I got my hands on a friends Model 69 today. I put about 40 rounds through it. I really liked it. Only 10 rounds of these were full house magnum level reloads. The recoil of these was fairly sharp but not unpleasant. However it is not something you would want to shoot all day. The rest were 1000fps reloads with 240 grain cast bullets. These were a pure pleasure to shoot and no problem at all handling the recoil. All the shooting was at 15 yards offhand. Everything we put through it seemed to be more than acceptably accurate.

Bottom line for me is now I have got to have one of my own. Now I have to see what goes on the trading block.

While the stock rubber grips perform remarkably well, the Hogue X-frame (500 or 460) grips make it that much better.

I can't say enough nice things about this gun. S&W got it right with this combination.

It seems just about everyone who tries one, wants one sooner or later.

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John 3:16 .

Still waiting on the 3".

I love mine!

It's a great weapon. I have only put about 400 rounds of .44spl through mine so far. Very accurate gun.

Had mine little over a month now and it is a keeper!

After I got my NM 66, my younger brother got the 69 twin. It's an absolute hoot with 44 Specials, and not terrible at all with mags. Both are keepers!

I've had mine for about 6 months now. Put the 500 grips on it and carry it river fishing (2 bird shot, 3- 200JHP), we have some water mocs around you see. It's now one of my favorite weapons. Probably have 300 rounds thru it and will keep it forever.

Me too! Assuming S&W ever produces one.

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Detective Cobras Agents Oh My!

I had mine back to the range today, shooting 44 Specials and just confirmed what I had found out last time.

Man, what a fun gun to shoot. I just have a hard time stopping my wife from shooting up all my ammo.

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John 3:16 .

I let the wife shoot my 69 our last trip out.she got 2 rounds out before she handed it back to me.

If she was shooting full house loads I can certainly understand why and even if not the recoil is sharper so some understandably will not like it. At the same time I was trying the 69 my buddy got out his 329 and we shot it too. It was not bad at all with the low powered cast loads but when I tried it with 240 jacketed full house loads two shots and I was done. I have only been shooting 44 magnums for over 40 years so I am not a newb when it comes to 44 recoil. FYI I feel the same way about 454 Casull and 460 S&W I have tried. Great for those that like them but not me.

I still want a 69 and at some point one will show up here. Just a question of when.

Glad you are happy with it, but I think everyone labeling it a "great weapon" will depend upon shooting 44 Magnum as well. The gun has my attention, because its scale makes it something I could carry, as I have with a 4" 686 and similar Rossi 971VRC. That would be colder weather though. Even then I am not likely to carry full power ammo. Somewhere near the starting load works best for me, and I shoot really well with it. I don't know how I would manage without reloading my own.

True. I do need to get out and put some magnums thru it soon!

Since Simth & Wesson came out with the 44mag on the
L frame with a 5 shot cylinder , I can't wait for them to
come out with a 2.5" and a 4" in .41 magnum!
I think this caliber and frame size is ideal. Recoil less than the 44 , but twice the power of the 357 and in a compact size for easy carry in the shorter barrel size.

Me too. It would be an awesome carry gun. Are you listening S&W?

I got mine last Christmas and pretty much agree with the positive comments. It's a hoot to shoot. My wife also shoots it, but like the rest of us (including me) she finds it a hand full with full power loads. We practice with 44 spl and 44 mag reloads. It has been my experience that when the situation arises that you need to stop a varmint (whether 2 legged or 4) you won't feel the recoil. To the OP, ya gotta get one of them.

I have had mine for about 10 or 11 months. Doesn't have much of a round count yet. Changed the grips to the larger 500 grips and while I liked the feel of the factory grips better, I like the shooting of the larger, softer 500s better. I also agree that while shooting the full house magnum loads gets over being fun a lot faster than shooting specials, the magnum loads are manageable. Put me down as a future owner of the same platform if they ever come out with a 41..

Exactly what I am thinking. I have already put a seldom used gun on gunbroker to start the process

The 69 is a great blend of power and portability and it would have to be my choice for a one gun battery. Favorite load for this weapon is a 240 gr cast backed by 15 gr of AA#7. Gives me that hand stinging 44 mag experience but I can still be very accurate with it.
There are verified black bear sightings in my area so there is actually an excuse to carry this thing when traipsing through the woods.

I carried a 44 Mag on duty as a Trooper in the 70's great for dispatching horses deer etc at AA's (scared the hell out of the rubber neck-ers when it went Kaboom) but one day it dawned on me that if I touched it off inside a building or vehicle I'd be deaf for 12 hrs which could be a big deficit in a continuing gun battle especially in no or low light conditions where your hearing was needed.....I went back to .357

I've thought about that some, myself. In a car, my 4-1/4" .44mag WOULD really hurt. But I imagine a .357 would be pretty bad also. And my 10mm 1911 would be pretty awful too. I think I'm just not going to worry about it ... nothing I want to shoot would be nice inside a car. I can't ever get past the thought of a 250 lb drugged-out bad guy closing on me, and I'm asked "what caliber would you like to shoot now?" ... I KNOW my answer at that instant would always be, "I want to shoot the most powerful cartridge I can have."

I have purchased 2 Model 69s and still have one. I love both of them, sold one to an old cop buddy of mine when he couldn't find one for his daughter who was moving to Alaska.

Both of them great shooters and I have 5-600 rounds through mine at hot 44 Special loads and about 100 Magnum rounds. The old N Frame 44s sit home and this is the one that is now my constant woods gun.

I really like my old Model 29 4 inch and it is not to much to carry in my Alaskan Guide Holster but I sure don't want to put any more wear on it because literally they don't make them like that anymore. After trying the 69 it feels just like my 686SSR in the holster and I carry it a lot. I think when I get the 69 it will be with me all the time because I really like the 44's.

I have been lusting for the 69 ever since I became aware of them. I made the plunge yesterday at my favorite dealer trading in a never shot pistol. Now the 10 day wait will seem like a year but I can't wait to put some rounds through it.

They shoot good too. 5 rounds 20 yards offhand. The flyer is mine.

Well I sold my gun on Gunbroker so I am in the running for a 69 soon. Just as quick as I get the money and all settled I will start shopping.

Which state has a ten-day wait? Colorado has no waiting period, and I THINK that's true of most states, isn't it? My condolences.

Cali****ingornia thats which one.

I purchased a 69 two weeks ago and shot a 100 rounds of 44 special on Friday. Shoots tight groups out to 25 yards.

The revolver appears to have a slightly canted barrel/shroud. I had to adjust the rear sight as far as it would move to the right to get the groups centered and the ball/detent doesn't lock up. I felt so good about finding one for sale locally, I purchased it without a thorough enough examination.

I spoke to Smith and Wesson Customer service a few minutes before closing time on Friday, and they sent me a return shipping label.

I'm hoping any problems will be corrected within the next few weeks. The 69 fits my small hands better and groups tighter than my 629 Mountain Gun.

I need to pay more attention in the future before I open my wallet.

Sorry. Do you live in one of the more rural counties where you have a chance of getting a CCW? Ironically, California CCW (IF you can get one) doesn't exclude K-12 schools, like Colorado does ... in all other respects, Colorado's CCW laws are better than most other states, although the libs here are trying hard to change that ... thank goodness for the previous Republican administrations, before Colorado went blue.

I live in Northern California, the REAL northern Ca, north of Lake Tahoe. My wife and I both need to get our CCW but there is still a 10 day waiting period. I believe the only exception is for LE. No instant background in this effed up state.

I love my 69.

So I picked up a new 69 today, and the shroud is so loose it will rotate a good 1/8 or 3/16ths from side to side. Anyone else had this issue (my search fu is poor evidently)? It's clearly a return, but it was too late to call CS this afternoon. My first Smith that's been bad from the factory.

Sounds like their quality control and pre-shipping inspections have really gotten poor. Something is definitely wrong there. Thank goodness their customer service is good, and their emphasis on standing behind their products is still apparently intact.

1. Smith & Wesson should not be shipping guns in this condition.

2. Customers should not be taking delivery of guns in this condition.

3. If Number 2 is not followed, just call S&W. No need to post ANOTHER "my ****** new gun" post. We're all tired of reading them.

4. I'm going to go take a Midol. Ugh.

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Centennial Every Day

I actually wasn't posting a "my ****** new gun". One, I've worked in manufacturing, so I know @#$# happens. Two, I know Smith will replace this gun no problem.Three, I own a bunch of S&W's and the ones I've bought new have all been perfect out of the box, including the newer ones (and I'd buy another today, no problem). So I was surprised is all and I thought maybe I'd ask the forum if this was common now. And this was partially my bad: I didn't do a proper pre-purchase inspection. I'm just shocked it made it through inspection/test firing. I will say, with the cylinder locked, the problem wasn't as immediately noticeable, I didn't notice until I was going through my box of speedloaders looking for one that fit. The only thing I'm bummed about is the this looks like a frame replacement to me (the tab is really deformed) and so I'll have to wait 40 something days to pick up the new one if they replace it (Ca., one handgun every 30 days, plus 11 day wait).

I'm not tired of reading them. I think it's valuable information. Something is seriously wrong at S&W, and I hope they clean up their act soon.

Come back when you have 4000+ posts and you'll see what I mean.

When a company makes thousands of revolvers every year, there will be some bad ones. Nobody is perfect. Unfortunately, it's the one in a thousand that brings home the bad one, signs up for the Forum and spends the next 20 posts complaining. It gets old...

Now, in order to respect the original post, I will drop the subject.

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Centennial Every Day

Had one of mine out yesterday. Still can't believe how well these guns handle recoil with the X frame 500 Hogues. The L Frame just works for me. Fairly high round count on both with no problems to date.

Paul

Maybe he reads a lot and doesn't post much, since he's been here longer than you have...



I echo Paul105's comment above about the M69 with the Hogue 500 grips. They make Magnum loads almost comfortable to shoot.


Almost.

I bought my first three revolvers before I ever heard the term "canted barrel." I was under the impression that revolvers were perfect examples of craftsmanship, and they never have any sort of malfunctions like those 'temperamental' semi-autos. Thanks to people "complaining" about these issues, I am now aware of what to look for when buying a new (or used) revolver.

Maybe, just maybe, when these types of threads are no longer created, it will be a sign S&W has gotten their act together.

LOL. Maybe he's not a full of hot air like I am.

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Centennial Every Day

My 69 if out getting a trigger job! Should be back soon. I hope so!

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S&W M60-15 Pro 3", M69 2.7"

After I took my buddies 69 for a test drive I knew I had to have one. I sold a rifle and started shopping for a 69. My LGS did not have one nor could he find any with his suppliers so I went on Gunbroker and managed to win an auction on a used 69 that had been used so little it did not even have a turn ring. Got all the new goodies in the box. If this revolver had been shot I bet it was not even a cylinder full. I won the auction at $600.00 and I think I got a great deal. It shoots real good with my standby cast bullet load and to point of aim at 15yards. No issues with this revolver. No canted barrel jacket, fairly good trigger right out of the box, Everything looks just like it is supposed to. Just what I expect from S&W. I am sure looking forward to shooting it a lot more in the days ahead.

Awesome,glad to hear you got one!

Shot it today and fine tuned the sights for my full house jacketed magnum loads. Only a little sight adjustment needed and it shot great groups at 15 yards. Recoil is there but not really to much. I like this revolver more each time I shoot it. S&W has hit a home run with the L frame 44 IMO.

Smart buy two dog...I buy used too. Let the first guy get all the bugs and glitches , take the depreciation..A little turn line means the parts are working well inside..Same great S&W "FOREVER" warrenty

I got to test drive my 69 today. The weather here has been iffy but today was good. She is surprisingly tame with 44 Specials and not bad with factory magnum 240's. I was pleasantly surprised.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1447729289.530855.jpg

This is 15yards or so.