query about that "safety lock" on new revolvers

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mark brewer

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i've been watching lots of gun videos the past few days. i am interested in getting, sometime up the line, a SW 686+. but i have never owned or fired a firearm with the safety lock or hammer lock on it. what i basically need to know is "can i just turn the thing off and leave it that way?" or is this something that you have to deal with every time you shoot it?

i'm not too well up on new guns.
 
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Yes, you can leave the lock disengaged. There are rare occurrences of it activating while firing but this is unusual. It is not like a manual safety lever on a semi-automatic pistol.

If it concerns you, it is possible to find an earlier 686 Plus (-4 or 5) without the lock. Hope this is helpful.
 
That lock is a storage lock, to be used when putting the gun away in a safe, or other place where it won't be used for a while. You can leave it off all the time and not worry about it. It is not turned on when the gun is in use.
 
Most of us find the lock to be an eyesore and avoid buying guns with locks. The locks are really pretty unobtrusive. You disengage it and it stays that way. There have been some reports of the lock inadvertently engaging under heavy recoil in light revolvers. If you don’t mind the look of the lock, by all means buy a newer gun, or you could look for a pre-lock gun (2001 or earlier), pre-MIM gun (~1995 and earlier), or even a pinned and recessed revolver (1981 and earlier). They made the 686+ starting in 1991, so you could find a pre-lock and even a pre-MIM version of it.
 
My 617-6 lock has never been turned on. The key's remain in the box and will stay there. I have noticed no difference in shooting between it and my other Mod 17"s, other than it is heavier with the full lug. Just as accurate as any of the other 17's.
 
I bought a 638 ten or twelve years ago. It has a lock and is noticeably more accurate than my other much older J-frame snub nose .38s. The anti-lock grumblers would probably say that's merely a coincidence...
 
rockquarry said:
I bought a 638 ten or twelve years ago. It has a lock and is noticeably more accurate than my other much older J-frame snub nose .38s. The anti-lock grumblers would probably say that's merely a coincidence...
Click to expand...

Don't think so. Don
 
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You can remove the lock. If you look in the classifieds here there is a seller who manufactures a kit to remove the locking mechanism and it includes a nicely machined "plug" to fill the hole. Or, as others have said, you could just leave it in the unlocked position and not worry about it. "The lock" has been the subject of much controversy for years. I won't get into that but let's just say that fans of "traditional" S&W revolvers believe that "the lock" detracts from the classic looks of an S&W. Some others don't like it due to the politics and business decisions that led to it's development.
 
G-Mac said:
You can remove the lock. If you look in the classifieds here there is a seller who manufactures a kit to remove the locking mechanism and it includes a nicely machined "plug" to fill the hole. Or, as others have said, you could just leave it in the unlocked position and not worry about it. "The lock" has been the subject of much controversy for years. I won't get into that but let's just say that fans of "traditional" S&W revolvers believe that "the lock" detracts from the classic looks of an S&W. Some others don't like it due to the politics and business decisions that led to it's development.
Click to expand...

Would you ever have any issues if you had to use that gun in self defense and they found out its been modified ?

Also, correct me if Im wrong but as far as that lock causing issues, didn't it rarely happen and was addressed right away but people are still hanging on to that after 20 years?
 
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I used to spend many a sleepless night wondering if my guns needed a built in mechanism that would automatically render them useless at sporadic moments in time. I am so grateful a company finally had the courage to add more milling time, more parts, and more cost to a relatively simple mechanism.
 
I have three S&W revolvers with the lock. I have never used the lock, and I am not sure that I could lay my hands on one of the keys. Yes, they are aesthetically unpleasant, but I have not encountered any problems with them. I find no difference in operation or functionality between them and my non-lock revolvers.
 
Much Ado about nothing.

I use the lock on my 3 revolvers, as in when not in use and in storage they are locked.

Thought I would get a response in before the mods lock the thread, as these arguments have gone on for 20 years now and while the continents may be shifting, opinions don't.
 
Gman686 said:
…Would you ever have any issues if you had to use that gun in self defense and they found out its been modified ?…
Click to expand...

It is a storage lock, not a safety. Those who call it a safety lock are helping pass the myth the antis want told.

If you get in a vehicular accident, does it matter if your trunk lock is missing?

Kevin
 
Forget it they ain’t gonna build a revolver without the lock. My four revolvers have the lock. I never think of them until I read a post like this. Today’s revolvers are better than the old ones. Just my opinion.
 
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