...Love the 686!
Owning, or having owned at least a dozen Smiths, they hold a special place in my heart, with fond memories of many a good shoot!
Though I spend most of my time dancing around with BHP's, SIG's, and 1911's these days...still trying to figure out which I like best, and whether I have a preference for 9mm vs .45, (10,000 rnds in the last 2 years, and I still haven't quite 'worked it out'...lol), wheel guns are still my first love.
Saturday, 10 days past, me and the wife take a good friend and fellow shooter over to the local range....he's a wheel gun fan too, with a 686 like yours, but he's thinking .45 now, just for giggles.
So, I take a box stock SIG P-220, a box stock Colt series 80 1911, and a heavily modified 'tactical' Springfield 1911 that I've had 'worked' over the last 10 years...just so he can get a feel for them...
(These were his choices, and were set up to answer his 'shoot before buying' questions...)
While he and my better half were wringing out the above mentioned, I spied his 686 in the range bag and asked if I could give her a whirl...
OMFG! 7 rounds in the 'x' or 10 at 15 yds. on a NRA 25 yd 'slow fire' followed by 7 rounds in the 'x' or 10 on the second target taped to the card board...
"John, you don't need a .45 buddy, you're never going to beat this one for accuracy", I proudly stated...
He looks at me, looks at my wife, looks back at me and deadpans..."Who said anything about need?"...and then turns back down range. I may have to make him a trade offer now, the little sh*t