S&W 686-4 Help/ Info

[Sayeret Shaldag]

Guys,

My brother in law recently gave me one of his guns as a gift and I am wondering if anyone has any info on the model. He said it might have been called the 'Power Port' but is not sure. It is a .357 S&W Mod. 686-4 in stainless, with adj. rear sight, long pinned front sight, hogue rubber grip, and 6 in. barrel (when measured from the cylinder area). What makes the gun pretty damn cool is that the top is squared off and ported and the shell ejector shroud (? don't know the right term) extends all the way to the end of the barrel. Any comments positive or negative on this thing? What kind of frame type is this 686-4 J,K, what? The grip screw is on the bottom the grip. I need to know because I want to change the grip to the big rubber Pachmayr's which I like better. I also thought I might replace the pinned front sight with a red fiber optic, but I did not see this option on Smith's site in their custom area. Lastly I hate stainless so is there anyway the gun could be bead blasted and blued even though it is SS.

The top of the revolver is matted and has those vertical lines to reduce glare. If a black finish is not possible can the entire revolver be matted to have that frosted look like the top. Is that frosted look just bead blasting? I just hate stainless.

I don't know jack about revolvers and only have one other a S&W Airwieght .38 hammerless snubbie, but I can't remember the Mod. number. Any comments or suggestions would be helpful. What I want to turn this 686 into is a massive, evil looking, blacked or frosted out, combatized revolver.

 

[7.62bthp]

The 686 is an "L" frame Smith. Kind of a beefed up K frame. The Pachy grip uses an adapter to move the screw to the bottom. You can use any K frame or L frame grips on it. It is a sturdy, powerful handgun, and worth it's salt.

Keep it stainless, just tape it off (after cleaning it with alcohol) and spray the top rib and front post with Rustoleum BBQ black grill paint. NBD.

You will love your L frame!!!

 

[7.62bthp]

PS....I have blacked a stainless revolver before using a process called Copper Vapor plating. The stainless is coated with copper, in vapor form, and then the copper finish, which is condusive to blacking, is parked. EXPENSIVE, but the right way to do it. Just have the thing media blasted and paint the top....

 

[Sayeret Shaldag]

Thanks 7.62!! I also plan on having the Smith combat package done, but I did not see an option for a fiber front sight. Is that possible?

 

[deaconblue]

I have a 686 and I had it bead-blasted, I got it dirt-cheap when I worked at a gunshop and it's finished wasn't the greatest. It had a lot of scratches. The gunshop had a local guy that did the beadblasting and after waiting about 2 months I finally got it back. It looks great! I will post a picture when I get home.

I may be wrong on this but I believe that I read that the 686 or 586 was made for the FBI back when they used revolvers. They wanted a full barrel underlug.

 

[7.62bthp]

The 586/686 (L frame) was created to break the rumor that you couldn't shoot a steady diet of .357s through a K frame. The full lug was added to control recoil ala Colt Python....

 

[deaconblue]

Here is the picture of my beadblasted 686

 

[Sayeret Shaldag]

I like that finish thanks for the picture. Mine is exactly like yours except I have a longer ported barrel and a pinned front sight. Mine also has the same grip with the screw on the bottom.

I removed the grip and noticed the butt which is a round butt. So I guess the 686 is a round butt L frame. With the grip removed I noticed the screw is attached to a bracket held to the frame with a roll pin.

So my question is this. I want to switch to Pachmayr Gripper grips but it looks like the screw goes through the center of the grips horizontaly and not through the bottom like the Hogue's. Is this going to be an issue? Will I have to remove the bracket that the Hogue grip uses? Thanks for the help thus far.

 

[deaconblue]

The only thing that you would have to do is remove the "u clip" like you stated. To remove it you simply pull it off from one side with a little pressure. Off subject: It can be a pain sometimes when installing the grip and trying to get the bracket to line up with the hole.

I did not know that they pinned the barrel that late on (686-4) I thought it was the earlier models that have the pinned barrels. But I have a 686 with no dashes (686-1, 686-2, etc) so mine was the first version. However I have a 66 (no dashes) and the barrel is pinned. go figure? One other differance (I think) the earlier models have the firing pin on the hammer. Does yours?

You can perform a poor man's trigger job on it by loosening the screw that holds in the hammer spring (leaf spring) just remeber to use loctite so it will not back out and test with a primer (pull the bullet) to make sure that it is getting a strong enough strike. eventhough it is only a primer they are still loud.

I looked around and found the receipt and I paid 125 back in '99. Like I mentioned before it was in bad shape. and I believe that I paid somewheres around 30 for the beadblasting. One of my better deals!

 

[Sayeret Shaldag]

deaconblue,

Thanks for your help thus far. I just checked and my firing pin is attached to the hammer. Evidently mine was called the Power Port but I cannot find any additional info.

Regarding the grips. So deacon I can remove the u clip, but you want me to leave that roll pin in there right?

 

[deaconblue]

Yes the roll pin is original it is for the grips (not the houge) to have another point of attachment. On the Pachmayr grips, they should have the a hole that the roll pin will go in.

 

[smg-45]

Guys,

I just hate stainless.

What I want to turn this 686 into is a massive, evil looking, blacked or frosted out, combatized revolver.

Sounds like you want a Smith & Wesson 586. Anything that Smith makes starting with a 6 in the model number is Stainless. 5 is blued. I shot PPC matches with my custom 586 back when I actually had some spare time.

 

[SubGunFan]

I just checked and my firing pin is attached to the hammer.

Ah Yes.... You have one of the older (better) 586/686s. As you know, the newer S&W revolvers are "neutured"................ no firing pin on the hammer.

I like revolvers that show their "balls"...........

.

 

[Sayeret Shaldag]

Guys,

Thanks again for the photos and the information. I did not even know that my firing pin was attached to the hammer, or that Smith model revolvers beginning with a 6 are stainless.

I removed the Hogue Monogrip lug just as deaconblue suggested as I am switching the grips to Pachy Grippers for asthetic and comfort reasons. In the photo you can kind of see the oval port in front of the sight. Does anyone know whether I would be able to change the front sight to a fiber optic front sight?

Regarding finish I am between the beadblasted finish that deaconblue has or a finish similar to that of smg-45's 586. Earlier 7.62 mentioned Copper Vapor Plating to turn the gun black, but are there other options? Can the gun have a painted type finish like my Smith .38 snubbie? Thanks again for all the advice thus far.

 

[7.62bthp]

Copper vapor plating prepares the stainless for blacking. If I'm not mistaken, it's the process SIG uses to blacken their 22X series stainless slides.

 

[Noah Zark]

Changing the front sight is a matter of locating and knocking out the retaining pin, which should be somewhat visible on the sides of the front sight base. You'll need the height dimension from your current sight blade when calling either S&W or Brownells to order a FO front blade.

Congrats on acquiring one of the best revolvers ever made -- the S&W 686.

Noah

 

[SubGunFan]

SS:

At first when I saw your picture, I thought your 686 had a bobbed hammer (for double-action only shooting), but after digging my 586 out, I see it is standard. Your 686 does have the better target front sight. My 586 has the red ramp front sight.

Boy, it has been many years since I have shot my 586, and it is crying for more range time..............

.

 

[Sayeret Shaldag]

Guys,

Thanks again for all the continued help. I never knew that this revolver was considered so highly.

I measured the highest point on my front sight and it is .250 in. The front sight and notch in the rear are .125 in. wide. I found the appropriate fiber optic replacement on the Smith site, but cannot decide on red or green. I have never used a fiber front sight any recommendations or positive/ negative comments on this mod.?

 

[SubGunFan]

.

I would leave the target front sight as is...... Forget the fiber optic sight....

.

 

[Fr8 Dawg]

Guys,

Thanks again for all the continued help. I never knew that this revolver was considered so highly.

I had a 586 that I let a local dentite do a trigger job on it and it rocked.

My co-worker and best friend (at the time) used to have me over to his house on a Friday and we'd reload a shit load of his 41 and 44 mag and a bunch of my .357, with an assembly line process that was enabled by a big reloading bench and two presses.

The next day, we'd hit the range and shoot until we black boogers. I'm not shiting ya...we'd shoot so much, I'd go to blow blow my nose and it was like a coal miner must have used the hanky.

We put up metallic silhouettes and knock them puppies over all the way out to 100 yards. I think the biggest silhouette was about the size of a fat house cat or small dog.