Buying a 686+ mods?

[cybersnow]

I am getting ready to buy a 7 shot .357mag to carry while in the back country. Grizzlies are still over 100 miles away so .357m should be adequate. I have spent some time competing using a red dot on other pistols so would like to put one on the 686. Any advice on one to choose for OWB carry in non range conditions? Also any advice on a light?

 

[Beju]

I've got an EGW mount with a Holosun 507 Comp on my 686, it's holding fine so far. An old co-worker has also had good luck with the Allchin mounts.

Since this is an outdoors gun, you may want an enclosed emitter optic like a Holosun EPS, a Trijicon RCR, or an Aimpoint ACRO.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I am getting ready to buy a 7 shot .357mag to carry while in the back country ...

What do you carry in the back country now?

My tip if you carry .357 Magnum ammunition is practice a lot with it. You do not want to "flinch" and throw misses when you want to make hits.

 

[Dave686]

I have Vortex Venom Red Dot’s and Burris FastFire 3’s on handguns for the range. I wouldn’t put any red dot on a carry gun. I wouldn’t trust them to work, and I wouldn’t trust them to stay sighted in and not get damaged. I expect someday we will have optics that will hold up to carry, but I don’t think we are there yet.

I shot a 686 in PPC, and I’m nothing more than an average shot. If I chose that to protect myself against a bear, fixed sights would be much more desirable. In my opinion.

 

[chase45]

I had a acro on my 66 for awhile. It took a good bit to be as proficient with the dot as I am irons. I was eventually able to put down some tighter group than irons

One other complaint I had during is carrying it was tough. I did carry AIWB and had to modify holsters to work. In the end the acro would sit on top of my belt and the gun was simply too long from the grip to the sight to carry comfy AIWB

In the end I pulled the dot off. Just isnt for me.

As far as anything else Id just throw some hard cast semi wad cutters in it for bear

If you use 357 ammo it should illuminate the area for a split second as well

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Just for grins.....

Item 1. I wouldn't worry about developing a flinch using a 686+.

Item 2. You're probably good to go even if a bear shows up. Use the ammunition suggested by chase 45, three or four of those, maybe followed by a high-quality hollow point or two and a couple of FMJs at the back end. I write that and then think I'd probably just use semi-wadcutters and hollow points but that's me, and if I didn't have the SWCs I'd stick to HPs.

Item 3 - What Dave686 said:

fixed sights would be much more desirable

. In my opinion as well. I'd never put anything electronic on a defensive handgun, neither pistol nor revolver. Not ever.

 

[gnystrom]

If bears are even a little threat there is probably no need for a dot and a greater need for a bigger hole puncher. At least a 10mm and I mean a real hot 10mm load, or 44 mag.
My 2 ¢