I just took my 686+ for her first spin and got her all dirty
The bummer is that the Pachmayr grips I ordered weren't up to the quality I have come to expect from them. Lots of molding flash and the screw over penetrated. They are going back.
Now the stock grips are plenty comfy if a bit chunky for concealment. I've got some wood grips coming to swap out in a couple of days.
How did she perform? Better than I did
I shot mostly single action at 7-10 yards only using the sights as a guide and shooting more instinctively by looking at the spot I wanted to hit. Semiautos tend to behave better shooting this way for me, but from combat distances the 2.5" barrel was no slouch keeping the group sub-fist sized. I was really just working on rough close up work as this is a close up defensive weapon.
Hornady XTP 125gr .38 was a very accurate powderpuff. I think this load would be great for inside work since it's not earsplitting and actually proved to be the most accurate due to being both a high quality premium ammo and very easy to control.
XTP 125gr .357...that was more...kinetic
Very accurate despite belching a fireball that completely blotted out my field of vision. It hit hard too. As a matter of fact, it ripped one corner of the target off the hanger at 7 yards.
Monarch ammo (Academy brand) continues to perplex me. I get that it is cheap range ammo, but I had two boxes of 158gr .38 special jshp that patterned completely different. I tried one part of the target, accurate enough. I tried another and they shot 2" lower. The scientist in me wondered if it was the target placement throwing off my shot so I mixed 2 rounds in of the less accurate stuff with 5 of the others. I had no idea which was which. 5 hit fine, 2 low.
Anyway, I burned through about 200 rounds of ammo and have kinda fell in love with the wheelgun again. I need to scrub her up and get her back on my belt.
Sooty and needing a bath. I shot her until the barrel was too hot to handle. Something about a bucking firebreather that makes me smile.