Looking at buying my first Performance Center gun. The 986 catches my eye but want to know if anyone has one and thoughts on it?

Two guys at the club bought one. They seem very accurate to me. They needed a little help in the trigger department but I took care of that right off. A pile of moon clips and FastFire III on an compact mount and you will be entertained as long as the ammo holds out.

Use mine for Steel Challenge.
Slick and accurate, what's not to like?
No issues, unlike the 929s several of my buds use.

__________________
-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

I have one and agree completely with previous comments.

Buy a pile of clips and a good clip tool. I recommend the BMT Mooner, but it's expensive. There are less expensive solutions that work.

+1 for the 986. Which one are you considering the 2.5" or 5"? I have the 2.5" and had the opportunity to shoot it last week. It was a real joy to shoot. I changed the factory stocks for a set of Ahrends cocobolo stocks.

Attached Images

20170108_201845 (Copy).jpg (83.6 KB, 323 views)

__________________
Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

If you are interested in the 2.5inch they are a treat to shoot.
My 986 snub I dont like the grips either but haven't pulled the trigger on a replacement set.

Thanks for the reply's guy's. Nice looking pic's Taroman & G-Dad!
I'm looking at the snub, I will have to order it as the dealer only has the 5' model.

I have a 5 inch very accurate fun gun , you will love it !!!!!!!!!!

Just won a NIB 2 1/2" Perf Ctr 986 on an online auction, should be here within the week. Glad I looked to save some $$ so I can spend it on the BMT Mooner and some moon clips. This is also my first moon clip revolver so do you have suggestions on where you buy your moon clips on line also? Thanks in advance!
Thank you for the good reviews from the above gentlemen and this site for making decisions like this based upon experience!
Jack

Here's mine with a Vortex razor and a set of Hogue's!

Attached Images

001 c.jpg (68.8 KB, 409 views)

Congrats!

I got ten from TK custom which make the moon clips for Smith. I bought another twenty from a company called Speed Beez. They are cheaper per package of ten than the ones from TKcustom and work well too. I am not sure if I can post a link but they sell on Amazon. The packages from Speed Beez also included an extractor tool on a carabiner which I thought was a nice touch.

I was invited to a bowling pin shoot once buy a guy who loves to use his 986. He loooooves it. Personally I'm not a fan of the aesthetics of the underlug, but I don't believe anyone has anything but praise for their 986. I'm guessing you will be happy.

__________________
Just hanging with my dogs

Those of you that have the 2 1/2", have you found a holster for it you like?

Jacksavage,

I second the seed Beez moon clips. They have worked well for me so far and a bit less expensive than some others.

Regarding your holster question, I already had a older Brauer with a retention strap that works ok until I find something else so I am also open to suggestions.

__________________
Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

Evening Jack

I have one, good shooter but not exactly a performance
center masterpiece.

Mine came with a rather gritty, stacking, trigger pull & the
finish wasn't up to (the old) performance center standards
(about all you get is a ribbed main spring & poorly
adjusted/fit trigger over-travel pin)

Now the good-- even though the finish wasn't up to the
(old) performance center standards it did clean up with
a little work & trip back to S&W.

Same with the trigger- took me about an hour to rework
the trigger parts & get a real nice trigger pull-through.

One thing to keep in mind-- the 986 comes with a Titanium
cylinder (or at least mine did) so you have to be VERY CAREFUL
in how your clean it & what you clean it with (if your remove
the special coating from the Ti cylinder you won't be a happy
shooter)

Also-- if like my 986 the cylinder holes are drilled real deep
(far enough to chamber 9x21mm) so you will HAVE to use
moon clips to assure good ignition. (S&W must be, or were
anyhow, using titanium cylinders from leftover European 9x21
(non military) offerings)

Otherwise a good shooting gun that balances great
(just doesn't fit a lot of revolver classes at my local shoots)

I would love a 9mm wheel gun, but everything offered has that damn titanium cylinder.

The Titanium cylinder isn't particularly fragile, but you have to remember to keep abrasives away from the front face.

Hoppe's says their "synthetic blend" bore cleaner has no ammonia and is titanium safe. Does a good job for me.

It's fragile compared to stainless; I just don't see the point.

Evening rbmorse

Titanium safe might not be enough. S&W can't/doesn't
use raw titanium in the finished gun, they put a special
protective coating on the titanium cylinder & certain
abrasives or bore cleaners can harm or remove that
special protection.

I'm not sure the overall harm in removing that protection
but I have been warned many times by the pro shooters
that I know to go way out of my way to preserve it.

My titanium cylinder seems to holding up well but I don't
go anywhere near it with standard bore cleaner or brass brush
& mostly just use CLP & a soft (Glock) nylon bore brush.
(luckily I shoot very few raw lead bullets my 9mm guns).

Thank you again for all your comments. I did get the gun on Wednesday and it looks and feels good in my hand, I LIKE it!! I did also order the BMT Mooner and boy that is slick along with 30 of the Beez moon clips and have them loaded and ready to go. I did find a "N" Galco 2 1/2" holster that fits my S&W 66 snub in my cabinet and that seems to fit and will use that until I order probably a shoulder holster.
I do appreciate the warnings about the correct oil/cleaner for the titanium cylinder and seems like a trip to F & S to pick up some of the synthetic stuff.
Again thanks and can't wait to shoot it!
Jack

Congrats! I hope you enjoy your 986 as much as I enjoy mine. You are indeed correct the BMT tool makes loading the clips so fast.

I ordered mine today. Pretty excited. What are the fiber optic sight options? I see the pic TAROMAN posted has one.

Morning das88

Lots of choices--

SDM, EGW, HiViz, Dawson Precision, Fire Sight, more.

The SDM is what I believe S&W uses/sells so that is usually
a good choice. (I put an SDM on my 986 & it fits good & I
can see it with my old eyes)

I have a Dawson Precision on a few of my 686 Smiths & they
seem to also fit good but come as red so I have to install the
green fiber optic light pipe to see that darn thing in the shadows.

I also have a couple of old Smiths with HiViz fiber optics, I
can see them good but the fit is usually iffy so I either need
to file them to fit or return the sight & keep trying until & get
one that that is not loose in slot.

I wish smith would offer some of these gamer guns in blued finish. I detest stainless and all they seem to offer new models in anymore is stainless
My dream gun would be a 919- that is a k frame 9mm fit for moons with an old school
Blued finish. Doubt it will ever happen sadly.