586-3 versus 27-3 for steady 357 diet?

[jell-dog]

First time posting, long time lurker!
Glad I found this great forum for all things '80 to present S&W!
I am looking to purchase either a 586 (686) or 27 (627) for steady 357 use.
Length of barrel, 4" OR 6"?
Internal Lock discussions aside, which would be your first choice and why?
Stainless steel or blued finish for ease of cleaning?
Will be used primarily for punching holes in paper, may advance to beginners action shooting.
This is a new caliber to me for reloading, but I have shot a limited amount of 357, have collected 750-1000 pieces of brass.
All suggestions gratefully appreciated!

 

[Jlduke]

I like stainless because you don't really have to worry about damaging the finish if you drop it or rough it up out in the bush. If you get a scratch or whatever I got to do is break out the polish. That said I think blue revolvers sure are sexy.
If you're just shooting paper I would probably go with the 6 inch and shoot 38's through it. Recoil will be almost nonexistent. For carry in the woods or whatever I would go with the 4 inch because it's lighter.
Honestly there is no wrong choice. You're considering a couple awesome gone that even the worst of the two would be outstanding the own. I have a 586 with a 6 inch barrel and I love it but I think I like my model 681 with a four-inch barrel just a little more.

 

[arjay]

Either one will be fine.I prefer the looks of the 27 over the 586,but prefer the weight of the 586.Stainless is easier to clean than blue.I would buy a 27,but if I was shooting competitively ,I'd buy a 686.As we like to say around here,buy both [emoji1]

 

[Brian41]

I have both and don't worry about shooting .357s in either gun. I have a 19 I've shot 357 and 38s in since the 70s and only recently has that gun shown any harm as it's loosened up a bit but a lighter gun and many thousands of rounds. I doubt I could ever wear a 27 or 686 to that point by shooting .357s in it.
I would pick either gun depending on which feels best for you and stainless is of course easier for cleaning. Two different size grips so fit in your hand would be my deciding factor. I have bigger hands and the N frame (model 27) fits me better. The L frame (model 686) shares same grip as K frames so they might be easier to find should you change grips.

 

[rwsmith]

Either gun can take.....

Either gun can take a steady diet of .357s. The L frame is built to take it. If you like barn burners, the 27 is a little heavier gun and would be a little better with recoil.

I have stainless. Magnum loads scorch and gum things up. It's easier to clean without messing up the finish. Blued guns are prettier, but looks aren't my priority.

I like the 4" for balance. The 6" is a tad nose heavy when holding but the big Pachmehr grips make it easy to shoot. If you hunt, you may want the 6" and it DOES have a longer site radius, though.

I envy you and your 1000 pieces of .357 brass.

.357 is an easy cartridge to load for.

 

[*chris*]

Stainless is a much more durable finish than a blued finish.

If you are thinking about action shooting, a 4" 627 would be an ideal gun to start with. Some shooting sports have lifted the 6 round maximum and 8 rounds before a reload sure is an advantage.

Chris

 

[lhump1961]

I'll go with Brian41 and say that the biggest difference shooting wise will be the grip size and weight. I don't own an N frame simply because of the larger frame...the K/L grip fits me better. Blue or stainless is a flavor choice and I like both. As others have said the blue is prettier and while not hard to care for it is less forgiving to handling marks than stainless. I have one 686 and 3 586's so you might think I prefer blue, but I have only one model 19 and 3 K frame stainless...one 65 and 2 66's...go figure.

The decision you are looking at has no wrong answer.

As a note on loading you may find, as I have, that full power .357 loads are fun from time to time but I have settled on a medium light load for most of my shooting...less punishment and more enjoyable for me. I use mostly 158g bullets and don't have much interest in screamers. Even though the guns (L frames and N frames) will shoot the 125g hot rod stuff just fine I don't shoot them often.

 

[klausinak]

[/I'll go with Brian41 and say that the biggest difference shooting wise will be the grip size and weight.QUOTE]

+1, I have a 4" 586 and I think the same gun in a 6" would be a bit nose-heavy for my taste. I don't have any mileage in a 27 so I can't really comment on that. Lots of good advice above, I would say handle both as much as you're able, (around here finding any Smith right now is nearly impossible) and pick the one that feels right.

-Klaus

 

[colt_saa]

Welcome to the Forum,
Personal preferences aside, you will be hard pressed to wear out either firearm in one lifetime of shooting 357 Magnum ammunition.

ANY opinion that you get here on the Forum is going to be personal preference. What fits best in my hand may not fit best in the next posters hand.

How I like the revolver to balance will not be the same as poster X

What is aesthetically pleasing to me may not be to the next guy.

You need to form your own opinion

You did not complete your profile, so we do not know where you are located. You should go to a range that rents revolvers and try a few for yourself. Better yet, if we knew where you lived perhaps some Forum members would be willing to meet you in person at the range and try their favorites. If you are in South Florida, I will gladly meet you for a range session and let you shoot some revolvers

That said, my personal preference is for the 27/327/627 family of revolvers. The 357 Magnum and the big N-frame is where it all started back in 1935. Some of this may also go back to the fact that the Model 27 was the first NEW firearm I ever had. That revolver is now approaching 4 decades in age and still sits in my safe. Over those 4 decades many, many more have joined it.

I prefer the look of blue but understand the maintenance advantages of stainless.

My preferred barrel lengths are 3 1/2" and 5"

I prefer wood grips to rubber

The new N-frames with 8 shot capacity is just the cats A** as far as I am concerned.

 

[Harrydale]

"The new N-frames with 8 shot capacity is just the cats A** as far as I am concerned."

ditto that!

 

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

TO colt saa, how can I get a library card for your collection. WOW!

 

[Pointshoot]

For punching paper it comes down to personal preference, what feels best to you. I like the 686 in a 4" barrel - balances nice and is quick on target for me. I don't like a longer barrel 686 because the full lug makes it handle slower to get on target. On the thinner, tapered barrel 27 or 28 I like the balance of a longer barrel - 6" is nice for that, and about as long as I would generally carry in a holster.

I'm a fan of the big classic N frame, but the L frame 686 is probably a little more comfortable to carry - not as thick on the hip. Bottom line, you'll have to see what fits you best.

Either model is a fine S&W 357.

 

[jell-dog]

THANKS FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS!

I have "medium" hands, so both the 586 & 27 models fit, I am leaning to 686-5 4", but REALY like the 27 versions (4").
colt_ssa, that's a GREAT collection!
I've read on this forum "if you don't show it you don't own it" so here is one of my S&W's.
S&W 640 no dash, 38spl, 2" barrel, Centennial, New in '94, s/n BSC 70** (my nightstand/home defence revolver) I have HOGUE finger grips, but put on original grips for photo.
The advice of "buy both" is possible, local estate sale of s&w collection planned for late fall 2014.

 

[jell-dog]

colt_ssa, what is that?

What's the model of this revolver?
Looks like a serious working gun!

 

[colt_saa]

What's the model of this revolver?
Looks like a serious working gun!

That is a 5" 627. It is a pinto version that came out a while back. It had an unfluted stainless 357 Magnum cylinder as it left the factory.

A second black fluted cylinder was acquired and re-chambered for 9x23 Winchester. It also wears fiber optic front and rear sights

Now it is a convertible

Since the second cylinder head-spaces on the moon clips for the auto loader ammunition, it is capable of safely chambering and firing:
380ACP, 9MM Corto, 9MM Kurz (9x17)
9MM Luger, 9MM Parabellum (9x19)
9x21
9x21.5
356TSW
38ACP
38Super
and others that do not come to mind at the moment. I only use it for 9x23 Winchester

 

[ISCS Yoda]

LAWDIE!!! I love pretty pictures!!! WOW!

So, I have a 586 with a 6" long barrel (maybe it's 5", I forget), a 686+ with a 2.5" short barrel, and a M27 with a 4" barrel. They all handle .357 Magnum rounds well. For routine .357 Magnum use I prefer the Model 27 but if you want to routinely punch paper at a distance a long barreled 586 and a .38 Special cartridge can put some real pleasure in your life.

When it comes to blue or stainless I can go either way but my taste runs to blue - my heart says guns are supposed to be dark and shiny, not bright and shiny. But I do have my share of stainless guns.....

***GRJ***

PS:

Judging by the 5" pinto 627 above my 586 must be a 6".

 

[jell-dog]

627 convertible

That is a 5" 627. It is a pinto version that came out a while back. It had an unfluted stainless 357 Magnum cylinder as it left the factory.

A second black fluted cylinder was acquired and re-chambered for 9x23 Winchester. It also wears fiber optic front and rear sights

Now it is a convertible

Since the second cylinder head-spaces on the moon clips for the auto loader ammunition, it is capable of safely chambering and firing:
380ACP, 9MM Corto, 9MM Kurz (9x17)
9MM Luger, 9MM Parabellum (9x19)
9x21
9x21.5
356TSW
38ACP
38Super
and others that do not come to mind at the moment. I only use it for 9x23 Winchester

As l am gunsmith challenged, you sourced a cylinder assembly for your 627, had it chambered for 9x23 winchester, and created a convertible? OR does the sourced cylinder need to be fit to your specific frame by a gunsmith?
Thanks for sharing your collection!

 

[colt_saa]

As l am gunsmith challenged, you sourced a cylinder assembly for your 627, had it chambered for 9x23 winchester, and created a convertible? OR does the sourced cylinder need to be fit to your specific frame by a gunsmith?
Thanks for sharing your collection!

In this day and age of CNC machining and MIM parts, the odds of everything working together without the need of gunsmith fitting are WAY better than they were in the good old days 20 or 30 years ago.

If you send the revolver and spare cylinder to Mark at Pinnacle, he will make it all work for you.

The first revolver I can remember was setting up a 22 Magnum cylinder for my 2" model 34

 

[SJshooter]

Both the 586 and the 27 are going to be fun shooters and will shoot magnums all day and just keep asking for more.

Blue vs stainless is the subject of countless debates. The traditional line is blued is more difficult to care for and stainless is easy to clean up. But the truth is you can shoot blued guns to death and keep them looking new and you can scuff up some stainless guns to the point where they take a lot more than cleanup. It's all about how you keep things. The finish isn't going to make up for how you treat it.

Personally, I would get a 4-inch gun. The 6-inch is fine for the range, but is a little unwieldy for home defense, and if you're a newer shooter you'll probably want this gun for both.

Any of the guns you mentioned will be super fun to shoot, and let's face it -- you are soon going to own more than colt_saa and myself combined. These guns are that kind of addiction.

 

[jell-dog]

SJshooter, if I get that many revolvers I'll need a MUCH BIGGER gun safe!