S & W 686 six or seven shot?

D

davem

Moderator
The 686 can be had with two different cylinders, a six round and a seven round. The additional hole for the seven round ought to make the gun a little lighter weight and you get another round. My issues 1. is the lock work and performance on the seven round as good as the six round? 2. Do the notches on the seven round line up with the chambers differently and are they in a stronger or weaker position?
3. For those that have owned and shot both- which did you prefer? :cool:
 
S&W 686

I have the 4" that holds 6 and the 3" that holds 7. If I were to carry a revolver I would want the 7 cartridge capacity. Cylinder doesnt travel very much on the 7 round. cant tell weight diffrence because of barrel lenghts diffrence. I just like the 7 round capacity.
 
I have one seven and two six rounders. I can't tell the difference in any way other than I get an extra shot out of the seven. Weight? Once you put seven shells in there, you won't be able to tell unless you put it on a very good scale. Both shoot equally well....which is very well. They rival both my Bill Davis revolvers. Rival, not equal, but close.
 
Seven rounder 4" weighs 42.3 oz. Six shot 42 oz. You won't notice 3/10 ounce difference. You will notice having to screw around with a key.
 
I unlocked mine in 3 inch and threw key away. Ugly to look at keyhole but I'll never use it again. Had 4 inch and done same thing. I like feel of the 686+ better than the 6 shot.
 
Either way a box of 50 is not evenly divisible by 6 or 7.

So, get either. Or in my book get a pre-lock 686, then you don't have a dilemma and you have a better revolver.

And if you can find a good condition CS-1 better yet!
 
I vote for the 6-shot. Better speedloader options, and when I want a revolver with more than a 6-shot capacity, I go right to the 8-shot M627.

I can't tell the difference in action quality between the 6- and 7-shot.

Realistically, strength is a non-issue - if it's genuinely too hot for the 6-shot cylinder, it shouldn't be shot in the 7-shot cylinder, either.
 
Quote: So, get either. Or in my book get a pre-lock 686, then you don't have a dilemma and you have a better revolver.

You can get a pre-lock 686 Plus. I like having the extra round on board and have never found a difference in the trigger pulls between the Models 686 and 686 Plus. You can have your cake and eat it too!
 
True.
I guess that I am a purist in this regard. And I prefer the CS-1 in the 686.

I figure that in a revolver, with a more powerful chambering/not .22lr etc..., that additional holes aren't that necessary. (Again, to me.) My .22lr and mag revolvers are all six.

And my speed loaders are all for six in .357!
 
The pre-lock 686+ with 7-shots is NOT commonly found in my experience so your cake AND eating it is possible but your chase to find one won't be a simple one and you may well pay a premium for it.

If I'm choosing, I simply prefer the 6 shots. I suppose I kind of prefer tradition or "normal." It doesn't seem like just a plus-1 is a good trade off for the things I don't care for: odd looks due to more cylinder flutes, non-traditional and less good old steel between the chambers. NOT saying it is unsafe -- just prefer beefy steel to what looks "off" with a 7-shot.

Of course, my actual needs for an L-frame .357 are simple: pride of ownership and range day fun. I could see more value in an added 7th shot if it was a woods companion, service or defense or carry, sidearm to work a ranch, critter defense or other roles I have forgotten.
 
I used to have a seven shot Taurus 66. Except for an extra shot, I don't remember any real difference. I bought the gun used and didn't even notice it had the extra chamber until I had it out shooting it. It was neat for about ten minutes, then it was just a gimmick.

Either way a box of 50 is not evenly divisible by 6 or 7.
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Which is real reason I didn't really care for seven rounds. At the range I only load five anyway. Keeps the numbers right. Having an empty chamber under the hammer at the range doesn't bug me, but having two...well that bugged me. :D
 
I've been looked at used revolvers mostly. Please explain the pre-lock and lock differences- I'm unaware of this matter. Thanks.
 
Please explain the pre-lock and lock differences- I'm unaware of this matter.
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S&W started using an internal lock in their guns at some point (I forget exactly when, I think it was sometime in the 90s). The internal lock is noticeable by the hole for the key next to the cylinder release on the left side of the gun.

Some have complained about inadvertent lock engagements; it seems that (from what I have read) it is primarily limited to extremely lightweight models shooting heavy loads (like the J frame 360 firing full house magnums), but it has happened (albeit much more rare) on other models. It is possible to remove/disable the lock... the advisability of this is under debate. Personally, I have not removed it from any of my S&Ws on which it is installed. I have never once had an issue with it. I would, however, recommend not throwing away the keys to the lock if you have one- I keep one on my keychain just in case... even though I almost never carry my S&W wheelguns anymore.
 
I can feel the difference in the actions between the 6 and 7 shot guns. I have a 586 and a 686 Plus. The 6 shot fells better, there is a little hitch in the 7 shot that the 6 shot doesn't have. This isn't that important on a S/D gun, but for a range/match gun I'll take the 6 shot.
 
Seven rounder 4" weighs 42.3 oz. Six shot 42 oz. You won't notice 3/10 ounce difference. You will notice having to screw around with a key.
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Actually, according to S&W, the seven round version is lighter. That would make sense as a piece of steel with seven holes drilled in it is bound to weigh less than the same one with only six.

6 Round 39.7


7 Round 38.9
 
I have two 6's, and a 7.

The two 6-shooters have smoother triggers, but probably not because they are 6-shooters. It's probably because they're from 1984, and 1986. Smith just made a better product back then.

Don't get my wrong. I like my 7-shot. It's a 2013 model and has a 3" bbl. It's also on my carry permit (must specify the weapon to carry in Ca). The trigger is a little gritty, but it's still plenty smooth for me. I carry it with a great deal of confidence. I also shoot steel challenge with it. It's a good piece.
 
"The lock work"

I take "the lock work" as a question about the inner workings, not the internal lock system (as in lock and key)

Your question is whether the fitting of the parts or fit and finish of the gun will differ. The least amount of hand fitting goes into normal production guns. The most goes into their Performance center guns which are much more expensive.

A production 686 will likely have some cast metal parts which will fit right into the gun with acceptable tolerances. Folks can correct me if I'm wrong but the only parts that really need to differ between a. 6 vs 7 shot revolver would be the hand, star, cylinder... Maybe the trigger itself. The more parts are kept the same the more profitable it is to produce. That's good news to you. There will be no factory trigger job from the get go so part of the fun is watching the action get smoother the more you shoot.

I have never had a S&W internal lock engage on me when firing. I've read of a single case of this happening But that's all.

I wouldn't worry about strength of the cylinder, it is made for a steady diet of magnums. As long as you don't hand load above SAAMI specs (load hotter than factory magnum rounds). A mistake when hand loading could blow the cylinder of any production revolver.

I would say that the "better" guns with more hand fitting are still available at the equivalent price that they used to be (considering inflation), just now we have a choice for more affordable options. A revolver can always be sent back to the factory for upgrades/trigger jobs/fitted parts.
 
dyl said:
The most goes into their Performance center guns which are much more expensive.
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It used to be that way, but based on the PC guns I've seen recently, I'd say they're no more tuned that guns in their standard line. When you buy a PC gun nowadays, you're simply getting a configuration not available in that standard line.

dyl said:
I would say that the "better" guns with more hand fitting are still available
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Functionally, newer guns aren't "worse" because they receive less hand fitting. Modern CNC & MIM technology make parts that need less fitting in the first place. Functionally, what matters is that part fit - how they get there is less important, and IME, though they lack the fit and finish, newer guns function as well as older guns.
 
My wife's is the 686 plus (7 shot). She shoots mostly 38 special -- because it's an L-frame, not because of the extra hole in the wheel... No regrets at any rate. It's a fun revolver to shoot and one of the most accurate in our stable.
 
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