Picked up my S&W 686 Saturday

[nhgreg]

I was fortunate enough to pick up a Smith & Wesson 686 .357 with a 6" barrel this past Saturday from a friend who was selling it. He had purchased it for his wife, and it was too much gun for her. The gun is in really good shape, although a bit dirty when I picked it up. I need to get a cleaning kit, and of course pick up some ammo.

Couple questions.... What kind of .38 ammo would you guys recommend for me to get? I'm going to do a lot of plinking in the beginning with it so something economical, yet good quality. Do I use regular .38 ammo? Lastly, what .357 ammo would you recommend to plink with?

I sort of fell into this gun, and am starting the search to find a gun to carry. Living in NH I fell very fortunate, especially after seeing what some of you go through to get a permit to carry in other New England states. I applied for my permit to carry a concealed weapon last summer, and it was so easy compared to what you guys are going through. I'm hoping that things don't change here in NH, but I'm not holding my breath.

Thanks, and what a great site this is.

 

[wheelgun]

The beauty of the 686 is that it will eat anything. I alway buy the cheapest .38 ammo for plinking. I don't use that much .357, but factory 110 grain loads have a little more recoil and are nice for casual use. The 125 grain load kicks it up another notch, but is also fun, not punishing. There is no gun more versatile from an ammo viewpoint. And the 6" barrel really makes a difference in taming the blast and recoil. I think you'll like that gun a lot!

 

[depicts]

I agree. For .38 out of my .357 I use the cheapest hardball I can find, usually Remington Green Box. It's 158 grain weight is just right for most .38 shooting. For real .357 work, I don't plink... it's too expensive. I buy good quality .357 defense ammo, like Gold Dot or Hydra Shock.

Start using the .38, and after a box or so, try a few .357. The gun handles it well and you'll adapt to the punch of .357 quickly.

Good luck. You have a good gun there and you should have fun. It's one of those all around "best" guns to have.

 

[the jeff]

Get some wadd cutters for target.

 

[Beansie_Time]

Blazer, Winchester or Remington all make cheap target loads that are good for .38 special plinking. Just make sure you clean the cylinder between shooting one cartridge or the other as crud can build up at different places in the cylinder due to the different cartridge lengths.

If you like that gun Smith and Wesson makes tons of small revolvers that are great for carry. I occasionally have carried a 4 inch barrel revolver but I think the 2 inch barrel models are more suitable for the job.

 

[vellnueve]

158 grain SWCs.