M696

[Sportsterguy]

Don't do it!

I have a friend in Alaska, he is a bear guide.

he has the 5 shot S&W 44 Special and carries it for a backu.

He loads the 44 Special with 300+grain bullets to 44 Mag levels.

He said "The cylinder of the 5 shot 44 Special is thicker in every dimension vs the 44 Mags."

The gun is smaller, and handier than a 44 Mag Mountain Revolver.

He has shot it a little bit with his loads, and said, it did not blow up, so it should work when I shoot the next five[ meaning at an attacking bear].

He does practice with lighter loads.

His revolver looked OK, to me, was tight in all the right places.

I checked his "cylinder theory" against the 44 Mag Mountain Gun I was carrying, and must admit the 44 Special cylinder did have more steel all round.

I just wonder about the actual heat treatment between them???

I think your friend is asking for a potentially dangerous if not fatal accident shooting them loads through that revolver. If he wants to shoot full .44 mags he should buy a .44 mag that was designed / engineered to take the much higher pressures of the .44 mag round rather than risk blowing that revolver all to to h---!

JMO

 

[Bullseye Smith]

Ulrich,
I enjoy shooting my S&W 696 with mild loads using Trail Boss and the 240 gr. LSWC at ca 650 to 700 fps.
Tony

+1

 

[Pappy1911]

I have a 696, no dash.

I did notice the thin forcing cone and made of a SS ring to fit snuggly around it. Every little bit helps.

Question; did the dash models have a thicker forcing cone??

I shoot 7.4 Unique/205 cast.

 

[Spotteddog]

While I can't swear to it Pappy, I tend to doubt it?
The L frame's window dimensions didn't change due to hammer/frame mounted firing pins, or MiM internal changes.

 

[peyton]

I wonder how the 396 night guard is doing with it's forcing cone?? I did not know if they thickened the forcing cone area to keep cracks from occurring?