S&W 686 Target Champion

[RogerT]

In the specs of the model it' has a "match grade" barrel.

Anyone who has noticed any difference at 25 yd on the bullseye tagret compared to a standard barrel?

Is the Target Champion better in any other way than the "standard" 686?

[SharonAnne9x23]

I just came back from the S&W web page and could not find a "686 Target Champion". Where did you see it?

[Palmetto Sharpshooter]

In the specs of the model it' has a "match grade" barrel.

Anyone who has noticed any difference at 25 yd on the bullseye tagret compared to a standard barrel?

Is the Target Champion better in any other way than the "standard" 686?

Roger,

First, is this the one?

I've had plenty of M-586 and M-686 revolvers over the years and a couple of PC L-frames but not the Wischo Target Champion. I don't think you'll find enough difference between the barrels to justify the added cost. Both will shoot better than 99.99% of the best shooters. The difference is that the Target Champion is built from the ground up in the Performance Center. It is built to closer tolerances than a regular assembly line pistol. Every part is hand fitted. It has much better sights and the excellent Nill-Griffe grips. For collectors, the Target Champion will retain much more of it's value also.

Just out of curiosity, how much does a Target Champion sell for where you live?

Mike

[RogerT]

Hi Sharpshooter.

Yes, that's the one, but in the description you show and I have found the match barrel is not mentioned. Perhaps it's a Whisco addition?

New guns from Frankonia in Germany cost 1400 Euro! but you can find used guns for half of that or less on www.egun.de, so it's difficult to give any real price estimate as there are so few up for sale.

I'm not going to buy this gun, it seems to be more "eye candy" than a better shooter compared to a standard gun for 700 Euro. The Nill grips are of course pretty to look at and feel great but I use rubber grips from Houge on my revolvers any way

I can use the tools needed for a trigger job á la Jerry Miculek so I'm not that dependent of Performance Center trigger jobs, (I'm sure they do a great job) but my own will do the trick for my shooting.

Thanks for your input, though.

[SharonAnne9x23]

please help a confused 686+ owner. Is the Wishco Target Champion a Performance Center model for Europe or is it a model that Wishco has made specifically for them to market? Where can I get those way cool grips?

Edited October 26, 2008 by SharonAnne9x23

[9146gt]

Nille grips here.

http://mactec-militaryarms.com/nill_grips.html

Tom

[Carmoney]

The difference is that the Target Champion is built from the ground up in the Performance Center. It is built to closer tolerances than a regular assembly line pistol. Every part is hand fitted.

OK, I gotta step in here. If you think a S&W revolver has had every part "hand fitted" because it comes from the Performance Center, you're going to be sorely disappointed. The fitting on the Performance Center revolvers I have seen over the past few years has been absolutely abysmal--worse, in fact, that the fitting on the stock revolvers from the production line with the MIM internals. I think all the little old men who sat on three-legged stools and knew how to hand fit regular forged parts on S&W revolvers must have retired.

[Palmetto Sharpshooter]

The difference is that the Target Champion is built from the ground up in the Performance Center. It is built to closer tolerances than a regular assembly line pistol. Every part is hand fitted.

OK, I gotta step in here. If you think a S&W revolver has had every part "hand fitted" because it comes from the Performance Center, you're going to be sorely disappointed. The fitting on the Performance Center revolvers I have seen over the past few years has been absolutely abysmal--worse, in fact, that the fitting on the stock revolvers from the production line with the MIM internals. I think all the little old men who sat on three-legged stools and knew how to hand fit regular forged parts on S&W revolvers must have retired.

That could be true now, and not to defend because I've had this same conversation with Jim Rae. I own three older PC revolvers, a 3-inch and a 4-inch 686 Carry Comp and a 646. All are very nice wheelies. Are they better than a factory floor production gun with an action job? Probably, yes. I also have a PC tuned 686 which could give all of them a run for the money. I don't know about the current PC wheels but the old ones are great. The Target Champion is an older revolver that was modified with Nills when they got it. It is only available overseas. Just my .02.

[Palmetto Sharpshooter]

please help a confused 686+ owner. Is the Wishco Target Champion a Performance Center model for Europe or is it a model that Wishco has made specifically for them to market? Where can I get those way cool grips?

Yes, it is just for Wischo in Germany. I don't think they've made them in years now.

[Carmoney]

OK, I will admit that I own an earlier Performance Center 627 (one of the original Lew Horton run, I believe) that has a heavy action, but seems to be put together pretty well. So I'm willing to acknowledge that some of the older PC wheels actually had some hand-fitting.

[inkedshooter]

Bagakis showed me a 686 Lew Horton build the he found on the broker. Any of you guys know where you could get one of these barrels?

[Palmetto Sharpshooter]

Bagakis showed me a 686 Lew Horton build the he found on the broker. Any of you guys know where you could get one of these barrels?

I can get you the specifics on the product number but I am sure you'll have to go through the PC to get one and have it installed IF they have one. That 686 hasn't been made in several years.