I just found a place with a couple of used 586's set up the same way, 6" barrel with patridge sight, should be perfect for range work. The price is decent and I've been debating whether to pick one up, seeing yours has pretty much convinced me...
Range Gun in .357: K, L, or N Frame?
- Thread starter nody
- Start date
PuertoRican
Member
Have the same no dash revolver and agree with Hearsedriver 100%. Have way over 20K rounds through it and its by far my most accurate centerfire. I took one deer with it from 65 paces using .357 158 gr. Speer Gold Dots and it did the job with authority. Only time I ever used a .357 for deer and people who say it's not enough gun haven't used theirs with the CORRECT bullet for hunting them bambies. With the right round it will easily take one down. As others will/have stated the L frame 586/686 (blue, nickel/stainless) were made for a steady diet of .357's. I'd never put that many rounds through my model 27 (N Frame) and the grip of the L framed 586 with a set of Herretts is perfect for me! The N frames grips are a little too big for DA shooting for me as I have small-medium sized hands.
I never sent it back to the factory for the M mod as it's not one of my SD revolvers, but would use it for that with no second thoughts. Paid 325.00 or less IMS for mine as it has some nickel missing from the front end of the cylinder. Not a collector but one heck of a shooting machine! Money very well spent and I'm sure you'd love one too
Terrible picture that does not do the 586 justice.
Happy hunting!
What is the "M" mod?
Speaking of price, since we are all "in the market," it seems useful to share. I believe it was neither a steal nor a ripoff, but fair given what I found out there, especially considering the condition and no dash. He wanted 6, I wanted 5, we settled on 5.5 FTF.
Other than the load development, I shoot mostly steel plates with full power rounds, and the heavy barrel gets right back on target quickly. At a big get together of shooting buddies last weekend, I and my friends had the chance to run some of my handloads through others' guns as a comparison. There was a 4" Highway Patrolman, 4" Security Six, 4" Trooper Mk III, and a former 4" Python owner. All agreed the 586 with and without the Wolff kit was smoother SA/DA by far, and handled the recoil far better.
I've worked up 158 gr SWC loads with Unique, 2400, and something I hadn't used before, Blue Dot, which had no leading, unlike the higher Unique charges. All rounds had easy extraction, .005" case expansion or less, and not excessively flattened primers. These pics were shot at different sessions, so they varied from 5, 6, & 10 round groups during the project; it is not consistent, I know, but I didn't photograph all the targets shot. These projects always get more detailed as you go.
The pictures compare with the data on the spreadsheet I made, where the rounds fired are consistent.
586 testing:
The below pics were fired on a 50 FOOT range, rested on a pad only.
Unique, 10 round groups:
2" x 2.25"
1.75 x 2.5"
2400, 6 round groups:
1.625" x 0.625"
This is the primary load I have settled on. I have since adjusted the sight to bring all this to center, 6:00 small bullseye (bottom POI)
1.25" x 2.125"
Blue Dot, 5 round groups:
2" x 2.75"
(BTW, all those black dots were the prior owner of that target. He left it on the board, so I plugged his holes and used it. Yes, I'm a cheap bas…
)
The 11.0 was a pressure test load, with normal case expansion (.005) and primers no more flattened than 6.0 Unique or 13.0 2400.
10 rounds, not a great overall group, but an interesting string. I need to test some more of this.
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Eaglestroker
Member
Let's just face the facts. You need all three 
Reevolvers
Member
Let's just face the facts. You need all three
What he said! I couldn't agree more!
VaRecon
Member
My vote is for N. My 27 is to this day the most accurate revolver I've owned.
A 6" L frame 586/686 is pretty hard to beat as a shooter, with the 6" N frame 27/28 not far behind. I wouldnt want to carry either one.
My favorite shooter is a 4" model 19, but i'm most accurate on the 6" 686, it's just more balanced and handles recoil better under heavy loads.
My favorite shooter is a 4" model 19, but i'm most accurate on the 6" 686, it's just more balanced and handles recoil better under heavy loads.
notsofast
Member
I wound up with two .357's, a 627 and a M19, like them both, but if I had to do it again I would save myself some money and have one 586/686 L frame.
Eaglestroker
Member
While I stand by me comment regarding you needing all of them, my L frame is best in my hands. There's no right or wrong though.
michael thornton
Member
well i have 7 357s n k and l frames they are all great guns !
stevieboy
Member
I find that L and N frames are both great for extended range work firing .357s. My current favorite is a 4" 27-3 made back in '88. It's way too bulky to carry but it just eats up targets with either 158 or 125gr. Magnum rounds
larkop
Member
Have K, L and N frames but I truely love the N's, properly sized grips are a must.
Nice looking shooter, Nody! You might want to put that flat screw back under the stocks though. Not that it will matter much, just look correct. The grip panel might fit better too.
all357mag
Member
N Frame. That was easy!
You might want to put that flat screw back under the stocks though. Not that it will matter much, just look correct. The grip panel might fit better too.
Those stocks are off the gun now, and I am out of town and away from the gun, but I went back and looked at the pics, and I don't quite follow? :?
The side plate screw installed just aft of the trigger is a flat head screw. It belongs in the most aft hole, under the stocks. The screw aft of the trigger should be of the round head type, like the one in the foreward side plate hole. I believe they used the flat screw under the stocks so it would fit flush and not interfer with the fit of the stocks. Don't mean to be picky.
Appreciate the info; excellent attention to detail!
When I got home today and removed the grips, I noted both aft screws are flat headed, and only the forward screw is a fillister head.
I don't know if the previous owner swapped it out for a reason, by mistake, or if it came that way, but that was the way I received it.
As you mention though, IIRC from my long gone 29-2, only the aft screw should be flat.
When I got home today and removed the grips, I noted both aft screws are flat headed, and only the forward screw is a fillister head.
I don't know if the previous owner swapped it out for a reason, by mistake, or if it came that way, but that was the way I received it.
As you mention though, IIRC from my long gone 29-2, only the aft screw should be flat.
larry8
Member
If you target shoot a lot you have to consider the weight of the gun too. In my old hands the light weight SR101 feels great for the first 5 rounds (357), then the recoil gets me and I switch to my M10 (K) with 38 special ammo. It's a heavier gun with the less recoil of the 38's and I can shoot it all day. If I was younger I'd opt for a L cause it's only slightly heavier and has less 357 recoil. After a few hunderd rounds the N gun weight is harder to hold up and my accuracy suffers.
Any 4" or 6" Smith is more accurate than I am.
But all three are fun to shoot if your only going to shoot a few hundred rounds.
Any 4" or 6" Smith is more accurate than I am.
But all three are fun to shoot if your only going to shoot a few hundred rounds.
KarmannGhia
Member
If my house were on fire and I only had time to grab my wife, my dog and one of my guns. You will find me holding my 686 (no dash) that I've had since the late 80s.
roaddog28
Member
One of my all time favorite range revolvers was a model 19-4 6 inch. Very accurate well balanced and a very smooth double action trigger. I have had two L frame 686s in 4 inch and one model 28 in 4 inch. They are fine shooters but the way my old model 19 balanced and fit my small hands was hard to beat. Full lug revolvers for me tend to feel muzzle heavy. I know they help recoil but after 100 rounds my old hands are tired with the extra weight on the barrel. I think if I were to get another L frame I might try to find a 620 4 inch. Should have the balance of a K frame with the ability to shoot a steady diet of 357 magnums.
Just a opinion.
Howard
Just a opinion.
Howard
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