Looking for advice on a 357 Mag revolver purchase

[Colnago]

All -- I wanted to ask for some advice from the forum. I fondly remember shooting my S&W 686 stainless 357 Mag with a six inch barrel in the late 80s and sold it 10+ years ago. I was thinking of getting a another 357 with 6" barrel and I am trying to figure out if it is better to buy a new one or search for a good condition older model. Does anyone have experience with the newer models and do they have any compelling benefits compared to the older ones? This will be a fun range toy -- not to be carried our used for home defence. Look forward to your advice.

[Coal Dragger]

The only advantage a newer 686 has is a 7 shot cylinder.

Aside from that most consider the older revolvers to be more desirable due to no MIM parts, no lock, and supposedly better fit and finish.

I'm not personally sure how bad MIM parts are, and the lock is a non issue to me personally.

[Big A]

The only advantage a newer 686 has is a 7 shot cylinder.

Aside from that most consider the older revolvers to be more desirable due to no MIM parts, no lock, and supposedly better fit and finish.

I'm not personally sure how bad MIM parts are, and the lock is a non issue to me personally.

The 686 is still a 6 shot, the 686+ is the 7 shot. Both are L frames.

[CDR_Glock]

If you're looking for a range toy, then anything goes.

The advantage of the newer one is the plus one capacity. The negative is the lock but I don't even mess with it, and I've never had issues. The older Prelock will sell at a premium so it's not worth that to me. I'm happy with newer S&W revolvers.

I have a Performance Center 627 5" 8 shot and a 586 L-Comp 7 shot. They're a bit big for EDC but I've carried them when hunting.




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[davidz71]

We still have a few older model 64's in our armory and a bunch of the 64's with lock, MIM hammer/trigger, firing pin in the frame and I can tell you the newer ones give us more light firing pin falls/failure to fire than the older 64's. I wouldn't waste my money on a new one but look for an older model Smith at a gun show. I am seeing more model 19's, 66's and 686's from personal collections at gun shows lately. I've had all three in different barrel lengths and prefer the 686's.

[Pappabear]

I have both old and new and like both. The new stainless 7 shot is nice, the M&P 8 shot is real nice.

If you get an older one, the desirable features are :
Firing pin on hammer
Recessed cylinder
Pinned barrel.

Hard to go wrong buying a nice Smith , old or new. Good luck.

PB

[Colnago]

Thanks guys -- really appreciate the input. Very helpful.

[titsonritz]

I have both old and new and like both. The new stainless 7 shot is nice, the M&P 8 shot is real nice.

If you get an older one, the desirable features are :
Firing pin on hammer
Recessed cylinder
Pinned barrel.

Hard to go wrong buying a nice Smith , old or new. Good luck.

PB

I do not believe you will find a 686 with recessed cylinders and pinned as the "L" frame was introduced right about the time S&W was phasing out those options. Here is a list of engineering changes to the 686.

686 no dash, introduced model
686-1, 1986, radius stud package, floating hand
686-2, 1987, changed hammer nose, bushing and associated parts
686-3, 1988, new yoke retention system
686-4, 1993, change rear sight leaf, drill and tap frame, change extractor, Hogue grips
686-5, 1997, change frame design to eliminate cylinder stop stud, eliminate serrated tangs, change to metal injection molded (MIM) hammer with floating firing pin, change to MIM trigger, change internal lockwork
686-6, 2001, internal lock

Also keep in mind there was a recall on 581, 586, 681, 686, or 581-1, 586-1, 681-1, 686-1, 686CS-1 due to cylinder binding. Any on these models w/o an "M" stamped above the model number has not been modified.

[jh9]

I do not believe you will find a 686 with recessed cylinders and pinned as the "L" frame was introduced right about the time S&W was phasing out those options. Here is a list of engineering changes to the 686.

1980, IIRC. The pinned/recessed features stop a few years after. Nevertheless, you are right that the L-frames never had a pinned barrel or recessed cylinder.

The pinned/replaceable front sight started with the mim guns (686-5). Originally a 0.05" solid pin, they now use the same size in a roll pin.

[jh9]

We still have a few older model 64's in our armory and a bunch of the 64's with lock, MIM hammer/trigger, firing pin in the frame and I can tell you the newer ones give us more light firing pin falls/failure to fire than the older 64's. I wouldn't waste my money on a new one but look for an older model Smith at a gun show. I am seeing more model 19's, 66's and 686's from personal collections at gun shows lately. I've had all three in different barrel lengths and prefer the 686's.

Yeah, the FMFPs are noticeably more sensitive to mainspring tension. Even with the Apex "tactical" firing pin I've had two different guns (686,627) light strike with the Wolff "Factory Strength" Type-I mainspring and the factory (shorter) strain screw bottomed out. I had another 686 that would knuckle with that combination.

The 627 is out getting some work done, including a set screw. Plan is to install the Wolff Type I spring with the longer square butt strain screw then reduce tension until I get it where I want it. Then lock it in place with the set screw. Just loosening the strain screw without something to hold it in place will cause it to keep backing out until you have ignition problems.

FWIW the PC guns are currently shipping with the Wolff Type 2 (competition) spring and the longer square butt strain screw. This combination will provide consistent ignition in most cases, but will NOT light off CCI 550 magnum primers. So if you're using factory .357 and plan on using the gun for protection you should probably test it thoroughly.

tl;dr Dicking around with springs on the FMFP guns isn't a plug-and-play affair. You really need to test them thoroughly. If you want 100% ignition either pay someone to do it right or leave it stock. Just dropping in a Wolff spring will eventually cause problems. Especially if you only practice with .38 and use .357s with harder magnum primers for protection.