On this forum years ago a gentleman from Alaska commented on his plan to use Keith 44 special loads in his newly acquired 696. He was warned, but proceeded anyway. He reported he cracked his forcing cone. Not a common occurrence, but the 696's forcing cone is not up to those type of heavy loads. Not a common experience imo.
More recently (am old could have been a decade ago) a gunwriter for handloader wrote up a comprehensive article for handloading 44 special. He put the 696 into the heavy load capable category due to some pressure testing. He later revised that,dropping the 696 from the heavy load capable category, after consultation with S&W. Pressure testing is not equivalent to force testing.
The 696 is a great revolver, which puts 45 acp power into a compact revolver. Use mine with 200 gn loads at moderate velocity's. Like 900 fps for 200 gd, 1050 fps with 180 jhp and 800 fps with 200 lrnfp. It likely can withstand a little more, but am not pushing it. Bought 3 of them before they got popular for about $350 apiece. Have 2 left.
Yes you can now get a 44 mag in a L-frame, and it has a considerably strengthened forcing cone.
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