My sentiments precisely. S&W Barrels post-EDM are not as good as those they replaced, IME, and Rugers are actually better these days.
But an 80's 686 that had not been rode hard and put away wet would get my money before either brands new.
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The decision is easy.
Get both ;)
Like others have said, Buy them both. you won`t go wrong.:D
I have a 7 shot GP100 4” and love it. But I would choose a 686+ every time over the GP100. I just can never find in the wild. Only reason I got the GP100 was it was the first 357 4” I have seen in three years at the LGS.
Lefty
I have both and I much prefer the 686's. That being said most of my S&W's are pre-1993. I do own several of ECM barreled Smiths and I have no issues with them for cast. With the factory stock Ruger or S&W triggers its luck of the draw. Once you start tuning the triggers S&W hands down.
S&W barrels since 1993 use a process called ECM (Electro Chemical Machining).
http://firearmshistory.blogspot.com/...-chemical.html
https://www.firearmsid.com/Feature%2...calrifling.htm
ECM and EDM are not the same.
https://www.voxelinnovations.com/post/ecm-vs-edm
Some more discussion on the ECM barrels and cast.
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...sson-revolvers
We went through this a couple of years ago. The 686+ won easily. By we I mean my fiancé and I. We got the 5" barrels...matching pair. Tazman contributed to our choice with his experience.
The Ruger seems "clunky" in comparison, but everyone has different hands. If you shot them both and you could not pick the winner, it won't matter much.
I’ve had a SS 4” GP-100 for 25 years. Trigger seems to solved by spring change and pulling the trigger 5000 to 10000 times! Sights and grips are super easy to change. Customer service at Ruger is second to none. I never found a load that wasn’t comfortable. If you can I’m in the buy both camp, you can usually sell later at a profit. Tim
Mine is 686-6. Never had the lock cause a problem and it's been fired about a bazillion times. SA trigger simply couldn't be any better. DA trigger is so good that I taught myself to shoot DA, and quit looking back. Hardly ever squeeze a single action shot. My favorite plinking is 12" or 16" gong at 100 yards. Your 50 yard chickens wouldn't be a problem.
My pet plinking load is 125 gr Berry's plated flat points, with a 7 gr. charge of Bullseye. Trajectory works from 0 to a hundred yards without any thought.
This is my second 686, first one was when they first came out. I like this one best. jd
Attachment 302972
686 or GP100?
8-round Redhawk yeah!
If forced to pick from current production, I’d go Ruger.
I’m a Ruger nut but a couple of years ago my wife made me (due to another brand, NOT Ruger) take back a 357 that immediately failed and could have become dangerous and told me please buy something that wouldn’t hurt me even if it cost more…
I got a 6” barrel 686 that is a joy to shoot. Only thing that made me hesitate was it was my understanding that there was nothing you could do to correct an MIM trigger that was crappy. I simply tried all they had in stock and the one I bought wants for nothing….
Art
I have an '80s era 686+ 4" that is an excellent revolver. I had a 6" from that same era that was also an excellent revolver. Unfortunately, I traded that 6" @ a gun show in the '90s thinking I could always buy another: bad mistake. Both had decent triggers out of the box, but I improved them with several sessions of judicious polishing mainly to improve the DA. I did replace the trigger return spring with an aftermarket item, but always maintained full power on the OEM main spring.
I now have 2 GP100s in .44 spec. & really like them. I installed hammer shims, hammer dog shims, aftermarket trigger return spring & main spring. I lightly polished all contact points. Now those 2 GP100s have excellent triggers SA & DA.
I personally would not buy a 686 of current manufacture. A friend bought a 629 of current manufacture & I spent many hours trying to smooth that action & it's now fair (not outstanding).
I'm fortunate in that I have my own range & have 2 full sets (10) of the IHMSA chickens & 5 IHMSA pigs. When I go out to shoot these, I carry one of my 4 Ruger SAs.
I liked the balance and feel of the 686 but went with GP100 for the solid frame, one piece barrel and no lock.
I'm a die-hard Ruger fan but in this case, I have to give a slight edge to the 686. Something a little more "crispy" about it.
But if you can, get one of each. You won't regret it!
--Wag--
I like the GP100 better overall -- particularly its lines and beefiness -- but I have to admit my friend's 686 has a much nicer SA trigger.
I tried the Wolff reduced-power springs, but found I got light strikes with CCI primers. Also shimmed the hammer and some other parts, and dry fired it a few thousand times, and it's getting better, but I think my friend's 686 still has the nicer trigger.
I may send it out to have a pistolsmith work on the trigger, but so far I'm having trouble parting with it for a month or 6 weeks!
Over the years, I have owned and shot many Ruger GP100 and S&W 686 revolvers. The ones I kept were the S&W.
I have never been able to make the Rugers shoot anywhere nearly as well as the S&W revolvers.
I have a 686+ seven shot revolver with the EDM rifling and Hillary hole. There are no issues with accuracy, leading or anything else with the revolver.
I can't tell any difference in accuracy or feel between the old models and the new ones.
I love the way the GP100 feels in my hand but I cannot make them shoot. After the fifth try I gave up on them.
I can't make the single action Rugers shoot either.
The only Ruger revolver I ave been able to shoot reasonably well is the Security Six. Of the four or five of them that I have used, only two worked well for me.
If they were readily available, I would get a Model 27 S&W.
Early 4" 686 Plus!
I just picked up a Match Champion, it has the normal super stiff, lawyer proof trigger which I fixed thanks to Wolff gun springs and a little polishing. It has something on the end of the barrel that belongs on the end of a fishing hook, I have an actual target sight which is on the way from Dawson. One very nice thing that I have discovered so far though, is the cylinder throats, they're all very uniform and somewhere between .357 and .358, (.357 jacketed bullets drop through but .358's don't), so it should be an excellent cast bullet gun. Almost bought a S&W 9mm revolver but figured that was too much of a gamble since S&W has abandoned quality control in favor of quantity of guns going out the door. Plus Ruger customer service is light years ahead of S&W.