Thoughts on S&W 586 vs 686 .357 Magnum revolvers...?

CobraGT

CobraGT

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I'm generally more into autos, but from what I understand, the 586 is blued, 686 stainless. I also understand the 586 was out of production, but then was being or is being made again.

With that in mind, how do the 586s compare to the 686s in regard to quality? Resale value? Issues or problems? And finally, any reason to prefer the older 586s over the newer ones... Or vice-versa?

Thanks!
 
my understanding is that basically the only difference is in finish.

as for the old vs new question I don't think it matters other than round count.
I know the smith and wesson model 10's and model 64's are prone to forcing cone issues but I haven't heard of or seen any issues with the 586's or 686's.

Resale value holds well and there is a few nice revolvers on the EE right now that would keep the cost down if you were looking to purchase one lightly used.

I prefer the 586 just because I am a fan of the blue.

you will want to purchase aftermarket grips (at least I would) but that might be a symptom of my long fingers...



they will shoot .38 special too which is nice. just make sure you give them a good scrubbing before switching back to .357's
 
They are the same gun except that one is blue and the other is stainless.

There are way more different model 686's made then there ever was 586's.

I like the blue models better but I must admit I have way more 686's then 586's

In my option the blue gun is much more durable but the stainless is way easier to fix marks if they happen.

Most people prefer the older non lock guns but I have lots of either ones and there really is no difference for most purposes.

I have a new classic 586 with the lock and it is a very nice gun in all ways.

Pick the one you like and don't look back.

Graydog
 
Get new or old. I've sampled triggers from both and some of them new ones are better out of the box than the old ones.
Nothing a trip to the smith can't cure for the bad ones, but they are not common.

The 586/686 is just plain bulletproof, hold their values well and are shot the most as revolvers at clubs.
Lately, I've noticed a spike in the 929's and 627's PC guns. The moonclip guns are catching on.
 
...actually, they aren't the same gun. The 586 is made of steel which is blued, the 686 of course is made of stainless steel which requires no finish other than being either brushed or polished.
I prefer the look of blued steel and wooden stocks and dirt/fouling won't show up as easily as it will on stainless, but steel (blued or bright) will rust so it is recommended to keep them well oiled at all times.
If you have any leanings toward OCD a stainless gun will keep you up in cold sweats. You will forever be polishing the cylinder face to remove the scorching, which some will argue may prematurely wear the cylinder gap wider. I don't know about that, but i know that on a blued gun, you'll hardly notice this scorching.

In regards to old v new; I also don't buy into the "they don't make 'em like they used to." argument. S&W had lemons that made it through QC back when just as they do now. Just from a metallurgical standpoint, the steels that are in use now are superior to what types of steel that were being used 30 years ago (MIM aside for the moment) so I would argue that if you were to purchase a new 586 that is not a lemon, it will last longer (from a wear perspective) than a 586 that also was not a lemon from 30 years ago...any way you look at it, if either are reasonably cared for, either will last several generations.
My advise is to stay away from anything with an American carry designation/intent to it. Light weight scandium, MIM parts, weird alloys purported to be (fill in the blank) times stronger than steel yet (again, fill in the blank) times lighter than steel, is not something you want to entertain in a magnum firearm you intend to keep for any length of time. YMMV
 
I have a 686 because I felt that the SS made for a worry free gun and it has, I don't care if the SS gets hazy I just know that it isn't rusting. The 586 is the looker of the two for me and I certainly would enjoy one.
 
I think the controversy between blued and SS guns first arose in the 80s when SS guns first appeared. SS guns were purported to have gritty triggers and stiff actions due to the metallurgy at the time. I don't know how true the claims were as I had very limited experience with SS guns. I personally don't own anything but blued or black guns. For me, it's a preference. I don't think shiny bling ( chrome, nickel, SS) and guns go together but that's just me.
I did own a 610 revolver once and the action was fantastic. I actually do regret selling that one.
 
I prefer blued.... hence owning a 586.

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Personally, I prefer the 586 because I am a blued gun with wood grips fan. I think a couple of site sponsors have them brand new.

Gilbert
 
One thing that may or may not be a determining factor is drag lines on the cylinder and how much you plan on playing with the revolver. Under normal operation drag lines on a Smith are not a real concern but will become more obvious the more you handle and manually index the cylinder. It's hard to leave these revolvers alone because they're waaaaayy to satisfying to cycle, and drag lines on a blued cylinder will be much more noticeable. You can't go wrong with either though, both the 586 and the 686 are very ###y.
 
I have a 586 no dash. Nothing against the newer 686's but blued guns are just a personal preference.............and, I guess you can count me among those who think the old S&W's seem to be better made. I'm not 100% sure if that holds true for the early 586/686 1980's era guns but I certainly think my 1950's era Smith's are better quality than today's offering.
 

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As a user of stainless wheel guns it is much easier to keep stainless clean. You can get special cleaning pads that take the burning marks of the the cylinder in a few seconds. I agree that the blue guns look better but stainless seems to hold up better with heavy use. I am a cowboy action shooter. One thing I have noticed about the more recent Smiths is the finishing is not as good as the older ones. Modern steels are better but I guess to meet the price point not as much attention is paid to the finish I looked at a new Ruger and new 686 a couple of weeks ago and believe it or not the Rugers finish was better. Not great but better. The older Smiths and superb finishing. Still I think both the 86's are pretty good guns I would like either one.
 
I like the L frames, with a preference for the blued guns.

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From top to bottom:
586 no dash
586-1
581 no dash
686-3

If I could find a 2-1/2" 586 I would sell the 686 in a heart beat.

Auggie D.
 
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