Long story, but a friend owes me a gun. I have a choice of a 640 Pro Series or a 686 Plus 2.5". Both are brand new in the box.

I have many J Frames, eight to be exact, but have always been interested in the 640 Pro.

However, I am also really into K/L Frames these days. Since I got the correct holster and belt I no longer carry my J Frames. I pretty much carry a K or L Frame everyday. I have one K Frame and four L frames.

I already have a 686 PC 2.5". It has become one of my favorite guns and it sees a lot of carry and range time. I like it so much I am leaning toward a second 686 2.5", though non-PC.

Not sure what to do here. What would you do if you were in my situation?

UPDATED: One more thing to add. I just found out if I throw in $450 I can have a NIB 325 Thunder Ranch. Not sure I want to throw down all that cash.

Go with the 686. If you are already used to carrying one, then go for it. Carry a J frame as a "New York Reload" while your at it, and satisfy both ends. Sounds good either way.

Since they "cost" the same I'd go for the 640 Pro but I'm a bit of a "J-hound". The reason being that they seem a little harder to find and are IMO just about the best carry J-frame out there and it already takes moon clips.

Funniest type of question there is......

That's not precisely what you said but that's what I perceive that you said.

If you're not carrying J-frames the only reason to get the 640 is that it enhances your collection and you'll be happy to have it. If you like carrying L-frames a 2.5" 686 is hard to beat. it won't hurt your collection, either......

***GRJ***

If I were you, and I feel like I know you because you keep us informed about your guns, I would go with the 686 plus. You could keep the PC for range work and carry the plus and not have to worry so much about dinging it or losing it.

I think I remember you already have some 1911's. Since you already have 45 ACP it is not like a new caliber you would have to buy into. I shot my friend's 625 of 1989 at the range about a month ago and I was very impressed with how it shot. Very different from the 38/357's I usually shoot. It made one big hole at 25 yds. I know you like Scandium so I think you should get the Thunder Ranch too.

Nothing wrong with the 640 Pro though. Just sounds like you have moved away from the J frames so you don't need it as much.

I would have to pick the 640 Pro. Just because it's cool looking, uses moon clips, has a fluted barrel and tritium front sight.

I'd go 640 Pro.....just because you don't see many of them:

Really helpful advice. Please keep it coming.

Also, If anyone has a set of 686PC 2.5" factory grips they are looking to part with, please shoot me a PM.

harrismasher,

i have owned both the 640 pro as well as a 686-4 "plus" with 2.5 inch barrel.

both great guns.

from what you said in your opening post, it doesn't sound like you have a practical need (carry, HD, or range) for one over the other.

so, I suggest you listen to that little voice inside that will tell you which one will float your boat and make you smile the most. If they were both laying side by side on a table, which one would you grab first?

good luck with your decision. hope we get to see it like the other great photos you've shared.

A hard pick but I don't think you need to spend extra to get something great. Two good choices already. I do highly suggest you try the rubber Hogue Bantam grips on the 686 snub. While ugly they just feel right on that gun. The wood ones aren't made the same for the pinky. I haven't been able to find anyone who has that exact profile in wood. Usually can get them for $18.00 so not a great expense to try them out. Sounds like you might end up needing 2 pair.

I own a 640pro and a 3" 686 plus. I've had difficulty finding a holster that I like for the L frame. The additional rounds in the 686 are nice, but I found myself wanting to take it off by early evening. I carried it about a week, then switched back to the 640.

The tritium sights on the 640 are also a huge bonus in my book.

I agree with Zipdog. If you carry the 686 I highly recommend the Hogue Bantams.

Thanks for the suggestion, but no rubber grips for me. They stick to everything especially my shirt and reveal I am carrying. Wood grips go on all my carry guns.

No one moves away from J frames permanently. You'll be baaaaack.

The 640 is a more versatile gun.

Bill

Man i have handled a 640 pro. Its a dandy. I am a N frame guy but that 640 is noice...........

Well, since you don't "need" either one. I'd go with the 640 Pro. You dont see that many of them, its already been cut for moon clips, its got a great sight picture, and it doesn't have the ILS. I also don't think I have seen any of your pics with an all stainless J present.

The 686 doesn't offer you anything more compared to your 686 PC or your 586. That being said, you can't really go wrong with either of them.

my personal experience is the Lobo enhanced pancake and a good belt work together to carry the 3" 686 plus very nicely.

for me, that combo takes the extra weight out of the equation and it becomes whether you've dressed around the extra bulk of the L compared to the J.

Turns out a NIB 686 3" is also an option. I have decided to go with that. I will have it next Saturday. As always I will post a little review and range report. That is before I send the cylinder out to be cut for moonclips and have the trigger/action done.

Nice!

I'm looking forward to the photos and range report.

Harris ... You let me know where to send payment, and I'll have $450 to you ASAP for that TR 325, plus whatever service fees and reasonable profit margin you would like to factor in.

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I'm with the banned ...

It's $450 on top of the gun HM's friend already owes him.

I'd come up with $450 and not look back.

Considering NIB TR 325s retail for ~$1,200, the $450 and the owed revolver still make it a nice deal.

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I'm with the banned ...

I appreciate you guys swaying me toward the 325TR. It was tempting.

However, I no longer own any 45acp guns. I got out of the caliber two years ago when I was mainly a semi-auto guy. I was trying to cut down on my calibers in my rifles and handguns. I shoot all the guns I own quite regularly and I need to feed them. With advances in modern ammo, 9mm seemed to do everything I needed in a pistol, so out went all my 45s. Just a few Sigs and 1911s. Rifles were my real thing, pistols were always thought of as a secondary weapon. But now that I seem to be collecting S&W revolvers, things are a bit different.

I thought long and hard about this and decided I didn't want to get into another expensive caliber. I just got into 32 mag and that's enough for now. So I ruled out the 325.

My friend manages a gun shop and could find any 3" 686s, all his distributors were sold out. So we decided to go to Gunbroker and he would just buy it for me, and I would pay the little difference over what he owed me.

So here she is...brand new in the box 686:









It was $749, plus shipping and transfer. Not a good deal, but they are hard to find.



Now I just need to decide what grips to put on it. I just got these Ahrends today. I bought them on Ebay Friday. Retro Combat round to square conversion Cordia wood. I think Ahrends grips are usually very beautiful, and these are no exception. I am not familiar with Cordia, but it sure is really nice.





Or these Altamont's I got last week. They are earmarked for my 65 Ladsmith which is out at S&W being refinished. They are also the exact same grips found on the Talo Deluxe version of 686 3".




Basically one of these will go on the 686 3" and one will go on the 65 Ladysmith when it comes home from S&W in god knows how long. I sent it in a month ago and paid for the work 2 weeks ago. I called toady and they still don't see the payment in the system. The nice lady said it takes 2 weeks to process the payment??? I guess they don't know it is 2014 over at S&W and credit cards can be processed instantly.

I will also be sending the cylinder out to TK Custom to be cut for moonclips, and I will have my local gunsmith do the trigger/action on the 686. Unless for some strange reason it is excellent as it is. Which would be highly unlikely

Looks nice. I assume it has no barrel cant?

I have been reluctant to order online for fear of getting a canted barrel or a scratched finish.

Won't know until I get it on Wednesday. I asked the seller and he said all is good. I have bought over a dozen S&W revolvers online in the last 6 months and have not had any barrel cant issues.

I would imagine the percent of S&W revolvers that leave the factory with a canted barrel is absolutely tiny. Probably less than 1%. You hear about it from time to time on the forum here. For everyone of those complaints, I suspect there are 99 that are fine, but we just don't hear about it. Don't see too many "My Barrel Isn't Canted" posts I sincerely doubt 1 in 100 revolvers leave the factory canted. Probably not even 1 in 1000. That would be significantly less than 1%.

So I think the odds of my barrel NOT being canted are pretty good and I will take the chance every time.

Congrats!

That's a nice one.

How much do the Cordia Ahrends weigh? Really like the grain on them.

Great choice, the 686!
The DA revolver is still one of the very best choices in defensive firearms, and will last a lifetime.

Polymer/scandium/aluminum guns will come and go, but the stainless steel revolver is here to stay!

For me, the 686 prints too much with square butt grips, so I would stick with the factory's idea of using combats.

p.s. I like your gun.

I got the gun yesterday and put the Altamonts from the 686 3" Deluxe on it.





The square Ahrends were returned and replaced with round Ahrends retro combats that are going on my 586 L Comp.

Nice 686! I like the grips.

Here is what the 640-1 Pro would have looked like with similar Altmont grips

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!