no dash, -1,-2,-3, etc.

Thanks

I'm partial to this 586-3. It shoots like a dream.

Jerry

I do not own any new 686s so I cant say anything bad about them. IMO any 586/686 pre lock in good shape will serve you well.

I've got a 586 L-Comp, it's a -7. No troubles whatsoever, it has a wonderful action and is incrediby accurate.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

How about posting a link?

I have both the 4" and 6" in 586 no dash unmodified and while I don't have "heavy" volumn thru either, they have performed flawlessly and both are very accurate. I believe this is the best production 357 magnum ever built - of any brand!

I don't know any shooting reason to pick one version over another - but from a collectors standpoint - I'm betting on the early guns.

Ward

I have a 586-1 & a 686 no dash both are 6" barrels and are so accurate its spooky.(under an inch at 25 yards)The only failings I can think of are that there is never enough range time & reloading components are getting expensive.

I think what you are talking about is a recall S&W had in
1987 for L frame revolvers. If you want to know more information go to this link. Don

S&W 686 Recall? - TheFiringLine Forums

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"Don't worry be happy"

If he was referring to the hammer/firing pin mod, the 586 was subject to this as well. There is a similar post by 624 fan on the 1st page of the FAQ thread. This thread has been made a sticky and is at the top of the revolvers 1980 to present section.

Model 586 Brazil contract IMO. A great gun with .357 frame but in .38 SPL, the strongest .38 SPL far

I choose only blue guns, so 585. Carbon steel is harder and the stop notches will wear slower, blue looks great and the SS gun is a bit heavier. I would seek a firing pin on hammer gun, definitely pre-lock. Other than that I am not familiar with the subtleties of the dashes. Intuitively I would say the earlier the better.

I'm interested in 586's too. Not to hijack the post, but are any models (other than the L-Comp) to be found with round butts? The current 586 "Classic" appears to be available in a square butt and with only one barrel length.

Put a 586 round butt 4" 7 shot revolver on the list of revolvers I would buy immediately if the IL went away.

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S&W Rover

There are many variables to making the "best" 586. The no dash or dash isn't even on my radar. Condition, barrel, timing, indexing, forcing cone, trigger, grips, and on and on.

I would not use the dash as my criteria for buying one. I have the no dash with 8 3/8" barrel. It is one of my fav pieces, but I have no idea whether it is better than the others.

My favorite is my 4" 586-4 factory round butt....... only made for about a year in the mid-90s. I like round butts.....................

That said there are no 'bad"586s at least through the -4s.......I've got 3 total, the -4; a 6" no dash and another 4" -2

I’m curious but what are the differences between the no dash and the 1-4 I would assume the -1 is the modified version of the 586

Are there significant differences other than barrel length?

I would like the 3" L comp but wont buy any new Smith sight unseen. So would have to stumble across one.