| SKU: | 170319 |
| Model: | PERFORMANCE CENTER® Model 686 Competitor 6" Weighted Barrel |
| Caliber: | 357 Magnum, 38 S&W SPECIAL +P |
| Capacity: | 6 |
| Barrel Length: | 6" / 15.2 cm |
| Overall Length: | 11.5" |
| Front Sight: | Patridge Dovetail |
| Rear Sight: | Adjustable, LPA TXT Competitive Series, TXT0107 |
| Action: | Single/Double Action |
| Grip: | Hogue® Synthetic |
| Weight: | 55.3 oz / 1,567.7g |
| Cylinder Material: | Stainless Steel |
| Barrel Material: | Stainless Steel |
| Frame Size: | L-Frame |
| Frame Material: | Stainless Steel |
| Frame Finish: | Matte Silver |
| Grip Butt: | Round Butt |
| Purpose: | Competition Shooting, Hunting, State Compliance |
| Hammer: | Chrome Hammer |
| Trigger: | Chrome Trigger with Trigger Stop |
| Underlug: | Adjustable Barrel Weights |
| Tuning: | Performance Center Tuned Action |
| MSRP: | $1446 (in 2020) |
Smith & Wesson page for this model
Price search for SKU 170319 on Gun.Deals - list of places to buy this model
What came in the box: The gun (obviously), wrapped in S&W paper, with all the barrel weights installed. A set of light plastic spacers to put in the gun when removing one or more of the barrel weights (so the remaining weights don't bounce around). The spacers come on a bolt to keep them together and organized. A tool to adjust the LPA rear sight. Two of the keys to lock the action (at the little hole just above the cylinder release. A cable lock with 2 keys. Manual. Product registration card. It all came in a cheap grey plastic S&W-branded case with eggshell-style foam padding (the kind you should never store your gun in).
Trigger: Right out of the box, my trigger pull in single-action broke right at 5lbs. I don't know what the trigger pull weight was in double-action, because my trigger pull gauge only goes up to 8lbs, and that didn't begin to move the trigger.
American HandGunner Review - note
Guns Magazine Review - note
Smith & Wesson Forum - Revolvers 1980-present - note
Guns & Ammo Video Overview - note
Owner's Manual - from 2018
Owner's Manual - from 2014
Revolver Inspection Guide - from Jim March, dated March 20, 2011
1-page Revolver Inspection Guide - from Jim March
Shooting Illustrated's Guide to Revolver Disassembly and Cleaning - note
Jerry Kuhnhausen's book "The S&W Revolvers: A Shop Manual" at Midway - or at Amazon
How to remove the side plate - short video from Brownells
3-screw vs 4-screw vs 5-screw S&W Revolvers - short video from Brownells
Nill Grips - wide variety of very nice wood grips
S&W K or L Frame Round Butt Rubber Conversion Monogrip Black - to my eye, these round-butt-to-square-butt-conversion grips appear to be the grips supplied by the factory on the 686 Competitor
LPA Sights - website listed for the rear sight, defaults to Italian, but in the top right corner, click the drop-down arrow next to where it says "IT", and change it to "EN" to get the page in English. The TXT0107 model is described as "Rear sight in silver finish, with target blade". Page for the TXT0107 model. Similar models have black finish, fiber-optic front sights, and/or fiber-optic rear blades. The sight blade height is adjustable from 10mm to 10.5mm. There are 3 screw holes in the top of the frame, but only the forward-most 2 holes are used to attach the LPA sight, covering the rearmost hole.
Speed Beez Holster for the 686 Competitor
Northern Virginia Gunworks in Springfield, VA. - Sandy Garret & son Robert - 7518-K Fullerton Rd.,Springfield, VA 22153 (703)644-6504 (recommended by people on BullseyeForum.net)