So I wanted to get my first revolver so I read online for the last 2 weeks trying to decide what to buy. I started off only wanting to spend $500.00. So I was looking into Taurus. As I researched more things changed. After reading on about 100 different sites I decided on getting the Ruger GP100. Every site pointed to it having a great warranty, made in america, built tough, and price better than smith and wesson.

So today I went to a gunshow to buy the Ruger GP100 in 6". Right next to was a Smith & Wesson 686 so I decided to compare it to the GP100 and about 20 minutes later I left with the 686.
They had it in both 6" and 5", both which had triggers that felt way better than the ruger. But the 5" felt so much better in my hand and seemed better balanced.

So my questions are what ammo should I be buying for this? I was going to buy 38 special for target shooting and 357mag for defense. But I didn't realize there were grain differences of 125 and 158 and I am not sure what to buy for target or defense in either caliber.
I also am curious if there is anything special I should do during gun cleaning. Like I said I never had a revolver before.

Or if there are any other pointers you guys can share about the gun or if I made the right choice, that would be great thanks.

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For target ammo, I get what ever .38 Spl is cheapest, usually Winchester White Box 150 gr lead round nose.

For defense get out the popcorn, depends on the situation.

I wouldn't touch off a .357 inside the house, or in a vehicle, especially at night in the dark. Too much flash too much noise too much chance of over penetration.... Blind, deaf and disoriented.
I'd recommend a .38 +p

In the field different story, dangerous game? or just rabbits? 2 legged or 4. I prefer heavier bullets, the .357 was developed around the 158 gr.

It can be a complex decision.

Welcome to the forum !

I love my Rugers, but you made a great decision !

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SWCA #2817

Welcome to the forum. I agree with Jimmy. Just get shooting and soon you'll have your own preferences. Since revolvers are fairly reliable, you don't have to worry about ammo working in your gun.

I think you made the right choice. GP100 is a fine gun, but placed next to a S&W 686 and I will take the Smith every time.

As to your question about ammo...what type of defense use do you plan? It's a bit big for edc.

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Stay protected my friends.

Welcome to the forum, and welcome to the wonderful world of Smith & Wesson. I believe you chose well. They don't get much better than the 686 which we call an "L" frme size.

I agree with all of the above on ammo. Get the less expensive 38 special from the big box stores. Less expensive means you can buy more and shoot more. For devense I probably more often carry 38+P than 357. Try both. And...enjoy!

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Randy
Provenance nerd

As far as defense it wouldn't be really an every day carry but more for when hunting using it as a side arm. In case a coyote or something ever gave me an issue though I doubt I would ever really need it for that.

Congratulations! I don't think you'll regret purchasing the S&W instead of a Ruger. S&W model 686's are "bullet proof" and the 5" barrel is a really nice compromise between the longer target-oriented barrels and the faster-handling shorter barrels. While the triggers on both Rugers and Smith's can be made as smooth and light as you want, the Smith's tend to come from the factory with better triggers. And it will only get better the more you shoot it.

As far as ammo is concerned, you are only limited by what fits inside the cylinder of your 686. You can shoot as much 357 as you want, so by all means get it out of your system: Your hand will wear out much sooner than the revolver. But you'll probably soon find yourself shooting mostly 38 spl for target practice (110, 125, or 158 grain target loads). However, if you plan to use this revolver for self defense, it's a good idea to shoot some 357 or 38+p at each range session just to keep familiar with whatever loads you end up carrying for self-defense. While it may seem sensible to warm up with lighter loads and then move up to the heavy-hitters, I would recommend you get all your 357 out of the way first (or at least early in the session), as the shorter 38 spl cartridges will leave a dirty ring around the front of the cylinder that can make it difficult to extract the longer magnum cases.

If you're thinking of self defense mainly against people, 38 +p hollow points pack plenty of punch (125 or 158 grain). Although you might also consider 357 magnum in this role, too (also 125 or 158 grain or anything in between). Your 686 is also an excellent choice for protection against dangerous animals on camping trips or while hiking or fishing, in which case I'd recommend 158 grain or 180 grain (or even 200 grain) magnum semi-wadcutters or hardcast flat points. Loaded heavy, your 686 is capable of taking down pretty much anything in North America with decent shot placement – even brown bear in a pinch... with a little bit of luck and nerves of steel The only thing to keep in mind, in particular with magnum ammo, is that you'll notice more recoil with heavier bullets and much more sound and fury with the lighter bullets, because the shorter bullets allow for more powder, which rarely burns up in the barrel. The 125 grainers are sometimes referred to as "flame throwers" for that reason.

Also, depending on where you live, you may want to pick up some CCI snake shot. When I head for the woods, I load my model 66 with two shotshells and four 180 grain flat points and carry a speed strip with more flat points or sometimes jacketed hollow points if I think I'm more likely to encounter people. And if you carry outside the home, don't forget a proper gun belt and leather holster.

You made a great choice. Congratulations on your new revolver!

For field use, I would always have a .357 loaded with full-charge ammunition and sighted to place the bullets "on top of my front sight" at 25 yards. As to ammo, if you are a handloader you will probably develop your own ideas soon enough. I'd recommend starting with #2400 powder and ~160 grain bullets. If you plan to buy ammo, I have had great results with Federal's inexpensive 158 grain JSP American Eagle ammo.

Good luck with your new sixgun.

For self defense, I've chosen the Hornady Critical Defense 125gr for my 686+. But I have a fixed rear sight so I'm sort of forced to pick what shoots point of aim.

There's so much good defensive ammo in .357. Hornady, Cor-Bon, Speer, Buffalo Bore, Double Tap all make terrific stuff.

In that case I would recommend the heavier grain bullet and carry the same fmj that you target shoot with.
You would be shooting animals - not humans, and in a situation where over penetration would not be a concern.

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Stay protected my friends.

I guess one more question I have is has anyone here ever had an issue with the internal lock failing? Should I have it removed or is it ok to leave in even if I never use it. I saw a few youtube videos where the lock failed, just had me a little worried.

Welcome, the model 686 may be the most popular S&W revolver, try a variety of ammo and use what you prefer. What ever you are most comfortable with is what you should use. The 686 will handle any 38 special or 357 magnum. It is the cheap reloaded ammo, not the powerful ammo that is most likely to mess up your gun.

Just forget its there, your more likely to get struck by lightning.

I've got three with locks and never think about them.

And a Hound Dawg Howdy from SC. You did good. That's the basis. Rugers are good. If you want more refinement S&W wins. I was about to settle for a Ruger when I decided I'd always wish I'd gotten the 686. So I went for broke and have been very happy ever since.

My 686 has one great trigger!

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Congratulations! I recommend trying out different ammo, to see what YOU like the best. For target shooting, I prefer Magtech in .357. I loves me a good fireball

I don't have a favorite defensive ammo because I have a different platform for my home defense. As others have mentioned, the .357 blast could be momentarily debilitating.

Hard to go wrong with a 686, but Rugers are good guns also.
If you haven't had much experience with magnum loads, start off with the .38 specials, get a feel for the gun before you let fly with heavy .357's. The blast and recoil takes a bit of getting used to if you haven't done it before.

I have to assume the OP doesn't live in California because it must be illegal or something to have a 686 due to the fireball. I live about as far away as I can get from CA, but my younger sister lives there and she told me you cannot even buy a dang lawnmower without some special flame arresting muffler setup so I assume that guns are the same....maybe someone should invent a CA Approved by-pass line/tube that routes the flameball back to the Hillary Hole , then vents to atmosphere through a vertical standpipe or something.

Above all in jest ...and welcome to the forum OP from Virginny.

I don't have a 686 as I'm more into the "old Smiths" but my 28-2 Highway Patrolman, and the Model 19-3 both pack that terrific .357 Mag punch and at the local range (indoor) the "black plastic" shooters in adjacent lanes always like to "watch" the flamethrower in action, some take away from their lane time to "try mine out" when I need a wrist rest.

Enjoy that 686, and lets see a "range report" when you take her out for trial run.

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

For your first revolver, that is about as good as it gets! I recently picked up a 5" 686 TALO just like your picture, and it is the right barrel for an L frame. I have 6" and 4", but 5" just seems balanced, both in looks and feel. As others have said, Ruger makes good revolvers, but the trigger, resale, and overall feel of a S&W cannot be beat. Welcome to the forum!

Pequod.

Shortyg83, welcome to the Forum and to the world of S&W revolvers. The 686 was several firsts for me. 1st revolver, 1st S&W and 1st gun purchase. When I bought it I didn't know anything about lock vs no lock so it didn't matter to me. I have no idea how many rounds of 38 and 357 I've shot but I have never had an issue with the lock. Shoot it, clean it and shoot it again. Then repeat.

I liked mine so much I found a deal on an identical 686 and now have twins

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Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

Welcome to the FORUM! You won't be sorry with the 686! I have a 686-3, 6" & a 586 no dash 4" (586 is blue) They are both great guns. .38 special ammo is OK for most purposes, and quite a bit cheaper. Enjoy your 1st revolver. More Smiths will likely follow. Bob

Excellent choice, you'll enjoy shooting the Model 686 and it's not too heavy to carry afield. Pick up a good holster and reinforced gunbelt.

Ammo selections are wide open with a .357 Rem. Mag. capable of handling .38 S&W Specials as well. Inexpensive .38 target loads at the range and up to .357 158 grain JSP's in the field.

Shoot it and clean it, nothing special, I like Break Free but others have different opinions. I also prefer wood over rubber grips but that's a personal preference too. Stick around here and you'll learn something new everyday. You've already learned that Smiths are something special. (Oh, and like my signature line says...)

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Thanks for all the info guys, really appreciated. Now I guess I just need to find a good holster that will protect the gun and not mark it up much.

A "lined" Bianchi 5BHL will run you around $70 or so and, if kept clean, will hardly put a mark on your gun in years of use. If you get to thinking you are too sophisticated for a simple old thumb-break holster like it, by that time you will be an "expert" and will know exactly what you want. You'll have gotten your $70-worth out of the Bianchi, and then some.

Keeping the inside of any holster clean and free of debris goes a long way in minimizing finish wear and is one thing that costs nothing and is easy to do.

Ryan Grizzle makes excellent holsters. I really like the GS2 and gun belt he made me (below), but it pulls the square butt of my 66-2 in very close to the body. That's great for concealment, but not ideal if open carry is preferred or concealment is not a priority. Since you mentioned carry in the field while hunting, I would suggest something like R.Grizzle's "Field Holster", or possibly a "Working Man" (his version of the classic Bruce Nelson "Avenger"), which doesn't hold the weapon quite as tight to the body, but would still provide decent concealment for situations in which open carry is not an option.

Something like the "Guides Choice" chest rig from Diamond D might also serve you well in the field.



Stiff leather holsters can be squeaky, but a little baby powder rubbed into the seams will take care of that.

My experiments with Lehigh Defense Xtreme Penetrator is the wound channel resembles a full metal jacket round. Therefore, I wouldn't recommend it. I wish they made an Xtreme Defense round. Heck, it might even be worth taking up reloading for!!!

I reload my own ammunition, so it's been a long time since I shot any commercial ammo through any of my handguns. However, the JHPs and hardcast flat points pictured with the holster in post #25 above are both from Underwood. I'm a traditionalist and the Lehigh Defense stuff is more of a niche product in my opinion. But Underwood Ammo makes high-quality ammunition, including some truly powerful 357 magnum offerings. And last I checked the prices were much better than Buffalo Bore. I've spoken to the owner before on the phone and he seemed very friendly and easy to deal with. Like I said, I normally "roll my own", but UA is the first place I look when I don't have the time or inclination to do the work myself.

Rugers are very very good guns.I've got a few of them....and a lot of S&Ws.Good choice!
Qc

Not sure how this works have been trying for a while. Any pointers let me know as to shorty on the 686 first revolver I've had many some of my favorites have been Dan Wesson however the revolver that you showed the 686 Plus talon I believe with a 5 inch barrel I've had several Smith & Wesson 686 + 629 however that particular 686 with a 5 inch barrel has been an awesome handgun as far as the ammunition what you need to do is by several brands and see which one works best in your gun currently in 357 Magnum I'm using a Barnes vortex hundred and forty grain and has excellent accuracy would love to help you out in any other way let me know if you receive this because this is the first time I have tried to communicate on this site the one thing I did was change out the grips that came on my 686 because they were a little thin for my hand and I purchase a grip from Hogue that works out very well changing it from the round butt 2 a square butt grip.

I had a Ruger GP100 Match Champion that did have a really good trigger and it was well built. I sold it and bought a 627-5 pro. I am much more accurate with the 627. The S&W will more than likely hold more value than the GP would.

I only shot cheapest 38 spl for target shooting before I started reloading and 357 mags for carry. I have since gone to 38 spl +P for carry.

If you haven't had much experience with revolvers then definitely read your gun manual for safety information. You don't want to be blowing fingers or chunks of your hand off from the cylinder gap.

The S&W 686 is probably one of the most popular revolvers. You made a good choice.

Shortyg83: For Your first Revolver, you made a fantastic choice IMHO. I just can't believe you won't just fall in love with your SS S&W 686 in very short order. You have a Class Act Revolver now and anybody that see`s it, will agree. Now like they always told me in the Military. Go out and get hip deep in mty brass with it.
ken

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