TargetTalk

As an Australian shooter about to take up our club's Practical Pistol match ( holster draw and shoot from 7 yds, 15yds & 20 yds ) and also possibly Service Pistol at a later stage, I cannot decide between the 4" model 67 or 4" 686.

Any noteworthy benefits for either? Only reasonably mild target loads will be used....

Leon wrote:As an Australian shooter about to take up our club's Practical Pistol match ( holster draw and shoot from 7 yds, 15yds & 20 yds ) and also possibly Service Pistol at a later stage, I cannot decide between the 4" model 67 or 4" 686.

Any noteworthy benefits for either? Only reasonably mild target loads will be used....

Provided they fit your hand size either should be suitable. If you have a small hand a Model 15-2 might be more suitable if you can get a good one one second hand.

The match sounds cool.
hich club in Sydney?

Either are a good choice for what you state. It is a matter only of which feels better to you and the price which you acquire it.

However, If you think there is a chance that you may want to later modify this gun to shoot NRA Action Pistol, then the L frame 686 is by far the better choice as it is significantly more durable. The K frame guns were never intended for continuous heavy usage of +P or Magnum loads.

MJ

Leon wrote:As an Australian shooter about to take up our club's Practical Pistol match ( holster draw and shoot from 7 yds, 15yds & 20 yds ) and also possibly Service Pistol at a later stage, I cannot decide between the 4" model 67 or 4" 686.

Any noteworthy benefits for either? Only reasonably mild target loads will be used....

If memory serves me, the 67 is a K frame while the 686 is an L frame gun. The L frame is larger and somewhat heavier. Grips are the same. I suggest you handle and try to shoot each and see which feels better. Especially 'pointability', which is especially important in PPC shooting.

Go with the 686. It is more durable and will hold up to full loads better than the model 67. If you haven't been shooting a 67 or 66, the weight difference won't be a factor.

Misny wrote:Go with the 686. It is more durable and will hold up to full loads better than the model 67. If you haven't been shooting a 67 or 66, the weight difference won't be a factor.

With standard 38 spl, or even +P, the K frame will go for a long long time. I have shot both 66 and 686 for many years and they do feel different, not just the weight. My current favorite is a mod 66 with a 3" heavy barrel. Weight is close to a 686, but the balance is forward.
I doubt Leon will be shooting heavy 357 mag loads in PPC, or even service pistol, competition

I own several S&W K frame handguns, including 4 model 66's in various barrel lengths. I also own a couple of N frame Smiths. The only factor which would make a difference in the L frame model 686 is the extra mass of the cylinder compared to the K frame cylider. This extra cylinder weight in the L frame 686 will be slightly more noticeable when firing double action. I shot PPC competition in the past, as well as, other revolver matches where one begins with a holstered revolver. The extra weight of the 686 will dampen felt recoil somewhat more than the 66, as well. Assuming that you have not fired either handgun extensively, if you start out with the 686, you will have nothing to compare it with and you will be a happy camper. If you are allowed to have a 6" barreled revolver, then I'd lean heavily towards that over the 4". The extra sight radius and weight are an advantage.

The weakest link in the K vs L frame is the barrel. This is well experienced by dozens if not hundreds of examples of real situations of heavy users of higher pressure accurate loads as are needed for NRA Action Pistol.

Here is the deal straight and simple. The K frame guns all have a flat spot cut across the bottom of the barrel, where the barrel threads through the frame. This is necessary to clear the forward part of the yoke which the cylinder spins on. This cut significantly reduces the critical thickness of the barrel at 6 o'clock on the throat. This is without a doubt where 95% or more of K frame failures occur with a diet of hot loads. The single too hot load will bulge the chamber into the locking notch of the cylinder, but the constant diet of marginally hot loads will have the barrel crack at 6 o'clock as indicated above.

The L frame on the other hand with the greater cylinder diameter will permit the yoke area to clear the barrel at 6 0'clock, therefor the barrel of an L frame does not have that flat cut, thus the barrel is significantly thicker and not weakened at that spot as compared to the K frame.

No question the L will hold up better with hotter jacketed loads. The K will crack at 6 o'clock on the throat area with heavy use.

MJ