My 586 project is finally done! **WARNING - S&W Purists may want to skip this**

[raveneap]

Guess i have to agree that if you get what u want, the money's well spent. I'm having a 28-2 refinished at SW and I know I'd never get out of that gun what I'll have in it. But, it'll be what I want so guess that's good enuf for me.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Yes, I got the original barrel back, but....

I had already had the patridge swapped with a red ramp before I decided to re-barrel to 4" and I gave the original patridge sight away (another atrocity in the eyes of the purists ).

Your 6 inch barrel had the less popular "High Patridge," front sight, abbreviated "HP" on the box labels, as opposed to the "Low Patridge," abbreviated "LP" on the box labels.

The NAME of the 586/686 was "Distinguished Combat Magnum," referring to the NRA Distinguished Revolver Match. That match, conducted under Rule 23.4, used the National Match Course of Fire defined in Rule 7. The NM course of fire has a 50 yard stage. The DRM does not allow the use of wadcutters. The rules mandate 158 grain round nose or semi-wadcutter in 38 Special, and the load must be loaded at least to full power. It is not allowed to be a reduced load.

The competitors used the HP front sight because it was regulated in such a way that the "neck hold" at 50 yards allowed the rounds thusly loaded to drop into the X-ring without adjustment of the sights and the shooter used the center hold at 25 yards for the same X-ring point of impact. Very convenient.

However, most shooters chose the LP front sight for "ordinary" shooting and the HP was eventually discontinued as a regular production item.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Your 6 inch barrel had the less popular "High Patridge," front sight, abbreviated "HP" on the box labels, as opposed to the "Low Patridge," abbreviated "LP" on the box labels.

Yes, I have the original box and the label says HP on it. I don't like patridge sights, hence the red ramp.

 

[wproct]

I think your refinished revolver looks quite nice. I'm sure it means something special to you also because you "made it what you wanted it to be."

 

[shawn mccarver]

You know, as long as you're throwing money away to change from one factory configuration to another factory configuration, you might as well have gone ahead and had the rear sight channel welded up and made a Model 581 out of it. Throwing away money was the point of this exercise, right?

I do not think the OP threw away money. I think what he got is what he wanted, and it certainly is, in my opinion, a more desirable configuration now. Plus, there are no regrets to shooting it as it is no longer original, meaning no "collector" value - not that there was much in the first place. In addition, the OP took the care to have the work done by the factory, so he knows it is done right, as opposed to the local hack with his "hammer handle frame wrench" method of barrel removal and installation and his inability to recognize what needs to be done to fix up the action and his application of cold blue to finish the job.

No, the OP was correct to have the factory do this work. And the reworked revolver really is better than a four inch original because if you want to shoot it, rather than photograph it, you would send it back anyway to make sure that Bubba's trigger job on the factory 4 inch no doubt done on the kitchen table with a "spring kit" is returned back to factory spec so the revolver is reliable.

 

[steamloco76]

You have to like a man who knows exactly what he wants and will pay the price to get it. Beautiful revolver. I only have one 586, a 6 inch, but it is the prettiest S&W in the safe.(don't tell the model 27-2 I said that, she gets jealous!)

 

[KLYDE]

Hillbilly,
I'm with you 100% on the rehab of your gun. I have bought a few knowing full well that they were in need of mechanical tuneup. Most of the guns we desire are not frequently come upon. I figure best to acquire it and then let the Factory give it a second life. Financially not a deal. Who cares if you plan on keeping the gun. The finished product might as well be brand new. Keep and enjoy.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Thanks to my "supporters".

I will admit, when I bought the gun in its condition at the time, it was a mistake.
I was unfamiliar with revolvers, and at the time very new to handguns. If I had known then....
After I got a bit more experience, I realized that I had a worn out, beat up hunk of steel on my hands. I doubt I could've sold it and broken even, and my conscience wouldn't have allowed me to pass it on to the next sucker.
So, I thought it over and realized that it was either a choice of having a piece of junk taking up space, or sink some money into a restoration. Then I thought, as long as I'm putting a bunch of money into it, I might as well have it reconfigured the way I want it. It was already a gun that I would never break even on, so I went for it.

 

[Sunkist]

It's a beauty. I talked to S&W today about barreling my 6" No Dash with a 4" and when they said 6-9 month turnaround I said no thanks.