My Model 69 came back from the factory for barrel sleeve adjustment (it was canted and leaning, causing the shots to go left).

Looks like they improved the barrel. It’s not perfect, but at least it’s pretty darned straight. I noticed that endshake was out of spec, so I installed a .002 power custom bearing, and it’s perfect now. B/c gap is .004 with minimal end play.

This gun is now my new favorite. It handles the .44 magnum Silvertips well, which are my carry load. 210 gr. JHP @ 1250 is stout but controllable.

The perfect magnum for carry in my opinion.

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Nice. My 4" came with a different grip. It too is a nice belt holster size.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

Sent it back, and it still came back wrong. Had endshake that needed repair. This was all on a new gun???? Doesn't sound so perfect to me.

On other threads I’ve explained that I expect to have to work on any new revolver I buy. Most new S& Ws I’ve seen have problems. Getting a straight front sight and a nice trigger (this one has the best trigger I’ve felt on a new revolver) is the standard I use now.

The endshake bearings make the gun more resistant over time (since what the factory would do is stretch the yoke, which weaken it), so I’m happier with my own fix.

The front sight is straight but the barrel sleeve is still slightly ‘off’, so at this point it’s cosmetic.

It’s a great shooter.

Congratulation on your New/Enhanced M69. My favorite handgun platform. Have several of each barrel length (always worried about S&W discontinuing models). Have had both since they were originally introduced.

My current favorite is the 2 3/4". Went back over my records last night and have right at 6,000 rnds thru 3 different guns. All but a 100 (.44 special equiv) have been full .44 magnums. Mine are equipped with the Hogue 500 X frame grips (can't do wood due to conflict with the bone at the base of my thumb).

Here's my carry gun:



Been foolin' around with small red dots -- here's my range gun (still fits in the back pocket of my carharts). Raptor Eng mount and Leupold Delta Point - hate the look, love the results.



Shoot these a couple of times a week and always go home wishing I'd brought more ammo -- can't get enough of these little guns.

FWIW,

Paul

Nice gun. I was going to ask how durable these are, and it sounds like yours has stood up well with magnums.

The Wood stocks on mine are made by Badger grips, and these stocks are quite comfortable.

The red dot probably makes it very accurate. Mine runs well with the 210 grain Silvertips magnums.

Has yours had any issues with that many magnums?

Magnum double action revolvers and wood grips (at least the half dozen or so I’ve tried over the last 20 yrs) just hammer the bone at the base of my thumb. With the 500 X Frame Hogues, I can shoot pain free, so that’s what I use. Love the looks of wood but they don’t work for me on double action revolvers.

I have two of the 4 ¼” M69s (bought when they first came out in 2014). One went back to S&W for slow carry up around 6,000 rnds. This gun was shot mostly double action and about 65% 240s at 900 fps with the balance magnums. The gun’s carry up was marginal from the get go. I wasn’t getting any spitting or any other problems, but figured I’d just have S&W fix it on their dime.

My second 4 ¼” went back to S&W at approx. 2,200 rounds for binding. This was shot predominantly (80%) with magnum ammo. S&W “fixed yoke” and it has been fine since with 95% magnums (now at 4,000 rnds plus).

Both fixed on S&Ws dime including shipping both ways.

No problems to date with the three 2 ¾” guns – each have seen 2,000 +- magnum rounds.

FWIW,

Paul

Pretty sad that you've had problems and have such low expections for new guns from S&W.

I've had a new 69 with 2 3/4" barrel for a couple of months now. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I'm thinking of adding the longer barrel version to my collection the thing is so much fun to shoot.

Stu

Yes it is. A 5 shot snubby 44 magnum does not make for a lot of options. I had to bite the bullet and go with this one, being that the trigger happened to be so light a smooth. The canted barrel and endshake I expected to deal with down the road.

too bad Speer quit making their .44 magnum short barrel load. a 200 gr. .44 mag load @ 1,150 fps would be just about perfect for your 3" barrel.

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The Winchester silver tip is just a tad more than that( 210 @ 1250), which hits hard but not too hard. The 240 grain full power stuff (American Eagle) is a bit too much with the wood stocks.

What I like about the 210 grain @ 1250 is it roughly matches my 41 magnum favorite, the Speer Gold dot deep curl, which has the exact ballistics. I don’t have a 41 mag at the moment, but that combo of weight to velocity seemed perfect for serious social loads.

Life without a 41 seems too sad and empty...

That Winchester 210-gr JHP stuff is a great load.

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Shot mine yesterday for the first time. Mostly the American eagle 240 gr magnum loads. Scrubbed the skin off my trigger finger and bruised my middle finger knuckle. Lots of fun though. Wife told me to sell it soon as she saw my banged up hand, my reply was "nahhhh." When I get my bench up and running I'll be making some hot specials/light magnums and save the heavy stuff for once in awhile.

I have the 4.25 inch 69 and it is a great 44. Love the L frame package. Easy to pack, easy to shoot.

The gun/ammo combo that had Hickok45 hoping that he had fired 5 and not 4, LOL.
I load 200 gr to 1100 fps (book data not chrono'd) as my maximum. Full power 44 I shoot in a rifle.

.....yes, darkness and chaos....it's so hard to find a decent 351PD these days!!!

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

Speaking of new guns, I have a 629-6 Classic that I got about 4 months ago and have put a mixture of over 500 special and magnums through it without any problems. It came with a smooth single and double action trigger pull which averaged 3.5lb SA and 11lb DA. If I wanted to call it a problem, the internal lock is hard to lock but it doesn't matter because I don't use it anyway.

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Ed