A 90's S&W 586, your thoughts?

[Petander]

Getting back to silhouette because I can still see. I may not need an elephant caliber after all.

So I'm looking at a 586 from (most probably) early 90's. It has that nice quick adjustable AF front sight and hammer firing pin.

It is relatively tight,not "one piece" tight but tighter than my new S&W500 ever was. Looks clean, has one idiot mark on a screw though. Excellen trigger.

I see lots of these (586,686) around for sale these days for not so much money,wonder what's up? I always thought these were quality guns,drooled over these sights back in the 90's. Yes silhouette is out of fashion now but still...? Accuracy potential should still be here,right?

Your thoughts?

[Petrol & Powder]

A pre-lock L-frame is seldom a mistake.

The buggered screw may be an indictor that someone that didn't know what they were doing has had the side plate off. I would check for hammer push off and other signs of a bad action job, but you should be doing that anyway.

I would check that revolver like any other revolver. If it passes your inspection and the price is right, I would recommend you buy it.

[jaguarxk120]

Any pre-lock is on the buy list. Anything with the lock and MIM parts just
does not look right

[bosterr]

I'd buy it! Between me and my sons we have 4 8 3/8" 586/686 and 1 6" 586. When I did silhouette I used a 10 1/2" Super Blackhawk because the thinking back then was a S&W didn't hold up to red line loads we used. Then here in western Pa. in the late 80's and early 90's 4 local clubs started Woods Walk. 25 steel animal targets on a trail at unknown distances. We used the long barrel Smiths to take advantage of the longer sight radius and the slightly better performance. 3 of the long barrel ones wear scopes so we could shoot the scoped revolver class. A really great trigger could be achieved by swapping out the rebound slide spring with a Wolffe 12 pound spring. None of our revolvers would return the trigger 100% with a 11# spring but the 12# always did.

[Petander]

Googling around tells me this could be 86-88...?

[Petrol & Powder]

I think the dash 3 series L-frames started in 1988.

[Petander]

Throats are all the same, very even. I can push a .3583 slug through them with finger pressure.

Forcing cone looks right for the bullets to go on. Barrel looks healthy, not slugged yet but shoots J-ammo normally. Looking good for cast!

[Bookworm]

I agree that a pre-lock Smith is rarely a bad choice.

I also think the dramatic rise in price if those revolvers has eased off somewhat. The prices, while still rising, are not going up as quickly.

The relatively low price on long barreled 585/686 models, in my view, is due to a few things.
First, those long barrels make the revolvers a specialty gun. Impossible to holster carry, at least in polite company.

Second, interest in classic revolvers has waned. The younger shooters seem more interested in autoloaders, viewing revolvers with mild interest as a curiosity

It's a good looking revolver. I would have a hard time passing it up.

[Forrest r]

The 586-3's were drilled and taped at the factory for scopes/scope mounts. Had a 4" 586-3 years ago that I put a reddot on, caveman simple. Put the dot on what you want to hit and press the loud button.

Don't know if I've been lucky or not, but every one of the 586/686's I've owned were extremely accurate. Owning 4 different 586/686's over the decades and still own a 586 & 686 to this day. The 586 has the mim parts and the lock, so does the 686. Both are box stock, have excellent triggers and flat out shoot bugholes in paper.

The only drawback I've found with the 586/686's is they need to get rebuilt every 100,000 rounds if you give them a steady diet of hot/full house loads.

[Petrol & Powder]

............

The only drawback I've found with the 586/686's is they need to get rebuilt every 100,000 rounds if you give them a steady diet of hot/full house loads.

A rebuild every 100,000 rounds...that's really unfortunate. Like having to rebuild your Cummins B series engine every 500,000 miles ....

[murf205]

Petander, that gun is a "buy right now" if it isn't priced over the moon. Those S&W's that will allow a .3583 slug to pass through with finger pressure are rare indeed. Most I have had were a tight .357. You will love it. BTW, you can get replacement blued screws for cheap

[gnostic]

Yeah Buddy, that's a thing of beauty. It could follow me home anytime.....

[Petander]

Checking & zeroing. All normal.

[Petander]

Those S&W's that will allow a .3583 slug to pass through with finger pressure are rare indeed.

In that case I got very lucky here.

I only had PMC and Magtech JSP ammo to start out with. After a while PMC gave me a couple of 75 meter groups where three bullets were in 1" but the rest two make the group grow to 3". Sounds like a healthy gun to me.

I got worried at first,missed the target a few times but the gun was just shooting 6" to the left at 75. I was impatient and started out a bit long after only breaking a few clays at 20 or so. The whole paper was maybe 12x12. Black circled holes are one group.



This is my last group, 75 meter zero. Took one more click to the right,confirmed with clays.

[Bookworm]

Looks like you got a shooter. Enjoy!

[stubshaft]

Looks like a good shooting gun to me. I used to use a 6" slab side 586 for PPC in the early 80's.

[Petander]

Thanks everyone!

As a side note: My 2018 S&W500 still has variations in the cocking feel. One cylinder in particular needs much more force than the others. Irritating,I tend to start with the hard cylinder so I don't need to wait and guess...

This 586 is smooooooth and even after all the years. The trigger is to die for (pun). And here is a nice,proper forcing cone,too. As far as I can tell,this one is ready for a .358 boolit.

And no flying brass to pick up. Funny how this is getting more important as years go by.

[arlon]

I have a 686 (no dash) with the adjustable front sight. It's one of the more accurate revolvers I've ever owned. I've always wondered if the silhouette versions got some kind of special treatment when assembled.

[mattw]

That is a most wonderful shootin iron! I have the 686 version of that gun and put 1000's of rounds thru it over several years. The adjustable sight is a huge win, when you are working at various distances. I would hate to say how many pre-hillary hole Smiths I own, but I will say that I own 0 post-hillary hole guns. That particular 686 is one of my all time favorite pistols!

[Petander]

100 meters today.

I have an A4 size steel plate back there. Have to admit that I hit it better with the Puma carbine... offhand both of course....table was for pic only. But to my surprise,even 38 Special ammo was accurate enough for the plate with the 586. Quick adjustable front sight is a HUGE help here.

I had 38 ammo to check the carbine,it's not mine,there is some chamber problem,full power 357 brass (supposedly) sticks. It's a warranty return rifle,I found no real problem,ejected brass gets a bit ugly and out of round but nothing serious. Lots of fun indeed,feed bang clang. And the Smith works with 38 surprisingly good. Gotta clean these now because of 38.