FN HP or S&W 686

[Silvanus]

I went to the gunshop yesterday to take a look at what they have at the moment and I've wanted to buy a new handgun for some time now.

They had a beautiful FN HP that caught my eye immediately. It's used but in an (almost) perfect condition. Very nice blueing and the internals look flawless, too. It costs 420 €. Pretty good price in my opinion. I have a Glock 17 already and I love it but I want another 9mm semi-auto with a more traditional look and external hammer. I have to say that the HP felt a little small in my hands but I'm used to the thicker Glock. The only thing I didn't like is the fact that the magazine doesn't fall out of the gun as easily as I'm used to.

Then I saw the S&W 686. Also looks like new but pricier too, 770 €. I can't say why but I loved the feel and the look of that revolver. Now I can't decide what to buy I would like to have a more practical revolver that I woud shoot more (my model 19 is unfortunalely my safe queen, but I can't bring myself to shooting it more often).

Now I want your opinion on what handgun I should buy? What are the pros and cons of either one?

PS: Sorry for the long post, but I can't make up my mind on my own

 

[elrod]

I own one of each of the guns you are considering. I love both, but use them for different purposes. Are you looking for a carry gun, a bedside table gun, or a target and plinking gun?
1) carry gun------ My BHP is narrower and lighter than the 686 (You didn't specify bbl. length, mine is 4")
2) bedside manner----- The 686 is absolutely reliable for 6 rounds, no FTF or FTE. Have heard the .357 described as the perfect home defense round.
3) target use----- A toss up. The BHP is known for accuracy among the semis. The 686 is inherantly as good as the shooter is. Costwise, using .38s in the 686 is about the same as 9mm.

In my estimation, you have one plus for each and one tossup. It will be a personal choice depending on your likes and funds. Or, toss a coin, get the one that wins the toss, and begin saving for the other!

 

[Pistola Pedro]

Useless Comment Warning!

Sell the GLOCK and get both! You'll be a happy camper.

 

[Tom2]

Seems rather more than we pay for a S&W here. I suppose you have no real choices for revolvers, but perhaps there are some of the excellent French revolvers available. In any event the revolver is more of a sportsmans gun than the browning. Unless only using one type of ammo is important in your situation, I would consider the revolver as it will shoot either the 38 special or the magnum ammunition. Also probably will have better accuracy than a factory standard Browning auto. If you wish to, or are able to, reload ammunition, it is more satisfying with the revolver. First off, the fired cases stay with the gun. And you can experiment with a wider range of ammo or reloads as the power range is not critical like in the automatic. The Browning was designed for police and military applications. For the sports shooter the revolver has many advantages, I believe. But it still can be used for serious purposes as any revolver owner would attest to.

 

[RevolverLover]

If your S&W M19 is already a safe queen and you don't like to shoot it, then think you should go with the FN HP then the S&W 686. You save some money and it sounds like you will more likely shoot it more.

Why do you think the S&W 686 is more practical then the S&W M19?

 

[FISHNFRANK]

Get Both!

Get both!!!!!!!

I own one of each. The FN is the only semi I own - the best Semi I ever shot. The 686 would be the last gun I would sell if I had to sell them all. It's the best gun I've ever shot.

You have a really, really tough choice on your hands. If you have to choose -get the FN, I think they have stopped importing them. Only Browning imports the HP now. The 686 will be around a while and there are usually plenty around on consignment. 9mm is now significantly cheaper than .38 where I live.

Frank

 

[RevolverLover]

If you have to choose -get the FN, I think they have stopped importing them. Only Browning imports the HP now.

Judging by the his location, I don't think Silvanus will have a problem with who's importing them to the U.S.

 

[croyance]

I don't know how legal it is to modify guns in Luxembourg, but removing the magazine safety helps. So does polishing the magazine sides, IIRC.

Both are nice in their own way. I like the HiPower more and would personally wait on a revolver until I find another K-frame. But then I don't know how rare such things are in your country. I just prefer the more neutral balance and quicker handling of a 19 over the 686. But the weight and balance of a 686 means less felt recoil.

 

[Silvanus]

Why do you think the S&W 686 is more practical then the S&W M19?

I thought that the stainless steel finish is more durable and that I'd shoot that revolver more often.
Well, I thought about it yesterday and I think I will start shooting the M19. I didn't shoot it much so far because I don't want the blueing to get ugly after much use. But I realize that a beautiful gun in the back of my safe isn't much use to me, since I would never sell it either. So I'm leaning towards the HP now.

I suppose you have no real choices for revolvers

Hmm...My dealer complains about the numerous difficulties of importing firearms from the US, so there might be some reasons why they cost more here, but generally I think that I have an even bigger choice for firearms in general than you have in the States. At the moment we have rather liberal gun laws, much better than Germany or France for example.

croyance, how do you remove the magazine safety? That's something that bothered me about the HP.

And just for your information, both revolvers (mine and the 686) have 4" barrels. I like "service sized" handguns. No heavy, expensive, tuned target shooters for me.

 

[Hal]

This line made me vote for the HP:

my model 19 is unfortunalely my safe queen, but I can't bring myself to shooting it more often

The K frame 19 is by far my favorite. I've tried the L frame - 586/686 - and they just don't feel the same. The balance is all wrong.
I simply solved the issue by using nothing but .38spl's in my 19's. For me, the .357magnum is next to useless, and this is one reason why. If I need more power than the .38spl can deliver, I simply step up to a .44magnum.

A model 19 can and will last several lifetimes if it's fed .38's and taken care of.

I vote - get the HP and get the 19 out of the safe and enjoy it.

 

[gfen]

Sell the Glock, buy both, smile at your purchasing savvy.

I own an FN Hipower, and a S&W 681 (fixed site, otherwise identical). I do love my HP, however, my fat hands cannot shoot it without being chewed up and this isn't an entirely uncommon problem.

Since you can't test fire it first, just take a look at how you grip it in your hand and try and see if you're going to get bit by the hammer or not. In my case, I get it from the spur and between the arm and the tang.

 

[croyance]

HiPowers and Handguns has instructions on removing the magazine safety.

What are the legal requirements and restrictions for gun ownership in Luxembourg? I am curious about other country's laws.

Is there a website with reviews about guns from around the world? I am curious about what it is that we can't get. The only gun I know of that I can't get here is the Baikul (sp?) polymer-framed break-top double-action revolver.

Using your M19 won't do much to the finish, unless the timing is off and you are getting shavings tossed back. It doesn't peel off. Otherwise a gentle touch with a oily cloth is fine. Mine only shows the holster wear that it came with.

 

[Silvanus]

What are the legal requirements and restrictions for gun ownership in Luxembourg?

A civilian be a member of a shooting club (which you would be anyway since it is not allowed to shoot anywhere else) in order to get you firearms licence. You can't carry any firearms of course (this is Europe after all...), you need the permit to buy new firearms and all of them will be registered when you buy them either in a shop or from a private person. A civilian has to shoot .22s for a year before he can shoot higher caliber firearms. That's about as strict as it gets, after that you're good to go
You can buy any semi-automatic pistol and rifle you want. From a 1911 pistol to converted Galil or FAL for example. Those you can shoot at the range, too. You can also buy fully-automatic weapons. FALs, AKs, M16s, Glock 18s, etc. And for reasonable prices. They don't cost more than semi versions, except things like a Glock 18 which are rarer. The full-auto weapons can only be registered on a collectors permit, though. You can have them at home, but you can't shoot them. That's stupid of course, but that's the way it is.

I am curious about what it is that we can't get.

Well, you can't import full-auto rifles for example. That's what I meant. Here, if you don't close the door they throw a FAL after you And the good part is that it doesn't matter if semi or not. Anything can be imported and simply converted. That's not a problem.

Take a look if you want: (French or German language)

http://www.reloading-center.com/index.php

http://www.arc.lu/website/produkte2.htm

 

[RevolverLover]

The full-auto weapons can only be registered on a collectors permit, though. You can have them at home, but you can't shoot them. That's stupid of course, but that's the way it is.

So you can have fully-automatic weapons but you can't shoot them?

 

[Silvanus]

Yes. Well, a lot of people do it anyway...But that's the law. I'm not really interested in an FA weapons so I don't care. That way at least we can import any weapons without restrictions (and buy them as semis) and collectors can have whatever they desire. I don't see the point of the law, though. I guess if somebody would make a firing range that would be especially suited for fully-automatic weapons and a lot of people would show interest it could probably be changed, but at the moment there are no ranges that would allow fully-automatic shooting anyway.

 

[croyance]

How difficult is it to get a license to buy a gun? Does it only take a clean background check, or must there be statements by members of the community that you are fine?

 

[Silvanus]

Clean background check and answering some question at a police station. "Do you have a mental illness?" "Do you take drugs or drink a lot of alcohol?" and things like that. And of course you must be 18. For handguns too, no special restrictions there.

So it takes a little time, but it's not difficult at all.

 

[croyance]

Sounds oddly liberal (in the individual rights sense) for Europe.
Given that your collection is limited to six guns (is there a way to go over this limit?) and you already have a S&W19, I'd say the HiPower is a better choice.
My answer is biased by the fact that I am not a fan of Glocks (block grip, the grip angle, the trigger), much prefer the balance and handling of a K-frame to an L-frame, and like the balance of the classic HiPower.

 

[cgv69]

Tough call, I too own both and wouldn't want to give up either but I guess if I had to pick, I would go with the FH HP. First off, sounds like you are getting a much better deal on the FN then you are the 686. Maybe it's because of you local but around here, 686's are usually cheaper then HP's. Secondly, I really like revolvers but when it comes down to it, I'm more of a pistol guy and the 9mm is my favorite round.

As far as the mag drop issue, that is being caused by the mag disconnect "feature". If you remove that "feature", your mags will release just as you have become accustomed to (and the trigger will feel much better too! )

 

[Silvanus]

Thank you all for the input, this evening I will go to the "fun"-shop again. I'll most likely buy the High-Power

But one more off-topic thing...

Given that your collection is limited to six guns

Where did you gather that? There's no limit whatsoever.