CT.
I consider myself more of a shooter than collector. From that perspective.
I had one and sold it within a month. I have a serious dislike for the gun.
It is a poorly thought out engineering disaster.
It has one positive quality and that is, it shoots the .44 Special. Plus 1
It has a thin walled L frame barrel bored out to .44 caliber. Minus 1
It has a reduced capacity L Frame cylinder bored out to .44 caliber. Minus 2
It has a round butt K frame grip on it. Minus 2
It has an over inflated price on it. Minus 1
If you add up the plus and the minus count, it is not a good gun for a shooter.
When that gun came out , stores could not sell them to shooters. They quit making them because no one was buying them. They were a marketing Dud. Now that they are scarce, Collectors have started a price war over them, but only for their collectors value.
As a shooting gun, it is funny. It starts out with a big hole in the muzzle and as you move to the rear the gun keeps getting smaller. You end up with grips that are more appropriate on a 38 snubbie.
It is factory Bubbatized Frankengun.
You can buy a 4 inch 624 for 60-75% of the price of 696. A 624 is N frame from the front to the rear. Wonderful engineering.
There are many folks that like them. That is good. I am one of a few that does not. This is AMERICA, I get a choice.
I consider the 696 to be a good ladies purse gun, if it is not loaded with hot ammo.
Bill@Yuma