It's a sickness...686+ S&W 7 shot with 4" bbl

B

bbqbob51

New member
The Smith and Wesson 7 shot 686+ with a 4" barrel has been on my short list for a while now. I purchased a 9.5" bbl Ruger Single Six and a Ruger LCR in the last 5 months so I swore off purchasing any firearms for while.
This past Saturday my wife wanted to go down to Portland to visit my daughter and go to a "Medium" Fair where a bunch of psychics and mediums do readings and stuff. This didn't exactly crank my tractor to say the least so I dropped them off and headed over to Cabelas.
I went over and browsed the gun selection and suddenly it jumped out at me, a Stainless 7 shot 686+ Smith with a 4" barrel. I asked to look at it and it felt nice with a nice trigger pull. Like I said I wasn't really in the market for a new gun but as it turned out Cabelas' was offering 0% interest and no payments for 12 months on S&W products if I used my Cabelas card. Arggh! How could I turn that down? The other 2 recent purchases are all paid for and resting safely in my gun safe and you just don't see these 7 shot revolvers every day. That Stainless 7 shot beauty has joined Rugers in the safe! Maybe I can get some pics to post in a few days.
 
I don't own one, but it seem's to me the two revolvers with most people approved award are the 686, and Model 10 in S&W.:D

I have to settle for my 8 shot .357:D, and my 5 shot .357.:confused:
 
I own Six S&W revolvers and my 686- Plus with 6” Barrel is one of my favorites. Carry it while in the woods and fields. Great weapons indeed!
 
I do not own--right now too redundant with my great 65LS for current budget--but the 686+/4" is right at the top of my (and apparently a lot of others') hypothetical "if only one handgun" list.
 
This past Saturday my wife wanted to go down to Portland to visit my daughter and go to a "Medium" Fair where a bunch of psychics and mediums do readings and stuff.
Click to expand...

So did you tell her or did the psychics give her the heads up?
 
Though a Model 65 LS is on my short list, I prioritized the purchase of a 686 plus. It is my nightstand gun, filled with seven 125 grain, +P .38 Specials. I'm sure that you will fall in love with this revolver.

By the way, if you can visit your wife's medium before she gets there and slip her ten bucks, the seer just might peer into her crystal ball only to see see a new gun in your wife's future. :D
 
Had guitar lessons tonight so I didn't get a chance to play with the 686 or take pictures of it. I promise pics will be coming!
Jayhawk: No they didn't have a clue!
DGLudwig: I like that idea! We cannot have enough toys in the house, what's hers is mine and what's mine is mine afterall;)
 
Walklightly said
" I know what that is. It's a Smith and Wesson Model 65 Lady Smith. Right? I feel smart today."

Yes, to me the Holy Grail of "carryable" mid-size Smiths IMO. Relatively little known secret. Unique--to LS--combo of a K with vaunted 3" fixed sight *with* full shroud/lug and low glare satin stainless. Wa la. Such an outstanding gun, took about two seconds of handling to get over the lightly scribed moniker on the frame. Surprised (as heck) S&W didn't mainstream the model more. The 686's added forcing cone beef for "hotter 125s" (in .357) plus the 7-shot capability of the "+" model would *probably* make it my first choice as a one and only if "forced to," and especially if I was absent my LS choice, but the LS is just enough smaller and lighter to be the superior carry piece. Now that I think of it, very close call actually; carryability versus being able to shoot a lot of hot rounds--7 at a time--w/o wear issues. Hmmm.
EDIT: IIRC 686+ is also available in 3" but it's "just not the same" as my beloved K, and the larger Smith just seems to be made for/'wants to be' the 4". But the 3" is another choice that would make it more carryable.
 
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enjoy the 686+..they are nice.

but yes its a sickness...
usually starts with 1, then spreads to same model in diffrent barrel lengths, then goes to blued, nickeled,and stainless, then branches out from the L frame to the J,K,N frames....

before you know it, you'll have a 357 in all 4 frame sizes:)
a 38 and a 22 in 2 frame sizes

then you'll start making "pairs"..
14/17,
15/18,
586,686,
60LS,65LS,442LS

then you'll look for the grail guns..65LS is on my list..

no cure that i know of..
 
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I had a 686+ (7 shot).
Didn't care for how thin or "frail" some sections looked.
Where's the beef?
Fired it at the steel plates and it would "freeze" or "lock up".
Had to wiggle and poke until the action would operate again.
One guy at my local gun shop was all a gaga over it when he saw it.
Told him he could have it if he wanted to buy to- so he did.
Bottom line is that my 6 shot 357's and 44's are just fine.
I figured what is all the hoopla about by having 7 shots if it doesn't operate reliably? Your experience might be better than mine.
 
My first center fire handgun was a S&W 686, 4" barrel. It remained my #1 handgun until I bought a S&W 627PC, 5" barrel 8 shooter. I held on to the 686 for three more years, then realized I was just not shooting it anymore. All my .357 magnum time was using the 627PC. So I gritted my teeth and sold it to a club member.

Congratulations ! That 686 is a dam fine handgun. When you going to buy a 627 ?
 
To call the desire for 686's a sickness is wrong. Owning 686's and other S&W's is a growing mental development that brings you to a higher plane of GUN-NESS..
BOO-YAH
 
I had a 686+ (7 shot).
Didn't care for how thin or "frail" some sections looked.
Where's the beef?
Fired it at the steel plates and it would "freeze" or "lock up".
Had to wiggle and poke until the action would operate again.
One guy at my local gun shop was all a gaga over it when he saw it.
Told him he could have it if he wanted to buy to- so he did.
Bottom line is that my 6 shot 357's and 44's are just fine.
I figured what is all the hoopla about by having 7 shots if it doesn't operate reliably? Your experience might be better than mine.
Click to expand...

If your Model 686 plus was "freezing" or "locking up", said malfunctions had nothing to do with it having the seventh shot and everything to do with it being defective in one way or another. Six-shot revolvers can act similarly if they're defective too. Fortunately, most people's experiences will be better than yours.
 
Come on guys!....A 686 thread without a single pic?? I love all the S&W L-frames, and the 686+ in particular. Top is 686+ 3", next is 686+ 4" Mountain Gun configuration, next three are also L-frames..a 4" 586, 4" 581, and a 581 with a 2.5" aftermarket barrel and round-butt conversion.
Lframes.jpg
 
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