SW 686 4" or 3"

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  • jl-scott

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Dec 15, 2011
    57
    6
    Hi INGO members,

    At the 1st of the year I had to sell my S&W 686 4" revolver to take care of a family issue. I just about have enough money to replace it, but I have a question. The 4" is a great all round revolver, but should I maybe replace it with a 3" 686 is case I need to conceal carry it ? The 4" barrel is hard to hide in-side the waist band. Any and all thoughts are welcome. :ingo:

    Thanks!
    Jl-Scott
     

    gwingo

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Jun 2, 2015
    38
    18
    Indysub
    I had the same debate with myself early in the Spring. I went with the 3 inch 686 +. I choose it mostly because of the aesthetics. I like look better. Got mine from Sportsmans Outdoor Superstore. Good price with free shipping and no sales tax. My local LGS does $15.00 transfers.
     

    Bigtanker

    Cuddles
    Emeritus
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    24   0   0
    Aug 21, 2012
    21,688
    151
    Osceola
    An inch of barrel on a revolver shouldn't make much of a difference when carrying IWB. The width of the cylinder and shape of the butt are the 2 biggest issues when truly concealing. (Quite a few people really don't care if they print as 99% of people wouldn't notice anyway)

    I have 2 pistols I carry IWB. A 4" XDs and a 5.25" XDm. The barrel length on the XDm had never bothered me. The longer grip does print some but with a loose fitting patterned shirt, it all but disappears.

    Get a good holster and a proper belt. If you find a way to try both of them out back to back, I don't think you will notice much difference, if any at all.

    Either will do the job. Choose whichever one you can get the best deal on, but don't avoid a 4" strictly on the basis of the extra inch making a difference.
     

    wagyu52

    Master
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    Sep 4, 2011
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    South of cob corner
    Plenty of comments on S&W forum and the like to keep you busy reading for a few hous this topic. Long story short is many say a 3" L/K frame revolver shoots like a 4" and carries like a 2". There is a reason they are hard to find and expensive when you do.
     

    BehindBlueI's

    Grandmaster
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    29   0   0
    Oct 3, 2012
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    I have a 3" and a 4" GP100. I find no difference in the concealability or comfort of the two when partnered with a good holster. I also don't find any significant difference in how they shoot. Unless you have an unusual body type, I'd suggest just go with whichever you prefer.
     

    Hopper

    Master
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    31   0   0
    Nov 6, 2013
    2,291
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    Hamilton County
    I also went with the 3", and love it. The balance is really nice, and it shoots superbly... it's the only S&W I have that I didn't install a spring kit upgrade in it, doesn't need it IMHO. Other than a HiViz fiber optic front sight, it's bone stock, and keeps getting better with every range trip. If it matters, the 3" will only come as the "PLUS" model, which holds 7 rounds. You'll need to go to the 2.5" model if you want to stick with six holes in the cylinder.

    The 3" models aren't always easy to find at the LGS, but can be had online through retailers like Grab-A-Gun. Mine is the standard 686 Plus, but I really like the grips on the Deluxe model, which at the moment is priced a bit lower:

    https://grabagun.com/smith-and-wesson-686-deluxe-357mag-3-ss-as-7rd.html
     

    BE Mike

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
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    18   0   0
    Jul 23, 2008
    7,536
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    New Albany
    I think 3" S&W revolvers are the best. They have a full length extractor, weigh less than a 4" and are a little easier to conceal than the 4". I think that their shootability is second to none. Their popularity brings a premium price, however.
     

    geronimojoe85

    Master
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    Nov 16, 2009
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    You wouldn't think that an inch of barrel makes that much difference, but it sure does.
    A three inch revolver is in my opinion the sweetest carry piece around.
     

    in625shooter

    Master
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    Mar 21, 2008
    2,136
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    Being I am buried in 6 shot L frame Safariland speed loaders and loading blocks I really really really wish S&W would offer the 6 shot 686 in a 3" tube. The 3" CS 1's are WAY to rare and pricey. And I'm just not a big Ruger DA revolver guy. Picked up a SP 101 and hate it

    Love my 4" 686 but the 3" would be the Glock 19 of revolvers.
     

    led4thehed2

    Sharpshooter
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    68   0   0
    Oct 16, 2011
    467
    59
    Indianapolis
    The 3" 686 is an incredibly well balanced and easy-shooting firearm. The size and weight are enough to make Magnum loads seem like a .38 +P. The 4" version feels just a touch front-end heavy to me. You're not sacrificing a lot of velocity lopping off an inch of barrel, or much on sight radius. I find a 3" .357 Magnum with a beefy steel frame to be a pretty incredible, fun-to-shoot, practical weapon. My father carries his more than his subcompact XD or his Sig 1911.


    You could make the argument the other way around though- and say it's only one more inch of barrel... But I'm 5'9" and medium framed; a 4" L frame is a bit too large for me to really think of it as a practical carry gun.
     

    JAL

    Master
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    0   0   0
    May 14, 2017
    2,161
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    Indiana
    I have a 3" and a 4" GP100. I find no difference in the concealability or comfort of the two when partnered with a good holster. I also don't find any significant difference in how they shoot. Unless you have an unusual body type, I'd suggest just go with whichever you prefer.

    I agree with the GP100, having had a 4" Security Six decades ago and a 4.2" GP100 now (which is a little beefier). Also handled a SP101 and didn't care for how it felt in my hand. If it's reasonably concealable and you can carry it comfortably, go with a 4". It will make more effective use of the .357 loads than a 3", and you've got an extra inch of sight radius. The increase in muzzle velocity and energy is significant. (Longer than 4" with most loads is more incremental.) Go with the 3" if the 4" is too bulky to carry concealed. Being able to carry and deploy well is more important than the extra inch of barrel length. If you do choose a 3" and have not handled a short barrel before, I strongly recommend practicing marksmanship with it. I didn't think a 2-3/4" barrel pistol would be that different from the 4" revolvers and 5" pistols I'd used for decades, but the first time on the range with one was an eye-opener. It was a combination of smaller physical size and its short sight radius. Much better now and feel confident after 250-300 rounds through it at about 50 per range trip.

    Trivia:
    The four inch GP100 has a 4.2" barrel. The additional 0.2" allows it to be sold and used in Canada as handguns with barrels shorter than 105mm (4.13") are prohibited there.

    John
     

    jl-scott

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Dec 15, 2011
    57
    6
    Thanks for all the great replys everybody. I got my 3" 686+ with the hardwood grips today. I will clean it up and take it the range this weekend. Now to start saving for the leather holster. :)
     

    Hopper

    Master
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    31   0   0
    Nov 6, 2013
    2,291
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    Hamilton County
    I second MCgrease, those grips look fantastic on that gun, gives it a real sense of aesthetic balance. I also have the 3", but with the standard grips. LOVE it, as I'm sure you will yours! The only thing I've done to mine is add a HiViz FO front sight. Otherwise it's bone stock, and the trigger is shooting in really nicely. I had tried installing a Wilson Combat spring kit with an extended firing pin, but no matter what I did, I was getting light strikes in DA. I went back to the stock setup, and have been quite happy with it. I dunno... maybe something about the slightly larger L-frame didn't like the WC springs as well as my K-frames do.

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