686 or 686+

[Red Rover]

I'm looking to buy a 686 with 3" barrel. Debating between a plus or just a 6 shot. I'd like the plus for the times I would like to carry a .357 concealed. 7 is better than 6.

I'm still considering the 686 with six round capacity in case I ever want to shoot IDPA revolver. I shoot a lot of single actions in cowboy shooting and could see me shooting a double action in IDPA, someday.

The question really is, are there any differences between the two other than six VS seven shots?

I think the answer is to get the 3" 686 plus if I want to carry concealed more than compete, and the 4" 686 if I intend to shoot SSR more than carry. Decisions, decisions.

 

[Red Rover]

I'm looking to buy a 686 with 3" barrel. Debating between a plus or just a 6 shot. I'd like the plus for the times I would like to carry a .357 concealed. 7 is better than 6.

I'm still considering the 686 with six round capacity in case I ever want to shoot IDPA revolver. I shoot a lot of single actions in cowboy shooting and could see me shooting a double action in IDPA, someday.

The question really is, are there any differences between the two other than six VS seven shots?

I think the answer is to get the 3" 686 plus if I want to carry concealed more than compete, and the 4" 686 if I intend to shoot SSR more than carry. Decisions, decisions.

 

[epj]

Faced with the same decision a few months back, I chose 7 over 6. I shoot in plate matches, and ocassionally the extra round comes in handy. Cost was only about $20 more than the standard 686. I asked a fellow shooter at one of the plate matches about his 7-shooter 686 and his response was "Why not"? Made sense to me.

 

[Red Rover]

My understanding of IDPA is you can only load six, no matter what the cylinder holds. In cowboy shooting I'm used to only loading five, but we don't have to reload on the clock. The seventh charge hole seems like it would be confusing reloading six rounds with a 686 +. Or maybe not, that's why I'm asking.

 

[danski]

Making a 6-shooter into a 7-shooter is a perversion spawned by Satan.

Do not let such evil spread.

Besides, I've got tons of 6-round speedloaders.
Don't confuse me.

 

[astrogus]

I had a 6 and got a 7. It's a 6 with a warning shot. Warning shots are underated.

 

[Joed49]

I have a 686+ and the 7th shot is neat. Unfortunately I've come to the conclusion that I'm not an L frame fan.

Haven't carried or shot it in over 2 years. It's a little large for carry compared to the K frame.

But given the choice, 7 rounds over 6.

 

[Revolver King]

I like the 7 shooter. I shot a major IDPA match once using the 7 shooter, I only loaded 6 rounds in my speed loaders. It worked fine and I took 1st place in SSR. That having being said, Then I went out and bought a 686 SSR. But I do like those 7 shooters, I have 4 7 shooters and 1 6 shooter in the 686's

 

[Careby]

S&W charge holes come in multiples of six. Whenever a 5-shot J-frame is made there is a hole left over. Over time this led to the 7-shot L-frames and 8-shot N-frames. In order to keep order in the universe, every time you buy a 7-shot L-frame you should also buy a 5-shot J frame to make up for it. At least that's how I rationalize my purchases...

 

[JayDubya]

I have three "six-shooters." The first one I bought back in the fifties is a JC Higgins which holds nine .22 rounds. The next one I bought six years ago, a S&W 637, holds five. And the 686+ I bought three years ago holds seven. I make up for my arithmetic problems with a Browning Hi Power fourteen shooter.

Cordially, Jack

 

[perpster]

Originally posted by danski:
Making a 6-shooter into a 7-shooter is a perversion spawned by Satan.

Do not let such evil spread.

Besides, I've got tons of 6-round speedloaders.
Don't confuse me.

The original S&W revolvers were 7 shot, not 6. I wonder if someone said making 6 shooters was a perversion spawned by Satan.

 

[moolan1]

I got the seven shooter. I'm just a target shooter but my thinking says, if I ever was in a fire fight with some "evil doer", chances are,after my 6th shot he may rush me. A fatal mistake! I hate it when that happens,don't you?

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Originally posted by DWood:
My understanding of IDPA is you can only load six, no matter what the cylinder holds. In cowboy shooting I'm used to only loading five, but we don't have to reload on the clock. The seventh charge hole seems like it would be confusing reloading six rounds with a 686 +. Or maybe not, that's why I'm asking.

What kind of cowboy action shooting let's you use a 686???

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I think Careby has a point, thinking back about it I bought a 586 plus and not terribly long after I bought a NIB M-33! Buy the seven shooter, one more shot cant hurt!

 

[Snapping Twig]

You're the general in the field, you make the call.

All my 6 shooters are... 6 shooters. This is by choice.

I've always figured that if I can't get 'er done in 6, I'm in the wrong business.

You won't hurt yourself either way.

 

[Red Rover]

The 686 would not be for cowboy shooting. My Ruger New Vaqueros do quite well for that game.

Originally posted by CAJUNLAWYER:

Originally posted by DWood:
My understanding of IDPA is you can only load six, no matter what the cylinder holds. In cowboy shooting I'm used to only loading five, but we don't have to reload on the clock. The seventh charge hole seems like it would be confusing reloading six rounds with a 686 +. Or maybe not, that's why I'm asking.

What kind of cowboy action shooting let's you use a 686???

 

[Red Rover]

I orederd the 3" seven shot at my regular gun shop today. Once I discovered the 3" only comes with the seven shot option my decision was easy. I want the 3" barrel. If I decide to shoot IDPA, I'll get a 4" six shot.

 

[Rolan_Kraps]

I was going through the same decision, but I went with a 6 shooter because you have to load only 6 for IDPA. Also, I like the Safariland Comp II speedloaders. They don't make them for 7 shooters, and Safariland says that they have no plans to make them.

 

[mississippi revolverman]

I went with the seven round Plus. Carry the 686 some and a j frame some. Figure 7 round and 5 rounds average out to 6 so I am OK

 

[Landpimp]

I am too old to learn to load 7rds over 6....so I stick with 6 shooters.....that 7th rd would just confuse me