Questions on S&W 686

I own a SP101 2.25". Have had it since around 2002...15 years +-.

As I have gotten older I have had to go down in what I shoot out of it. A 158 gr 357 mag bullet (or several) is now punishing to my arthritic hands....and I now use only 38 spcl in it of no more than 130 gr. (yep 158 gr 38 spcl hurts also) or 125 gr 357 magnum. Still love the gun and carry it concealed on occasion.

I used to have a 686+. Another exceptional weapon and, at the time, I had no problem shooting 158 gr 357 mags in it. Eventually sold it because it had a 6 inch barrel and I found that it sat more and more in the gun cabinet. I never could get used to the longer barrel for carry, but loved it at the range.

Recently I was looking at getting the 686 with a barrel in the 4" range, but decided on the 627 with the 8 shot cylinder. A tad big for summer carry, but I plan to carry it when I start putting jackets/coats on....soon. And I can not even tell I am shooting 158 gr and am planning to get some Buffalo Bore 180 gr.

Good luck in your quest.
 
I would consider porting the barrel to make it more manageable. It's not worth the physical injury like what an older Mel Tappan admitted to in his later years.
 
I used to have a 686+. Another exceptional weapon and, at the time, I had no problem shooting 158 gr 357 mags in it. Eventually sold it because it had a 6 inch barrel and I found that it sat more and more in the gun cabinet. I never could get used to the longer barrel for carry, but loved it at the range.

Recently I was looking at getting the 686 with a barrel in the 4" range...
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The 686+ is offered in a 5" barrel which I've always generally liked as a compromise. It might only come as the "686+ Pro" with the attractive slab-sided barrel and angular underlug.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/performance-center-pro-series-model-686-plus

This would be an excellent candidate for the recoil-dampening X-frame grips I discussed previously. 4V50 Gary is right about damage over time and those of us with arthritis, carpel tunnel issues, etc. probably already know it. I'd go with shock-absorption before porting but like hearing protection, anything is better than nothing.
 
I have a 4" 586 (blue version) and my hand loaded, and I mean real butt stompin, 357 loads hurt, after about 50-60 loads Ice had enough, factory PMC 357s I can shoot 100 of no problem. Real deal defense loads you aren't gonna need to shoot 100 in a row anyway, if you do you'll be famous. 686 will treat you fine. Sp101 is a great little revolver, but the key is LITTLE. I think you'll find the 686 to be much more comfortable.
 
There is nothing comfortable about shooting a 357. If you want to shoot 100 rounds out of one.. have at it. Its not going to feel good during or after. I like the 686 and its a good gun but comfort has never been a word I associate with its use or carriage.
 
I finally got a chance to visit the LGS I do business with. Unfortunately, he didn't have a 686 in stock, but he did have the Performance Center M&P R8 there. OMG!! That thing is NICE! The trigger, the sight picture, the balance, the everything about it! I was so tempted to whip out the trusty credit charge and get it, but I didn't. It's an $1125 gun, which is too much for me right now. At any rate, he's gonna call me when he gets another 686 in stock. He only gets one at a time and just sold the one he had. So.....I will update again when I can finally get my hands on a 686 to check it out.
 
I'm a latecomer to this thread. I don't own an SP101, but I have owned a 686-3 for many years. It is a fantastic platform for the .357 Mag, which is very likely my all around favorite handgun caliber. I own/have owned 6 .357's, all with 6" barrels.

As for myself, I really dig the recoil and the push in the palm that a full size, fully stocked .357 gives me with a 125JHP loaded to around 1425fps. That is all that I shoot from my .357's, and I take 100 rounds (reloads) to the range every time that I shoot one. It does garner some attention when everyone around me is shooting 9mm's and .380's.

I seem to be one of the few that actually prefer the OEM wooden target stocks of the older Smiths. They fill my hand very well, which is what I like, and they look great. A friend of mine just bought a 4" SP101 in .357, but he has not shot it yet, nor have I. I'm interested to learn of his impressions of the gun.

This is my 686-3. I've owned it since 1991...

35636791945_cd83b8bab3_c.jpg
 
Nice. I gotta ask. How do you keep the front of the cylinder so shiny and clean? I tried and tried to get mine clean on the SP101 and didn't have much luck.
 
To polish a stainless revolver I use Mother's mag wheel polish.
I usually polish up my 686 once a year or so. it makes it so pretty till the next time I take it to the range.
 
...How do you keep the front of the cylinder so shiny and clean? I tried and tried to get mine clean on the SP101 and didn't have much luck.
Click to expand...
When I shoot a gun, and especially when I choose to shoot a revolver, I'll put 500 or 600 rounds through it before I strip it down for cleaning. That makes it worth taking apart and detail stripping, since it gets pretty grimy after that many rounds, and it'll likely be awhile before I shoot it again.

To scrub the front of the cylinder and the forcing cone area, I use Iosso Gun Brite polish and a nylon bristle brush. With the cylinder out of the gun, and the yoke and ejector rod removed from the cylinder, I coat the front of the cylinder with Gun Brite and go to town with the nylon brush. I work my way around the cylinder until all of the fouling is gone. I do the same thing with the forcing cone/top strap area. I polish the sides of the cylinder and flutes with my finger tips and Gun Brite. It takes about half an hour or 45 minutes for the whole affair. I have also used Flitz in the past, but it takes a little longer.

I realize that some folks don't have the patience for such things. But, the results speak for themselves. I only do this on my stainless guns. Too many polishings will take the finish off a blued gun, which is one of the reasons why I prefer stainless revolvers. I like to put my guns away clean as new, bright and shiny. Knowing that there might be some residual crud hiding in there somewhere would keep me awake at night. :D

Here's a pic of my 629-1 that gets the same treatment...

35506372871_eb70e2596a_c.jpg
 
I prefer short barrels for carry and long barrels to shoot entire boxes of ammo at the range- no matter if we are talking compact 1911s vs GI-sized, or 1.875" barrel revolvers vs 6-7.5" barreled revolvers.

All of my .357mags have barrels at least 4" long. Any shorter and they just are NOT fun for me to shoot. [anything more powerful than .44mag is also not fun for me to shoot.]

I have a gp100 in 4" [4.2" actually], a 586 and Colt 3 5 7 in 6" and a 6" Blackhawk.

After about 50 rounds I am done.

Honestly, my sight picture, alignment, trigger control, breathing and accuracy begin to suffer around the 40th round, but I don't lose skill after that- I am just 'tiring'.

I've shot other calibers in my life [when younger] that took me 2-3 years of .22lr only work to overcome: not because they were so powerful, but because I overdid it with them at each range session. I drilled bad habits into my system, as I fired twice to three times as much as I should have.

I wouldn't set a goal of 100 rounds a session from it.

I'd measure myself based on how many rounds I can fire before concentration/accuracy/trigger control/flinch/etc. begins to suffer and then stop.
  • Maybe you will work up to 100.
  • Maybe you ARE at 100.
  • maybe you are at 10 [with your snubbie].
  • But make it quality of outcome instead of quantity.

That said, the 6" 686 should make it easier to shoot for longer before those factors affect you.

good luck- no matter what you choose.
 
Gun Brite. I'm gonna hafta find me some of that stuff right thar! lol After reaching the 500+ in rounds shot, I took my SP101 completely apart to clean it up real good. This was last night. I wish I had known about that Gun Brite. Maybe I will get some and clean it up again anyway. I really like the way your revolvers shine, Larry. I'm totally jealous, ok?

jmstr, I usually shoot 100 rounds of at least three calibers when I go to the range, so that's why I'd like to be able to do the same with 357. I guess I just want to get my $18 worth of range time and then some. You're right about getting tired though. By the time I leave, I'm ready to go home and take a nap! I try to rotate my guns to get equal time with them, but I always start with 40 cal and end with .380 because I have two guns in each caliber. The middle one is either my 9mm or the SP101.
 
Your Ruger SP-101 with the 3" barrel weighs in right around 27 oz or about 1.7 Lbs. A S&W K/L Frame 686 with a 6" barrel will weigh in around 45.8 oz or about 2.9 Lbs.

Pushing a 158 grain bullet at 1100 FPS the FRE (Free Recoil Energy) will be about 10.05 LbFt in your Ruger, while pushing the same bullet at the same velocity in a S&W 686 with the 6" barrel will be about 5.89 LbFt of FRE. While this is an "about" and not actual felt recoil I think you can see the picture. Finding an even larger frame gun like the S&W Model 27 with a 5" or 6" barrel would result in even less felt recoil. The posted numbers are close but should give you an idea of what you are looking at. A good heavy frame revolver with good quality grips will be less painful to shoot is what it will always come down to.

Ron
 
Yay! I stopped at one of the other LGSs in my area, and he had two 686s available, so I finally got mah grubby mits on the S&W 686. They are used--the 4" version is the -3, and the 6" version is a -6. I liked them both, but I like the 4" one better. I can't really picture myself carrying either one, so the 6" one would probly be better for a range gun. Still, the 4" one seemed better balanced to me.
 
If a 686 is what you like I would choose the one which feels best in your hand. While I don't have a 686 I do have a 586 with 6" barrel wood grips (no dash) which is one of those revolvers I really enjoy shooting. Get the barrel length you are comfortable with is my advice. Then just enjoy! :)

Ron
 
Interesting observation from and old timer. Quit shooting magnums out of my Python many years ago because of potential timing problems also my hand loads of Unique and a lead SWC yielded exceptional accuracy, so I was a happy camper. Always figured if I wanted big boomers .44 was the way to go.
Recently decided to get back into .357 mag. and bought a Dan Wesson.
After a couple hundred full house reloads I've decided the .44 is more pleasant to shoot. Less muzzle flash, more of a push than a hard slap recoil wise.
Guess that's the real reason I gave up on full house .357 loads.;)
 
S&W 686

I do not believe that 100 rounds of 125 grain 357 mag through a 686 is a particularly difficult range session. The 158 grain rounds I have tried are a different story...
 
158gr is the traditional bullet for a .357 mag..../ its the only weight bullet I put thru any of my .357 Mags in K frames (model 19's or 66's in 2 1/2" or 4" ), L ( 686's in 4" or 6" ) or N frame ( model 27's, 28's or 627's in 2 5/8", 4" or 6" barrels ) ....and 100 rds is no big deal for a range session if the gun fits your hands ....with the correct grip.

My hands are a little too big for K frames although I like them...but full power 158 gr .357 mag ...are easy to shoot in L or N frames for 100 - 200 rds in one session.

I have taken some intermediate level defensive handgun classes....where I have run 1,000 rds in one day of 158gr .357 Mag ...in a 4" N frame model 27.../ and about 4,000 rds total in the 3 day class. It was fun ...learned a lot about my own limitations on speed reloads ...( I had taken the class previously with a full sized 1911 and did well )... and took it again with one of my revolvers the next year, just to test myself / and was slower but still effective and didn't embarass myself....( and I was in my early 60' s at the time )...now in my late 60's I'm going to take that 3 day class again next summer with the 5" N frame model 627 ( 8 shot )...just because I can....:(....mine is the perf center model ) ...

( I reload so the expense isn't ridiculous.../ I'm at about $9 a box loading a montana gold 158 gr JHP ...so it works out to be about the same for me in ammo as for a guy that has to buy bulk retail ammo in 9mm for the class ...)...

I have a variety of wood stocks on all of my revolvers -- but for me, the one's I like the best are checkered wood grips from Hogue, with finger grooves and a palm swell. I do have some of the traditional target stocks, some of the older S&W finger groove stocks ( even one "coke bottle" set of stocks .)...but I will never put a set of Hogue rubber stocks on my guns...if my hands were to get sore during a training session, I would go with a good pair of shooting gloves or winter golf rain gloves ( I use them for Skeet shooting )...
 
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The Ruger SP101 was originally designed as a 38 Special. Due to it's strength it was upgraded a few years ago to 357 Magnum. The SP101 is on par with the S&W Model 19 or 66 in terms of size and weight, carries one less round than the S&W's and it is not nearly as refined, especially in terms of the action. There are still a few sharp edges on the SP101 trigger and guard that will catch you every once in a while. I'd classify the SP101 as a belt gun for defense and woods plinking with the right ammo.

The S&W 686 on the other hand is an L Frame, designed from the ground up as a 357 duty revolver. I have one and can fire hundreds of full power 357's from it without much fatigue and do so regularly. The 686 is a holster/belt duty gun and hunting revolver that can be a fun plinker as well. So, much more versatile than the SP101. I would not hesitate to buy one, they are great guns.
 
weight

A 4" L-frame 686 would have somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-12 ounces of additional weight on a SP101 -3" I would think. That additional weight will make it a softer shooting gun across the board with any load, comparitively speaking. But as noted, full bore .357 ammo is not mild by any means, and 100+ rounds a session may be a test of the shooter and their ability to handle recoil, depending on their experience. I don't find the .357 so much a kicker, but the flash and concussion can be hard to deal with. The 125 gr loads are worst about this in my opinion.

I was issued a 4" 686 early in my career, prior that we had carried assorted K-frames. Ammo at the time was .38 +P+ 110 gr "Treasury Load". The agency made the jump to magnum ammo (125 gr) and most marginal shooters, and even a few old hands, had trouble with the full power magnums. One item that did help most was Pachmyer grips. Most of the large wood target grips disappeared, and an assortment of Pach's got screwed on the L-frames seemingly overnight.

Concerning concealed carry of a 4" L-frame. They are pretty big guns, and one would have to give some thought to holsters/belts and wardrobe. My issue 4", 686 was 2-3 oz heavier than my 4" N-framed .44 mag Mtn Gun.
 
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