Anyone Had the Barrel Lug Milled Off?

[semperfi71]

I have 6 inch M586's and they are a tad barrel heavy.

The photo of the M686-6 that Bullseye Smith has produced appears to be the special run made by S&W?? or someone else. I handled one in a gunshop and really liked the balance.

I think the barrel length was 5 inches.

If someone couldn't find one I think cutting down a 6 incher woul dbe a viable alternative if it was not too expensive.

I am considering buying a 4 inch M686 (no lock) and having it cut to 3 inches and roundbutted.

There was a special run of M586's and M686's that were made so but are quite rare.

 

[BSA]

Interesting thread. Modifying guns may be more of a reflection of the owners attitude about life. I have reached the age where I have decided to quit reading about custom guns and have some made. My current project is converting a mint Old Model Single-Six into a 41 Special. I am not getting any younger and there are better investments for the future if that is really your.goal. I see nothing wrong with putting a gun away as safe queen but it is important not to lose sight of the purpose of the gun and its role in the 2nd Amendment.

 

[baldeagle8888]

Here are the pictures of my model 610 & 686 as modified.
Hope these photo's come through.

Pictures by baldeagle8888 - Photobucket

 

[NavyFrank]

Full Lug conversion

Thanks for the photos Baldeagle. I'll have something to show the local smith to have my 6 inch 617 "cleanedup". Thanks again Frank Jr.

 

[baldeagle8888]

To NAVY FRANK:

Just be careful and try not to screw up the LOCKING BOLT SETUP by removing to much of the underlug which you should remove and determine what is required to maintain.

baldeagle8888

 

[Broadside]

baldeagle,

Very, very cool. I really like this idea on a 686.

All your pictures seem to be from the top and back. Is there any chance of you taking some pictures from the front and bottom to show the work better?

 

[TSQUARED]

In the 6 inch version of the SD&W686 with full underlug the forward weight is too much for my taste. I have seen some 6 inch 686 which have had this issue remedied by tastefully grinding off ma portion of the underlug to create a profie similar to some of the N-framed and L-framed PC guns. Unfortunately I did not take note of who performed the conversion.I shoot L-framed 4 inchers with full underlugs but prefer the 6 inchers without the full underlug.

 

[NavyFrank]

Off Lug

Thanks for the heads up. My plan is to have the smith profile the barrel to the N frame barrel profile and not remove the metal to profile it like a 17. Thanks again. Frank Jr.

 

[baldeagle8888]

Here are some additional photo's that I promised.

If you look carefully, there are also a few pictures of my Model 646 in 40S&W. As can be seen, S&W moved the cylinder forward (toward barrel) by around .05"/.06" versus the standard 686 and the cylinder material was changed to Titanium versus Stainless Steel. I believe these two changes permitted the required strength for the 40S&W conversion since there is "ONLY" a very thin chamber wall thickness, less then .02" at the cylinder lock recess location. I also believe the reason for the cylinder being moved forward was to place the thicker cartridge web area behind the lock recess.

Also note on the model 686, my conversion to 40S&W and the "N" frame 10mm barrel, the misalignment of the ejector rod and the locking bolt hole which is due to the difference between the "L" and "N" frame chamber rotating dimension as I noted on a earlier post.

Pictures by baldeagle8888 - Photobucket

baldagle8888

 

[bmcgilvray]

I don't get why there is such animosity toward the idea of customizing a "run-of-the-mill" 686, but this same forum "ooh's and ahh's: over Mr Boman's (beautiful) reworking of a much more scarce 38/44.

Just a single example of "forum hypocracy" which runs rampant through most all firearms forums.

I've never owed an L-Frame simply because of the wretched full lug. Don't like its looks or its balance. I'd consider purchase of a well done conversion to a factory-appearing ejector rod shroud.

 

[NFrameFred]

I like the idea that a gun modified like that will turn up on a table at a gun show in 2026 with the seller breathlessly relating how it's a rare variation from the factory and only 25 of them were made for an elite black ops team of boy scouts who used them to assassinate insurgents in the Malaysian jungle. And he'll sell this jewel for only 20,000 Ameros . . . .

 

[bmcgilvray]

Heh...heh! Ameros!

That sounds like some valuable wampum.

 

[haggis]

Around 1995, I purchased two Model 610 no dash 10mm revolvers with 5" barrels and additional two model 686-3's.
I then proceeded to have modifications done to both of the model 610's and also had the 686's modified by having 5" 10mm barrels installed, cylinder rechambered for 40S&W and had the chambers recessed, Checkered top straps and barrels on all four guns, trigger work on all four guns, ball detents installed on all four and some other minor work.

bald eagle,

My only concern about the .40 S&W conversion would be the strength of a steel L-frame cylinder in that caliber. When S&W built the 646, they went to a titanium cylinder because they felt a steel one would be insufficient for the .40's chamber pressure, considering cylinder wall thickness.

Other than that, they sound like great looking guns.

Buck

 

[baldeagle8888]

Buck,

I posted yesterday about that very issue.
I have not fired either o the 686's that I had modified to 40S&W. That is the problem that a Stainless Steel cylinder has.

Buck, send me an email to [email protected] and I'll send you something that might wet your appetite.

Paul

 

[Malamute]

I'm rather turned off by the lugs myself. I've considered grinding the lug off my 586, but it still isnt quite the same as the contour on a 19 or N frame. To me, the lugged guns are about the most unattractive ones Smith ever made. Guess it's just personal preference.

Couple people mentioned 586 mountain guns, I didnt know there was such a version, or did I just get crossed up with the 686's? Anyone have a picture of a blued L frame mountain? I'd swap barrels before I'd grind one down. Think I'd prefer a 27 or 28 to the L tho.

I'm also on the side of, do whatever you want to your own gun. My old 29 had a few things done to it, but nobody complains when I've posted pics. I beveled the front edge of the cylinder, ground the target hammer to a service size spur, and reshaped the grips. I vastly prefer it in that form than how it came from the factory. Any view of its value will be after I'm gone.

 

[Murdock]

Ha!

Guys, these are tools, not religious artifacts

+1

Chortle! Good one.

 

[locogringo]

This is all a very interesting thread, as I have several 686's and have been thinking for quite awhile to do this very modification to one of them. While I love the 686s and find them to be the most accurate handguns of any type that I have ever owned, the full lug makes it a bit tiresome to carry all day long. These days I spend a lot more time hiking in the wilds than I do at the range, so carry weight is very important. The 6" barrel is perfect for sight radius and max velocity, but the lug is unnecessary for my purposes.

The question is, whom do I send my pistol to to get this done? I saw Cylinder & Slide mentioned earlier. Anybody else that I can entrust my 686 to that comes recommended? One reason I want to chose a gunsmith very carefully is that a few years back I was talking to a master gunsmith about this mod and he said it needs to be done VERY carefully because if it's rushed, it can overheat the barrel and ruin the accuracy. A little metal needs to be milled off then wait for it to cool, then a little more, etc.. This is very laborious so a not-so-good gunsmith may be tempted to do a hack job.

By the way, I carry my 6" 686 for protection against bears, mountain lions, and 2-legged meth monsters up here in Idaho, and feel is it about perfect. Sure a .44 mag would be good too, but I just don't want to carry all that weight. I want max velocity out of my 686 so I won't go shorter than 6".

Any recommendations for a good gunsmith would be much appreciated.

 

[tdan]

SB's rework of that 6" barreled 617 is perhaps the best example of doing this mod. Plenty of 6" 617's made, and most anyone that has handled that barrel length would agree that it is barrel heavy. I'm sure plenty of 686 owners with a muzzle heavy 6" barrel would like a better balancing option. You have a few more choices, as Smith made a few runs of 5" barrelled guns in both half-lug and full-lug versions of the 686. These balance perfectly for me. Then you always can look for a 686-MG......aesthetically one of the nicest looking revolvers that Smith has produced. From an economic point of view, you are probably better off selling a gun you don't like and put the proceeds toward one than is more to your liking. If you modify a gun and don't like it, you will probably not be happy with the price when you sell it.

 

[goldenbb]

This is the best thread I've read so far! I hate full lug revolvers, hate them! Either do a barrel like the Model 19 or the 10 and be done with it.

 

[locogringo]

I talked with Cylinder & Slide and they are going to do the work for me for $250. They say they know how to do it one little bit at a time in order to preserve the accuracy. They will copy the Model 66 6" barrel lug style. When I get it back (4 month wait time), I'll post pictures.

Does it enhance the collector value of the revolver and will I ever see this money out of this revolver? No. Do I care? No. Does this make it more practical for my own personal use? Hell yes.