My 586 L Comp is my favorite of my dozen or so S&W revolvers even with the lock. I am not one to obsesses over the lock.
The action on my L Comp was "Carmonized" by the now retired Mike Carmoney. I never knew it was possible to have a DA trigger like this on a revolver! If you ever have the opportunity shoot a gun that has been "Carmonized", jump on it! I had no idea who Mike Carmoney was when I bought this gun used on Gunbroker a few months back for $900 delivered. It was barely fired and I bought it from a competitive shooter who is a friend of Mike Carmoney.
I also changed out the sight with an SDM fiber optic and put some nice Ahrends retro tactical grips in red stained maple on it.
The black blade factory front sight was terrible. It provided zero contrast on dark targets and the night sight in the blade was so small it was useless.
Though the lines and shape of the front sight looked great, it was non-functional for me and it had to go! I can send the front sight off to D&S Sports and have a bigger tritium vial installed with a white outline like an XS Big Dot, but they want $155 to do that. I went with the $28 SDM fiber optic instead and I'm very happy. Doesn't look nearly as cool as the factory sight though. But I bought the gun to shoot, not look at. May send the front sight off to D&S someday when I have $155 burning a hole in my pocket, but for now the fiber optic is perfect for me.
The factory grips were really too short for me, and I don't have huge paws. Again, the factory Altamont's look really cool, but are just not functional for me. The Ahrends are just perfect in every way.
I have 7 or 8 K/L Frame 357s with 2.5" to 3" barrels (65 LadySmith, couple of Night Guards, a 386PD etc) but my L Comp runs heavy in my carry rotation. Along with my 686PC 2.5" it gets carried the most. I carry it IWB in a Tucker Gunleather Texas Heritage.
This gun just shoots tiny groups even with cheap, crappy, dirty ammo. Old 3D Ammo 38spl 147gr Wadcutters from the 1980s, AE 130gr 38spl, Georgia Arms and Freedom Munitions reloads, Blaser Aluminium cased 357s. Anything I shove in it comes out like the target below at 25' firing Double Action. You really have to try to shoot bad groups with this gun, it is like a laser.