686+ disappointment (update)

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Nix45

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A couple months ago I posted about buying a new 3" 686+ and having it misfire because of light primer strikes.

The local gunsmith took a look at it and ended up replacing and tightening the strain screw. This had the desired effect of getting 100% reliable strikes with good primer detonation. Unfortunately, the trigger pull went from 10# to 12# or more, but I figured I'd give it a little time to wear in before messing with springs and such.

A few forum members suggested I try an over-sized firing pin, which I ordered but have not installed yet, since it has been firing reliably.

So now I've fired the 686 a few times, mostly focusing on reliability, but found the accuracy to be wanting. I consider myself to be a fairly average shot and I thought that I just needed to get the sights dialed in and learn to shoot this particular DA revolver a little better.

But the accuracy thing started to bother me, so today I went to the range with factory ammo (HPR 125 JHP) and a sandbag. I ended up cranking the rear sight all the way to the right. At the end of the day, I got two 4-round groups at a little over 10 yards that looked like this:



As you can see, the groups have some vertical stringing that I'm probably responsible for, but overall there is still a left shift. (And this was with the sights cranked all the way to the right.)

So I took the 686 back to the dealer and talked to the in-house gunsmith. He seems to feel that there is a couple degrees of barrel cant and will try to reseat the barrel. He warned me that he may need to shave to barrel shoulders to get it to seat right, and that we could end up doing a lot of work to ensure that the forcing cone and cylinder gap specs are maintained.

He also said he'd do an action job and see if he could improve the trigger pull. (He didn't feel an oversized firing pin would be useful in doing this.)

I'm developing a love/hate relationship with this gun.

There are so many things to like about the 686. I've carried it a couple times in an IWB holster and it does surprisingly well. I love the balance and weight. The grips are decent. The sights are pretty good, although these old eyes would like the orange insert on the front sight to be a bit brighter. And my sense is that it can be an accurate shooter...in the right hands.

But, this particular 686+ is becoming a headache and is going to take some more money to "get it right". I consider myself to be a S&W convert, but considering the extra expense, the quality is not where it needs to be. It's going to take my smith a couple months to get to this project and I'll get to invest $100+ into fixing S&W's mistakes.

I'm underwhelmed, but hoping I end up with a sweet revolver.
 
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Stopsign32v said:
Have you called and complained to S&W?
Click to expand...

No, I haven't.

I briefly thought about that, but 1) I'm not sure how much I trust S&W now, and 2) I like dealing with a person I know directly. True, the gun is under warranty, and I could save some money and probably time, but I feel a bit more comfortable with a guy I know.

I've heard mixed things about S&W customer service, but maybe I should have given them a try.
 
Nix45 said:
No, I haven't.

I briefly thought about that, but 1) I'm not sure how much I trust S&W now, and 2) I like dealing with a person I know directly. True, the gun is under warranty, and I could save some money and probably time, but I feel a bit more comfortable with a guy I know.

I've heard mixed things about S&W customer service, but maybe I should have given them a try.
Click to expand...

Warranty

That's like taking a new car with a transmission problem to Bob's tire and lube and pay him over taking it to the dealership because it's their problem not yours. All because you trust Bob. That's what warranties are for.
 
Sounds as though you've been chasing around in circles, when you could easily have gone to the Mothership in the first place. Although I've never personally dealt with them, there are plenty of forum members who have had good results in dealing with S&W Customer Service. Good luck. The 686+ is an awesome handgun.
 
If you call customer service and get a mailing label, send it and you should get it back at least by the first of September. They may still be on summer vacation, which will set you back some, but they will fix it on their dime and all you will be out it time. That is better to me than the frustration of running back and forth to the gunsmith and then back to the range to check to see if he really fixed the issue.
 
Nix45 said:
No, I haven't.

I briefly thought about that, but 1) I'm not sure how much I trust S&W now, and 2) I like dealing with a person I know directly. True, the gun is under warranty, and I could save some money and probably time, but I feel a bit more comfortable with a guy I know.

I've heard mixed things about S&W customer service, but maybe I should have given them a try.
Click to expand...

I'm new to the forum, but not new to revolvers or S&W. I would have contacted SW and not take it to a gunsmith. Any work he has done has probably voided your warranty. I've sent a couple of guns back to SW for warranty repair and have had zero issue with them.
 
12#-13#is about typical for DA in a new, non-PC 686. The SA pull may run as high as 6#, but 4.5# is typical. I have a new TRR8, basically a 327 PC, with a 10.5# DA and 2.5# SA trigger. Ignition is 100% so far, and the strain screw is tight (first thing I check on a new S&W).

My 686+ 3" and 686PC+ 2.5" have a DA of about 13# (off scale, but in range of my pull gauge). The difference is the PC has no trace of stacking. It's on the heavy side but smooth as butter.

Balance a dime on the flat behind the front sight and practice dry fire until you can keep the dime in place for ten consecutive trigger pulls.
 
I sent a 686 back a couple of weeks ago because it shot about 12 inches to the left. You could hardly see any rifling looking down the barrel. Got it back yesterday with a new barrel that has rifling plus a new cylinder. They even put my fiber optic sight on the new barrel for me. Haven't shot it yet but it has to be better than before. Smith and wesson service is great as far as i can tell.
 
You sure the poi problem is not you? Almost all of my revolvers have rear sights shifted nearly full right to hit point of aim for me. They hit well centered for most everyone else. The problem is me. But I consistently do whatever it is that causes this so I consider it of no consequence.
 
about a yr ago I had a 29-10 that I had bought on gb . I misfired badly . I sent back to factory . It came back with a note to stop shooting reloads , only factory stuff . I thought , that's nuts .
I decided it was the firing pin , after replacing the main spring . It was an easy fix to pull the frame mounted firing pin , clean it and the recess that it fitted in . Now it shoots great . But I'm am disappointed in the service from the factory . I have sent guns back in the past and had great service . Guess this was just " one of those times " . hope you have better service than I .
 
smithman said:
You sure the poi problem is not you? Almost all of my revolvers have rear sights shifted nearly full right to hit point of aim for me. They hit well centered for most everyone else. The problem is me. But I consistently do whatever it is that causes this so I consider it of no consequence.
Click to expand...

That was my thinking initially. That somehow I was causing the left shift. But I have other revolvers that don't seem to need their sights adjusted for this.

Nevertheless, I was thinking that it was just me. So today I took a sandbag to use as a rest. Now that still leaves room for me to push the rounds left--a sandbag isn't a ransom rest.

If you look at my target, I'd say that some of the vertical dispersion is definitely due to me. But, given my history with other revolvers, I don't think I'm a habitual left-side-shooter. I'm certainly not a great shot, but at 10 yards I can usually get a solid group on the bullseye, and at 25 yards yards I'm typically grouped around the center, even if the pattern opens up a bit.

My range has a steel target out at 50 yards, and with a Ruger Blackhawk or Springfield 1911 or Glock 17, I'm on that with every shot, with centered sights. So I don't see a left tendency in myself. (But this question has made me wonder.)

While I may be an average shooter, this 686 shoots below average. It's the first pistol where I have thought that I can shoot better than the pistol. So, I've got that going for me. Which is nice. :o
 
My 3" 686+ went back to the mothership twice before they got it right, with about a three week turn around each time.

For a new gun that's still in production, I would not worry about giving them a crack at fixing it. Worst case, they replace it.
 
With regard to the visibility of the front sight I have adopted White out.
It works well without any permanent effects to the sight. I have only had to reapply it a couple of times in the 5 or 6 years I have been using it.
Jim
 
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