8 3/8" 686 buy or leave?
- Thread starter Wicknim
- Start date
Welcome to the S&W Forums! The price on the 8 3/8" barrel Model 686 you are considering for purchase sounds quite good. The 8 3/8" 686's were not made in huge quantities as the market for the long barrel is relatively small. A longer barrel does not make a revolver more accurate, that is a function of the ammo combined with the tolerances of the chambers, barrel, and proper chamber to barrel alignment. The extra 2 3/8" will give you a longer sight radius, so it is easier to detect small sight misalignment when aiming, but it also adds a good amount of weight on the muzzle end of the revolver, so the balance will be very different from that of a 6 inch Model 686.
At least that long Tom Model 29 does not have a full under lug on the barrel. Can you imagine the muzzle heaviness if it did have such an under lug?
Let’s go back to what started the thread. (Sorry! I put out a few digressions myself that led things astray!)
I’d like to give a “Shout Out” to Smith & Wesson, or at least the company as it was when the revolvers in question were first built, ie: 1980s.
The IHMSA Silhouette game was conceived as a test of long range marksmanship emphasizing skill over equipment. The course of fire is 10 shots at each of the following distances: 50 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters, and 200 meters. Targets are metal animal shaped silhouettes. Targets had to be toppled to count as a hit. (Think about those distances next time you’re at the range and see some guy emptying mag after mag, spraying all over the giant “bad guy” target 10 feet away!)
IHMSA established strict rules to keep the match from becoming an equipment race, where shooters could “buy points”. Besides the “Unlimited” classification, single shot, revolver, and standing were shot with “out of the box” guns. No modifications were permitted besides a change of grips and a little trigger work. No optics were permitted, only iron sights! There were weight and dimensional restrictions. There was also a price ceiling: production guns could not be priced over $600 MSRP!
Gun makers like Ruger, S&W, Thompson/Center and Dan Wesson were at the forefront, collaborating with IHMSA staff, match organizers, and competitors to improve their products. Tolerances, quality control, and careful assembly were paramount. Gimmicks don’t help win matches! Technical innovations had to be carefully done to conform to the rules and stay within the price ceiling. S&W’s four position front sight was a brilliant example, as it could be adjusted and set for specific loads at each of the four distances,
Ultimately, this all made for an era of better, more accurate guns.
Today, many shooters pass over these great guns, unaware of their intended purpose or the performance of which they are capable.
Who knows, maybe one day they will shine again!
If you do a search, you might find the IHMSA website.
Maybe there’s a match scheduled somewhere near you?
PS: My brother and I both shot IHMSA during the 80s using S&W N-frames with 8 & 3/8” barrels; his a 25-5 in 45 Colt, mine a 29 in 44 mag (loaded down). We both handloaded cast bullets, curiously settling on 250 gr SWCs at about 950 fps using Hercules Unique powder as our preferred loads.
My gut instinct was that S&W put just a little extra care into those long barrel revolvers, knowing they would likely be put to the test.
I’d like to give a “Shout Out” to Smith & Wesson, or at least the company as it was when the revolvers in question were first built, ie: 1980s.
The IHMSA Silhouette game was conceived as a test of long range marksmanship emphasizing skill over equipment. The course of fire is 10 shots at each of the following distances: 50 meters, 100 meters, 150 meters, and 200 meters. Targets are metal animal shaped silhouettes. Targets had to be toppled to count as a hit. (Think about those distances next time you’re at the range and see some guy emptying mag after mag, spraying all over the giant “bad guy” target 10 feet away!)
IHMSA established strict rules to keep the match from becoming an equipment race, where shooters could “buy points”. Besides the “Unlimited” classification, single shot, revolver, and standing were shot with “out of the box” guns. No modifications were permitted besides a change of grips and a little trigger work. No optics were permitted, only iron sights! There were weight and dimensional restrictions. There was also a price ceiling: production guns could not be priced over $600 MSRP!
Gun makers like Ruger, S&W, Thompson/Center and Dan Wesson were at the forefront, collaborating with IHMSA staff, match organizers, and competitors to improve their products. Tolerances, quality control, and careful assembly were paramount. Gimmicks don’t help win matches! Technical innovations had to be carefully done to conform to the rules and stay within the price ceiling. S&W’s four position front sight was a brilliant example, as it could be adjusted and set for specific loads at each of the four distances,
Ultimately, this all made for an era of better, more accurate guns.
Today, many shooters pass over these great guns, unaware of their intended purpose or the performance of which they are capable.
Who knows, maybe one day they will shine again!
If you do a search, you might find the IHMSA website.
Maybe there’s a match scheduled somewhere near you?
PS: My brother and I both shot IHMSA during the 80s using S&W N-frames with 8 & 3/8” barrels; his a 25-5 in 45 Colt, mine a 29 in 44 mag (loaded down). We both handloaded cast bullets, curiously settling on 250 gr SWCs at about 950 fps using Hercules Unique powder as our preferred loads.
My gut instinct was that S&W put just a little extra care into those long barrel revolvers, knowing they would likely be put to the test.
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All the 686s...
...are very fine guns. The only problem with the early engineering releases was that the cylinder locked up with some ammo, but it was corrected by the 'M' recall where they replaced the hammer nose and bushing. Since yours has the 'M' stamp, it should be good to go. If I wanted an 8 3/4" barrel and the price was right, I would jump on it.
My 6" is a tad nose heavy, but it's great at the range. I've shot an 8 3/4" barreled .44 Mag and didn't notice any balance issues. I was too busy shooting.
...are very fine guns. The only problem with the early engineering releases was that the cylinder locked up with some ammo, but it was corrected by the 'M' recall where they replaced the hammer nose and bushing. Since yours has the 'M' stamp, it should be good to go. If I wanted an 8 3/4" barrel and the price was right, I would jump on it.
My 6" is a tad nose heavy, but it's great at the range. I've shot an 8 3/4" barreled .44 Mag and didn't notice any balance issues. I was too busy shooting.
@DT75, rwsmith
These are written under the yoke:
AXXNNNN
M
M686-1
I suppose the single M in the middle means it was recalled.
@6string
Interesting info, but unfortunately there aren't any IHMSA competitions in the EU. The competitions I may use this long 686 for are 12 m (meters) and 25 m standing offhand shooting, use of support hand allowed.
These are written under the yoke:
AXXNNNN
M
M686-1
I suppose the single M in the middle means it was recalled.
@6string
Interesting info, but unfortunately there aren't any IHMSA competitions in the EU. The competitions I may use this long 686 for are 12 m (meters) and 25 m standing offhand shooting, use of support hand allowed.
cowboy4evr
Member
Several years ago I had a chance to buy a S&W 14-3 with 8 3/8 barrel . I thought " naw " . First , it's just a 38 special and I remembered something I was told long ago .
A wise old Indian Chief said , " It's not the bow , it's the Indian " !
But if it suits your fancy , buy it . Nothing wrong with that . Regards Paul
A wise old Indian Chief said , " It's not the bow , it's the Indian " !
But if it suits your fancy , buy it . Nothing wrong with that . Regards Paul
Yes, a single "M" stamped into the yoke recess in the frame indicates it was modified by S&W. Not all no-dash 586's and 686's had the problem of primers flowing into the firing pin hole, but if it happened, it was most often with full power Federal 357 Magnum ammo.
I think the full lug.....
...is what contributes to my 6" 686 being a tad nose heavy. It does help mitigate muzzle rise, but I never found that to be a problem.
...is what contributes to my 6" 686 being a tad nose heavy. It does help mitigate muzzle rise, but I never found that to be a problem.
besshoudini
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I bought one in 1986 its a great gun shoot it all the time.
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