Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch – Superb 357 Magnum Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch is The Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch is the standard three inch seven shot L-frame with the details upgraded. Checkered wood grips replace the synthetic ones, the finish is a step above the working-gun standard, and the whole revolver is put together to be looked at as well as used. Nothing mechanical changes. It is still the stainless L-frame Smith Wesson engineered to swallow unlimited full-power 357 Magnum, still holds seven rounds instead of six, and still wears fully adjustable sights so you can zero for the load you actually shoot.

Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch Wood Grips And Three Inch Balance

The wood grips on the Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch are worth discussing honestly, because they are the main reason to choose this over the standard model. They look considerably better than moulded synthetic, they feel warmer in the hand, and checkering gives a positive hold. They also transmit more recoil than a rubber grip does, because there is no soft material between the frame and your palm. Whether that is a fair trade depends on how much full-power ammunition you plan to shoot in a sitting.

Underneath, the three inch barrel with full underlug is the configuration many experienced revolver shooters consider the most useful. It carries on a belt without excessive bulk, clears a holster quickly, and still gives you a sight radius long enough to shoot accurately at realistic distance. The lug puts weight forward to steady the muzzle.

The L-frame was engineered around continuous magnum use, with a heavier barrel shank and stronger frame than the medium K-frame. Practice with full-power ammunition is not something you need to ration here.

Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch Weight, Blast And Honest Limits

The Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch is heavy for its length, which is what makes magnum recoil manageable and what makes a cheap belt inadequate. Plan on a proper gun belt and a well-made holster if you intend to carry it, and understand that this is a belt gun rather than a pocket gun.

Three inches is short by magnum standards. Full-power loads produce noticeable muzzle flash and a sharp report, and indoors that is genuinely disorienting. The revolver fires 38 Special without any modification, which is what most owners practice with, and short-barrel specific magnum loads are worth seeking out for carry.

Wood grips are beautiful and they scratch. If you carry this revolver daily, expect the grips to show handling marks before the steel does. Some owners keep the wood for display and fit rubber grips for range sessions, which is a sensible approach.

Seven shot speedloaders are less common on shelves than six shot units, so buy several when you find them. The double action pull is heavier than a target revolver and smooths out over the first several hundred rounds.

Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 150713
• UPC: 022188141573
• Caliber: 357 Magnum, also fires 38 Special
• Capacity: 7 rounds
• Barrel: 3 inches with full underlug
• Frame: stainless steel L-frame
• Grips: checkered wood
• Sights: adjustable rear, red ramp front
• Action: double action and single action
• Finish: satin stainless

Buyers comparing the Smith Wesson 686 Plus in standard and upgraded trim are choosing between a tool and a tool worth showing. As a 357 Magnum L Frame Revolver the mechanics are identical either way, built for continuous full-power shooting. As a Seven Shot Stainless Revolver both carry the extra chamber in the standard frame. The wood grips and finish are what you are paying the difference for.

Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch

Buy the Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch if you want the most versatile 686 configuration and you care how a revolver looks in the hand. Three inches carries and shoots well, seven rounds beats the six shot standard, and the L-frame takes unlimited magnum practice. The wood grips make it a gun worth keeping rather than merely owning.

Skip it if you plan to shoot long strings of full-power ammunition, where a rubber grip is considerably kinder to your hand. Skip it if you want the lightest possible carry revolver, since this is solid steel. And skip it if the extra cost over the standard synthetic-gripped model buys you nothing you value.

Who Should Buy The Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch

The Smith Wesson 686 Plus Deluxe 3 Inch suits This revolver suits belt carriers who want something better looking than a working gun, home defense buyers, collectors, and revolver shooters who train seriously with magnum ammunition. It also makes a good gift or heirloom purchase, since the wood and the finish hold up to being admired.

It is a poor fit for pocket carry, for high-volume magnum practice without a grip change, and for anyone on a tight budget who would be equally served by the standard model. All firearm sales ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and handgun, capacity and carry rules vary by state, so confirm your local law before ordering.

Learn more from Smith and Wesson, or browse the rest of our firearms selection.

Every firearm we list ships to your chosen FFL and is transferred there after a background check.