engraved 696
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- Start date
peyton
US Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2006
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First, welcome to the forum!! That is a good engraving job, not to gaudy. I have a 696 and been deployed so much I have not fired it yet. I think you'll enjoy it, just be prepared for the cost of the ammo!! Can you tell us more on how you acquired it? We like stories, also are you going to leave the previous owners name on it? Or did you have it engraved after you got it?
Walked into LGS and an estate had just been turned in. Owner showed me this one. Had previous owners name on it. I made a low offer and Store owner said OK. I am leaving name. I think he was a judge. 696 had been very neglected, I polished her up and looks pretty good now.I have had Colts, Rugers and S&Ws in the past. I think I will keep this one. Will provide range report when done.By the way, 600.00, did I do allright?
s&wchad
Staff member
Congratulations, I think you did very well on the price.
Traditional engraving is done by hand and factory work increases the price of the gun by several thousand dollars and up, depending on the level of engraving.
I believe you gun was "Laser Engraved", a process performed by automated machinery. I've attached several photos of the brochure that S&W included with new guns.
The Spec Ord code on the end label doesn't necessarily mean that specific guns was special ordered "up front", it very well may have been a standard production gun that was returned to the factory to have the work performed. Your gun was made in the late 1990's (+/- several years) and the typical end label had a number in the Spec Ord field that was a Julian style date code where the first digit represent the last character of the year and the next three digits represent the chronological day. For a 696 or any model made during that time period, a Spec Ord code of 9123 would represent the 123rd day in 1999.
Traditional engraving is done by hand and factory work increases the price of the gun by several thousand dollars and up, depending on the level of engraving.
I believe you gun was "Laser Engraved", a process performed by automated machinery. I've attached several photos of the brochure that S&W included with new guns.
The Spec Ord code on the end label doesn't necessarily mean that specific guns was special ordered "up front", it very well may have been a standard production gun that was returned to the factory to have the work performed. Your gun was made in the late 1990's (+/- several years) and the typical end label had a number in the Spec Ord field that was a Julian style date code where the first digit represent the last character of the year and the next three digits represent the chronological day. For a 696 or any model made during that time period, a Spec Ord code of 9123 would represent the 123rd day in 1999.
Stainz
Member
Some Ahrends cocobolo square-conversion or retro-target grips would help dress your 696 up. Here is my 696-1 so gripped:
Those grips are fine for normal .44 S&W Special fare - stay away from 'Keith' level (+P) loads. The CCI Blazers/Speer 200gr Gold Dots are perfect for protection. Georgia Arms loads that bullet similarly in new brass at a good price- their lead loads in that caliber are fine, too. I reload, so .44 Russians are fun in mine, too.
Congratulations and welcome to S&W!
Stainz
PS Mine was less... $439 new - a decade ago! I wouldn't sell it for $800!
Those grips are fine for normal .44 S&W Special fare - stay away from 'Keith' level (+P) loads. The CCI Blazers/Speer 200gr Gold Dots are perfect for protection. Georgia Arms loads that bullet similarly in new brass at a good price- their lead loads in that caliber are fine, too. I reload, so .44 Russians are fun in mine, too.
Congratulations and welcome to S&W!
Stainz
PS Mine was less... $439 new - a decade ago! I wouldn't sell it for $800!
