The ultimate fighting 686 (my version) pics...

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DHart

New member
I recently sent some guns to the Performance Center for barrel swapping/replacement. Among them, I sent my one of my 4" 686's to get a 3" barrel installed. Got it back Thursday... fantastic!

I decided to use the round-to-square conversion grips on the gun because I prefer that full-base, palm-wedge grip shape to counter against the heavy frontal weight of the 686 barrel and this is not a gun I will use for concealed carry purposes.

I searched for quite a while to find just the right base gun (for me) to do this with, and I think it's about the perfect combination of features on a 686:

• no internal lock
• trigger & hammer are forged, not MIM
• seven shot capacity
• night sights
• 3" barrel
• round butt grip frame (for versatility of grip styles)
• a very sweet action

... there's a lot to love about this particular 686 set-up! One of my very favorites. Here's how she looks:

686-4_LF6081.jpg


686-4_R6082.jpg


686-4_RF6083.jpg
 
Don't know about speedloaders, I don't use them.

The 3" barrel was around 105 and labor around 60 or so. I sent three guns at one time to S&W for barrel changes/swaps, one of them was for the "M" modification also, so they graciously picked up the shipping. Since I don't buy new S&W's guns (due to the locks), I like to at least support them as much as I can by buying Performance Center services and accessories. I'm about to send off a couple more guns to them.
 
Speedloaders for the 7 shot 686+ would be SL Variants (if you can find them and afford the $30/ea.) or HKS.

Personally, I dumped the speedloaders years ago and had mine converted for moonclips. Couldn't/wouldn't afford the SL Variants and had it up to my eyeballs with trying to get all the rounds into the cylinder with the HKS.
 
Very nice DHart, your guns alway's look great. Have you taken it to the range yet? If so, how does it shoot?
Norm.
 
S$w 686

I love it because I love 7 shot six shooters (and I'm preety old fashioned too !) :cool:
I really like my 686+ with the 4" barrel and always regarded it as the "ultimate fighting" handgun but, after viewing your beautiful piece , I may have to rethink that position !!!
 
Very impressive. I really like it. I have a 2", 6' and 8" 686. It's my favorite .357mag. My 8" is an original 686(no dash anything) 6 shot. The 6" is a -4 and the 2" is a -5.

I carry a blue 3" GP100 but would really like a 3" 686 7shot like yours.

Have you shot it and tested the groupings and POA/POI?
 
I like what they did to the front sight. I'm keeping a pic of it so the next time I feel like modifing a sight like that I'll know what to do.
 
Mannlicher... you're right, the title "ultimate fighting gun" may or may not apply depending on who's using it and how. But you don't have to carry a gun for it to be a fighting gun. I don't like carrying L-frames for concealed carry because they're bigger and heavier than I prefer for CCW. But I like it as a OWB holster gun in the field and on hand around the house/RV/camp.

What makes it an excellent (nothing is ultimate, is it?) defense revo is the feel in the hand (I really like the L-frame feel), the balance, solid mass, nimble size for a gun of this weight, seven shots, and night sights. It's a very capable .357 revolver for defense use, but not my idea of an ideal carry gun, that's for sure. And I must admit, I've got a bunch of other revos which I like as much... most that aren't custom at all... like my 4" 586's! I guess there are a lot of "ultimate" fighting guns (the 3" 13 and 65, the 3" 681, 4" 586/686 etc.), or none at all.

This 3" 681 ain't too shabby as a defense revo either... and it's even better than the 3" 686 for CCW due to the fixed sights... points like pointing your finger... that's something I really love about fixed sight guns.

681_LF6073.jpg


681_L6068.jpg


681_RF6078.jpg
 
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