Fellow 696 owners

[DGNY]

Good discussion. My 696ND will not fully chamber any of the following: 180 grain Samson; 240 grain American Eagle, Blazer aluminum, MAGTECH; 300 grain Hornady. Actually the 300 grain was closest to chambering and cylinder closing. Ouch. No handloads in easy reach.

As so many have stated, the forcing cone is minimal, and it would be a shame to compromise such an otherwise neat, highly regarded iteration of 44 Special.

 

[Grayfox]

Out of curiosity I got my 696 out and tried it. I don't have any factory .44 magnums, but my reloads did not fit.

Did you buy your 696 new or used? If used, it is possible the previous owner reamed they cylinder.

 

[tackdrvr]

thanks everyone

Thanks to everyone who took time to read and or reply. In response to the question of the pedigree on my 696, I purchased it used from an individual. So, I have no way of knowing what work if any might have been done to it. I did go back over the last several days and experimented some more;

From a new box of Hornady 240gr XTP bullets, all but one of the twenty in the box will chamber and work freely in my 696. The one that won't chamber has a bullet not seated as deeply as the rest. Poor QC I suppose.

From a partial box of factory Fiocchi 240gr XTPHP, all thirty of them would chamber and work fine.

From a partial box of factory Winchester 240gr JSP, I got a mixed bag. Some would chamber, some would chamber but not work freely in a gun and a few didn't fit at all.

Form a full box of Federal American Eagle 240gr JHP NONE would chamber.

Anyway, that is what I have discovered. Thanks, everyone.

 

[BillBro]

Mine is a no- as well and will not close on a mag round, looks like it will, actually scared me for a minute, but it wont close.

 

[Retired W4]

I never really considered the 696 until reading this thread. The photos provided by BLUEDOT37 made me curious as to the strength of that model, especially in light of the description in SCSW "stout enough to handle +P ammunition", whatever that means. Still, a 3" 44 special L frame is intriguing. Not to mention the girl who sold me her 629-5 Defensive is hinting she wants to buy it back.

 

[steelslaver]

I suspect it is a case of the 696 chambers being a bit on the long side and 44mag rounds that have a heavy crimp. With my 696 no dash the factory 44 I had went in far enough there was ,more like .06 space under the rims than .12. A 44 mag NOMINAL length id 1.285 and a 44 special is 1.162. ( NOMINAL difference of .123. (1/8'-) Add .062 (1/16") to the camber and subtract .062 from the mag case and in it goes

From the other post of 696 owners on how close to closing on 44 mags it is obvious S&W cut slightly deep chambers in them. I volunteer to take any for disposal if their owners are too worried about it