Which .357 wheel gun will work best?

I have a chance to purchase a S&W 686 .357 with 6 inch barrel for a good price. I have not seen it yet, but I have been told it has not been fired much. Got my 92fs from the same friend and that has turned into a very good gun once I cleaned it.

My planned usage, other than range time, is to take it hiking in the mountains where cougar and bear have been seen as protection. I am not planning on going hunting bear with it, just dont want them hunting me either.

My question is would the 357 with 6 inch barrel be too long and thus too heavy on the trail? The idea is I will be carrying it and hopefully not needing to use it and 44 ounced is kinda heavy. Would the 4 inch give me as much protection considering if I wont be shooting further than 25 or 35 yards.

I've learned that a good price for something you don't use isn't a good price.

this is a fine trail gun, get a good shoulder holster and enjoy the gun.... and bells are a good idea... the bear can avoid you

i have a 4in 586 and it has one of the sweetest triggers ever... if its a good price, buy it and if you cant use it sell or trade it later

It'll do just fine, if it's a good deal then there's no reason to look further.

The suggestion of a shoulder rig is a good one. I've got a six in. model 686 and it's a tad long and heavy for a belt holster if you're planning on a lot of walking.

I presume you're concerned about black bears. If you're talking grizzly bears, a .357 is not enough gun IMO.

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Originally Posted by TedDeBearFrmHell

...it has one of the sweetest triggers ever... if its a good price, buy it and if you cant use it sell or trade it later

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+++1

Agree with the others, the 686 is a fine revolver. If the price is good go with it, get a good holster and if it is to heavy after a couple of trips sell it and find one you like better.

Hard to beat a 686. Six-inch is two-inches too long for me, but still makes a great camping wheelgun. With a solid shoulder holster, you should be G2G.

Thanks for the responses.
Got the gun and went directly to the store I'm selling my .32 at so Gordon could look it over and let me know if my good price really is. It's all original and it's also about 30 years old, obviously before the S&W lock and with way more rounds through it than I thought. G says $500 is still a good price and if I feel it is too long for me he'll sell it for me and get my price out of it so I'm ok with that. That's why I took it to him. Have not shot it yet but hoping to get that done tomorrow or next weekend. I am going to take the shoulder holster advice for sure. Hiking 9 miles or more, some above tree line, with 44oz on my hip would really be uncomfortable. Looking for a 140gr soft point rather than hollow to hike with. Someone in the store hearing my hiking plans mentioned hiting a black bear with hollow point would not penetrate enough to do any good and FMJ would go through. That sound right?

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Originally Posted by Younguy

Someone in the store hearing my hiking plans mentioned hiting a black bear with hollow point would not penetrate enough to do any good and FMJ would go through. That sound right?

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shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.....

first, buy bells, seriously.... the bear will avoid you.

two, stay away from a stray cub, he may be cute but he isnt a stray and momma isnt cute

three, use a bear bag to hang your food and tooth paste at night

four, find a bear hunting forum, talk to the guy who is hunting bear with a .357 mag, i guarantee that there will be a few real ones and a bunch of fakes.... find out technique.... and practice shot placement.

Thanks Ted. I will be getting bells for sure and checking that forum. Need to get an idea where bear vitals are. Heart is just behind and below right shoulder I think, similar to ours. At 15 yards I put 6 in an 8 inch circle. 1 was a 10 and the rest along a horizontal line evenly left to right. Practice Practice Pratice but not bad for first time with that piece on the range.

at 15 yards, i would still be looking for a way to back up, but thats just me.

i live in bear country, and i dont mean near i mean IN..... we have a boat load of wildlife on our property including a mountain lion that likes our roof and a bear that makes weekly treks thru , looking for the deer the mountain lion stashes.

when i go out at night and know the bad boys are around, i take the 870 marine magnum loaded with brenneke slugs.

unless i am being charged or near a cub, i am not too worried.... but all bets are off if the critters arent in a good mood

looking at the skull shape and brain cavity of a black bear, the triangle between the ears and pointing to the nose is the "turn off switch"

the heart lung shot is near the shoulder and it is a quartering shot, not one you would likely get in a head on charge but more common as he is pacing or leaving....

bear hunters will obviously be a much better source of info....

The model 686 is an awesome gun, but as Ted replied buy a bell, after spending 16 years in western Montana, if you should encounter a bear while walking in the woods, unless it is a grizzly it wants no more of you , than you do of it.
[IMG]http://i1243.photobucket.com/albums/...7-24-12005.jpg[/IMG] middle one is a 6" 686

FWIW:
I like 158 Grain hard cast SWC's for the activity you are involved in.

A 140gr sounds aweful light to me.If I didn't carry what TOF said,I'd investigate even heavier full power loads.I used to have some 180s that let you know you touched off something with power,but I can't remember who made them now.While it isn't a Ruger or Dan Wesson,the L frame is a good gun,I wish I never parted with my 1st generation 586.

Thanks for the ideas. Found a 140gr and several 180gr hard cast @ MidwayUSA ammo.
Hunting | 357 Magnum | Handgun Ammunition | Ammunition -MidwayUSA
Some listed as BEAR ammo, GRIZZLY or COR-BON up to 200gr. Sounds like a wrist breaker if I don't try it a couple times first. A buck or 2 a round sounds expensive untill I'm looking down the nose of an angry black bear I guess. I'm hoping an L frame .357 will handle 200gr.

My own inclination if big bears and hiking are the issues would be a Smith Mountain Gun in .44 Mag or .45 ACP or .45 Colt. Less carry weight and more throweight. I had a 4 and a 6 inch 686 and sent them on down the road. Pleasant to shoot, really sturdy (that was the original reason for the L-frame; it would take the steady beating that a K-frame would not), but very heavy to carry.
There was a great series of pictures in the National Geographic of a Norwegian who, while skiing (!) to the North Pole encountered a Polar Bear. He shot the big bruin to doll rags with a Smith .44 Mag Mountain Gun.
Agree on the hardcast lead loads for your .357; it's what I keep in a 340SC as a last-ditch black bear discourager. Agree that black bears are more likely to stay away, tho' a buddy encountered a grumpy one with no cubs in evidence.
Moon