I recently bought a 696 no dash. The gun met all my expectations. It is pleasant to shoot, very accurate and carries easily for hiking or ranch work.
It shoots 200 gr. hard casts at around 850 fps very well.
I always viewed the 696 as a great platform for launching relatively heavy projectiles at moderate velocity out of a compact gun.
I have a 60-10 and find the 696 to be for the 44 spcl, what the 60-10 is for the 357 mag. Smaller easier to carry and very capable as long as you are not trying to make a grenade launcher out of it.