S&W says 686 6" for hunting but not 4" can someone explain?

[Redhawk500]

Aside from the legal issue, barrel length is a balance of pointability and portability. The focus length is a function of age and eyes. Believe it or not, as the eyes age a four inch is easier to use than a 7 1/2 inch and a six inch continues to be a good compromise. I carry the 6 inch and longer guns in a shoulder holster and 4 inch guns in a belt rig typically. Extremely long barrels may require a rest to wring out good accuracy. Intrinsic accuracy is a moot point as many have stated, a good revolver is better than the shooter in almost every case, given good adjustable sights and a good trigger. A non-game target at 200 yards is great fun but ethical hunting involves 90% plus vital zone accuracy. Deer are actually pretty easy with a 10 inch vital zone under 50 yards. Squirrels, rabbits and small pests, 2 inches at 20 yards, make you humble and will teach you a lot about field positions with your 357 Mag. If you get a coyote, bob cat or similar predator to the photo or taxidermy stage, you can really claim bragging rights. I have to confess, I read Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton when younger and thought a .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt were the holy trinity of handgun hunting. I am seriously considering the 4 inch Model 19 or the 6 inch Model 27 as turkey (in Texas not Tennessee) or deer choices next season. Pick some good, moderate cast bullet loads and enjoy you new purchase. Get a 5 inch if you just can't decide and join the custom handgun addiction. (Sorry, I didn't notice you had made the perfect compromise already.) I didn't realize S&W had any five inch guns other than the 625. Another excuse to hit the internet and develop another "need"!

 

[buck460XVR]

Most of the legitimate reasons have already been touched on. Back when I first starting hunting and shooting in the early sixties, only folks with revolvers shorter than 6'' were LEOs. Folks that hunted with revolvers, be they rimfire or centerfire, all had 6'' or longer barrles on 'em. Most were longer than 6''. In the early 70s Clint Eastwood and "Dirty Harry" came along with his infamous 8 3/8'' model 29. Up until the mid-nineties, recommending a revolver barrel of less than 6'' for hunting was unheard of by most of us. Don't know if this was still a holdover from black powder guns that benefited even more from barrel length, or just a preference. Seems since the advent of internet and the idea of shorter more comfortable carying firearms, the idea of hunting with a short barreled revolver is no longer the exception, but the norm. Still, if you look at the P.C. models of revolvers intended solely for hunting, they still have the longer pipes on 'em. I have 4'', 5'' and 6'' 686s. Accuracy from the bench or rest is about the same with all of them. For general use, the 5'' is what I pick. At the range, most folk pick the 6'' cause it handles magnum load recoil a tad better and gives them more sight plane. While the 4'' is the handiest when seated and using a OWB holster, in the woods, using a hip holster, shoulder or bandolier, I can't tell much difference. Off hand shooting with a cylinder full of rounds, I still shoot the best with the 6''. If a .357 revolver is my primary deer gun for the day, then it's the 6''.

JMTCs.

 

[DR505]

I've found that 4" guns shoot pretty darn good, but when hunting I like the extra weight of a longer barrel. My 6½" Model 657-2 and 6" 686-3 classic hunters are great deer guns.

 

[HalfSwiss]

In the early 70s Clint Eastwood and "Dirty Harry" came along with his infamous 8 3/8'' model 29.
JMTCs.

I recall Dirty Harry using a 29 in the 6" or so barrel length. My 8 3/8" looks a heck of a lot bigger than what Harry used.

 

[arjay]

The longer barrels were traditionally viewed as better for hunting,but it really is dependent on the shooter.

 

[handgunner356]

I do know some states do have the minimum barrel length, some do not allow semi-auto. My concern would be velocity lost with the shorter barrel. Look at the energy charts at how fast it drops off, I'd want all I could get that's why I go 6".

 

[shocker]

FWIW, EK used a 6" barrel for the famous 600 yd game shots, and he shot from a supported position, prone I think. Also mentioned the "terrific concussion" of a 44 mag because prone position places the head close to the gun.