It is one of my prized firearms. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Once cleaned up, that is the prettiest of all my blued barrels. We will also provide some tips on how to keep your Smith and Wesson 686 in good condition. if you carry a gun, it should not be a weapon. My daughters, thankfully, shoot them all with the right loads. Replacing these parts will fix the issue most of the time. The only way I was getting another revolver was by selling or trading the one I had. Can you show a pick so i can see what you guys are talking about? Both went largely unfired for a couple of years. He shook his head no, and assured me that once purchased, he intended to take a firearms class. Leave it loaded for years, with no worry. The Canik, Security Nine, and S&W SD9, all go for about $300. If I was to buy a S&W, it would be the 686. Your email address will not be published. It is the stainless steel version of the Model 586, which featured a blued steel finish. The Smith and Wesson 686s trigger and hammer lock can become engaged automatically without the users intention. The 686 holds no surprises in store: loading and firing is typical of double-action revolvers. If you want, you can also uninstall the whole mechanism so that the gun does not automatically lock up again. NB that on most of the rest of the barrels/guns pictured, the rear edge of the front sight is a ramp. Im actually looking at pre lock 686s right now, probably a 4 is going to be bought one of these days. The 686 revolvers can sometimes prevent fire while shooting. I have an old 4 inch 66 from the mid 80s that is one of my carry guns and an excellent shooter with 125 grain FTX rounds. Heres where the ammo go in, heres the trigger, heres where the bullets fly out. the sear and hammer are taken right out of the mold and then with no machining slapped into the gun. So, I have included the solutions to these most common issues that the Smith and Wesson 686 users face. One tries not to eavesdrop, but two things quickly became clear: 1) the middle-aged gentlemen knew absolutely nothing about firearms, and 2) the sales staff was losing interest in helping him. Ive seen what happens to an improperly maintained revolver. with my marksmanship skills fadingI managed to qualify one last time using the long-barrel version of this gunprobably wouldnt have passed without it. It was a Saturday afternoon, and the gun department was fairly busy. Im a fan of both. The long 686 didnt like my 158 grain LSWC .38 Special hand load any better than the other two guns had; however everything else shot pretty well. The man was well-dressed, and was genuinely trying to elicit information on a subject he knew nothing about. You have entered an incorrect email address! Specifications. But if the gun does this every 5 or six rounds, or once with every cylinder, it is not good news. Excellent article about one of the most practical, reliable firearms ever manufactured. Smith & Wesson 686 One of the most popular revolvers in production, the Smith & Wesson 686 revolver is a medium ("L frame") revolver chambered in the powerful .357 Magnum caliber. Appreciate the kind words. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. In one of his books, Elmer talked about having one of his Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum revolvers re-barreled to the more-handy 4-inch length. Although the probability of this issue occurring is thin, you should be aware. RECALL: Smith & Wesson has shipped over 300,000 Third generation Pistols. But if it gets stuck, you have to disassemble the gun by taking out the side locking plate (Fig 1). I honestly cant say that either the new or old 4-inch 686s arent capable of the same accuracy. 5 inches is probably the ideal barrel length for a .357 revolver. Very, very true but not just in revolvers. However, I havent been asked by any newbies for a few years and I stopped volunteering to provide info to newbies a few years ago as well. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. S&W 66-4 was my first big boy gun bought at a gun show from a lot of sheriff department trade ins. Interesting article. So, it is best to send the gun to Smith and Wesson for repair. It was less expensive (and I think just as good) as the 686. Semi autos are just a newfangled fad thats going to pass any day now. The G19 is a very practical tool. If there are any problems, do not accept the transfer. Ive added it to my dictionary. Once done, I repeated the test firings with the same 5 loads through the now-long barreled 686. Imagine what that does to the barrel. If the spring is broken or damaged, it will need to be replaced. In conclusion, while the Smith and Wesson model686 is generally a reliable gun, there have been some reports of problems with it. I then gave him a contemplative look and he asked me what I would recommend for him. The sear and spring are rare to buy. A loose extractor rod is the primary cause of this issue. Just a great old gun that works every time. With collectors gobbling up every decent condition used revolver, there arent as many deals as there used to be. Had to check out my 686 too. Wonderful article, Mr. Knudsen. However, they both shot everything else pretty well, and both guns had definite favorites. If were talking about new pistols, Ill keep my GP 100 over a Smith. The problem is that even with the so-called 'full power' ribbed springs misfires occasionally happen. Did I notice before this thread? And then, a few years ago, a funny thing happened: my wife and I attended a Friends of the NRA banquet in Helena, Montana. We shook hands and Spencer left the store that day without purchasing anything, but I had obviously given him more to think about and he went home to research revolvers. On a Colt, you do this, and then you start adjusting the tail of the bolt to get it to drop at the correct time as the hammer starts moving backwards. Pull the trigger a few times after installing it to make sure the hand is functioning correctly. The result is the worst trigger pulls ever put in a Smith handgun. Thats the downside. The 686 may very well be a fine revolver. Wheres the Gov.? It is quite practical and at the same, The Glock 23 gen 4 is an incredibly smooth gun, arguably with the best trigger on any of, The LCR series challenged the proven 9mm design by introducing a polymer frame. Next came a 4 15-2, that was $356, and I found a 6 VH barrel and shroud for like $79, and finally my last one was a complete frame only for $300, no barrel, but on Ebay again, I found a 4 pitted barrel and shroud for like $120 that wasnt pitted either. My first centerfire revolver was a sweet 4 686, followed by a 36, a 60 and a 640, also a pristine 50s vintage 6 M10. Its been my (personal) experience that many folks dont want to hear unsolicited advice. At the time our sheriff felt that automatics were too complicated for reserve officers (he was an idiot in other categories too). Theyre for target/long-range work on a handgun. I bought a Sig P226 in the 80s. This will help to keep it in good working condition. Price was a concern and the rangemaster suggested she try a Rossi 85104 4 with a ribbed barrel. Luckily Im past those days. A Hogue rubber grip was purchased and installed, and voila, the new grips fit my hand. Revolvers are fun, and mostly practical but pricey. I purchased it in 1987. Then shoot it some more, and then shoot it some more. The point is, I took my time, properly uninstalled the 4-inch barrel from my old 686 and replaced it with the original 8 3/8 inch barrel. Would you rather get a used S&W 64 or 10 thats been carried for 35 years by some French cop, or a brand new Canik 9mm with 18+1 on tap for the same price? Well done. Like computers. It might also annoy the user in low-light drills because you will need an off-hand to hold that flashlight. The spell-checking feature in OS X was telling me there was a misspelling. The Smith & Wesson Model 686 is a six- or seven-shot double-action revolver manufactured by Smith & Wesson and chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge; it will also chamber and fire .38 Special cartridges. They use the dreaded MIM cast parts which have a known higher failure rate than even traditional cast parts and a way higher failure rate than the older quality forged steel parts. yes . Still, I have far more affection for the revolvers. I shoot them and theyve played a big role in improving my pistol marksmanship. When I was in the army a friend bought a 6 686 used. There are not many gunsmiths left alive who really know these guns well. The fact is most dgus occur without a shot being fired. Are you gonna stand in the middle of the room and trade shots with the active shooter? revolvers.) Your support is critical to our mission and c. People have shared their experiences where some of them have faced a few problems with the gun. One thing, i would only load shot shells for home defense as I didnt want to shoot through a wall and hit one of my kids. I dont consider myself an expert on these older Colts. If you spend any time on internet firearm forums, there are inevitably a dozen, if you could have only one gun threads or discussions going on. You increase the velocity and shootability over the 4, and 6 just seems a tad too long to be practical. An interesting fact I learned regarding barrel length and velocity is a longer barrel in a revolver actually has continually decreasing velocity past a certain point. Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 686 in 1981. Mine is the Ruger Security Six. That covers most of my defense and sporting needs, although the $399 S&W Model 64 trade-ins are Aim Surplus are very tempting. Spencer was interested in purchasing a home-defense handgun, as he was quite concerned about the state of affairs in the world today. If it does not, you might also need a hand repair. Before the internet I never would have noticed this. Design, quality and quality control problems have been endemic to Smith and Wesson firearms for decades. Next, check the hammer spring. It is chambered in .357 Magnum and can also shoot .38 Special rounds. Damn good gun, easy to shoot, minimal recoil. It is a stainless steel gun, which makes it resistant to corrosion. 2020. In 1981 a real workhorse galloped out of the Smith and Wesson stable in the form of the company's model 686 a stainless version of their model 586. Same deal inside a Ruger. I also suggest that they do some research, buy snap-caps and do practice both dry-firing and live firing. This can cause light primer strikes, misfires, and failures to fire. What materials are used to build the Smith and Wesson 686? The huge coke bottle target grips, while pretty, had never fit my short-fingered hands. and they will always be as good as the person using them. The 686 was my first big caliber revolver. Using other types of ammunition can damage your gun. terrible finish. Is the Smith and Wesson 686 still in production? That would be a good basic gun for a newby. Quick Overview of the Problems and SolutionsProblems with Smith and Wesson 686SolutionsTrigger Lock Automatically EngagingUnstick the mechanism by removing the side plate.Sear and Spring IssueReplace the sear and sear spring.Failure to Carry UpPeen the flat surfaces of the teeth of the extractor star.JammingRemove the unburned powders and keep the barrel upwards while removing the casing.Cylinder Not ClosingTighten the extractor rod and break in the cylinder.Slow TimingInstall a new hand which is bigger than the factory hand. (sorry my bad english.) Love my 686 with a 6 inch barrel. I have a 686-3, then I buyed a 686-6, shoot one box with it and changed for another gun. My 686 is a CS 1. But you should still tighten it up and shoot a couple of rounds. Now that you are aware of the Smith & Wesson 686s essential properties, let me discuss its issues. I own a fair number of handguns , yet my SW 586, is one gun I can pick up after six months ,and just shoot it well . Lots of info here. this is why the locks are so hated by us. REVOLVER FAIL! I explained how this revolver is made of solid steel and when fired with .38 Specials, it wouldnt recoil as much as a semi-auto would (or jam on the occasion of a limp-wrist shot from a new shooter). Unlock the Benefits of Knowing Your Winchester Serial Number, Complete Buyers Guide to the Sig Sauer P228. A partridge front sight is just as the author pictured in the photo below the paragraph where the word partridge appeared: A square-backed front post sight with flat, parallel sides and a flat, perpendicular top edge to the sight. The Smith and Wesson model686 is a revolver that has been around for awhile. It is simple,. Just my own opinion. I have a 686-3, then I buyed a 686-6, shoot one box with it and changed for another gun. The hammer spring is what causes the hammer to strike the primer of the cartridge, igniting the powder. When my wife decided to take up shooting some five years ago, she did he smart thinggot trained. In this blog post, we will talk about what to do if your gun stops shooting. I loaded the 686 with 125 grain Federal hollow points and carried a Smith 640 as my backup. Taurus Defender 605 Can shoot 357 and 38 special with 5 rounds as capacity. Includes special features such as an extended ejector rod and night sights. Very accurate gun. But I agree with you that one does not want to clamp the barrel and go reefing on the revolver frame. How refreshing! To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The 686 is simple to operate, simple to load, easy to shoot, and most importantly for a new shooter, safe. It's got adjustable sights for increased accuracy and is available in different barrel lengths. Otherwise, the cylinder might carry too much up and the bolt could pop out of the cylinder notch. 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