Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 – Superb Seven Shot Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 is the Performance Center version of the carry sized 686, and the differences are in the details rather than the specification. Seven rounds of 357 Magnum on the stainless L-frame, a two and a half inch barrel short enough to conceal on a belt, adjustable sights with a red ramp front, and wood grips instead of moulded rubber. What you are really paying for is the hand fitting: Performance Center guns get extra attention to the action, and on a double action revolver that shows up in the trigger more than anywhere else.

Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 Action Work, Capacity And Frame

The L-frame is the reason this platform lasts. Smith Wesson built it with a heavier barrel shank and a stronger frame specifically so it could take a continuous diet of full power 357 Magnum, which the lighter K-frame historically could not. On the Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 that means you can practice with magnum ammunition as often as you can afford it without worrying about the forcing cone.

Seven rounds on the Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 comes from the Plus cylinder, which fits an extra chamber into the standard frame. You gain a round with no increase in size or meaningful weight, and going from six to seven is a larger proportional gain than it sounds on a gun where reloading is the slow part.

Adjustable sights on a two and a half inch revolver are unusual and genuinely useful. Magnum and 38 Special loads print at quite different heights, and being able to zero for the ammunition you actually carry turns a point-and-hope gun into one you aim.

Wood grips look considerably better than rubber and transmit more recoil, which is the trade.

Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 Weight, Blast And Honest Limits

Steel is what makes the Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 durable and steel is heavy. This is a substantial handgun for a two and a half inch barrel, which is exactly what makes magnum recoil manageable and exactly what makes a cheap belt inadequate. Plan on a proper gun belt and a well made holster alongside the revolver.

The Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 barrel is short for a magnum. Full power loads produce significant muzzle flash and a sharp report, and indoors that is genuinely disorienting. Most owners practice with 38 Special, which this revolver fires without modification, and carry magnum ammunition designed for short barrels.

Seven shot speedloaders are harder to find on shelves than six shot units, so buy several when you come across them rather than assuming they will be in stock later.

The wood grips on the Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 are beautiful and they scratch. If you carry this daily, expect the grips to show handling marks before the steel does, and consider fitting rubber for high volume range sessions.

Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 170346
• UPC: 022188703467
• Caliber: 357 Magnum, also fires 38 Special
• Capacity: 7 rounds
• Barrel: 2.5 inches
• Frame: stainless steel L-frame
• Build: Smith Wesson Performance Center
• Sights: adjustable rear, red ramp front
• Grips: wood
• Action: double action and single action

Buyers comparing the Smith Wesson Model 686 in standard and Performance Center form are paying for the action and the finish. As a 357 Magnum L Frame Revolver both are built for continuous full power shooting, and as a Seven Shot Carry Revolver both fit the extra chamber into the same frame. The hand fitted trigger is what changes how well most people shoot it, which is money better spent than on most upgrades.

Why Buyers Choose The Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5

Buy the Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5 if you want a carry magnum with a better trigger than production delivers. Seven rounds, an L-frame that shrugs off magnum practice, adjustable sights and a hand fitted action make this a genuinely capable belt gun, and the wood grips make it a nicer thing to own than a working revolver needs to be.

Skip it if you want the lightest possible carry revolver, since this is solid steel and you will feel it. Skip it if you shoot long strings of full power ammunition, where rubber grips are kinder to your hand. And skip it if the premium over a standard 686 buys nothing you value.

Who Should Buy The Smith Wesson PC 686 357 Magnum 2.5

This revolver suits belt carriers who want capacity and durability, revolver enthusiasts who appreciate Performance Center work, and shooters who train seriously and will feel the difference in the action. It also works as a range and carry combination, since 38 Special keeps practice affordable. It is a poor fit for pocket carry, for weight sensitive shooters, and for anyone wanting the cheapest reliable option. All firearm sales ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and handgun and carry rules vary by state, so confirm your local law before ordering.

Learn more about this revolver from the manufacturer, or see more firearms available at MAG5 Firearms.