Smith & Wesson 686 plus 4" barrel

L

Londy3

New member
Well guys, I can say that I FINALLY purchased a brand new 686! I've waited a very long time and I am very pleased. I love the look, feel and finish of this beast. I have not taken it to the range yet but I have shot these guns before and loved the performance. I would like to add sexy wood grips and maybe fiber sights. I'm shopping for an OWB holster/belt to match. I like 1791 Gunleather's products. I have one of theirs for my IWB EDC and like it pretty good. Here are the pictures of my new addition.
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I have a plus and a 586 that just holds six. I guess I prefer the 586 for shooting tho the plus might be handy as a carry gun. My plus has the Hogue rubber grips on it, they work fine. I bought a 617 and a 629 and I replaced the grips with Hogue wood grips, they have several different styles, the new rubber that S&W uses don't work for me at all. Guns seem to kick harder and I can't reach the trigger for a good D/A pull.
 
686's

I love 686's. I have three (all bought new). My 4" is not a "Plus." It's from 1986 - took ownership on 6/6/86 ;). Probably my favorite gun - and I have more guns than fingers n toes.

My 3" is a "Plus." I got it on an impulse buy in 2014. I carry it when the weather is cool enough to layer up a windbreaker for concealment (OWB - my "spare tire" won't allow IWB).

My other 686 is the first one I got - an 8-3/8" from 1984. It was part of "the recall" (I didn't even know about the recall until 2012 or so) but I never sent it in for "correction."
 
I've never cared much for the 5/686 guns for some reason, but I think I could learn to like one like that.

Congratulations. Enjoy it.
 
The original L frames were decent .357s. Can't speak to any of the newer guns from personal experience, sorry.

I thought S&W got the weight right for magnum shooting, L frames weigh the same as N frames of the same barrel length, thanks to the underlug.

However, that same underlug was what killed them for me, because I don't like the way they balance in my hand. Its a completely personal matter, and no slam against the gun in any way. They just don't feel right to me.

Other folks love them, and thats great. My experience is that if a gun doesn't feel right in my hand, its more difficult to shoot it well.

Enjoy yours, it should be a fine gun. I hope you enjoy it and it performs well for you. Wouldn't for me, wrong balance, 7 shots and internal lock just don't do it for me.
 
44 AMP said:
The original L frames were decent .357s. Can't speak to any of the newer guns from personal experience, sorry.

I thought S&W got the weight right for magnum shooting, L frames weigh the same as N frames of the same barrel length, thanks to the underlug.

However, that same underlug was what killed them for me, because I don't like the way they balance in my hand. Its a completely personal matter, and no slam against the gun in any way. They just don't feel right to me.

Other folks love them, and thats great. My experience is that if a gun doesn't feel right in my hand, its more difficult to shoot it well.

Enjoy yours, it should be a fine gun. I hope you enjoy it and it performs well for you. Wouldn't for me, wrong balance, 7 shots and internal lock just don't do it for me.
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I’ve always felt the same way about underlugs as well, until I got a GP100 with a 4” barrel. I polished up the internals a little, put in springs and shims from Triggershims.com and added a Hogue recoil tamer grip and it’s a fantastic pistol. As good DA as any Smith I’ve owned and almost as good SA as any Smith I’ve owned. If I could only have one revolver no doubt this is the one.
 
I have the 3" and 6" 686, I have been procrastinating on the 4" and is on my bucket list. Congratulations on your purchase.
 
4” 686+ here too. I changed to the Hogue Grips they used to come with with the backstrap exposed/finger grooves and plugged the Hillary hole. I love it.

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I don’t keep L frames, to new for me. I just sold NIB 586 Nickle 4” that I took on trade. I was tempted to shoot it but wimped out, didn’t want to make a used gun out of it.
 
I don't like the way they balance in my hand. Its a completely personal matter, and no slam against the gun in any way. They just don't feel right to me.
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Yep. Completely a personal matter. For me, I like the weight up front - tames muzzle flip. Especially my 8-3/8" bbl :D

To speak more seriously about the 8-3/8" bbl version: I bought it in March '84. At the time, I knew little about guns (I wasn't raised in a gun household, no hunters, etc.) and thought longer barrels were more accurate and just "better" somehow. And at the time I was much younger and stronger and liked all the front heft. I will say, that 8" beast has very - VERY - manageable recoil with even the hottest rounds. But that said, these days, the 8-3/8" sits in the safe and comes out to play maybe every third year or so, strictly for the novelty of it. I don't like its balance (because it's not balanced at all :p) any more either.

A few years later, I bought my 4" 686 and it instantly became my favorite gun (only had five at the time). Still is. I like its balance a lot (back to that personal preference thing).

My 3" bbl has a really good feel to it too, and I'd suppose it would at least feel decent in the hand for those who don't care for the full underlug.
 
The gripe with the 3" is now you're sporting an L frame in a 3" barrel for 357 performance. 357 does need some barrel length for all that blast you get.

Revolver ammo is more range novelty now (for me). So even the 3" has some appeal. Agreed. The 3" feels more "floating" free while the 4" feels solid...though not light.

Either way, I agree the 4" 686 is the bee's knees.
 
Londy, very nice revolver IMHO. I have been a fan of the L-Frames since shortly after they were introduced. Carried a 586, than a 686, every working day for several years. I still have one L-Frame that I think of as a 686+/-, with both 6 and 7-shot cylinders.
 
3" bbl

357 does need some barrel length for all that blast you get
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Basically, yes. But it also depends quite a bit on the ammo. It helps to load your own (as I do) and keep with heavier bullets and faster powders. This keeps things manageable with recoil and blast. And there is also factory ammo tailored for short barrel applications.

Typically, and exceptions abound, the difference in velocity is about 70 f/s between a 3" & 4" bbl. With the 3", there is more propellant burning in the air.
 
Well guys, I can say that I FINALLY purchased a brand new 686! I've waited a very long time and I am very pleased. I love the look, feel and finish of this beast. I have not taken it to the range yet but I have shot these guns before and loved the performance.
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Wanna like it, but the Hillary-Hole kills the desire every time. :rolleyes:

Just sad to do that to a classic wheelgun. Very sad. :(
 
I like it and really don't give a sheet weather it has the hole or not.
Stamped warning messages all over the gun about reading the owners manual aren't to attractive either but I haven't let them influence my buying/trading practices too much.
 
I have 2 L frame guns, 4" 586 and a 4" 686 plus. Both are good to shoot. The extra weight from the lugged bbl is great in the 4" gun, 6" guns are good shooters but the weight is a bit much. I have a 2-1/2" 19 and a 6" 19, like both of them, much better for carry, L frames are better for shooting.
 
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