TexasCHLforum.com

Just started looking at this gun on youtube etc.
What are your opinions (if any) about it, and do
you think it is suitable for a EDC weapon?

It's a beautiful gun for sure. I would love to have one myself. It may be a little heavy for some to EDC, but I would If I had one. I love my 586.

My old 6 shot stainless steel 686 is my favorite firearm and the only handgun I shoot straight with.
It is heavy, beautifully made almost in the piece-of-art class.

I tried to carry a 29 a long time back. The grip was large on mine and didn't conceal well. It would work carrying it OWB with a T-shirt tucked in and an untucked button down over it.

You would probably need to carry .44 Special for EDC. Most Magnum loads are a bit much - too much penetration even with good defense hollow points. Something along the lines of these:

https://www.underwoodammo.com/44-specia ... box-of-50/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

200 grain JHP at 1100 fps. These would feel like .38 Specials.

Or you could go full house with something like this:

https://www.underwoodammo.com/44-reming ... low-point/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

240 grain Gold Dot at 1500 fps. These WOULD NOT feel like .38's!

I kick myself every day for selling my 29.

The 686 is a .357, not a .44.

I had a 686 6-shot. It shot quite well for me and recoil was quite manageable with all loads; I never carried it because I had the 6" tube, but I'd have no qualms at all about carrying a shorter version.

If you can, look for a "pre-lock" revolver. There aren't many 686+'s out there without the internal lock, but they -do- exist. While it's not common with the steel-framed guns, it's theoretically possible for the lock to engage during recoil, locking the gun up like a vault until you can find the key. However uncommon that may be (and I don't think it's common at all), I won't carry a gun with an internal lock, as it's one more thing to fail at the worst possible time.

gmfitter wrote:Just started looking at this gun on youtube etc.
What are your opinions (if any) about it, and do
you think it is suitable for a EDC weapon?

\

Those Smiths are fine guns, and that model and other similar ones in .357 Magnum were carried by many policemen and highway patrolmen "back in the day". However, Smiths are a bit pricey for my blood. I'm going to buy a Ruger GP100 and put the extra money toward a good holster and ammo.

JSThane wrote:The 686 is a .357, not a .44.

Oh well....chalk another one up to getting older!

There's is a 44 for sale over in the firearms section. Confusion reigns. Sorry.

The 686 looks like a fine gun and should certainly be up to the task of EDC if you don't mind the size and weight. I have always found big revolvers a bit more work to conceal due to their width, but once open carry becomes legal, concerns about printing and accidental exposure should go away which will make carrying a gun like that a lot easier in my opinion. I spent some time in Alaska a few years back and carried a 629 with a 6" barrel on my hip quite comfortably. Of course I also had a heavy coat on so concealment, though unnecessary, was not difficult! I personally don't have the 686, but I have several S&W revolvers and their quality is excellent.

I love my S&W 327. It's an 8 shot .357 with a 2" barrel.

I've been carrying 4" 686's for work quite often over the past year. I have only had the chance to shoot them a couple times though. Unfortunately the work guns are often carried by people who don't give a flip about guns at all. They aren't treated with respect at all by some. I've seen the rear sights knocked out of alignment & even broken. These guns will even develop some rust despite being stainless.

This is my 686 no dash, I don't shoot this gun but it is my favorite of all I own. It is in unfired condition.

I carried the 4 inch 686 for several years on and off duty as an LEO. It was the finest and most dependable of all the revolvers I had owned, and it had a trigger action that felt like it had been tuned by a custom 'smith, but it was straight from the factory.

Off duty I carried it IWB without issues, but I was carrying around about 40 fewer pounds back then. These days I'd have to go OWB to be really comfortable. I'd never feel under armed when wearing it.

The Wall wrote:It's a beautiful gun for sure. I would love to have one myself. It may be a little heavy for some to EDC, but I would If I had one. I love my 586.

Love my 586 nickel, sweet and accurate shooter. Not so much EDC for me.

I have a 686 Talo 3" and carry it in a Desantis 001 OWB holster. Rides nice and comfortable.