Smith & Wesson Model 686 Plus 357 Magnum 7-Shot/4-inch Revolver

It took quite a few rounds at the range to dial it in, but it's a tack driver now. I've ran about 150 rds of .38 through it, as well as a box of .357s, and it seems to have smoothed out quite a bit. Going to completely disassemble it and clean it. Not a big fan of the Hillary hole, but what can we do, it's there.

The triggers on these are a bit stiff and a just tad gritty, leaving me to buy springs, disassemble the gun, debur, sand, grind, hone, polish, shim, and fine tune it into a truly GREAT gun in the same caliber ballistically, and performance-wise as a Colt King Cobra. I can't quite compare an S&W to a Colt block safety action Python but a transfer bar action Colt will compare very favorably, after some work on the S&W. The S&W action is definitely more robust than the old Python I frame, or Diamondback D frame type Colts. Almost anything made by Smith & Wesson is a potentially a great revolver. They do require some attention, and are not smooth perfection right out of the box. They are not hard to work on, and parts are readily available, which is an obvious plus over the vintage and antique Colts. 7 rounds, and a 4" barrel makes for a fabulous house or truck gun platform, or a great open carry sidearm. After careful tuning, and a good trigger job, these make a great gun for him or her. People with arthritis or weak hands can fire these, and do so very well with a good trigger job. There is little, if any machining required to make custom parts, and great results are easy to obtain from off the shelf parts, and skillfully taking off the rough edges.

The only shortcoming over something like a Python is the barrel. The S&W has neither a tapered bore, nor the acute angle rifling. The rifling trick can be done. It's not advisable with a stock barrel though. It is still darn fine revolver, with a strong reliable action. I fixed a few of these up for elderly owners, and even did one for my 80 year old mother. This is her bedside gun, and a 1970s Colt Detective Special is her carry gun. She can put rounds on target quite well with either one!