tx gun runner

Both guns are 5 shot and made on the S&W L frame

Model 69 is a 44 mag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwD2oOAc1Z8

Model 696 is 44 specal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDaO7ewdFpM

north country gal

I like it. It comes in lighter than a Ruger Redhawk with the same barrel length or even a Ruger GP-100. Also like the fact that S&W had the good sense to keep the barrel length at 4.25". If you're going to bother with the 44 mag, might as well get enough barrel length to take advantage of it. It's one of my biggest criticisms with the Ruger Alaskan.

RetiredSeabee

The .44 special is interesting. I wonder about availability of the ammo.

rman43

Someone please send me one of each! I like them a lot, but ain't got no monies.

44s Rock

+1

rman43

I see S&W just announced 8 new double action revolvers.

Two different Performance Center 9x19mm's - 6.5" with a compensator and a 5"
A 5 shot 4.5" .44 Mag based on the L Frame
A 3.5" .460 S&W Mag (That should be a handful)
Re-introduced the M66 .357 Mag K Frame
A Performance Center 8.375" .44 Mag
A 2.5" Performance Center 586 .357 Mag
A 2.5" Governor - .410, .45 Colt, .45 ACP

I wouldn't mind having the 66 and the 69 (4.5") 5 shot .44 Mag.

moakes58

They have a write-up in the latest Guns & Ammo & I really liked them till I saw the price.
I bet that 2.5" barrel Gov. kicks also.

swon

I am so glad that I got over my revovler stage, long ago. Sheesh. Do you know how often Miculek has to have his revovlers re-timed? He used to keep several sets of all of them that he used, with one set constantly at the factory, getting worked-over.

tx gun runner

Jerry is a gunsmith and works on his own guns for his matches . I don't think Jerry lets S&W do any work on his match guns .

Machinist

And Cooper said any top level competitor would have one 1911 in the shop while using another. No gun will stand up to that kind of use without tuning. Except Kel-tecs of course. They are so good you don't even need to prove them. Only the very best know this secret.

RetiredSeabee

Yeah that old revolver technology that has worked so well for so long can't possibly be any good.
( for those of you who are not Mall Ninjas that was sarcasm)

Machinist

Let's be fair now. Only the Mall Ninja and Jerry, on his best days, can shoot a revolver with such blinding speed as to stress them that much. Us mortals shoot slower and don't brake so many parts. Mall Ninja has the sixth cylinder firing while the third bullet is just leaving the barrel. That would be a 16 grain bullet at mach 7 of course. You don't have to hit with it, at 100 yards the shock wave stuns you unconscious if it passes within 4 feet..

44s Rock

Not to mention a 12# trigger, don't think I want to shake hands with him!

daytime dave

I have a 696. It is a great carry gun. It is one of my favorite guns to shoot. It's about like shooting a .38 special with the heavier L frame. The .44 special is a pretty good round for what it want it to do too.

I see they now have an L frame .44 mag. I'm going to look at that one long and hard.

Machinist

I had a 696 but ended up trading it off after some years without ever shooting it. The three inch barrel just did not seem to match the L frame and adjustable sights. With a longer barrel it would have been a great holster gun or with fixed sights it might have been better suited to concealed carry. When I ordered it it seemed like a years long dream come true as I had wanted a medium frame .44 Special for decades, but it just didn't seem to have a proper role.

I was hot for the Mod 69 but I have a Mod 60 .357 Magnum with 5" barrel and it has the same type of barrel and action parts. I am fine with the barrel type but I have had two failures of the cast action parts and so no new S&W revolvers for me. I will stay with the older ones. It is a shame.

I will not buy a new Ruger for the same reason, bad quality control or engineering on the newer ones. Too many bad guns.

tx gun runner

The model 69 S&W was a dream gun for over 40 yrs . A 44 mag on a S&W med frame to fit my small hand to shoot DA and only 5 shot for a easy carry hunting backup gun . I keep telling myself I'm down sizing NO NEW GUNS .

Mac .... buy a older 696 357 for a donor gun and swap the parts .

north country gal

Me, too, but no one takes me, seriously.

north country gal

Mac, not sure how old those S&W guns were that failed on you, but S&W now uses MIM hammers, triggers and other action parts. MIM parts, of course, are controversial, but I do think the quality control is better with MIM parts and, of course, the tolerances, too. Have had zero problems with the new guns as far as failures or lack of quality control. Can't say the same for new Ruger revolvers.

Machinist

NCG, this was a new one a few years ago with the two piece barrel. I have not had a problem with the earlier sintered type parts other than not being suitable for action work but the Mod 60 parts looked cast and are not as robust. The L frame 69 and 66 may be better. I have not had a chance to check one out. The Mod 60 first had a piece break off the hammer and tie it up. I removed it and cleaned up the break and it seemed to work fine. Then recently the hand that rotates the cylinder came loose from the trigger and keeps sliding out and jamming against the side of the frame. I may get it fixed but would just sell it then. I could not rely on it.

Love the older guns. Probably stay with those. I have enough, unless I run across a 6" Mod 19.

Or a nice L frame .357 in 4".

Or.....

north country gal

Not sure when S&W moved to the MIM parts, but my 90s guns have the cast parts.

Oh, yeah, there's always another Smith out there, waiting for us to buy. Good grief, though, the pre lock stuff is getting very pricey.