June 12, 2020, 06:52 PM
2000Z-71Rediscovering and old friend - forgotten revolver and grips
So, I've always wanted a Smith & Wesson 686 with a 6" barrel. It's what I learned to shoot handguns with when the L-Frame was the latest and greatest. It's also what I competed with on the Sheriff's Department shooting team with their Explorer program.
Fast forward a lot of years and in a frenzy of, "I've never seen it and I have t have it!" Bidded on and won a 6" 686 Classic Hunter with the unfluted cylinder on Gun Broker. Received the gun and the barrel was not clocked correctly. Tried recourse and was never successful so it just kind of sat in the back of the gun safe for years.
Brought it up to Alaska with me since it was actually legal to transport across Canada and it just kind of sat again. Was down in Arizona last week packing stuff up and ran across a set of factory finger groove square butt combat grips. I'd forgotten that I had them much less where and when I got them. So brought them back up with me to Alaska on the return flight.
Just picked up the revolver from Wild West Guns today, they reclocked the barrel and recut the forcing cone. Got home and threw the grips on it. Not bad for a revolver and grips I had more or less forgotten about.
June 12, 2020, 06:58 PM
WJRLooks great. I have switched over to a GP100 now, but the older 686s still have a place in my heart.
Let us know how it shoots!
WJR
June 13, 2020, 02:13 PM
FredwardMy old fave was a Ruger Security Six 4 inch with Herrett's Shooting Star grips.
June 13, 2020, 02:27 PM
jimmy123xVery nice gun. I have a 6" model 19 that I love. 6" barrel and .357 is a very nice combo for shooting.
June 15, 2020, 10:17 PM
markstempskiquote:
Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
So, I've always wanted a Smith & Wesson 686 with a 6" barrel. It's what I learned to shoot handguns with when the L-Frame was the latest and greatest. It's also what I competed with on the Sheriff's Department shooting team with their Explorer program.
Fast forward a lot of years and in a frenzy of, "I've never seen it and I have t have it!" Bidded on and won a 6" 686 Classic Hunter with the unfluted cylinder on Gun Broker. Received the gun and the barrel was not clocked correctly. Tried recourse and was never successful so it just kind of sat in the back of the gun safe for years.
Brought it up to Alaska with me since it was actually legal to transport across Canada and it just kind of sat again. Was down in Arizona last week packing stuff up and ran across a set of factory finger groove square butt combat grips. I'd forgotten that I had them much less where and when I got them. So brought them back up with me to Alaska on the return flight.
Just picked up the revolver from Wild West Guns today, they reclocked the barrel and recut the forcing cone. Got home and threw the grips on it. Not bad for a revolver and grips I had more or less forgotten about.
Well now I am wondering how the timing got whacked and the forcing cone issues. Lots of rounds on it? kitchen table gunsmithing, steady diet of 38 special? Forcing cones can be cut to better shoot lead versus Jacketed, I have considered doing that on my 627 pro series, it gets a steady diet of hard cast.
June 16, 2020, 05:29 AM
GreenDragoonvery nice. I'm still kind of hung up on "bidded" though. ;-)
June 16, 2020, 10:55 AM
Pizza Bobquote:
Originally posted by markstempski:Well now I am wondering how the timing got whacked and the forcing cone issues.
OP never mentioned any problem with the timing. I think you mistook his comment about the barrel not being clocked properly - which just meant the barrel was skewed one way or the other. Front sight not exactly at 12 o'colck. As for the forcing cone - some gunsmiths do this routinely - usually change it to 11 degrees, or he was just cleaning up factory machine marks.
Nice looking gun. Enjoy it.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
June 16, 2020, 11:03 AM
colt_saaCongratulations
It is nice when you get reacquainted with an old friend
June 16, 2020, 04:27 PM
lymanquote:
Originally posted by Pizza Bob:
quote:
Originally posted by markstempski:Well now I am wondering how the timing got whacked and the forcing cone issues.
OP never mentioned any problem with the timing. I think you mistook his comment about the barrel not being clocked properly - which just meant the barrel was skewed one way or the other. Front sight not exactly at 12 o'colck. As for the forcing cone - some gunsmiths do this routinely - usually change it to 11 degrees, or he was just cleaning up factory machine marks.
Nice looking gun. Enjoy it.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
smith is somewhat famous for having some barrels just a tick off,