Opinions on S&W's 686+ 357 in magnum

Doc Holliday 1950 · June 9, 2018, 10:04 PM

I recently bought the 686+ 357 in magnum 3" revolver. I found that it's very accurate & the extra chamber is comforting. However the DA trigger pull was 11.4 & the SA was 5.5. I was not happy with the DA so I took it to my GS & the DA is now 9.0 & the SA is 4.5. I went to my range & fired 100 rounds split between 38 spP+ & 125 gr. 357 magnum rounds. My accuracy in DA was significantly better. As I posted before, I was not pleased with my first S&W purchase. Now I am very happy.

Has anyone recently bought a new 686+ and found the same problem in DA that I had? Does anyone like or dislike this 686+ and why? As always, all opinions on this particular model are welcome.

lamarw · June 9, 2018, 10:58 PM

I have an older 686-1 which has served me well. It will definitely handle the 125 grain .357 magnums, but I have read they can damage the forcing cone with significant use. Therefore, I am staying with the 158 gr. magnum rounds.

Congrats on your new revolver.

mdauben · June 10, 2018, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamarw

I have an older 686-1 which has served me well. It will definitely handle the 125 grain .357 magnums, but I have read they can damage the forcing cone with significant use. Therefore, I am staying with the 158 gr. magnum rounds.

Congrats on your new revolver.

That was a perennial problem with the original Model 66 but I've never heard of the Model 686 having that issue. Indeed, one of the reasons S&W introduced the L-frame guns was to address that problem in the K-frame guns.

This photo shows the problem. The flattened side of the model 66 forcing cone was a weak point that could crack when fed a steady diet of full bore 125grain magnum ammo.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

AK103K · June 10, 2018, 10:36 AM

Glad to hear you got it where you like it. Its a shame this had to be your first S&W experience, its not the typical thing, or at least my experience with them has been very positive over the years.

I was out with my 2.5" "Plus" yesterday. Shootin quick "doubles" at 15 yards.

Did you ever get those Bantams, and if so, what did you think?

mk70ss · June 10, 2018, 02:32 PM

I love mine. It is my “nightstand gun.” It has in the neighborhood of 1000 rounds of .38/.357 through it and it has had zero issues.

disseminator · June 10, 2018, 02:38 PM

I bought a 686+ 4" a few month ago. The double action WAS a little stiff and heavy but after a few hundred rounds it has settled in nicely to about 10#.

I'm very happy with the gun.

elmbow · June 11, 2018, 12:45 AM

First thing I do when a new S&W joins the household is remove the sideplate, remove the lock, polish the cylinder lock and the rebound slide where they slide back and forth against the frame, cut one coil off the rebound slide spring, take .015" off the strain screw (not J frames), lube and reassemble. Makes a huge difference in both double and single action pull.
Have owned three L frames, one 686 4 inch, one 686+ 6 inch, and a 696 3 inch 44 Special. Still own the 696 but got rid of the two 686s as soon as S&W came out with the new model 66s. Smith finally made the K frame .357 Combat Magnum the right way.

rodfac · June 11, 2018, 07:31 AM

Glad you got it sorted out, Doc. Hope it turns out to be a long term 'keeper'. I've found that the long DA trigger pull on a revolver takes considerable time to master...and for me, switching back and forth between most any auto, and a revolver doesn't work well. So I stay with the revolver (when used for CC purposes) for months at a time. When I stick to that regimen, I find that I can shoot my Smith's every bit as accurately as any of my autos. Best Regards, Rod

DMY · June 11, 2018, 11:10 PM

Doc,
I bought a new 686+, 3" a couple of months ago. After reading several threads on this and other forums, I tried my best to check it out prior to purchasing it. Brought my big magnifying glass, flashlight, calipers, 7 empty brass, one .358" projectile, one jacketed .357" projectile and feeler gauge. Trigger was smooth in DA and SA, tight lockup and no end shake on all 7 cylinders, only slight over-travel on the trigger, lines looked good, no rough surfaces, front and rear sights appeared centered, b/c gap was good, and all of the chambers apeared to be the same diameter. Dry fired it at least 50 times. I tried my best to determine if the barrel was canted. It appeared straight and I must have checked it 4 or 5 times during my 30 minute inspection.
After getting it out of jail (10-day waiting period), I took it to the indoor range (no wind) and ran 200 rounds of HBWC, plated 125 grain, coated 105 grain and 158 grain .38 bullets through it, mostly resting on the counter. Out of the box, everything shot 5" left. Adjusted the sight again and again, until it was all the way to the right. It still shoots 1-2" left, depending on the load. Have since put about 1000 total rounds through it and same results. If I tilt the gun approximately 5 degrees counter-clockwise, my shots do not go left. Same results with some jacketed 125 grain .38s and .357s.
Other than shooting left, I like it and will resolve this problem either through a local gunsmith or sending it back to S&W.
The shame of it is that I have never checked a gun so thoroughly before buying it. I've been lucky and only had to send back a 30-year old Ruger 10/22 with feeding problems. BTW, Ruger fixed it gratis and it has been flawless every since. I am hoping for the same once I get over my initial disappointment of having to get it serviced before I have other work performed on it.

disseminator · June 12, 2018, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Doc,
I bought a new 686+, 3" a couple of months ago. After reading several threads on this and other forums, I tried my best to check it out prior to purchasing it. Brought my big magnifying glass, flashlight, calipers, 7 empty brass, one .358" projectile, one jacketed .357" projectile and feeler gauge. Trigger was smooth in DA and SA, tight lockup and no end shake on all 7 cylinders, only slight over-travel on the trigger, lines looked good, no rough surfaces, front and rear sights appeared centered, b/c gap was good, and all of the chambers apeared to be the same diameter. Dry fired it at least 50 times. I tried my best to determine if the barrel was canted. It appeared straight and I must have checked it 4 or 5 times during my 30 minute inspection.
After getting it out of jail (10-day waiting period), I took it to the indoor range (no wind) and ran 200 rounds of HBWC, plated 125 grain, coated 105 grain and 158 grain .38 bullets through it, mostly resting on the counter. Out of the box, everything shot 5" left. Adjusted the sight again and again, until it was all the way to the right. It still shoots 1-2" left, depending on the load. Have since put about 1000 total rounds through it and same results. If I tilt the gun approximately 5 degrees counter-clockwise, my shots do not go left. Same results with some jacketed 125 grain .38s and .357s.
Other than shooting left, I like it and will resolve this problem either through a local gunsmith or sending it back to S&W.
The shame of it is that I have never checked a gun so thoroughly before buying it. I've been lucky and only had to send back a 30-year old Ruger 10/22 with feeding problems. BTW, Ruger fixed it gratis and it has been flawless every since. I am hoping for the same once I get over my initial disappointment of having to get it serviced before I have other work performed on it.

Send it back ASAP. don't keep a gun your not happy with. I had a bad experience with a S&W Model 625JM and sent it back, I had the gun back in three weeks with a totally new barrel, new firing pin, etc.

They will make it right if you give them a chance.

Doc Holliday 1950 · June 12, 2018, 09:37 PM

Me too. I checked mine out thoroughly just like the forum members suggested but since the place didn't have a range, there was no way to check it out fully. Nor know that the 7th. round would be a dud every time I fired all 7 of my Winchester 130 grain sp.P+ fmj ammo that I had loaded. He told me he used magtech ammo after he did the trigger job. So I gave him a box of my ammo as an example of what I use for practice. Anyway, he told me to come back tomorrow & that he'd have it taken care of. Hope so. I really like the weight, accuracy, & balance of the 686. This is not a dinky poly revolver. It's the real deal.
I really dislike not having the knowledge myself to do the work.

DMY · June 12, 2018, 11:31 PM

Doc,
Have you purchased a holster for yours? I am leaning toward a S&W leather belt holster from Amazon for $50. Not interested in a paddle holster nor anything too costly. Not planning to conceal or go hunting. Just seems wrong not to have a holster for every gun, even though I rarely use them. There doesn't appear to be that many options in leather.

Japle · June 13, 2018, 01:47 PM

I have a 3” 686+ stainless with the unfluted cylinder. As with all my S&W revolvers, I did a full action job including a Bang, Inc spring kit and an extended firing pin.

I strongly recommend the Bang springs and the extended firing pin. The difference is night and day over the factory trigger.

I carried the 686 most of the winter and never felt undergunned with 7 rounds of Golden Saber.

rodfac · June 14, 2018, 05:38 AM

DMY, you stated that you'd fired it at the range, "mostly resting on the counter", which makes me wonder if that was in part responsible for the gun shooting 5" left. Resting any gun, handgun or rifle, against a hard object will cause the gun to shoot away from the hard surface. The butt of the grip, the trigger guard, or barrel rested against anything hard will do this. I've found this to be true, even off sand bags that were overly hard.

Don't know your situation, but HTH's if applicable. Rod

labnoti · June 15, 2018, 07:10 PM

With a new S&W, I would expect to break it in with 500-700 rounds before the trigger was smoothed out. You can polish it first, or just shoot it. Either way it will get smoother sooner or later.

I'd use feeler gauges and check the b/c gap, because they're building them fast and loose these days. If the gap, lockup and timing are good, it's good. If it's too loose, send it back.

I don't care for spring jobs to lighten the DA pull. It means either lightening the hammer spring or the reset spring or both. That means either lighter primer strikes or slower, less positive trigger reset. At some point, it increases the risk of unintentional discharges, but I'd only start to worry when it got down to 6 pounds at which point the other two issues would be severe. But there may be nothing wrong with a slighter adjustment of the spring weights. If you don't experience light-strike misfires, and you don't find yourself over-running the trigger, then I don't see an issue.

I'd rather spend money on bullets and powder and time on skill than on a trigger job. I very much like my stock triggers after ~700 rounds.

DMY · June 17, 2018, 11:17 AM

Rod,
Thanks for your post. I've taken my 686+ to the range 5 times. Most of my 1000 or so rounds of ladder tests with this new gun have been a two-hand hold, resting the Hogue monogrip on a counter or resting the receiver just in front of the trigger guard on a carpet-covered 4x4 and some also resting my strong hand wrist on a plastic ammo box. I concentrated on using the very tip of my trigger finger to avoid pulling the gun offline and tried moderate and a very strong grip. I presume the only rebound would be in a vertical direction rather than left or right. I have used this same technique with other revolvers and semi-autos which did not consistently shoot left.
Labnoti,
I tried my best to check out the gun before putting my money down. B/C gap was .004-.006", lockup was, and still is tight, no end shake, lines looked good, sights appeared straight using a magnifying glass and calipers, trigger was pretty smooth and is getting better. I had very good luck with my gunsmith polishing the internals of my 625 and it is very smooth with the stock springs.I plan to do the same with my 686+.
I am still in a bit of denial, but after reading enough posts about canted barrels, I will probably send it back to customer service in the near future.
Again, thanks to all for your replies and my apology to Doc for hijacking his original post.

June 9, 2018, 10:04 PM	#1
Doc Holliday 1950 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2014 Location: Bout as south as it gets Posts: 1,238	Opinions on S&W's 686+ 357 in magnum I recently bought the 686+ 357 in magnum 3" revolver. I found that it's very accurate & the extra chamber is comforting. However the DA trigger pull was 11.4 & the SA was 5.5. I was not happy with the DA so I took it to my GS & the DA is now 9.0 & the SA is 4.5. I went to my range & fired 100 rounds split between 38 spP+ & 125 gr. 357 magnum rounds. My accuracy in DA was significantly better. As I posted before, I was not pleased with my first S&W purchase. Now I am very happy. Has anyone recently bought a new 686+ and found the same problem in DA that I had? Does anyone like or dislike this 686+ and why? As always, all opinions on this particular model are welcome. __________________ Shoot well and be Accurate, Doc

June 10, 2018, 02:32 PM	#5
mk70ss Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2008 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,598	I love mine. It is my “nightstand gun.” It has in the neighborhood of 1000 rounds of .38/.357 through it and it has had zero issues. __________________ Say when.....

June 11, 2018, 07:31 AM	#8
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,623	Glad you got it sorted out, Doc. Hope it turns out to be a long term 'keeper'. I've found that the long DA trigger pull on a revolver takes considerable time to master...and for me, switching back and forth between most any auto, and a revolver doesn't work well. So I stay with the revolver (when used for CC purposes) for months at a time. When I stick to that regimen, I find that I can shoot my Smith's every bit as accurately as any of my autos. Best Regards, Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

June 11, 2018, 11:10 PM	#9
DMY Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2015 Posts: 152	Doc, I bought a new 686+, 3" a couple of months ago. After reading several threads on this and other forums, I tried my best to check it out prior to purchasing it. Brought my big magnifying glass, flashlight, calipers, 7 empty brass, one .358" projectile, one jacketed .357" projectile and feeler gauge. Trigger was smooth in DA and SA, tight lockup and no end shake on all 7 cylinders, only slight over-travel on the trigger, lines looked good, no rough surfaces, front and rear sights appeared centered, b/c gap was good, and all of the chambers apeared to be the same diameter. Dry fired it at least 50 times. I tried my best to determine if the barrel was canted. It appeared straight and I must have checked it 4 or 5 times during my 30 minute inspection. After getting it out of jail (10-day waiting period), I took it to the indoor range (no wind) and ran 200 rounds of HBWC, plated 125 grain, coated 105 grain and 158 grain .38 bullets through it, mostly resting on the counter. Out of the box, everything shot 5" left. Adjusted the sight again and again, until it was all the way to the right. It still shoots 1-2" left, depending on the load. Have since put about 1000 total rounds through it and same results. If I tilt the gun approximately 5 degrees counter-clockwise, my shots do not go left. Same results with some jacketed 125 grain .38s and .357s. Other than shooting left, I like it and will resolve this problem either through a local gunsmith or sending it back to S&W. The shame of it is that I have never checked a gun so thoroughly before buying it. I've been lucky and only had to send back a 30-year old Ruger 10/22 with feeding problems. BTW, Ruger fixed it gratis and it has been flawless every since. I am hoping for the same once I get over my initial disappointment of having to get it serviced before I have other work performed on it. Last edited by DMY; June 11, 2018 at 11:18 PM. Reason: Adding more info

June 12, 2018, 09:37 PM	#11
Doc Holliday 1950 Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2014 Location: Bout as south as it gets Posts: 1,238	Me too. I checked mine out thoroughly just like the forum members suggested but since the place didn't have a range, there was no way to check it out fully. Nor know that the 7th. round would be a dud every time I fired all 7 of my Winchester 130 grain sp.P+ fmj ammo that I had loaded. He told me he used magtech ammo after he did the trigger job. So I gave him a box of my ammo as an example of what I use for practice. Anyway, he told me to come back tomorrow & that he'd have it taken care of. Hope so. I really like the weight, accuracy, & balance of the 686. This is not a dinky poly revolver. It's the real deal. I really dislike not having the knowledge myself to do the work. __________________ Shoot well and be Accurate, Doc

June 9, 2018, 10:58 PM	#2
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 3,311	I have an older 686-1 which has served me well. It will definitely handle the 125 grain .357 magnums, but I have read they can damage the forcing cone with significant use. Therefore, I am staying with the 158 gr. magnum rounds. Congrats on your new revolver.

June 10, 2018, 10:36 AM	#4
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	Glad to hear you got it where you like it. Its a shame this had to be your first S&W experience, its not the typical thing, or at least my experience with them has been very positive over the years. I was out with my 2.5" "Plus" yesterday. Shootin quick "doubles" at 15 yards. Did you ever get those Bantams, and if so, what did you think?

June 10, 2018, 02:38 PM	#6
disseminator Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2016 Location: Minnesota Posts: 960	I bought a 686+ 4" a few month ago. The double action WAS a little stiff and heavy but after a few hundred rounds it has settled in nicely to about 10#. I'm very happy with the gun.

June 11, 2018, 12:45 AM	#7
elmbow Member Join Date: August 9, 2012 Location: Utah Posts: 81	First thing I do when a new S&W joins the household is remove the sideplate, remove the lock, polish the cylinder lock and the rebound slide where they slide back and forth against the frame, cut one coil off the rebound slide spring, take .015" off the strain screw (not J frames), lube and reassemble. Makes a huge difference in both double and single action pull. Have owned three L frames, one 686 4 inch, one 686+ 6 inch, and a 696 3 inch 44 Special. Still own the 696 but got rid of the two 686s as soon as S&W came out with the new model 66s. Smith finally made the K frame .357 Combat Magnum the right way.

June 12, 2018, 11:31 PM	#12
DMY Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2015 Posts: 152	Doc, Have you purchased a holster for yours? I am leaning toward a S&W leather belt holster from Amazon for $50. Not interested in a paddle holster nor anything too costly. Not planning to conceal or go hunting. Just seems wrong not to have a holster for every gun, even though I rarely use them. There doesn't appear to be that many options in leather.

June 13, 2018, 01:47 PM	#13
Japle Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2004 Location: Viera, Florida Posts: 1,340	I have a 3” 686+ stainless with the unfluted cylinder. As with all my S&W revolvers, I did a full action job including a Bang, Inc spring kit and an extended firing pin. I strongly recommend the Bang springs and the extended firing pin. The difference is night and day over the factory trigger. I carried the 686 most of the winter and never felt undergunned with 7 rounds of Golden Saber.

June 14, 2018, 05:38 AM	#14
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,623	DMY, you stated that you'd fired it at the range, "mostly resting on the counter", which makes me wonder if that was in part responsible for the gun shooting 5" left. Resting any gun, handgun or rifle, against a hard object will cause the gun to shoot away from the hard surface. The butt of the grip, the trigger guard, or barrel rested against anything hard will do this. I've found this to be true, even off sand bags that were overly hard. Don't know your situation, but HTH's if applicable. Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

June 15, 2018, 07:10 PM	#15
labnoti Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2018 Posts: 252	With a new S&W, I would expect to break it in with 500-700 rounds before the trigger was smoothed out. You can polish it first, or just shoot it. Either way it will get smoother sooner or later. I'd use feeler gauges and check the b/c gap, because they're building them fast and loose these days. If the gap, lockup and timing are good, it's good. If it's too loose, send it back. I don't care for spring jobs to lighten the DA pull. It means either lightening the hammer spring or the reset spring or both. That means either lighter primer strikes or slower, less positive trigger reset. At some point, it increases the risk of unintentional discharges, but I'd only start to worry when it got down to 6 pounds at which point the other two issues would be severe. But there may be nothing wrong with a slighter adjustment of the spring weights. If you don't experience light-strike misfires, and you don't find yourself over-running the trigger, then I don't see an issue. I'd rather spend money on bullets and powder and time on skill than on a trigger job. I very much like my stock triggers after ~700 rounds.

June 17, 2018, 11:17 AM	#16
DMY Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2015 Posts: 152	Sorry for hijacking Doc's thread Rod, Thanks for your post. I've taken my 686+ to the range 5 times. Most of my 1000 or so rounds of ladder tests with this new gun have been a two-hand hold, resting the Hogue monogrip on a counter or resting the receiver just in front of the trigger guard on a carpet-covered 4x4 and some also resting my strong hand wrist on a plastic ammo box. I concentrated on using the very tip of my trigger finger to avoid pulling the gun offline and tried moderate and a very strong grip. I presume the only rebound would be in a vertical direction rather than left or right. I have used this same technique with other revolvers and semi-autos which did not consistently shoot left. Labnoti, I tried my best to check out the gun before putting my money down. B/C gap was .004-.006", lockup was, and still is tight, no end shake, lines looked good, sights appeared straight using a magnifying glass and calipers, trigger was pretty smooth and is getting better. I had very good luck with my gunsmith polishing the internals of my 625 and it is very smooth with the stock springs.I plan to do the same with my 686+. I am still in a bit of denial, but after reading enough posts about canted barrels, I will probably send it back to customer service in the near future. Again, thanks to all for your replies and my apology to Doc for hijacking his original post.