New owner 686-4 Plus Any instructions?

[JLLNet]

After doing some research here I finally purchased a brandnew 686-6, 4" Plus.

It looks and feels awesome. This is my first revolver and a keeper. It came factory dirty so I will try to remove from Lead and polish it.

I bought some .38 and .357 ammo, and watched some Youtube regarding proper grip, etc.

Should I start with .38 and then .357 ammo?

Do I need to adjust the rear sight or does that come set from the factory?

Any newbie advise is welcome.

Thank you guys !

 

[Muss Muggins]

Take a look at the rear sight blade from a shooting position. If it's roughly centered, all good. Then look at the rear sight from the side. You'll see a little gap between the frame and the sight at the bottom and muzzle side. If they're roughly equal, you're all good.

Start with the .38 Special using a real big target at about 7-10 yards. Wear eye and ear protection, get a good two handed grip, find a good sight picture (rear sight fuzzy, front sight sharp, target fuzzy, top of front sight aligned with top of back sight and equal space on each side of front sight), and let 'er rip.

Report back . . .

 

[TAROMAN]

Great start with whats arguably the best 686 of all.

 

[snowman]

JLLNet,

Congratulations on the new gun. If you start with 38s, but intend to move to .357s later, be sure to clean the chambers real well each time after using 38s. The 38s will leave deposits at the mouth of the cases which make .357s difficult to chamber and eject.

Now I want to make sure what you have there. Would you open the cylinder and check the model number again for us? The reason I ask is that the gun pictured has a lock and MIM hammer and trigger, which dash 4s do not have(I have one; if you want a picture I'll attempt to get one to you -or maybe someone else can get you one.).

Regards,
Andy

 

[bigwheelzip]

That was my first firearm also. I love shooting any kind of load through it. I always let new shooters learn on it with .38SPL and everyone shoots it well. Keep an eye peeled for ammo sales, cause you'll use it up quick.

 

[cybersnow]

What is a 686-4 plus? Is that the same as a 686 plus with a 4 inch barrel?

 

[valkyriekl]

What is a 686-4 plus? Is that the same as a 686 plus with a 4 inch barrel?

686 = L-sized/medium frame (or just "L-frame"), stainless-steel [denoted by the model number starting with the number "6"], .357 Magnum, adjustable sights, full-lug barrel

-4 = fourth engineering change (in this case: top-strap drilled/tapped for scope mount, rear sight changed to modern 'round-tang' design; -3 saw the deletion of the "floating hand" and new yoke retention system, -2 incorporated the recall changes [firing pin bushing w/ smaller hole and corresponding hammer nose], -1 was the "floating hand" + radius stud package, no-dash was the original 686; -5 = change to MIM hammer and frame-mounted firing pin, -6 [current production] = internal lock system, -7 = Performance Center version chambered in .38 Super). The "dash-number" normally does not have anything to do with the barrel length.

"Plus" or "+" = 7-shot cylinder

http://smith-wessonforum.com/135724461-post4.html

 

[JLLNet]

I'm sorry about the specs, the model is 686-6 4" Plus, I thought that it was 686-4 for 4", but I was wrong, I've added the inside picture to the thread

Great comments, thanks I can't wait to get it to the range..

 

[cybersnow]

Thanks, that helped a lot. I too am in the market for a 686, just not sure whether to go plus or SSR.

 

[snowman]

No apology necessary, JLLNet; we all start with little/no knowledge of these things and move up from there. I was certain that you had at least a dash 6; I have one of those, too; and it's a great gun.

If I were you I would use a rest at the range to get a more exact idea of where the revolver is placing the shots on the target. A rest can be a bag of sand, a rolled-up towel, small pillow, etc. which you place on the bench in front of you, and on which you 'rest' your shooting hand while firing the gun. This serves to steady the gun as it fires, eliminating the normal movements of the human body which tend to throw off one's aim and thus scatter one's shots somewhat. I believe that the factory sights these guns in with .357s. If I'm correct and you use 38s, it's possible the gun may hit a little bit higher than you want it to, depending on the distance to the target. If that's the case, then you may want to adjust the rear sight to place the shots lower. Come back after your first range trip and give us a report and we'll see if we can help further.

Oh, by the way, I'm not suggesting that you continue to use a rest after getting the sight where you want it. Handguns are meant to be fired freehand. A rest is just for sighting in.

Regards,
Andy

 

[snowman]

I forgot something. If you decide to do as I suggested and check the sight from a rest, you'll want to fire the gun in single action(cock hammer, then squeeze trigger slowly) so as to get even more accurate results.

Andy

 

[cybersnow]

Also along with what snow man said, shoot 2-3 shots each time before you adjust. If the shots are tightly grouped, then you can adjust the sight. If the shots are spread out, then shoot another group as you could be making the sight worse by guessing or trying to use the center of the group as an average. Take your time, relax and try to get as tight a group as possible.

 

[Toblerra]

You mentioned that you had watched some you tube videos on gripping the revolver etc. in case it wasn't mentioned in the videos you watched, make sure that you never allow any part of your hand, fingers or thumbs to be exposed to the front of the cylinder, where the gap is between it and the forcing cone when firing! You could lose a finger that way especially shooting hot magnum loads. This goes for shooting any kind of revolver for that matter. I hope this was covered in the videos you watched but just in case, I attached one for you below.

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VFBAcz16GvU[/ame]

 

[snuffy51]

Just don't shoot your eye out. Just kidding. You have seen the light, and another wheel man born. Enjoy !!!!

 

[rwsmith]

Good advice....

JLLNet,

Congratulations on the new gun. If you start with 38s, but intend to move to .357s later, be sure to clean the chambers real well each time after using 38s. The 38s will leave deposits at the mouth of the cases which make .357s difficult to chamber and eject.

At the range I shoot .38s first then move to .357 and if I don't have a way of cleaning the cylinders out, the rounds are difficult to chamber. The way I solve this is to put my .38 loads in .357 cases.

Advice? You've got a great gun and I'd shoot the dickens out of it.

 

[rwsmith]

Even if you don't...

You mentioned that you had watched some you tube videos on gripping the revolver etc. in case it wasn't mentioned in the videos you watched, make sure that you never allow any part of your hand, fingers or thumbs to be exposed to the front of the cylinder, where the gap is between it and the forcing cone when firing! You could lose a finger that way especially shooting hot magnum loads. This goes for shooting any kind of revolver for that matter. I hope this was covered in the videos you watched but just in case, I attached one for you below.

Even if you don't do damage to your hand and fingers, it HURTS. First time I shot one, not know what to expect, I kind of wrapped my supporting hand around the cylinder. I stopped doing that right then and there.

 

[cmoody72]

I recently purchased my first 686+. Mine was sighted in pretty close from the factory shooting .357 magnums.

Good luck and shoot safe

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

A very good choice. Be safe. Enjoy.

 

[JLLNet]

I made it to the range tonight night and I'm happy to report that shooting this 686-6 is delightful... I started with .38 130 grain ammo and it shot so mildly, not much of recoil, I think less than my 9mm M&P...

Then I moved to .357 120 gr ammo and that is where I felt the rush, again the recoil was light just snappy, but felt its power, its awsomeness. And I found shooting the .357 was more accurate, but this was my first time shooting a revolver.

I will take more time to experiment and be more comfortable with it, all I say is that I felt very safe behind this firearm. The single action is so quick, scary fast, but then the double action allows you to breath and be more calm. The 7 shot feels like a lot of shooting...

All I say is that this is a beautiful and amazing firearm that I recommend blindly!!!!

God Bless America !

 

[bigwheelzip]

For the uninitiated, the 686 is a lovely introduction piece. It is so sweet and friendly, you can't help but like it and trust it. Glad your outing turned out so well, but not surprised.