andyo5
Member
I used to own a couple of post-lock 686's. They were among the most accurate and reliable shooters of any Smith revolvers I've owned or fired and neither the lock nor the guns' MIM parts bothered me an iota. I sold them only because my taste in revolvers migrated slightly. I purchased a shooter grade 27 because I decided that the massive Ns were a better platform for extended sessions of .357 than were my two Ls. And, I bought a 2 1/2" 19 for carry. That said, the new 586 will be a helluva handgun if its performance matches that of those post-lock 686s.
I agree that a heavy gun is better for .357 magnum loads. My 6" 686 is OK, but my 4" was not nearly as much fun to shoot for very long. I had a model 620 for awhile and found it punishing to shoot. The lighter guns are better for carry, but not so good for extended shooting.
I have a 6" GP100 that is great fun to shoot full power loads with. It is as heavy as a tank.