S&W Model 686

F

fsfty

New member
Just bought the 4" along with a glock 19 as my first pistols. I wanna shoot 38 special, but im a little confused. Do i need the "moon clip" to shoot .38 special or am i good to go by just loading them regular? Thanks.
 
Your 686 will fire .38 Special just fine.

The only difference is that the cylinder will develop rings inside them a bit shorter than the .357 case, and it may need a good scrubbing before switching back to .357.

Otherwise, you're fine.
 
Unless someone converted it, your 686 doesn't use moonclips. When shooting .357mags or .38spls, the rim of the case keeps the round in place. The rim is also what contacts the extractor so empties can be ejected. As rjrivero noted, the only issue with shooting .38spls in a .357mag gun is an eventual ring of buildup from the shorter cartridge, so it's best to clean the chambers after shooting .38s.

Congrats on a fine gun! We'll be waiting for the range report. ;)
 
Like the guys said, unless the gun has been modified, .38s will chamber just like .357 loads. The only difference is that .38s are shorter than .357s.
 
Thanks everyone. I bought the gun new, so nothing was modified. I got a little confused by the phrasing in the owners manual. What do you recommend to clean out the cylinders?
 
However after shooting some 38's you may see some difficulty feeding the 357's due to fouling of the cylinder. Like it was said the 38's are shorter so the fouling may make it difficult to load or extract the 357's later. No problem though just scrub it out and you are good to go. I have a 686 and it is one of the best guns out there.Good luck.
 
fsfty said:
What do you recommend to clean out the cylinders?
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You won't have to go to drastic measures if you regularly do a basic cleaning of the chambers after shooting. I just run a solvent-soaked patch through the chambers, then a few passes with a brass .357 brush (some use a .40 brush). A new wet patch, then a dry one.

BTW, regarding cleaning in general, scrupulous cleaning, trying to get it "like new", isn't necessary or all that good for your gun in the long run, so keep your cleaning routine regular, but simple.
 
A .38 (.357 caliber) bore brush won't clean the chambers good enough. Buy a couple of .40 cal. brushes to use just for cleaning the chambers. If you shoot a lot of .38 Spl. ammo (and you should) make sure to clean the chambers as soon as you can. The longer the fouling sits in the chamber the longer it will take you to remove it. Swab some solvent into the chamber with a Q tip and let it soak for a few minutes before you start scrubbing. When running a bore brush through the barrel be careful and DO NOT let the brush hit the breech face. Cover the breechface with a rag or piece of cardboard or plastic or something to protect it. Any dings or dents around the firing pin hole can cause big problems.
 
drail said:
A .38 (.357 caliber) bore brush won't clean the chambers good enough. Buy a couple of .40 cal. brushes to use just for cleaning the chambers.
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There's no downside to using a .40cal brush, but a .38 cal brush works fine so long as you keep the cleanings regular. Matter of fact, mine's worn down to nearly .22 size, and I still use it. :o

drail said:
When running a bore brush through the barrel be careful and DO NOT let the brush hit the breech face. Cover the breechface with a rag or piece of cardboard or plastic or something to protect it. Any dings or dents around the firing pin hole can cause big problems.
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Open the cylinder, and clean the chambers from the rear. Use your free hand to hold the cylinder to prevent unneeded stress on the crane. Be sure to wipe the front & rear cylinder face & underside of the ejector star when finished.

And I might as well offer my thoughts on cleaning the barrel: First, mainly to protect the crown, I strongly prefer cleaning from the breech end (rather than the muzzle end), so I use one of those Otis cleaning thingies. I switched from lead to plated bullets a little while ago, so I only pull a single solvent-soaked patch down the barrel. Let sit while cleaning the rest of the gun, then pull a dry patch. Done. No brushes. When shooting lead, I'd run an occasional brush through the bore, but if it was a leading issue, I used a Lewis Lead Remover (pulled from the breech end).
 
You can get 99% of the crud out with Brake Cleaner. Carb cleaner works too but costs a little more. If you use either be sure and use a little oil when you finish up.
 
Can't add much over what has already been said. Just clean out those "rings around the collar". If you reload, or intend to reload, it is easier to load everything in 357 brass. That's waht I do.

BTW, that M686 is a good choice. I have the blue version, M586, and shoot it a whole lot.
 
I picked up a 686 no dash a couple days ago and spent last night getting it sighted in with some wadcutters. Very nice gun, I'm sure you'll enjoy yours.
 
Just clean out those "rings around the collar".
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If the "ring" build-up left in the chamber by shooting a lot of .38 Specials through a .357 Magnum without giving the cylinder much attention in terms of cleaning over time becomes severe, one thing to try is forcing a fired .357 cartridge through the chamber. Sometimes this will help dislodge much of the "ring around the collar". Other things to try are the use of a Lewis Lead Remover revolver cleaning kit and/or wrapping Choreboy brand copper mesh (a sink scouring pad found in most grocery stores) around an under-sized nylon brush and applying a little elbow grease.
 
I found the 4" 686 seconded only to the 5" 627. I might caution not to try to scub off the carbon stains around the chamber openings on the cylinder. The risk is removing metal and increasing the air gap between the cylinder face and the forcing cone.
 
Carb cleaner works too but costs a little more
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Don't use carb cleaner at all on your firearms. It is corrosive. There are even automotive applications that you shouldn't use carb cleaner in because it will eat the finishes off of certain parts.
 
686

I have the 4" 686 and the 3" 686. A very fine gun. I shoot both 38cal and 357 cal. just clean the gun well after shooting. Enjoy the revolver .
 
You can get 99% of the crud out with Brake Cleaner. Carb cleaner works too but costs a little more.
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Don't use carb cleaner at all on your firearms. It is corrosive.
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+1, and I'd also like to add a note about brake cleaner.

Although it's gentler than carb cleaner, keep in mind that the purpose of brake cleaner is to strip every last trace of grease or oil from a surface. This will leave the part(s) without any corrosion protection! This is admittedly a bigger deal on blued and particularly parkerized or phosphate finishes, but keep in mind that SS will rust if conditions are harsh enough, and that many internal parts of a S&W SS revolver are not stainless!

IMHO brake cleaner is only a good idea if you are detail-stripping a gun and you intend to carefully re-lubricate all the parts during reassembly.
 
I must be a horrible, lazy, person. My 686 gets a thourough cleaning about every time we elect a new president. (hopefully soon)

If carbon build-up actually gets so bad that it looks like it might cause problems, I take a brass brush and a little oil and hit the affected area. If I'm shooting a lot of cast bullets I keep an eye on the bore. If we're getting any lead streaking, I shoot jacketed for awhile.

I've got guns that NEED more attention in the cleaning and maintenance department, but this aint one of them.

Oh, I just realized that this thread kinda morphed away from the original question. :rolleyes: I do shoot a lot of 38 Spec. cast bullets, and when the cylinder gets caked up, there isn't any quicker and better way than the electric drill and bore brush to clean the chambers out. jd

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