New 686-6 Ported

[Old Navy]

Yup just got crazy this morning and bought the gun, SER# DBF26XX with the following features listed on the box 06-A2-MD-GR-BP-SA-SP-FS-CS-ZS. I have no clue as to what they mean. Does anyone here know?

It appears to be factory Power Port, but I see nothing on the box saying it is a PP model. Do they (S&W) not mark the box as Power Port on the end label?

The gun has been in the shop for quite a spell for that shop, I would say 6 to 8 months at least if not longer.

I will get a picture posted this week some time, I just put a new set of Pachmyr Presentation Grips on the gun for shooting. I still need to clean and wax before I can go shooting next week.

 

[Old Navy]

Yup just got crazy this morning and bought the gun, SER# DBF26XX with the following features listed on the box 06-A2-MD-GR-BP-SA-SP-FS-CS-ZS. I have no clue as to what they mean. Does anyone here know?

It appears to be factory Power Port, but I see nothing on the box saying it is a PP model. Do they (S&W) not mark the box as Power Port on the end label?

The gun has been in the shop for quite a spell for that shop, I would say 6 to 8 months at least if not longer.

I will get a picture posted this week some time, I just put a new set of Pachmyr Presentation Grips on the gun for shooting. I still need to clean and wax before I can go shooting next week.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by Old Navy:

It appears to be factory Power Port,

If the front sight is pushed back from the end of the barrel with the horizontal port in front of it, that's the factory port design. If it was a non-ported model, the front sight would go all the way to the end of the barrel and aftermarket ports would have to be cut along side and below the edge of the front sight.

 

[Old Navy]

It is a factory port and in front of sight.

 

[july1952]

You're gonna love this gun! Here's mine, sporting a pair of Hogue exotic wood monogrips in Kingwood.

 

[2fingers]

06= year mfd ???
A2= Single/Double Action
MD= Medium Frame Size
Gr= Rubber Grips
BP= Powerport
SA= Adjustable Sights
SP= Patridge Front Sight
FS= Stainless Steel Frame
CS= Stainless Steel Cylinder
ZS= Satin Stainless Finish

 

[625smith]

Congrats, on your new 686. I shoot mine often.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

It also makes a great Bullseye gun.

 

[Old Navy]

Ok I had some outside range time today and standing one handed fired 18 rounds at 25 yards and kept them all on in a 8" group, with one exception and that was my first DA shot went out about 10" from center thanks to my gloves and firing before I meant to fire.

The gun is a dream to shoot and had almost no recoil and very little rise shooting 158gr LSWC-HP HC Hornady over 4.7gr of Unique. The noise volume was lighter then expected, but I guess I am too used to my 610-3 when it comes to noise level.

 

[Revolver King]

Does the Power Port really make a major difference?

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by Revolver_King:
Does the Power Port really make a major difference?

If you mean in recoil, NO.

If you mean in spraying garbage up and dirtying the front sight.... yes, it will do that.

 

[alphabrace]

Originally posted by bountyhunter:

Originally posted by Revolver_King:
Does the Power Port really make a major difference?

If you mean in recoil, NO.

If you mean in spraying garbage up and dirtying the front sight.... yes, it will do that.

Is not the purpose of the port to keep the gun on site and not lift too much?

 

[alphabrace]

Nice grips; beautiful gun

 

[Old Navy]

Originally posted by alphabrace:

Originally posted by bountyhunter:

Originally posted by Revolver_King:
Does the Power Port really make a major difference?

If you mean in recoil, NO.

If you mean in spraying garbage up and dirtying the front sight.... yes, it will do that.

Is not the purpose of the port to keep the gun on site and not lift too much?

Well with the load shot it would have light recoil, and the Pachmyr grips are far better for softening the recoil. The barrel rise was almost non existent even when I limp wristed the gun. I watched the port as best I could as I shot and saw nothing much exit and the port was almost as clean as before shooting and nothing was on the front sight. The sight is far enough back that getting dirty may not be an issue for the front sight. But I will say it was only 18 rounds and that is not the number of rounds I will normally be shooting on an outing.

The main thing is this is the first of several 686's I have shot that I liked. The trigger pull DA is very light for a S&W DA for sure and was always a supprise when it fired just like the SA mode was. I can hit with it about as good as my DW M15-2 HV6 357 so I am happy and that is all that counts.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by alphabrace:

Originally posted by bountyhunter:

Originally posted by Revolver_King:
Does the Power Port really make a major difference?

If you mean in recoil, NO.

If you mean in spraying garbage up and dirtying the front sight.... yes, it will do that.

Is not the purpose of the port to keep the gun on site and not lift too much?

Yes, that's the purpose. However, ports do very little to actually reduce muzzle lift. The muzzle rises due to recoil, and the line of force is along the barrel so it twists the wrist. That's the reason taking a "higher" grip reduces felt recoil, it reduces the leverage that the recoil line of force has about the pivot point of the wrist.

Compensators reduce muzzle lift by reducing recoil: the gas goes out the barrel and expands and hits a flat wall inside the compensator, creating a force stright forward along the barrel which offsets the recoil force. The gas then does exit upward, but that force is really very small compared to the recoil force.

FYI: fire blanks in a revolver and you'll see how little recoil force the gas alone creates, it is the force due to the accelerating mass of the slug that is what causes most recoil. Auto pistols which fire blanks have to use gas restrictors to create enough back pressure to cycle the action.

There is a section related to this topic in Glaxco's book "Shooting From Within" explaining how and why compensators reduce lift and how and why ports don't. I do realize some people swear that ports work miracles, but that has never been my experience (or Glaxco's).

 

[Old Navy]

Let me say it like I told a friend, it's an ugly gun because of the PP, but it feels like shooting my K-22 22 WMR Target Masterpiece.

 

[MCVenner]

06-A2-MD-GR-BP-SA-SP-FS-CS-ZS.

The first "features" field identifies the capacity of the gun's cylinder/magazine ... not the year of manufacture.

 

[Old Navy]

I was waiting for someone to pop my bubble.

Actually I know by Ser # it has to be '04 or later because it is not in the S&W big book of knowledge.

 

[buck460XVR]

Originally posted by bountyhunter:


There is a section related to this topic in "Glaxco's book "Shooting From Within" explaining how and why compensators reduce lift and how and why ports don't. I do realize some people swear that ports work miracles, but that has never been my experience (or Glaxco's).

I have two almost identical 6 inch 686s....one with the factory power-port, one without. Shooting plinker types loads with them, one cannot tell any measurable difference in the two guns. Shooting near max hunting loads outta them both and the difference is very noticeable, both in felt recoil and muzzle lift. Miracle?.....naw, just my own first hand experience shooting nearly identical guns with identical loads....and not from what I read in a book.

I have shot many handguns with aftermarket porting jobs and different types of factory porting and did not like them at all. The other type of porting was along the sides of the barrel and not directly on top like the Smith.

Maybe it's the loads I use,(and I even use "dirty" Unique for plinkin' loads) but in all the years I have had it, I've yet to have the front sight "dirtied up" from flying garbage. The only time I've ever seen anything come outta the port was in low light conditions and all I saw then was flash. My 686pp is my favorite range gun and usually eats several hundred rounds every time it sees the range.

Enjoy yours Old Navy............

 

[browntown]

huh, thought the power port 6" 686's were all the dash 5 variety, here's mine: