How easy is the Wolff upgrade spring kit to install for a "novice gunsmith"?

Should be a piece of cake. So long as you are interested you might as well know what you are doing. Order the Kunhausen (sp) book on S&W revolvers from Brownells. Pretty informational.

I put one in mine No problem if I remember..Doesnt work well with hard primers..I had to drop the hammer a couple of times on some to get them to go off..Lets you know if you have a flinch in a hurry though

Small Fish,
I'm a amateur and I didn't have any trouble replcing my old springs with after market springs from Wilson Combat. I dont have a 686 but most S&Ws have similar mechinisms.

The main spring is a cinch. Be sure to tighten the compressing screw ALL the way or you won't get a hard hit on the primer.

The return spring is a little tougher but if you go to the trouble of making a spring compressor (mine is made from a bent nail and a wood handle) it's not hard at all.

Be careful. To get to the trigger return, you've got to remove springs under compression and, if you are not careful, they will shoot all the way across a room and will be lost. Guess how I know this.

Sometimes "Pistolsmithing" (Nonte) comes up on eBay and can be had for a reasonable price. Good referance for anyone fooling with pistols and revolvers.