S&W 686 for 1st gun?

[geologist]

Maybe I'm too particular, but I see 3 things in the picture that could be improved upon.

1. The squinting is not required for good pistol marksmanship.
2. Ear protection is inadequate, even for a .22 cal. revovler.
3. I call this the RCMP grip. A while ago there was a picture in the local paper with two of our finests holding a suspect at gun point using their S&W semi-autos. I cringed at the thought of the slide cutting into their support hand. When I mentioned this to a local member he said that's what they teach the recruits in Regina. Not a good technique IMHO. Besides there is almost no support gained trom that thumb. Support comes from the base of the thumb pressed into the grip.

Cut him some slack on the squinting, he's a newbie i brought to the range.

I told the newbies to bring the best hearing protection they had and I only have two sets of muffs, one of which I lent to the other newbie there that day.

I made sure that they did not use the left thumb crossed over grips when they shot my pistols, only used it with the revolvers.

 

[jjackman]

Buy it!

The 686 was my first gun, not just my first restricted. Stainless with an 8 3/8" barrel. Heavy, strong, easy to shoot and the DA revolver is about the easiest action to use without scaring off inexperienced shooters.

It's the first gun I let newbies shot at the range and they always enjoy it.

 

[ian_in_vic]

The 686 is a great gun, and 357 is a great calibre as everyone has noted. The only thing they haven't mentioned is how easy and cheap it is to reload .38 + .357. This was for me a great advantage to the 686, and though you'll end up spending the same amount of money, you'll shoot 3 or 4 times as much and be a better shooter. Some of the light 38 loads are unbelievably accurate and unbelievably cheap to load, which makes them, in my opinion, better than a .22 to start with.

 

[texdores]

.357 Magnum for first gun

Maybe indoors (and that's debatable) but for a low velocity 38 I would think it is adequate.

Maybe you have a point. But I have been shooting handguns for over 40 years and I am down to electronic ears now. I you check on the decibel pressure of even a mild .38 SWC (for target practice) you will find the over time, the damage to your ears being accumulative, you will lose a lot of hearing in the high frequency range. Don,t let it happen to you. BTW, I always wore proper ear protection and still my hearing has suffered.

 

[RePete]

3. I call this the RCMP grip. A while ago there was a picture in the local paper with two of our finests holding a suspect at gun point using their S&W semi-autos. I cringed at the thought of the slide cutting into their support hand. When I mentioned this to a local member he said that's what they teach the recruits in Regina. Not a good technique IMHO. Besides there is almost no support gained trom that thumb. Support comes from the base of the thumb pressed into the grip.

I took a course given by an RCMP firearms training instructor, and that was the very grip that was taught, for revolver.

You are not just placing your thumb on top of the base of the other, but pressing down with the support thumb just behind the joint at the web.

That is all I use and the stability is unbelievable.

DON'T KNOCK IT UNTIL YOU TRY IT.

It will take about 6 months before it becomes second nature. I just go into that grip. I shoot +P loads in IDPA and IPSC using this grip.

FWIW You can use this grip with the SIG's, due to the slide being higher.

30-30boi - You won't go wrong with a 686. They are strong, dependable and accurate.

 

[John Y.]

The 686 is a great gun. As most have said, use .38 spl. It's cheap and easy to manage. The recoil is almost non-existant. Shoot .357 magnum as a novelty. It is the most versatile handgun that I have in my collection.

I use it for PPC competition.

Regarding the comment about the grip in the photo....I too was trained for PPC to place my supporting hand's thumb overtop the base of the other thumb. Yes, for a semi-auto, you do not use that grip as it will cost you a lot of skin.