S&W 686+ 3-5-7 talo edition

C

coolbreezy

New member
Hello everyone, i purchased this used S&W 686 talo 3-5-7 3" for a great deal a couple of months ago. This is my first
Smith that isnt an N frame, and i have a couple of questions about it. Is it true that the offset cylinder stop notches provide a stronger cylinder? The gun feels as strong as a gp100. Apparently the talo 3-5-7 has a forged trigger and hammer instead of mim. I plan to run a moderate amount of hot loads through it, will it hold up? How is durability compared to the gp100? Thanks in advance.

 
The offset cylinder stop notches offer at least a theoretical advantage in terms of having a "stronger" cylinder than the six-shot version and many have made the case for Ruger's Model GP 100 being intrinsically stronger than the L-frame Smith, but I doubt that either claim, even if true, has much if anything to do with practical, real life durability or strength issues-even if you plan on running "a moderate amount of hot loads through it." Just my opinion.
 
Good luck finding an answer (a real answer) on which is stronger. I doubt there are any on here who actually has worn one out. The keyboarders will jump in telling you which is stronger based on what they've read other keyboarders posting. In the real world you will probably never find out. I've got a couple of 686's and a 586 and they have thousands and thousands of full charge loads fired through them and to date I haven't seen any durability issues. The only gun I ever wore out was a Ruger SBH and I sent it back to Ruger. In a couple of weeks I got a virtually new gun back. They even replaced the grip panels and sights. It looked like a new gun.....and it was all free. Maybe in another ten years I can give you an update on the 686 after I put many more thousands of rounds through them. FWIW, SW is not chambering this L frame gun in 44mag. That says a lot about the frame.
 
Great gun and you can always get some of that "Mother's Mag" polish and get rid of those scratches if you choose to do so. I think it's fine just like it is.
 
coolbreezy said:
Apparently the talo 3-5-7 has a forged trigger and hammer instead of mim.
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Look at the back of the trigger face - if it's flat, it's forged. If it's got a channel running it's length, it's MIM. It's hard to tell from your pic, but it looks MIM to me. Hammer is likely MIM, then as well. FWIW, I believe S&W replaced forged hammers & triggers with MIM in even their PC guns.
 
Look at the back of the trigger face - if it's flat, it's forged. If it's got a channel running it's length, it's MIM. It's hard to tell from your pic, but it looks MIM to me. Hammer is likely MIM, then as well. FWIW, I believe S&W replaced forged hammers & triggers with MIM in even their PC guns.
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The OPs gun has a MIM trigger and hammer. I have the same TALO 3-5-7 revolver, but with a 5" barrel. While there are a few PC guns with MIM triggers and hammers, many have Chromed hammers and triggers.
 
Not to bust your bubble but the only difference in a Talo edition is the grips and occasionally a different barrel length. Hammer and trigger are mim like the rest of smiths lineup. As for full house loads, be it a 686 or a gp100 your wrist will give out long before the gun does. That and you'll spend 20x more in ammunition then you did for the gun.
 
The 686 is a L frame gun, not an N frame. I have an older 686 no dash 4" gun and it is a sweet revolver. One of the best triggers I have ever felt single or double action. Love the grips on your gun, congrats.
 
Maybe at one point that model came with a forged hammer and trigger, but you can tell from the photo it most certainly is not forged. You can see the channel starting in the bottom of the trigger which would indicate it's MIM, unless my eyes are decieving me.
 
I stand corrected, the hammer and trigger have seams that my newer mim 460 xvr have, my pre lock older smiths have flat trigger backs and no seam on either part.
I didnt know they case hardened mim parts.
 
Really nice looking gun. I was torn between the 3-5-7 or a gp100. I ended up with the ruger, but I may get a 3-5-7 or a 686+ 3inch in the future.
 
I'm a big fan of 3" barrels.
As to which (S&W or Ruger) is stronger I see it this way.
If, even by reloading, you can afford enough ammo to wear either one out you can easily afford to replace the gun, so it really shouldn't matter all that much.
 
Your new 3" Talo 3-5-7 looks great. Shoot it and enjoy it. Hope the fancy grips work better for you than they did for me. They didn't fit the heel of my hand to finger span, and too thin in my palm. I swapped out for rubbers. Don't look as nice, but feels great especially when shooting.

Here's my 5" Talo.



"
 
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