S&M 686 or 686 plus?

[shreder26]

Dear sir:

I am a shooter from cairo shooting & hunting club ,I am up to buy a Smith & Wesson .357 magnum, I am undecided between the 686 ( the standard 6 rounds) and the 686 plus (7 rounds).
My questions are:

- if the steal thickness between each round the cylinder is reduced to accommodate 7 rounds instead of 6, what about durability ?? is there any material improvement , or S&M knows what they are doing ??

- I have noticed that the firing pen system has changed from the hammer firing pin (hammer nose) to the frame firing pin, Which is better?? S&M have been using the hammer nose in this model for ages with no single problem reported, so why is the change?


You are kindly requested to guide me by answering the 2 question above and I will for sure consider your answer as the only professional opinion I have got.

Also please answer mw back by e-mail or in any of guns & ammo magazine under advice to me by e-mail .

Thanking you in advance and please accept my best regards.

Sincerely Yours


Sherif el saghir
Assistant Manager- Arab Banking Corporation - Egypt

 

[PreserveFreedom]

I wouldn't worry about the quality of the steel with the added round. Most manufacturers make the cylinder a little wider to add the extra round or two. All political issues aside, it is my opinion that S&W has always made the best DA revolvers. They may be a little expensive at times, but they lack nothing in quality or performance. As for the firing pin placement, it is just another design. Either should be just as reliable. Please let us know what you choose though!

 

[navaho]

Actually

I'd suggest getting a 6" 686PP (PowerPort). The PowerPort makes muzzle recoil significantly less.

As to the strength of the 686 Plus (7 rds) vs. the standard 686 (6 rds), I have read on several occassions that (believe it or not) the 7 rd version is actually stronger. Supposed to have something to do with the position of the actual cylinder holes. It sounds dubious, and I personally won't buy into it until I see it with my own eyes....

I heard the reason they changed the firing pin design was to simplify their production lines. I don't have an in-depth knowledge of the S&W line, so I can't tell if that's true or not.

Good luck!

 

[SmithNut]

Actually, there is a reason

The reason that the 7 shot version is viewed as stronger is due to the location of the cylinder stop notches. In any of the even numbered guns (6 shot, 8 shot), the notches are cut over the chamber holes, producing the thinnest part of the overall assembly, which is the most critical part when considering pressure.
In a 5 or 7 shot revolver, the cylinder stop notches are between the chamber holes, leaving more material over the chambers, theoretically making the cylinder stronger. While there is certainly logic to this, the fact remains that if you shoot only factory loads, or make sure that your reloads are within SAAMI specifications for pressures, either design will perform adequately.
Make your decision on functionality and performance, not the strength, at least if you stay within SAAMI specs. Else, choose your piece for the mission.
On the subject of frame vrs. hammer firing pins, there is not enough evidence yet to give an answer to the question of "which is better". Some guys like one way (traditional), while still others believe the frame mounted pin is stronger. My understanding is that S&W made the change for manufacturing and standardization reasons (eliminate the different number of hammer variation they had to build - ??)

......SmithNut

 

[branrot]

Regarding the strength of the cylinder in 7 shot guns, I have heard the same thing as SmithNut, and echo his opinion. It does make sense.

I took was looking at a 686, and I'm leaning towards the 6 shooter because it's the classic, because it's easier to get speedloaders and leather for it, and because it's ever so slightly smaller.

 

[plateshooter]

If you ever plan to shoot IDPA, you can only load 6 rounds in the gun at one time. You can do it with the + model, but you have to look at where the empty cylinder is indexed.
Last I knew, you couldn't use a ported gun in IDPA. I use my + model, but I feel that watching where the empty cylinder is indexed slows my time down some. If you never plan to shoot IDPA, then never mind

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

As mentioned, the 7-shot is out for IDPA. You can load only 6 rounds and then either index to the first loaded chamber or just accept snapping on an empty as you go around.

Other than that, the 686+ may have a slightly better action due to the smaller angle the cylinder turns to bring up the next round.

The firing pin arrangement is standard for all current L and N frame revolvers and probably the rest as well.

For speedloaders you would need a Maxfire MK6 (6 for $20) at Speedloaders.com, an SL Variant ($28-$30) or moonclips (my preference). The moonclip conversion allows you to use speedloader, individually loaded rounds or moonclip. The conversion is currently around $90 and includes 3 clips. More clips are around 10 for $30.

HKS makes a 7 shot speedloader for about $8, but it is horrible; rounds do not drop out consistently and they end up pulling some of the rounds back out.