66-5
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Bill In Texas
Member
Howdy,
My 66-2 with the 2.5" barrel is a great wheelgun! I try not to shoot really hot magnum loads though it much. But with 38 specials and heavier .357 rounds it is fine. If you want to shoot primarily mag rounds you might be better off with a 686. Hope this helps!
My 66-2 with the 2.5" barrel is a great wheelgun! I try not to shoot really hot magnum loads though it much. But with 38 specials and heavier .357 rounds it is fine. If you want to shoot primarily mag rounds you might be better off with a 686. Hope this helps!
For carrying, the Model 66 is a little smaller and lighter in weight. The K- frame S&W 357 Magnum was designed for law enforcement officers who would practice with 38 Special, qualify with a few cylinder fulls of magnum ammo, and carry magnum loads. At that time, the most common bullet weight for the 357 Magnum was 158 grains.
As more officers and agencies switched for practicing with 38 Special to practicing, qualifying, and carrying 357 Magnum, and the switch to 125 grain bullets, forcing cone erosion and cracking at the bottom of the forcing cone became a problem. To fix this issue, S&W developed the L-frame 586/686.
If you plan to shoot mostly 38 Special ammo and keep the 125 grain magnum ammo use to a bare minimum, the K-frame is fine. If you plan on a steady diet of 357 Magnum ammo, then the L-frame is a better choice unless you buy one of the new, Model 19/66 Classic revolvers. These would be the Models 19-9 (carbon steel) or 66-8 (stainless steel). The 19-9 and 66-8 have completely different barrel design that eliminates the flat spot at the bottom of the forcing cone.
As more officers and agencies switched for practicing with 38 Special to practicing, qualifying, and carrying 357 Magnum, and the switch to 125 grain bullets, forcing cone erosion and cracking at the bottom of the forcing cone became a problem. To fix this issue, S&W developed the L-frame 586/686.
If you plan to shoot mostly 38 Special ammo and keep the 125 grain magnum ammo use to a bare minimum, the K-frame is fine. If you plan on a steady diet of 357 Magnum ammo, then the L-frame is a better choice unless you buy one of the new, Model 19/66 Classic revolvers. These would be the Models 19-9 (carbon steel) or 66-8 (stainless steel). The 19-9 and 66-8 have completely different barrel design that eliminates the flat spot at the bottom of the forcing cone.
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minconrevo
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For lots of magnum shooting, it's the 686 hands down. The L frame isn't that hard to tote but not as easy as a K. For mostly carry, mostly .38 Special use with occasional .357 mag, go for the 66.
cd228
Member
I own a 66-3 in 3" and a 686-3 4". IMHO the 66 is a great carry gun and the 686 is a great range gun. I've shot everything from handloaded 148 gr lead wadcutter to 180gr Winchester/Nosler paritions through the 686. The 686 was particularly snappy with the 125gr Remington green box .357 magnums. I also shot a couple batches of lighter loaded 125 GR .357 TMJ with maybe universal or tight group without issue.
We did have a 4 inch 66 as a range gun when I was stationed in Germany. It ate alot of 158gr Magtech without a hitch and it was more popular among the renting crowd then the 4" 686. They liked that it was lighter.
We did have a 4 inch 66 as a range gun when I was stationed in Germany. It ate alot of 158gr Magtech without a hitch and it was more popular among the renting crowd then the 4" 686. They liked that it was lighter.
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Hair Trigger
US Veteran
If you want a shooter and plan to shoot a lot of full power magnum loads, get the L-frame 686. If you want a more casual shooter that you'd shoot mostly .38 Spl and some +P loads, and want something more collectible, look at an earlier P&R M66 no dash, or M66-1.
I've never seen a M19 or 66 crack the forcing cone, but anecdotal evidence is all around. Maybe everyone that warns about it saw the same one crack, couldn't say. I had a M66-1 many years ago, shot quite a few magnums but mostly used it for PPC competition so it saw a helluva lot more wadcutters than anything else. I now have a M19-3, have shot several hundred 125gr Magnum loads without incident; that said, from all the talk about hot 125's through the M19, I've become a bit gun-shy (pardon the pun) about using them in it any more. Besides, I bought a M28 that I can shoot magnums from without worry, so I stick to .38SPL and +P out of the K-frame gun now.
I've never seen a M19 or 66 crack the forcing cone, but anecdotal evidence is all around. Maybe everyone that warns about it saw the same one crack, couldn't say. I had a M66-1 many years ago, shot quite a few magnums but mostly used it for PPC competition so it saw a helluva lot more wadcutters than anything else. I now have a M19-3, have shot several hundred 125gr Magnum loads without incident; that said, from all the talk about hot 125's through the M19, I've become a bit gun-shy (pardon the pun) about using them in it any more. Besides, I bought a M28 that I can shoot magnums from without worry, so I stick to .38SPL and +P out of the K-frame gun now.
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