Life span models 686/586 S&W

[balin]

I was watching a Jerry Micukek video today where he was showing a gun with 50,000 rounds down barrel with no issues. He did have another that due to the cylinder face eroding after 200,000 rounds of heavy use. It had the barrel tightened 1 turn and the forcing cone recut.

 

[steelslaver]

for the cost of one Manurhin MR73, I could buy 2 model 686s and never worry about being without one

 

[357 shooter]

So Smith & Wesson never have published the expected average lifespan of its L frames .357 revolvers, have they?

Are there such a quantity like this published for L frames revolvers?

If I recall back in the 1980s or 1990s a Smith ad stated something along the lines of "L-Frames have exceeded 10,000 Magnum rounds in testing." Which does not sound so impressive given some of the numbers posted here. But I imagine most shooters will never shoot anywhere near 10,000 Magnum rounds through a single revolver.

My oldest 686 , bought new in 1994 has been fired more than any other 357 I have owned and the vast majority have been Magnums and aside from some top strap flame cutting the gun is holding up with no issues.

 

[Hannibal Barca]

for the cost of one Manurhin MR73, I could buy 2 model 686s and never worry about being without one

I think it would be almost three times the cost of a 686. Too much money for the mayority of us.

 

[3rdgeargrndrr]

I think neglect will break it more than actual use. Do not cowboy flip the gun, (flick it closed), or do some other stupid thing to it.
I think you will need linked ammo and a belt fed modification to wear it out. I have never seen a modern gun worn out from use.

 

[Tom_R]

As long as you clean any lead from the barrel and forcing cone area, and shot factory pressure ammunition, you will not have an issue with the barrel or the frame.

It would take a lot of high pressure ammunition to make it go out of time.

The S&W L Frame is the best designed revolver in its class.

Only a Manhurin would be stronger for a 357 Magnum Revolver.

 

[BIGDAVE101]

which is stronger.... 686 or the new coly python????

 

[Protocall_Design]

I think the 686 is. But that is just one person's opinion, and the New Colt Python hasn't been out long enough to know for sure, anyway.

I had 4 of the original ones back when they were current production and none of them held up to the rigors of competitive shooting. Even a M19 from the same era went way beyond the Pythons.

I would take a 586/686 over a Manhurin, Korth, or anything else. The high end guns are superbly crafted, and beautiful works of art, but the Smith can still have a better DA trigger pull. Any of them can have a good SA trigger, but I never shoot SA. There is no need if you have a really good DA.

Everyone has their own way of doing things, so it comes down to personal choices, as in - "what works best for you?". No one is wrong, just different.

 

[Tom_R]

which is stronger.... 686 or the new coly python????

I was at an LGS today talking with a great guy that works there.

He was telling me that on vacation he and his wife (she shoots competitively) put 700 rounds through their 2020 Python in one day.

He said it performed like a champ.

I said ya, it’s like a Colt 686, and he laughed and said sure is.

The new Pythons are really sturdy. They don’t have the trigger that the old Pythons have, and that’s actually a good thing, Colt specifically made these to last.