My 686 Pro has a "feature"!!

Japle · December 22, 2011, 02:48 PM

I bought a nice new S&W 686 Pro and just finished an action job today when I noticed something odd.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Inspector3711 · December 22, 2011, 03:04 PM

Well, my new Smith .460 XVR only has a burnt powder ring around one cylinder. Yours has them around all 6... Is that what you mean?

Maybe it required a little "factory tuning" or have you fired it?

Japle · December 22, 2011, 03:13 PM

Sorry, Inspector, you missed it completely!!

TripHlx · December 22, 2011, 03:18 PM

The only thing I see that looks a little odd is the hole through the opposite side of the barrel lug.

drkeg · December 22, 2011, 03:26 PM

6 chambers in a cylinder fluted for 7! That is scary!

Skadoosh · December 22, 2011, 03:29 PM

Quote:

6 chambers in a cylinder fluted for 7! That is scary!

Huh!

It also looks like one (perhaps all) of the cylinder bores was crowned...

Ultravox · December 22, 2011, 03:31 PM

Looks like the fluting does not line up with the bores. That looks dangerous!

overkill0084 · December 22, 2011, 03:35 PM

That's an interesting mod.

I'd call S&W & see if they intended it that way.

I'd be interested to hear what their response is.

abercasten · December 22, 2011, 03:46 PM

Nice, I'd like to hear what S&W has to say about this one.

Japle · December 22, 2011, 03:51 PM

Drkeg is the winner!!

It looks like someone used a cylinder intended for a 686+ 7-shooter for my 686 SSR 6-shooter!

I emailed S&W customer service. It'll be interesting to see what they have to say about it.

BTW: The inspector who signed off on this gun was Brian C. on 12-02-2011.

Shame on Brian!!

Kimbertron · December 22, 2011, 05:37 PM

Oh my! Bad that a gun like that slipped through the cracks but good that it was sold to a person with a good eye for detail!

excelerater · December 22, 2011, 05:48 PM

I dont see why it shoud matter.......if the timing is right it will fire on time
of the chamber is actually further away from the flutes its stronger - i think they should sell more cyls with zero flutes for even stronger barrels
but it does look a little odd

Kimbertron · December 22, 2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

I dont see why it shoud matter.......if the timing is right it will fire on time
of the chamber is actually further away from the flutes its stronger - i think they should sell more cyls with zero flutes for even stronger barrels
but it does look a little odd

Shouldn't matter as far as timing goes. And the 3 chambers on the left look beefy enough. The 3 on the right look pretty thin though.

wsp · December 22, 2011, 07:18 PM

Yeah the cylinder wall looks pretty thin on some of the bores.
Just me but I wouldn't shoot it.
Please let us know what S&W has to say. I'm sure they will make it right.
But consider this, it's one of a kind. What will it be worth in 50 years?

SwampYankee · December 22, 2011, 07:48 PM

I saw the offset on the chambers too. Not too hard to spot, can't believe that made it out of the factory. Thin chamber walls = kaboom. Chamber thickness is critical in its ability to withstand high pressures. I don't see those chambers holding up to repeated 36,000 psi .357 mag rounds. Not so good...

tubeshooter · December 22, 2011, 07:53 PM

Yikes!

I have a gun sent back for repair, and that is not very confidence inspiring...

It might be worth something to a collector of "bloopers", if you could find the person. I personally would not shoot it, the chambers at 7, 9 and 11 o'clock don't look beefy enough for plinking grade .357, much less hot handloads or SD/hunting ammo.

jimbob86 · December 22, 2011, 07:55 PM

Quote:

My 686 Pro has a "feature"!!

Some people's "features" are other people's "bugs"........ That there is one ginormous cucaracha, in my book.

dbldblu · December 22, 2011, 07:56 PM

If it has 7 flutes wouldn't it also have 7 locking lug recesses? How can it possibly be in time?

Japle · December 22, 2011, 08:02 PM

Dbldblu, the timing is fine. Once the machinist got started, he ignored the number of flutes and machined it as a six-shooter.

excelerater · December 22, 2011, 08:15 PM

tell em to hook you up and give you a non fluted cyl in exchange....

I wish they made more this way,looks cooler and is stronger

Jim March · December 22, 2011, 09:48 PM

I'd shoot that in a pinch with 38Spl, maybe 38+P. You couldn't pay me enough to shoot full-house 357 in it.

That has to go back, pronto.

Post this pic in the S&W forums.

Japle · December 22, 2011, 09:58 PM

For those who are interested, the chamber that's in the right place is right at 0.10" thick. The thinnest one is 0.04"

I'm pretty sure a chamber that's short 60% of it's wall thickness isn't what I want.

What I do want is another cylinder fit to the gun. Preferably one with the right number of flutes.

I also want them to leave the damn sideplate on and stay out of the action. I like the way I set it up. It's smooth and light, with no "stacking" and a clean let-off.

bigautomatic · December 22, 2011, 10:21 PM

Yeesh. I am really shocked that one made it out the door. Could have been ugly had you been a little less attentive. Keep us posted on the outcome.

Standing Wolf · December 22, 2011, 11:04 PM

Quote:

That there is one ginormous cucaracha, in my book.

Amen! I always hoped "ginormous" would catch on. It's a word that just caught my fancy.

As for the offset flutes: the QC people at Smith & Wesson are going to be embarrassed. Well, actually, there, uh... are some QC people there, aren't there?

18DAI · December 22, 2011, 11:06 PM

Well.......at least yours has its barrel on strait.

Silver lining!

Send it back. They will make it right, eventually. Regards 18DAI

December 22, 2011, 02:48 PM	#1
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	My 686 Pro has a "feature"!! I bought a nice new S&W 686 Pro and just finished an action job today when I noticed something odd. What’s wrong with this picture?

December 22, 2011, 03:26 PM	#5
drkeg Junior Member Join Date: December 22, 2011 Posts: 1	Wow! 6 chambers in a cylinder fluted for 7! That is scary!

December 22, 2011, 03:31 PM	#7
Ultravox Member Join Date: January 11, 2011 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 75	drkeg got it Looks like the fluting does not line up with the bores. That looks dangerous!

December 22, 2011, 09:48 PM	#21
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	I'd shoot that in a pinch with 38Spl, maybe 38+P. You couldn't pay me enough to shoot full-house 357 in it. That has to go back, pronto. Post this pic in the S&W forums. __________________ Jim March

December 22, 2011, 03:04 PM	#2
Inspector3711 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2008 Location: Puget Sound Washington Posts: 1,553	Well, my new Smith .460 XVR only has a burnt powder ring around one cylinder. Yours has them around all 6... Is that what you mean? Maybe it required a little "factory tuning" or have you fired it?

December 22, 2011, 03:13 PM	#3
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	Sorry, Inspector, you missed it completely!!

December 22, 2011, 03:18 PM	#4
TripHlx Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2011 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 110	The only thing I see that looks a little odd is the hole through the opposite side of the barrel lug.

December 22, 2011, 03:35 PM	#8
overkill0084 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Location: Northern, UT Posts: 1,162	That's an interesting mod. I'd call S&W & see if they intended it that way. I'd be interested to hear what their response is.

December 22, 2011, 03:46 PM	#9
abercasten Member Join Date: March 13, 2011 Location: Hills of Arkansas Posts: 34	Nice, I'd like to hear what S&W has to say about this one.

December 22, 2011, 03:51 PM	#10
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	Drkeg is the winner!! It looks like someone used a cylinder intended for a 686+ 7-shooter for my 686 SSR 6-shooter! I emailed S&W customer service. It'll be interesting to see what they have to say about it. BTW: The inspector who signed off on this gun was Brian C. on 12-02-2011. Shame on Brian!!

December 22, 2011, 05:37 PM	#11
Kimbertron Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2011 Location: Middle of nowhere Posts: 287	Oh my! Bad that a gun like that slipped through the cracks but good that it was sold to a person with a good eye for detail!

December 22, 2011, 05:48 PM	#12
excelerater Junior member Join Date: June 27, 2011 Location: Memphis TN Posts: 694	I dont see why it shoud matter.......if the timing is right it will fire on time of the chamber is actually further away from the flutes its stronger - i think they should sell more cyls with zero flutes for even stronger barrels but it does look a little odd

December 22, 2011, 07:18 PM	#14
wsp Member Join Date: December 11, 2011 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 41	Yeah the cylinder wall looks pretty thin on some of the bores. Just me but I wouldn't shoot it. Please let us know what S&W has to say. I'm sure they will make it right. But consider this, it's one of a kind. What will it be worth in 50 years?

December 22, 2011, 07:48 PM	#15
SwampYankee Registration in progress Join Date: November 1, 2008 Location: I can be found on a number of other forums. Posts: 1,332	I saw the offset on the chambers too. Not too hard to spot, can't believe that made it out of the factory. Thin chamber walls = kaboom. Chamber thickness is critical in its ability to withstand high pressures. I don't see those chambers holding up to repeated 36,000 psi .357 mag rounds. Not so good...

December 22, 2011, 07:53 PM	#16
tubeshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2000 Posts: 231	Yikes! I have a gun sent back for repair, and that is not very confidence inspiring... It might be worth something to a collector of "bloopers", if you could find the person. I personally would not shoot it, the chambers at 7, 9 and 11 o'clock don't look beefy enough for plinking grade .357, much less hot handloads or SD/hunting ammo.

December 22, 2011, 07:56 PM	#18
dbldblu Member Join Date: May 30, 2006 Posts: 95	If it has 7 flutes wouldn't it also have 7 locking lug recesses? How can it possibly be in time?

December 22, 2011, 08:02 PM	#19
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	Dbldblu, the timing is fine. Once the machinist got started, he ignored the number of flutes and machined it as a six-shooter.

December 22, 2011, 08:15 PM	#20
excelerater Junior member Join Date: June 27, 2011 Location: Memphis TN Posts: 694	tell em to hook you up and give you a non fluted cyl in exchange.... I wish they made more this way,looks cooler and is stronger

December 22, 2011, 09:58 PM	#22
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	For those who are interested, the chamber that's in the right place is right at 0.10" thick. The thinnest one is 0.04" I'm pretty sure a chamber that's short 60% of it's wall thickness isn't what I want. What I do want is another cylinder fit to the gun. Preferably one with the right number of flutes. I also want them to leave the damn sideplate on and stay out of the action. I like the way I set it up. It's smooth and light, with no "stacking" and a clean let-off.

December 22, 2011, 10:21 PM	#23
bigautomatic Senior Member Join Date: December 18, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 610	Yeesh. I am really shocked that one made it out the door. Could have been ugly had you been a little less attentive. Keep us posted on the outcome.

December 22, 2011, 11:06 PM	#25
18DAI Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2005 Location: NC Posts: 2,156	Well.......at least yours has its barrel on strait. Silver lining! Send it back. They will make it right, eventually. Regards 18DAI