My new 686

[hylander]

So my new 686-6 came today, did a pretty thorough inspection.
First the good:
Barrel looks straight, no can't.
BC gap is .006, Crown looks nice
No detectable end shake, Lock up is tight

The Bad:
Trigger is lacking, I thought the Smiths were suppose to have the best triggers :???:
Single is #5 5oz and double is #11 12oz, creepy and really stacks.
Next, all the chambers measure uniform but are way to small.
In the pic the cast boolits are .358, the plated bullet is .357, I can not force them in the chambers.
With the calipers the chambers measure .355
I have some 9mm boolits that measure .3555 and are a perfect finger press fit.
With Calipers the Muzzle measures .353 :???:
Don't want to send it to S&W.
I will do the trigger myself, however is it Doug Guy that does cylinder work?

Would you try to shoot it as is ?

[megasupermagnum]

I never found new s&w triggers to be that great. I do have an older model 57 that is really good. Any revolver SA trigger can be made very good with some work.

As far as I know Dougguy still fixes cylinders. I would definitely shoot it first with factory ammo though to make sure everything works as it should. Inspect the barrel rifling too to make sure that is good.

[Daekar]

Watching. I am surprised the muzzle is so tight.

[murf205]

hylander, if you can, by all means slug the cylinder throats and barrel with a soft cast boolit then measure with a micrometer (or order some pin gages). I never got good results with a caliper but I know that newer Smith & Wesson guns measure tight. By all means shoot it first because if you send it back to the factory they will tell you "it is in spec" as long as it goes bang even if it is in warranty. My 686 no dash has .357 cylinder throats and it is as accurate as any gun I own and more so that most. If it leads and is inaccurate, DougGuy can fix the cylinder for a very reasonable cost. As far as the trigger goes, a lighter rebound spring can help. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

[reddog81]

As long as the bore is tighter than the throats you might just be fine. Trigger pull sounds normal other than stacking. Try a lighter trigger rebound spring and it’ll drop a pound or 2.

I wouldn’t make any permanent alterations until you shoot and and identify an actual problem.

[30calflash]

Make sure it's lubed and dry fire the snot out of it, DA and single action. It will smoothen up some and you will smooth up also.

[wv109323]

I would shoot it first, I think you will be surprised. It will probably be ok with jacketed and gas checked boolits. You may see leading if you run hot loads with plain base lead boolits.

[tazman]

I have an older model 60 that has dimensions like that. Very tight and slightly undersized everywhere.
It shoots fine. Very accurate and no leading.
The dimensions don't tell the whole story.
As long as the barrel is tighter than the chamber throats you shouldn't have any issues.
Definitely try shooting it before any modifications.
The trigger is an easy fix with springs and shooting it.

[hylander]

I took it apart last night.
Polished a couple of areas and removed the lock plate. Trigger is still horrible.
Will hit the range in the morning.
Loaded up some .358 plain based swc on top of 7.4 of BE86.
So these are .001 larger than the chambers.

[gc45]

I would not worry about the bore or muzzle dimension, it is fine unless Smith just really goofed big time but doubt that. The cylinder throat is where you want to be right on and just so its slightly over the barrels groove size. Shove a fishing lead sinker #9 down the muzzle then measure it carefully, much more accurate that way. Do the same to the throats, using another sinker and if the throats are slightly larger than the groove I'd shoot it as is. The triggers on Smiths are easily made better with a new spring kit for the hammer and trigger, also easy to install; just look on Utube, there is a great how to there and, Brownells.com has the kits for this..

[Pb Burner]

When I picked up my -6, I was a wee bit let down with the trigger. I guess I was just expecting better from my first new Smith. My FFL guy is an old friend, and I told him I thought the trigger on an old M60 I have felt much lighter and smoother. He said let me see that thing, and grabbed a screw driver. He took the grips off and showed me a small screw in the front of the grip frame. He backed it out like a half or 3/4 turn, did it before I could get a look so I'm not sure of EXACT amount, he called it "a half turn or a bit more".. He put grips back on and handed it back to me and said try it now. It was noticeably improved. It's called a strain screw and I think it puts pressure on the mainspring.
He said as it wears in it will get better still, and if I get many or any misfires to just turn it back in a wee bit.
I don't have a trigger scale so I'm just going by feel but I've never tightened it back and I think it has a very good trigger(for a stock trigger).
You might give that a try, you can always tighten it back if you don't like it or get light primer strikes.
I'm really glad he showed my that.
If I were you, I'd try the screw and go shoot it.

[hylander]

Slugged the chambers @ .357
Slugged the barrel but no good way to measure size as it is a 5 groove, but the slug drops right through the chambers.
I think I felt a bit if throat constriction.
Will see if it leads up, if so I’ll hand lap the constriction.

[murf205]

Before you hand lap anything, try powder coating. Like I said, my no dash 686 has .357 throats and that's what I size to (because that is what it is going to exit the cyl anyway) but I pc before sizing. PC'ing will solve SOME problems but it is worth a try if you have leading and don't want to ream or lap. I guess you are talking about hand lapping the cylinder throats, right? Did the barrel have any tight spots when you slugged it?

[hylander]

Before you hand lap anything, try powder coating. Like I said, my no dash 686 has .357 throats and that's what I size to (because that is what it is going to exit the cyl anyway) but I pc before sizing. PC'ing will solve SOME problems but it is worth a try if you have leading and don't want to ream or lap. I guess you are talking about hand lapping the cylinder throats, right? Did the barrel have any tight spots when you slugged it?

Hand lapping the tight spot in the barrel.
I am going to order some SNS poly coated.

[hylander]

Back from the Range.
She did good, only shot in single action as trigger is still horrible.
I have already ordered a Wilson sping kit and am going to order a fiber front sight, I'm thinking green.

[elmacgyver0]

A lot of times things will smooth out with use. Load up some snap caps, watch a movie and operate the trigger, it will make the action smoother and make your finger stronger to boot.
I have done this with lever actions, not dropping the hammer but just operating the lever to smooth them out.
Mechanical action tends to smooth out grittiness.

[murf205]

That's a good looking group and shooting. Any leading? Are you going to hunt with it? My old worn out eyes see the green better in low light against fur coats best.

[Adam Helmer]

hylader,

My 686 is my daily farm carry gun. If it is NEW, shoot your 686 a few hundred times to smooth out the action. In the early 1980s, I attended S&W's armorer's school twice. The second time I built 5, 3-inch .357 revolvers, one was my duty gun until I retired from federal service.

Revolvers smooth up with use. Too many folks fire a dozen rounds and call it good. Tool marks do work out in time. Go shoot a lot.

Be well.
Adam

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Lots of dry firing, use snap caps, at least fired empty cases. See how fast you can click 50 times, left handed, right handed, just working the trigger, smooths action and builds hand strength. A few thousand will smooth things out.

[gwpercle]

I would carry that one up the river to Clark Custom Guns and have them do their magical Trigger Job ... then live happily ever after ...

That one wants to shoot ... see how the holes want to touch each other ...You did Good !

SWEET !
Gary

[hylander]

Thanks all:
No leading at all but I did shoot some jacketed stuff last.
Wilson trigger spring kit and a green fiber front site are on the way.