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Old 08-05-2011, 12:37 PM
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Stainz Stainz is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Pinson, AL
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I bought a 296 & 696, both new, over 8.5 yr ago. The 696 is a fun plinker - but a 4" 629 weighs only 6 oz more - and is likely cheaper and much easier to find, not to mention much more capable. Still, the original 296/396 - with their Ti cylinder - made a lite weight .44 Special possible. My 296 - in a Mika pocket holster - is a bit larger than my 642 so-carried - but it is viable in many of my pants' pockets. When woods bumming, I carry a 240gr LSWC first, followed by four 200 gr Gold Dots loaded by GA Arms, in that holster in my pocket. For normal urban carry, they are all GD's. They barely break 800 fps from the 2.5" barrel - make 830+ from the 696's 3" (... and, likely, from the 396, too.). The recoil is substantial in the OEM boots - a requirement for pocket carry. If it's in an OWB holster, even the recoil absorbing '.500 Magnum Hogues' will fit any of the L-frame .44's!



Yeah, my 296 looks silly so gripped - even if it is a lot less uncomfortable to shoot those brass-cased 200gr Gold Dots with so-gripped. I expect the similar original 396 would behave similarly, while the now no-longer-available 396 Night Guard, weighing 5+ oz more due to the black SS cylinder in place of the original models' Ti, likely recoils a bit less. It was up to an MSRP of $1,079 in the '09 S&W catalog. If you want it to plink with, get a 4" 629... to CC, get a 329NG. They are fine '.44 Special' revolvers... with a bit more power capability, too.

Stainz
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