Smith&Wesson Model 586 4" Combat Magnum...
- Thread starter Michael A Ferber
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When I was a LEO, I competed in PPC. Got a 6”, 686 to compete in the Distinguished leg and a 4”, 686 to handle the Service Match. They both kept me in the winners circle.
I carried the 4” on duty for a while but preferred a lighter revolver and went back to my M15.
Got out of LEO work and sold the two L frames. Good revolvers but too heavy for the cartridge they chamber. Basically the same weight as the M27, another heavy revolver.
I like my N frames hambered for some that starts with .4, preferably ACP.
Kevin
I carried the 4” on duty for a while but preferred a lighter revolver and went back to my M15.
Got out of LEO work and sold the two L frames. Good revolvers but too heavy for the cartridge they chamber. Basically the same weight as the M27, another heavy revolver.
I like my N frames hambered for some that starts with .4, preferably ACP.
Kevin
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OP
Michael A Ferber
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S&W offered a Limited Edition with a half-lug barrel.
ontarget
Member
I like both varieties of the lug but the full lug is my favorite.
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Riomouse911
Member
Not to further hijack a 586 thread..but many years ago I bead blasted my 686+ and carried it on duty for a few months while I healed from a thumb ligament injury (I could operate the cylinder release/speed loaders on the revolver but had trouble pressing in on a mag release on a semi..go figure?!?)
The utilitarian matte finish works well with the bland Hogue factory grips...with nice wood ones I prefer a polished finish like the ones shown above.
The gun and the wide variety of cartridges it fires work very well for so many applications that this is high on my list for a "If you could have only one revolver" pick for a do-everything gun. A 4" 586 would fit the same bill, only it'll require a tiny bit more attention to keep rust at bay as bluing wears or it's exposed to the elements, etc.
I will say nothing looks better to my eye than a 586 sporting high-polish deep bluing and Cocobolo or Goncalo Alves grips!
Stay safe.
The utilitarian matte finish works well with the bland Hogue factory grips...with nice wood ones I prefer a polished finish like the ones shown above.
The gun and the wide variety of cartridges it fires work very well for so many applications that this is high on my list for a "If you could have only one revolver" pick for a do-everything gun. A 4" 586 would fit the same bill, only it'll require a tiny bit more attention to keep rust at bay as bluing wears or it's exposed to the elements, etc.
I will say nothing looks better to my eye than a 586 sporting high-polish deep bluing and Cocobolo or Goncalo Alves grips!
Stay safe.
OP
OP
Michael A Ferber
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Picked this one up yesterday at my local Gun Shop.
EIB0879
Member
Eddietruett
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Just posted this picture in response to another post but will take the opportunity to show off my L Frames again.Personally I like the full lug. Not sure it matters on the 2.5” but when you start screaming a 180gr lead bullet at 1350fps the extra weight makes a huge difference. To me it’s better than a N Frame especially when hunting. Keeps the barrel down for follow up shots. Here’s a 8 3/8”, 7”, 6”, 4” and twin 2 1/2”
It's hard to beat a nice prelock,4 inch 586 or 686. Here is my no dash 686. I really like the L frame platform and the model 686
Here is my 2.5 inch 686-6 that I picked up a couple years ago for under $550 out the door
And finally the 3 Inch 686-6 I got a few days ago. Even though it has the lock, I couldn't pass it up for $513.67 it the door
Now I just have to talk one of my buddies out of his 6 inch 686 no dash
Here is a group shot
Here is my 2.5 inch 686-6 that I picked up a couple years ago for under $550 out the door
And finally the 3 Inch 686-6 I got a few days ago. Even though it has the lock, I couldn't pass it up for $513.67 it the door
Now I just have to talk one of my buddies out of his 6 inch 686 no dash
Here is a group shot
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
Years ago I took a grinder to the lug of a 586, it was sweet.
Corpral_Agarn
Member
Y-you... WUT?
Took a grinder to it?
Why? What was result?
Difference in weight?
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
this thread https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/full-lug-to-half-lug.41510/#post-508768
this was the start of the grinding, kept it wet and cool throughout the process.
finished before cold blue
this was the start of the grinding, kept it wet and cool throughout the process.
finished before cold blue
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If you can tolerate stainless what you need is a 686 Mountain Gun. It has a 4" 1/2 lug barrel. Weight wise it weighed about the same as my 4" 66 but then the 7 shot cylinder might have been a tad lighter.
BobWright
Member
I like the Model 586, in fact I have gone so far as to say it is the best DA .357 Magnum to come down the pike, bar none!
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Corpral_Agarn
Member
I mean... it looks really good...this thread https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/full-lug-to-half-lug.41510/#post-508768
this was the start of the grinding, kept it wet and cool throughout the process.
finished before cold blueView attachment 853695 View attachment 853696 View attachment 853697
what kind of grips are those in the pic with the Mora knife?
Eddietruett
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Don't forget the 7" and 8 3/8" if you want a complete family
Not my revolver, but, they appear to be S&W Target stocks that someone shaved the bottom off even with the frame.
Kevin
Brian Williams
Moderator Emeritus
They were cut down Targets, they worked real nice.
Ole Joe Clark
Member
Bought this one new in 1986. Got the best trigger I have ever felt on any revolver. It's dressed in it's wood stocks, normally wears rubber ones. Not bad for a 33+ year old Smith.
Have a blessed day,
Leon
Have a blessed day,
Leon
For actual shooting, I think I prefer the 6" barrel. The choice of 586 vs. 686 should be mostly just a preference of finishes. I have a 1982 model 686 and a 1983 model 586 as shown below (6" and 4" barrels, respectively). I love both of them, but this particular 686 is somehow the handgun equivalent of a mixture of Goldilocks and a Unicorn. It has the smoothest DA and the most awesome SA trigger I've ever encountered on a handgun. I have had a few Pythons in my hands (friends/acquaintances guns) over the years, and none were as good as the 686, action wise, and neither are any of the other guns in the photo below. I bought the 686 from a friend in 1985 or so, and I lightened the mainspring but don't recall if I ever did anything else to it or not. I also don't know know if someone had worked on it before I bought it, but it has an amazing action. I took it with me to my FFL dealer a year or so when he was transferring a purchase for me, and he said he'd never seen a revolver with as good an action. I've heard and read from several other people over the years who said that their early model 686s had amazing actions, so perhaps Smith was just paying attention and building a lot of them right back then. 
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