What is the best 586/686 to get

[sureshot66]

I remember a long time ago a gunsmith that I knew told me that the original 586 or 686 with no dash was a better fit from the factory and more desirable to build a custom gun off of. Is there any truth to this or really just a myth.

 

[buck460XVR]

Many claim that a -4 is most desirable. I gave my -4 to my youngest son for his eighteenth birthday. I replaced it with a -6 to go along with my -5. To me they are all good.

 

[357 shooter]

Is there any truth to this or really just a myth.

I'd say myth. My 686-4 is the nicest of all the 686s I have owned. I'm not sure how or why the no dash is suppose to be fit better. Not sure if the -4 was made with CNC machinery but the accuracy for a mass produced revolver exceeded my expectations. Actually all the earlier dash 686s I have owned shot very accurately.

 

[one eye joe]

I would try to find a nice clean 686 in a no dash up to a dash 4. I have a 2/12'' no dash converted to a 7 shooter by S&W, and a 686+ dash 4 Mountain Gun. Fit and finish, trigger pull, and accuracy is superb on each. I think quality of components begins to fall off after that--MIM parts, frame mounted firing pin, and the horrible lock all follow in the later versions. Many are of the opinion that the dash 4 is greatest iteration of the 686.............

 

[redbos]

I have three 586's, all with different dashes. I find them all of them to preform very well, my 6 inch 586-3 is my most accurate for some reason.....

 

[Nightowl]

Well, the -4 may be the preferred iteration, but I think all of them are good, given the individual revolver is good. They are well designed, and well made. With the exception of those in the recall (update) range, all should give a life time of service. I have a 586 that I bought when they first camoe on the market that has a lot of rounds through it. It is still is a good shooter, even though it has some blue loss other signs of use. Just check out the gun you are looking at and as long as passes the tests, it should give a lot of satisfaction.

 

[Wayne M]

One without an overindexted barrel!

 

[scooter123]

Call me a maverick but IMO the guns featuring MIM internals are the easiest to do an action job on. The simple truth is the MIM parts don't need any additional fitting so just a light smoothing is all that's needed for a very nice result.

 

[chaad]

THe best 686 is a 681???

Have 2, a -1(M) and a -3. Both nicely "broken in" LEO trades, and both are the best.