I've been looking for a nice 686 pre lock for awhile. Finally came across one at a deal I couldn't pass up. 686-3 4" barrel. In great shape. Came with a nice set of wood grips but I switched them for a set of Hogue's as this is gonna be a ranch gun. Couldn't be happier. Now I need to find a holster and pouches that'll fit the HKS speed loaders.
Sidearms & Scatterguns S&W 686 Finally found one
- Thread starter Aaros143
- Start date
congrats its a fine gun and fun to shoot .
Nice! Love me some pre lock s&w wheel guns. I got a 686+ seven shot and a nickel 586. They are sweet. It’s gonna be hard to only have one though. I am always on the lookout for pre locks.
Aaros, nice find. You probably already know this. A holster made for the Python will fit your 686 in leather that includes boned holsters. I can't address the ability to do so with kydex.
You probably already have a source for ammo but consider Precision Delta. https://www.precisiondelta.com/products/38-spl-148gr-hbwc-remanufactured-ammunition/. Very accurate and a very reasonable price.
You probably already have a source for ammo but consider Precision Delta. https://www.precisiondelta.com/products/38-spl-148gr-hbwc-remanufactured-ammunition/. Very accurate and a very reasonable price.
Quarter Horse, This is actually my first revolver. SO any and all suggestions for ammo, holsters, belts or any other accessories are most welcome. Currently looking for a good ranch ammo. Not necessarily self defense but something that will do the job on a pig. The idea is to have two chambers of rat shot for snakes and the rest with something that'll kill a pig if need be.
do you handload?
if so, a heavier hardcast bullet should make an affordable and effective load.
if so, a heavier hardcast bullet should make an affordable and effective load.
I love the 686. I have a 686 plus unfluted cylinder, 5-inch barrel, with Night sights, it came out of the custom shop and I have never found another one. It is one favorite.
I handled for rifle. Will not be hand loading for this though.
If it's going to be a ranch gun than you will probably be best served by a cross draw. In and out of trucks, on quads and horseback the cross draw works best. The Bianchi Cyclone 111 is a nicely made up holster. You can use it either cross or strong side. My principal objection to it is the thumb-break. I hate resnapping those things.
Belts are a completely other matter. You first have to decide whether it will be a seprate "gun belt" or the belt that holds up your jeans and also holds your holster. I prefer the latter particularly if using a cross-draw. It carries the holster higher on your body. It is high enough to be concealed by a regular Carhartt chore coat which is pretty much a standard piece of work clothing. A lot of what works with belts and holsters depends on how your put together. You will figure it out for yourself. I still wear a Bianchi, suede lined, 1 3/4" ranger belt that I bought in 1980. It was originally bought when I was shooting IPSC as a dedicated gun belt but transitioned to my everyday jeans belt and with the addition of a silver buckle set became my dress and Sunday got to meeting belt. Unfortunately, in this day and age, it seems advisable to have a holster on the belt when you attend worship.
Using snake loads is OK but I would not use it in the first two chambers. Snake loads are not good for killing snakes but will certainly distract them and offer you the opportunity to adios the area. If only the first chamber is loaded with shot, a short pull of the hammer and rotation of the cylinder by hand to your carry load is easy to learn and absolutely worth the small amount of practice it takes. Conversely, doing this through two chambers is a chore and not nearly as instinctive. If your not going to reload for it, Buffalo Bore has a 180grn. hardcast load that will provide the penetration needed for feral hogs https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=100 The 148gr. wadcutter reman. from Precision Delta will do 90% of what you want.
The 686 is the best balanced of all revolvers. It gives you everything you need and nothing you don't and that comes from a guy that owns two Pythons.
Belts are a completely other matter. You first have to decide whether it will be a seprate "gun belt" or the belt that holds up your jeans and also holds your holster. I prefer the latter particularly if using a cross-draw. It carries the holster higher on your body. It is high enough to be concealed by a regular Carhartt chore coat which is pretty much a standard piece of work clothing. A lot of what works with belts and holsters depends on how your put together. You will figure it out for yourself. I still wear a Bianchi, suede lined, 1 3/4" ranger belt that I bought in 1980. It was originally bought when I was shooting IPSC as a dedicated gun belt but transitioned to my everyday jeans belt and with the addition of a silver buckle set became my dress and Sunday got to meeting belt. Unfortunately, in this day and age, it seems advisable to have a holster on the belt when you attend worship.
Using snake loads is OK but I would not use it in the first two chambers. Snake loads are not good for killing snakes but will certainly distract them and offer you the opportunity to adios the area. If only the first chamber is loaded with shot, a short pull of the hammer and rotation of the cylinder by hand to your carry load is easy to learn and absolutely worth the small amount of practice it takes. Conversely, doing this through two chambers is a chore and not nearly as instinctive. If your not going to reload for it, Buffalo Bore has a 180grn. hardcast load that will provide the penetration needed for feral hogs https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=100 The 148gr. wadcutter reman. from Precision Delta will do 90% of what you want.
The 686 is the best balanced of all revolvers. It gives you everything you need and nothing you don't and that comes from a guy that owns two Pythons.
It will be a separate gun belt. Its nice to take it off when in the house for the evening. Thats how I currently run the G17. Inner belt with outer gun belt that has two spare pistol mags a 556 mag, knife TQ and dump pouch. I would like to keep the same basic setup but with the revolver and the speed loaders. I'll have to consider a cross draw. But I'll probably keep it on the strong side so I can keep a dump pouch and spare rifle mags in the same place.
My 686+ 6" pre-lock, frame mounted pin but with MIM parts I believe. It has obviously had work done to it though because it's got a trigger profile I've never seen. Hammer cocked and it's a no-shit hair trigger. Barely touch to fire. DA isn't hard and it's smooth all the way through. AND I've had this damn thing put 5 of 7 shots with 140gr. XTP's standing at 300m on an E type! I was very fucking impressed with it! I've had it over 20 years and I'll never let this one go.
Good buy, you're gonna like it.
Good buy, you're gonna like it.
I would like to see pics of that. A pre lock 686+ is what I really want.
Because I do leather work, I am always interested in new or unusual designs. I saw a neat design for speed loader holders, but don't know who made it.
It carried one speed loader with bullets facing down, and one with the bullets facing upward. You belt goes through the MIDDLE of the holder, and 3 rounds of the speed loader go inside your belt, and 3 rounds go on the outside of your belt. That way, it only takes up the room of one speed loader on your belt, but actually holds two speed loaders.
My former partner at work used to have one and I thought it was a really slick design. He bought it at a gun show in Portland, OR from a fellow who did custom leather work. It was similar to the Safariland split six speed loader holder, but it held one speed loader on top, and one on bottom of the belt.
It carried one speed loader with bullets facing down, and one with the bullets facing upward. You belt goes through the MIDDLE of the holder, and 3 rounds of the speed loader go inside your belt, and 3 rounds go on the outside of your belt. That way, it only takes up the room of one speed loader on your belt, but actually holds two speed loaders.
My former partner at work used to have one and I thought it was a really slick design. He bought it at a gun show in Portland, OR from a fellow who did custom leather work. It was similar to the Safariland split six speed loader holder, but it held one speed loader on top, and one on bottom of the belt.
