Model 69 44 mag

[Charles Schwab]

Hi,

I going to buy a Model 69 but are unable to actually get my hands on either to compare their feel and weight, 2.75" vs 4.25", at any gun shop or gun show in the Seattle Area.

Use: I am a fly fisherman and hiker. The guns only use will be for protection from bears and other attacking critters when in the wilderness when bear spray doesn't work. Otherwise, it will sit in my gun safe. Since I fly fish and wear waders, I will carry it on my chest with a chest holster. I will practice with 44 special rounds but carry 44 mag rounds when fishing and hiking.

Question: Since its primary use will be for last-second survival, within 15 to 20 yards, what would be my best choice. The 2.75 in or 4.25 in barrel. I guess what I'm asking is which has the least amount of recoil to recover for a second shot.

Thank You for your insight
Charles

 

[BLUEDOT37]

You'll pick-up 3oz. of extra weight with the 4-1/4" bbl. version (34oz -vs- 37oz).

A 5" 629 Classic weighs 43oz.

When the 2-3/4" came out it got a better crane lock-up arrangement (IMO) than the 4-1/4" had at the time.

Don't know why the later 4-1/4"s wouldn't have gotten it too but don't know for sure.

The L-frame 44 does a surprisingly good job handling recoil but if you're recoil sensitive the heavier the better.

.

.

 

[ejr10mm]

I have the shorter barrel one that I take camping. Went short for the handy size. The website still shows both barrel lengths.

 

[shocker]

I'd say 4.25. I've owned and shot both lengths.
I think the long barrel is noticeably better at taming the recoil of a full 44 Magnum load. 2nd shot will be faster.

Digressing... I'm a fan of the 69 and 44 Magnum. But I'd be really tempted to carry a polymer 10 mm instead. Digression over.

 

[Frank Black]

I'd say 4.25. I've owned and shot both lengths.
I think the long barrel is noticeably better at taming the recoil of a full 44 Magnum load. 2nd shot will be faster.
Digressing... I'm a fan of the 69 and 44 Magnum. But I'd be really tempted to carry a polymer 10 mm instead. Digression over.

Yep.

Veterans of excursions into bear country are ditching the low capacity 'boat-anchor' wheelguns for 10mm Gen4 G20s, or more recently Glock's long-slide 10mm G40. Both are seen being carried in chest holsters by guides, fishermen, and hunters (the latter as a backup to their rifle).

All that said, the OP's better choice here is the 4.25" model. Not for sight radius, which is irrelevant at the close distances within which bears charge humans, but in order to retain the velocity & energy behind the magnum's bullet.

Velocity, and thus down-range 'impact' energy, drops off very sharply in sub-4" barrel, especially in the mega-magnum-type wheelgun calibers (.454). They need longer barrels (4"-6") to allow the powder capacity of the magnum case to work the bullet to magnum velocities. Going short (2.5" or 3") defeats the point of carrying a magnum revolver, which is to stop an enraged 4-legged critter before it can claw, bite, or (with Moose) stomp you to death.

I'd rather carry the 4.6" Gen4 G20 loaded 15+1 with a hot and heavy 220gn hardcast load (@ 1250fps), such as Buffalo Bore, Underwood, or Double Tap offer. With that load, the 6.2" G40 is just 'mo' better.'

 

[__steve__]

It seems the only way to really know would be to try both using the loads intending for bear and practice 5 or 6 shots in 7-8 seconds at 15 yards to see if there's a significant difference in accuracy.

 

[Horseapple]

With a bear about to chew on you barrel length and weight off a weapon mean nothing. Get what ever you wish as the odds on an attack are very long.

 

[cmj8591]

You should hire me to go fishing with you and I will carry the 12ga shotgun and make sure no bears eat you! If the salary is right, I will also make suggestions as to fly selection. I like the 3".

 

[dogdoc]

4 inch still listed

 

[Hair Trigger]

Hi,

I going to buy a Model 69 but are unable to actually get my hands on either to compare their feel and weight, 2.75" vs 4.25", at any gun shop or gun show in the Seattle Area.

Use: I am a fly fisherman and hiker. The guns only use will be for protection from bears and other attacking critters when in the wilderness when bear spray doesn't work. Otherwise, it will sit in my gun safe. Since I fly fish and wear waders, I will carry it on my chest with a chest holster. I will practice with 44 special rounds but carry 44 mag rounds when fishing and hiking.

Question: Since its primary use will be for last-second survival, within 15 to 20 yards, what would be my best choice. The 2.75 in or 4.25 in barrel. I guess what I'm asking is which has the least amount of recoil to recover for a second shot.

Thank You for your insight
Charles

I agree with the others who say rather to get a 10mm semiauto for the use you state. Whether it's a high capacity G20 or something in a 1911, you get more than 6 rounds before a reload, and they will be lighter. The Glock would present less maintenance from the wet, and have the larger capacity, but the 1911 will pack flatter. You'd get 8 rounds from a 1911 in 10mm. Both would be less expensive than a M69 or M629.

 

[rjroberts]

My suggestion is the 69 2 3/4". I have one and love it: Easy carry and good balance. While reading your question, I took my 69 and just laid it on my chest as with a chest holster. Good fit. I think a 4" might be too long unless in a shoulder holster, or the old Navy style aircrew/pilot holster. If I wanted to use a shoulder holster, I'd carry my 6 1/2" 626, ignoring the weight issue just for the example.

Also, as a suggestion, given your application, is to use Bianchi speed strips which will carry more compactly than a speed loader.

Experimenting with holsters, that 69 fits me IWB comfortably, even more comfortable than my M&P 9.

 

[Charles Schwab]

Yep.

Veterans of excursions into bear country are ditching the low capacity 'boat-anchor' wheelguns for 10mm Gen4 G20s, or more recently Glock's long-slide 10mm G40. Both are seen being carried in chest holsters by guides, fishermen, and hunters (the latter as a backup to their rifle).

All that said, the OP's better choice here is the 4.25" model. Not for sight radius, which is irrelevant at the close distances within which bears charge humans, but in order to retain the velocity & energy behind the magnum's bullet.

Velocity, and thus down-range 'impact' energy, drops off very sharply in sub-4" barrel, especially in the mega-magnum-type wheelgun calibers (.454). They need longer barrels (4"-6") to allow the powder capacity of the magnum case to work the bullet to magnum velocities. Going short (2.5" or 3") defeats the point of carrying a magnum revolver, which is to stop an enraged 4-legged critter before it can claw, bite, or (with Moose) stomp you to death.

I'd rather carry the 4.6" Gen4 G20 loaded 15+1 with a hot and heavy 220gn hardcast load (@ 1250fps), such as Buffalo Bore, Underwood, or Double Tap offer. With that load, the 6.2" G40 is just 'mo' better.'

Any concerns with jams on the semi-auto G10????

 

[cmj8591]

You should consider the Glock. With a Glock, you won't feel so bad if you drop it in the water and loose it while you're fishing!

 

[ejr10mm]

I have a Glock 20sf and it is picky with ammo. It is also a large frame Glock and feels like the grip is modeled after a 2x4. I also have a sig p220 in 10mm that gobbles it all up. Im partial to my M69.

 

[Charles Schwab]

You should hire me to go fishing with you and I will carry the 12ga shotgun and make sure no bears eat you! If the salary is right, I will also make suggestions as to fly selection. I like the 3".

I have in the past carried a Mossberg 590 Shockwave Pump 20 Gauge with 00/000 shells. With an over-the-shoulder strap just clumsy to be effective.

 

[Frank Black]

Any concerns of possible jams with a semi auto????

Not in my experience with the poly-coated 200gn/220gn HC boolits.

The poly-coating makes these HC slugs 'slick' to feed up the ramp, and imparts the additional benefit of not leading up the Glock's polygonal barrel.

Shop around, but I believe Underwood offers coated HC ammo in 10mm.

Plus, his velocities are real 10mm velocities, not watered-down .40-level junk loads.

 

[Shuz]

I have both bbl lengths, a d both wear Hogue x frame Smith grjps to tame the recoil. For your stated purpose, I suggest the shorter bbl.
Easier to get out of any holster.

 

[Paul105]

Have both, would be happy with either, prefer the 2 3/4".

Not a glock hater, have a couple including the G20 -- not my first choice for several reasons -- not the least of which, is that I've had function problems with heavy, hard cast lead bullets in the G20. If going that route, the Cutting Edge 190gr WFN solid handloaded would be my choice.

2018 Grizzly Incident

"Investigators found the Glock and its magazine in different locations, Hovinga told WyoFile. The evidence raised speculation that Chubon might have pushed the magazine release button below the trigger guard thinking it was a safety switch.

“In the process of trying to manipulate [it], we think he dropped the magazine, or it wasn’t engaged and it fell out when he picked [the pistol] up,” Hovinga said."

10mm Glock 'fully functional' in fatal grizzly attack | WyoFile

FWIW,

Paul

 

[Frank Black]

I have a Glock 20sf and it is picky with ammo. It is also a large frame Glock and feels like the grip is modeled after a 2x4. I also have a sig p220 in 10mm that gobbles it all up. Im partial to my M69.

I have the Sig 10mm Match Elite, the DA/SA 5" model with the SigLite night sights. Great gun, great trigger, and very accurate.

That said, being an 8+1 single-stack and heavy, it's just another low-capacity boat anchor that happens to be a semi-auto. To me, the Sig is limited to use as a range toy and a 10mm 'reload tester.'

For the OP's use, I'd carry my 15+1 Gen4 Glock 20 over the Sig all day, any day.

 

[shocker]

Any concerns with jams on the semi-auto G10????

I have a G29. 10 shots of hardcast doesn't really cause much leading in the stock barrel. I have a cut rifled barrel for cast if I want to shoot a lot of rounds.

Glock 20 Gen 4 10mm - YouTube