Smith & Wesson Model 686 Reviews

by **Rivers2k** » Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:33 pm

SYORK I agree the Talo 5 inch is a beauty. I was druling over the ssr for a while now I think I want to go with the Talo. I am worrying about buying because it seems like every year they are coming out with something purtier than the previouse year. I guess they are following apples marketing.

by **SYORK61** » Sun May 08, 2011 11:29 pm

Yea, I saw a 4 inch with the american flag lazer etched on the side, almost bought that, but went with 5 inch. Have now changed out the grips with rubber ones, not as nice looking but feels great in the hand.. cost= $800

by **firedawg60** » Mon May 09, 2011 2:10 pm

I just acquired a 586 to be a playmate with my 686. Haven't got to shoot it yet, but it feels real good in the hand!!

by **SittingMooseShaman** » Tue May 10, 2011 11:47 pm

...well, finally Spring is here. Every thing's holdin' the line and Gunny's doin' just fine- still can't jump- however he can run like hell! Had 'im out in th' heavy brush w/o any problems... So I'm off to the barn and it's time to try 'n' haul out the forge and anvil.

My intent is to take the old cylinder from the 586(damaged during chamfering/engraving) and mate it up with some tool-steel and begin the (unfortunately painful)process of creating a sister-piece for the 586. It will be a pattern-welded, (mostly)Bowie knife, blade.

Not sure yet on what the handle will be made of.

Gotta do some math on the total weight(before) of metal to final design & size... Looks good on paper... Probably take all Summer... so what?... I've 3 other blades to finish.

Keeps a disabled guy really busy...especially when I have 3 wooden chests(2'x3&1/2') full of old, used-up or busted, scrap hardened-steel air-hammer chisels, spades and wotnots from by-gone days of machines and mills... No. Nothing is of antique value- they are well-used and were on their way to the junk-yard.

Would love to get ahold of a 25#er power-hammer.

Say-yy, something like a "Little Giant"...

and a 1 or 2 burner gas forge... Ideally, of course.

However, I'll use what I got.

This'll be probably be the only 'big' blade I'll knock out...

Hammerin' hurts like hell for days!!...

Yet, making a smaller camp/hunting knife is much more tolerable...

Jeeze! Why didn't I come upon this forge set earlier in life!?! Who knows?... Still it's something quite fun and interesting to do- It's in th' blood- since my granddad(an illegal alien from Canada cir.1907- took the ferry across the Niagara to Buffalo...went to Bethlehem Steel in Lackawanna(where I entered this world) became a Master Machinist and eventually Hot Mill Top Foreman...'twas a GREAT time for employment with meaning... and retirement. An era- God I remember- as a kid- the factories, the immense rail-yards...when steam was still in yard & road use... Memories! Woke up, dressed, got gun and tag...walked to South Buffalo city-line & went huntin'! T'wern't any suburbs then; Just city, farms and hunting. Hot damm! I love living in the country!! Oh, well... Maybe the inventors and investors will re-appear and bring up a rebirth of American industry in the ultra-modern America...

However... in the meantime; I'm stickin' to my hammer 'n' anvil... hot steel is almost mystical.

by **PhantomII** » Wed May 11, 2011 9:37 am

SittingMoose...

Waxing poetic about the 'glory days of America'?

I remember those days too, days when seeing a kid walking through town with a rifle or a shotgun didn't get everyone's panties in a wad. Days that you could take your favorite .22 rifle to school to be taken apart and refinish the stock. Those were days that we thought we were 'slaves' because we had to mow the lawns...

What we didn't realize were those were the days of freedom, the most freedom that we would know in our lifetimes.

Like you, I love living in the country (Rural Missouri) where we still have some freedom. Local government is tolerable and the state leaves you alone.

Love the fact that though I am disability-retired, I can go across the creek (when it ain't flooding in the Spring) and use my own firing range.

Yep, you sure brought back some memories of good days gone by...

Keep Hammerin'!

by **ruger9315** » Thu May 26, 2011 7:43 pm

I have never owned a Smith, but this one has my attention..

I sometimes go walking in places where I might encounter Yogi the bear, and I like the fact for home I could use the 38 special...

Now yes as my user name would imply I am a huge fan of Ruger, but the SP101 only has 5 rounds and the Gp is just to big... I just like the fact that I would have the extra two rounds if needed and the Smith and Wesson 686 is a prooven piece.

I guess I could change my name to smith&ruger

by **SittingMooseShaman** » Mon May 30, 2011 7:12 am

...gunny got a woodchuck...gunny-yy got a woodychuck.

Got th' bugger way-yy-yy underground. I was layin' in my yard down by th' crik(creek) and he went tearin' off after this hapless chuck...and went down right after the big rodent- Frightened me at first, cause he ain't 100%... Yet, it was way-yy cool! All I could see were his beady little eyes down in this hollow under this big ol' willow... Then he started diggin' like he was a BobCat back hoe in the bottom of a mine shaft... And down, down he went... A very distant, muffled 'rumble' was all I could hear... He came out- A victor!! Scared the hell outta me for a while- I was carryin' my PPk... And I wondered if & how I'd have to dig 'im out... Dachshunds are strange hunters...

An-nnd to my 586- She has this gem-like luster now. I'v been polishing this gun by hand for almost... ...4+ or so years... usin' a special polishing cloth I made... totally saturated w/oil(s), gun grease, 1,200 grit from sand paper, xxfine jewelers rouge, green-stick polishing comp and linseed oil- Used it for years before as a blotter under a bottle of the stuff... Y'ih can tell this gun's made from fine steel- when the crystal-structure of the metal takes on such an even luster... Looks like a gun made during the turn of the last century... Just like I had wanted. 1 of a kind!

by **neverenough** » Mon May 30, 2011 9:43 pm

Hey, SittingMoose......GLAD to hear Gunny is almost as good as new! Good for him.

Sounds like you're staying busy!

And....ruger9315, I don't think you can go wrong with a 686. Smith/Ruger does kinda have a nice ring to it

neverenough

by **jhallrv4** » Mon May 30, 2011 10:59 pm

Once again, the 686 reigns supreme. My Sister-in-law was out to Colorado recently. She'd never shot anything. She shot most of my guns, and she liked the 686, and the Ruger Single-Six. Good for her, she's an old-school kinda gal. She liked the revolvers. The Beretta and the Glocks were fun, but she always went back to the wheel-guns. Mind you, she loved the Marlin lever action rifle, too, but in her soul, she needed the wheel-gun. I love that Gal!

by **SittingMooseShaman** » Tue Aug 02, 2011 12:36 pm

...make this, "comment '100'!" Smithys' iconic 586/686 is Topps! Bar none!!