586-4 Score

Coastie762 · #1 11-06-2016, 08:55 AM

I found this apparently little (if any) used 6" barrel 586-4 at a small local gun show yesterday. No bluing wear, very light turn line on the cylinder. No burn marks on the cylinder face and no cartridge marks on the recoil shield. The only imperfections I found were a couple of handling dings below the thumbpiece.

As can be seen in the attached photos, it is a round butt with forged thumb piece and drilled/tapped frame. If I read the Julian date on the label correctly it shows 24 May 1995 as the mfg/ship date. Serial number prefix is BSY.

Overall it looks unmolested. Screw heads were not wallowed out with no evidence of the side plate ever being removed. The S&W marked Hogue rubber stocks took some convincing to come off due to dried lube/preservative underneath. No rust was found once that was cleaned off.

Chamber throats measured a consistent .357 using pin gauges. B/C gap is a snug .005". Chamber alignments are perfect and no perceptible endshake.

The gun came with a plastic box which contained a manual (revision date 2/95), blue plastic bag and a screwdriver style sight adjustment tool. Interestingly, my 3rd edition SCSW stated that use of plastic boxes started in 1996; as noted the Julian date appears to show a 1995 date. The label also identifies the gun as a square butt though it is clearly a round butt version.

I'm very happy with this one. Can't wait to get out and see what it will do!

Glashaus · #2 11-06-2016, 09:01 AM

Sweet! Nice Find! I believe that the SB on the box just refers to the stocks, not the frame.

I have a 6" 586-1, nickel, these are great shooting S&W's!

BAM-BAM · #3 11-06-2016, 09:03 AM

Great find..........................round butts on all 586s were started in 1995 and IIRC the old style (frame/hammer/trigger) 586s went out of production in 97/98.

I've got a couple and I'd take a nice 586 over a Python any day!!!!!

OK I'd take the Python; sell it and buy 4 or 5 586s; if I could find them!!!!

retiredbadge8091 · #4 11-06-2016, 09:13 AM

My guess, and it's only a guess, is the Spec. Ord. Code (5144) below the serial number indicates that a round butt was ordered on the new gun. Those in the know will surely be along to help you out.

By the way, that is a beautiful revolver, hopefully we'll get a range report. My 586 4" is a great gun. It has the best trigger pull in the safe and it's a tack driver at the range. I really like the 586 even though it delivered the death blow to the beloved Model 19.

DocB · #5 11-06-2016, 09:30 AM

Mine is blue and used (maybe 92%), but I picked it up 8 years ago for $250. . .back when nobody wanted them. Definitely would take it over a Python. Rick's Walking Dead Python broke earlier this year. Hammer and trigger and maybe some internal parts. You can't break a 586. This one is an early M gun. . .maybe around 1986.

BAM-BAM · #6 11-06-2016, 09:38 AM

Love the look of the Factory "Combat" grips..... but they don't fit my hand!

IMHO that's a perfect shooter grade DocB......90-95% guns are ideal....nice but not too nice to just leave at home!!!!!

stmry · #7 11-06-2016, 11:31 AM

Blued steel, .357, round butt. Oh Yeah!!!!

Coastie762 · #8 11-12-2016, 04:23 PM

Here are a couple more photos of the 586-4 wearing a brand new set of Ahrends Moradillo retro target stocks. While the Hogues are functional a revolver this nice screams out for something with a bit more eye appeal.

Enjoy!

kaaskop49 · #9 11-12-2016, 06:25 PM

And for some reason

, I thought the only revolvers you owned were chambered in .45ACP! Darken ship, Coastie.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Coastie762 · #10 11-12-2016, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaaskop49

And for some reason

, I thought the only revolvers you owned were chambered in .45ACP! Darken ship, Coastie.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Oh, there are a "few" other calibers and models residing in my accumulation...

Kernel Crittenden · #11 11-12-2016, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coastie762

..... Interestingly, my 3rd edition SCSW stated that use of plastic boxes started in 1996; as noted the Julian date appears to show a 1995 date. The label also identifies the gun as a square butt though it is clearly a round butt version...

I've seen guns in that blue plastic box that shipped as early as 1994. They used both the blue plastic case and the one-piece cardboard box all thru 1994 and 1995. And the one-piece box would occasionally showing up, here and there, all thru the late '90's. Even after they had transitioned to the plastic case for 99% of standard production.

Regarding the "SB". It means the stocks have a square butt profile. They are Hogue round-to-square conversion stocks. See how the letters SB appear under the word "Stock". That is confusing, but it makes perfect sense once it's explained.

Rock185 · #12 11-13-2016, 01:03 AM

That is a nice one Coastie. I bought a new 4" 586 when they were first released, and a succession of 686s afterwards. I'd been carrying a 66 on duty and when I switched to the L-Frame my scores went a point or two during qualification shoots. I think that heavy barrel made the difference. And no worry about cracking forcing cones as sometimes happened with the .357 K-frames. Saw a couple of those myself....

Coastie762 · #13 11-13-2016, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernel Crittenden

I've seen guns in that blue plastic box that shipped as early as 1994. They used both the blue plastic case and the one-piece cardboard box all thru 1994 and 1995. And the one-piece box would occasionally showing up, here and there, all thru the late '90's. Even after they had transitioned to the plastic case for 99% of standard production.

Regarding the "SB". It means the stocks have a square butt profile. They are Hogue round-to-square conversion stocks. See how the letters SB appear under the word "Stock". That is confusing, but it makes perfect sense once it's explained.

Kernel, thanks for the information as always. Regarding the SB marking on the label, my comments stemmed from the product code description in the 3rd ed SCSW. It listed two descriptions for the same product code, the first from 1987 to 1995, the second from 1996-1999. The latter listed among the features "...RB...with SB grips". The earlier dated code only indicated "SB". I guess the difference was due to the ongoing transition from square to round butts during this time frame and the labels had not yet caught up.