586 and 125 grain bullets

C

Chainsaw.

New member
So my next revolver will be a smith 586 4". I also cast a couple differnt types of 124/5 grain bullets that I want use for this gun. I know there used to be some concern about this size bullet cracking the forcing cone on aome S&W and want to know if this model is one of those.
Yes I intend to push SOME of these bullets hard. Looking for a fast, flat shooting load for varmit hunting.
Of course its main diet will be 38 type loads but want to make sure I wont damage anything with occasional hot loads.
 
586 & 686 (L-frame) developed, in part, to address that issue, which occurred with the K-frame.

IOW, it was designed to eat hot 125gr loads all day long.
 
My friend owned an older 686 ~1995 and the manual stated a steady diet of .357 magnum rounds was not recommended but for mostly 38 Special it will probably be ok. I had an opportunity to buy it for $350 , wish I hadn't passed, it had a really smooth action and was reasonably accurate at 50 yards.
 
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I believe that problem was on the old Model 19 and 66 K-frames. The L-frames were introduced because of that problem.

The only current "weight limit" I know of is that Model 340s shouldn't be used with bullets under 120 gr, because of flame-cutting the topstrap.

PS: I see jfruser just said that.
 
Howdy

This question was answered quite recently on this forum. The K frame S&W revolvers have had a clearance cut on the underside of the forcing cone to clear the gas ring on the cylinder since about 1905. This was not a problem with 38 Special cartridges.

When K frame revolvers were chambered for the 357 Magnum cartridge, this could become a problem. The clearance cut has the effect of making the forcing cone thinner in that area. This could cause the forcing cone to crack when large amounts of some specific 357 Magnum rounds were fired.

In this photo you can see how much thinner the forcing cone is at the clearance cut.

Clearance%20Cut%20K%2038%20K302366_zps36xagqbc.jpg




Part of the reason the L frame was invented was to eliminate this problem. The cylinder is larger in diameter, with the chambers spaced further out, so there was no need for a clearance cut on the forcing cone.

I have no idea what S&W is recommending today regarding how much of what specific 357 Magnum ammunition can be fired through an L frame revolver, but the cause of the problem has been eliminated.
 
I was hoping you might chime in Driftwood. Many thanks Gentleman. I shall buy in confidence, and shoot with gusto!
 
Howdy Again

For comparison, here is the forcing cone on the only L frame S&W I own, a Model 686-6 I bought a couple of years ago. You can see there is no clearance cut. I would assume all L frame revolvers have forcing cones like this, but only have this one to compare.

Model%20686%20Forcing%20Cone_zpsrxgirnc2.jpg




P.S. I just found the owner's manual that came with this gun. Nowhere does it say anything about limiting the amount of 357 Magnum ammo to run through it. The manual only makes the standard disclaimer, to make sure that ammo meets SAAMI specs.
 
My friend owned an older 686 ~1995 and the manual stated a steady diet of .357 magnum rounds was not recommended but for mostly 38 Special it will probably be ok.
Click to expand...

I have a 686 bought new in 1994 and the manual does not state anything regarding limited use of 357 mag ammo.
 
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