I accept the new and old for what they are. Better? That is a relative term.

My 69 is a very nice revolver. It seems to like any handload I make for it and is super accurate. Is the two piece barrel more accurate? I don’t know. But it’s not exactly a new design and there are plenty who think so.

I bought it for a woods carry gun, a role in which it really shines. I’ve worked up some nice magnum loads for it with 2400, but nothing that isn’t books. Those are my woods loads. Most of the time I feed it loads that are in that great void between special and magnum. It’s a happy place.

This is my first and only 44 and at this point I could not be satisfied with a 44spl. It just wouldn’t have a purpose in my world.

Now I just need to figure out how Paul trimmed that X frame grip down without butchering it like I did the last one.