Spoon question #872 Blue or SS?

[scottmandue]

I'm keeping my eye out for a used wheel spoon.

Lo and behold:

S&W Blue 586-8 NIB (on consignment) $615
S&W SS 686 98% $600 (but a two hour drive away)

I have always presumed SS was superior to Blue carbon steel.

But then I'm not very experienced in spoonology.

So what say ye?

[Taz's Master]

Personal preference reigns. They are both awesome firearms, the better one is the one that appeals to you more. I think blued steel is more aesthetically pleasing, but stainless is easier to care for. Does the 686 have an internal lock? Which one comes with rubber grips, which one with wooden stocks? Which comes with the book and box? Seriously, deep down inside they are the same thing, which one appeals to you superficially?

[KFC911]

^^^^ what he said...ain't no "wrong" one . I've gotten the blues a lot more often though...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Taz's Master

Personal preference reigns. They are both awesome firearms, the better one is the one that appeals to you more. I think blued steel is more aesthetically pleasing, but stainless is easier to care for. Does the 686 have an internal lock? Which one comes with rubber grips, which one with wooden stocks? Which comes with the book and box? Seriously, deep down inside they are the same thing, which one appeals to you superficially?

586 has wood grips (easy to change) yes the blue looks darn sexy and is advertised as NIB so I presume comes with book and box.

686 has rubber grips but is used so presume no book and box, plus is it has the heavy barrel (full length lug under) so it may be easier to shoot magnum loads?

Looking at the Houge website, I presume the 586 is a K or L frame (they advertise the rubber grip fits both)

[flipper35]

You really need to buy both.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by flipper35

You really need to buy both.

I was waiting for the voice of reason

[NutmegCarrera]

+1
Buy both and then sell the one you don’t like

[vash]

whoa..pump the brakes.

i would go with the SS. i love that one..you never know when you may find yourself in a marine environment putting a bullet into the head of a massive halibut. jus saying.

[WPOZZZ]

I had a nickel 586 with a 2.5" barrel. My buds called it a pimp gun. lol

[flatbutt]

my first revolver circa 1973 is blued and as pretty as ever.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

I had a nickel 586 with a 2.5" barrel. My buds called it a pimp gun. lol

This will be a 6" so not pimpalicious.

Originally Posted by vash

whoa..pump the brakes.

i would go with the SS. i love that one..you never know when you may find yourself in a marine environment putting a bullet into the head of a massive halibut. jus saying.

Haven't been deep sea fishing in decades so doubt this one will be going for a boat ride. Probably spend most of the time at the range. I do however live a block from the ocean so oxidation can be a concerned.
Note to self, clean and lube my guns over the weekend!

[Taz's Master]

586 and 686 are Smith and Wesson L frames with adjustable sights . K frames are smaller and the police duty guns on that frame were originally primarily .38 special. The .357 was initially offered in the larger N frame, but that was a heavy firearm, and police wanted the .357 in a smaller package. Smith and Wesson made the K frame in .357, but the forcing cone suffered from high velocity lighter weight bullets. So Smith and Wesson came out with the L frame which was designed to handle a steady diet of full house magnum loads, and still be smaller and lighter than the N frame. (The Model 69 is a 5 shot .44 magnum on the L frame, it is plenty strong.) The L frame shares grips with the K frame, just be aware of the round/flat butt differences. You are choosing between great firearms at reasonable prices, I don't think you can go wrong.

[Jeff Higgins]

Real guns have wood grips. Rubber is for hammers and garden implements.

I have a few stainless revolvers that I use for extended outdoor use here in the wet Pacific Northwest. Extended backpack trips, hunting trips, and stuff like that. Just so I don't have to worry so much about them.

That said, they can rust - my 6" stainless .44 mag Virginian Dragoon that was on my hip for two weeks in inland Alaska on a caribou hunt - the wettest, most miserable hunt I have ever been on - rusted in a few spots. So has my 4 5/8" stainless .45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk that normally comes along around here. They both have some ugly black stains where I steel-wooled it off.

I prefer blued guns. Handguns or rifles. Funny enough, my blued Model 70 (in .375 H&H) that was also along on that caribou hunt (and many others up there) did not rust at all. As a matter of fact, I do not own a stainless hunting rifle, and none of my blued ones have ever rusted under any circumstances. Go figure. If I'm only out on a day hike, or a few days backpacking or hunting, I never worry about blued guns. The rust issue is highly overstated.

Holster wear is an issue. I have yet to see the bluing that will hold up to being slid in and out of a holster for long. I guess that is the only downside to bluing that I can think of. Not a big deal if you don't carry it.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Real guns have wood grips. Rubber is for hammers and garden implements.

Holster wear is an issue. I have yet to see the bluing that will hold up to being slid in and out of a holster for long. I guess that is the only downside to bluing that I can think of. Not a big deal if you don't carry it.

Thanks Jeff, I actually like the look of the wood grips and was thinking I will give them a try before doing anything.

Not planing on using a holster so that is not an issue.

If the 568 is still there on Sunday/Monday I will go by and make a deposit.

[Bill Douglas]

I like the look of wood with silver.

And I've always been a huge fan of 686's. Best revolver ever made (in my humble...).

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Thanks Jeff, I actually like the look of the wood grips and was thinking I will give them a try before doing anything.

Not planing on using a holster so that is not an issue.

If the 568 is still there on Sunday/Monday I will go by and make a deposit.

Having just bought a new Model 29 in the last month, I have had a chance to try their new wood grips. They look great, but they are far too narrow to properly disperse recoil. Their profile mimics the older target grips, but they are only about half as wide. I found them very uncomfortable to shoot.

I wound up putting a set of Eagle grips on it for the time being. I have ordered a set of "Roper" grips from Herrett, my favorite grips for double action revolvers.

Roper Gun Stock

Here is my new M29-10 with my old M19-5. The former is wearing the Eagle grips, the latter the Roper grips. This also shows the difference in the sizes of the N and K frames.



Here is my older M29-3 with it's original target grips. Eagle is making these again, brand new, with recycled S&W badges. I guess the photo doesn't really show their thickness, but they are about twice as thick as their new ones.



Originals are still out there. I just bought a set of original S&W for my K-22 for $100 at the gun show. This might show a little better how thick they are.



Anyway, lots of grips out there if you decide you don't like the ones it comes with. Please, though, for the love of God and all that is decent - don't put rubber on it. I've heard of tissue rejection issues when this is done...

[911boost]

I have a 686+ in SS that like Jeff says I bough wood grips for.

[aigel]

I like stainless handguns for their practicality. Blue may look nice, but so easy to goof up, not for me.

On rifles I like blued with wood. But I am more willing to accept a well worn and beat up hunting rifle than a beat up handgun ...

G

[red-beard]

When it comes to spoons, just like cars, you need n+1

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by aigel

I like stainless handguns for their practicality. Blue may look nice, but so easy to goof up, not for me.

On rifles I like blued with wood. But I am more willing to accept a well worn and beat up hunting rifle than a beat up handgun ...

G

Most of my guns are beat up. I can pretty much recount where each and every scratch and dent came from. I have guns I bought new that have a good deal of their bluing completely worn away. I cherish them the most of all.