Red dot for 4 inch 686?

I am thinking my next gun may be a revolver.  I have wanted a gp100 for some time but never bought it.  I recently found out that the 686-4 and later come drilled and tapped factory.  Now I am considering buying a 686.  

My thoughts are that this gun would have a few uses:

Plinking
Hunting side arm
Bullseye

If I could easily mount a scope on a 686, I think it would be more useful for bullseye than the gp100.  I realize that the gun I would really want for that purpose is a K-38.  I see a lot of 4 inch barrels that are LE trades on gunbroker.  Would that work for mounting an ultradot?

Any opinions on this?

I have a 4” 686 with a red dot Burris Fastfire 3 mounted in lieu of the rear sight.  I shoot informal short line Bullseye with it (double action).   I like it, but then I dislike iron sights on anything.

Do you know what type of rib you would mount on it, if you didn't use a red dot that fits in the rear sight?  Would a 4" fit a rib the same length as a full sized 1911?

https://www.jackweigand.com

He has great revolver scope mounts. It depends on the your model of revolver, but many of them can be installed and removed with just a few screws by using existing iron sight mounting locations. So no permanent or visible changes or gunsmith required.

Of course, he has 1911 stuff too.

I use a Weaver #401 on everything except the X frame. The mount fits on all K, N and X frame pre-drilled S&W. They are really in-expensive but work great. You only have to take out one screw on the sight to mount it. This is important. If you don't mess with the rear sight adjustment screw to remove then rear sight is still sighted in when put back together. I use the Weigland mount on the 460XVR  because it is much beefier and I use steel rings. Those are not really needed on the 686.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Weaver-48109-Top-Mount-401-Scope-Base-Gloss-Smith-Wesson-Taurus/362237100447?epid=1700020548&hash=item545703819f%3Ag%3A%7E-YAAOSw86JafdbW&_sacat=0&_nkw=weaver+401&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0

If you're going to shoot 357 ammo , go with the Wiegand mount . The newer Smith EDM barrels do not shoot lead as well as the earlier cut / broached rifled barrels , but are fine with jacketed . 4" gun for social work , 6" for hunting or target .

Wiegatinny or EGW would work for S&W.  The Wiegatinny is a little heftier than EGW's but either should work.  I've had good success with the U-dots.  I now have a 2X scope mounted on the EGW as my eyes really like the magnification and crosshairs.

boatbum101 wrote:If you're going to shoot 357 ammo , go with the Wiegand mount . The newer Smith EDM barrels do not shoot lead as well as the earlier cut / broached rifled barrels , but are fine with jacketed . 4" gun for social work , 6" for hunting or target .

Which guns had the EDM barrels vs the cut / broached rifled barrels?  Why is it that they perform worse with lead?  Is it the size of the groups they shoot?  Or is it another way the gun performs?  Will it be OK to shoot lead in an EDM barreled gun?

When I purchased my 625, I noticed that the Performance Center model specifically advertised a broach cut barrel. When I called, they told me the standard version had an EDM barrel. Based on-limited info I could find on it, it seems like some, but certainly not all, found a leading issue with lead reloads with the EDM barrel? I ended up getting the PC  model, so have no actual experience to verify if that is true.,

I have put a lot of lead thru my 14-8. I checked just now to be sure and it is definitely EDM. My 14-6 was broach cut. Both pistols prefer jacketed bullets. But most do. I have gotten great groups out of the 14-8 with 148gr HBWC. No sign of leading.

In case you need to check your own. Check at the crown. Empty....

AllchinGunParts

Great mounts for S&W. Comes in Burris Fastfire types or C-More.

LenV wrote:I have put a lot of lead thru my 14-8. I checked just now to be sure and it is definitely EDM. My 14-6 was broach cut. Both pistols prefer jacketed bullets. But most do. I have gotten great groups out of the 14-8 with 148gr HBWC. No sign of leading.

In case you need to check your own. Check at the crown. Empty....

Thanks for the picture, that was perfect.  That actually sounds similar to Glock's polygonal rifling.  I understand that Glock advises against shooting lead.  But many reloaders report that leading isn't an issue, or that the lead can be cleaned as usual.

Not sure if you can find one of these or not, but I've got a no-drill Buehler mount and rings for my Ruger Service Six.  Works great.....