Those are some good prices for the 686's.

At least now I don't feel so bad paying $750 OTD (including TAX/DROS/Transfer) here in Cali.

It seems that all the 4" 686 are really hard to get. Shop had to put in an order and hopefully it should be here in a week and then I can hurry up and wait more (stupid 10 day wait for Cali)

I would think that unless there was a call for a 7 or 8 shot revolver, which must be due to competition with large capacity self loaders, no one would be making them. They must be harder to get the timing perfect on the cylinder rotation and barrel alignment. Not to mention the fact that since you are cramming another round or 2 in to the same size cylinder, you are by necessity thinning the walls between the cylinder chambers, making it weaker. Not a big deal with a 38 but when pushing +P velocities/pressures in a 357 mag, things might get a little more demanding as far as metalurgy is concerned.

That said, each round I have that gives me more time before my next reload is a good thing to me!

I have a 3" 686+, it had a lock which got replaced by the plug. It is MIMd; however, it has the best smoothest double action trigger of any of my 8 other S&W revolvers, the quality control on this particular pistol is great, it is very accurate, has great balance and is my favorite 357. Speed loaders are available and inexpensive. I love my 686+ and cannot see the downside to having 7 instead of 6 shots. Some folks are just Luddites. Back in the 1800s the flintlock shooters fought those newfangled percussion cap guns and claimed they were not a good as the traditional flintlock.

LOL, I'll bet that when the flintlocks were replacing the matchlocks there was also a group who felt those new fangled "sparkers" would never replace a good burning wick.