New L Frame 44 mag!

I have a 696 and love it. I carry a 4inch 29 off duty pert near everyday. I plan on buying the first 69 I see as long as I have the money. I think it will be the perfect vehicle for my favorite factory carry load, the Federal 240 gr hydra-shok. Like the 696 I see myself carrying it much more than shooting it.
 
I was at SHOT 2014 Media Day and got to shoot the S&W Model 69 with Federal 240 gr. JSP .44 Magnum ammo. As expected, it packed a punch at both ends, but the well-designed grips helped. It's still a "carry much - shoot little" gun with Magnum loads...should make a great .44 Special. At 15 yards shooting SA, I had no trouble keeping all 5 rounds in a palm-sized group at 15 yards on a Shoot-N-C target. Boge and Jeff Quinn were right there with me, I may have ended up on a GunBlast.com video!
 
I love Smiths, but I think I'll pass on the M69 and just keep my Ruger Redhawk .44 mag 4" stainless 6-shot.
 
Messer said:
Just a FYI for those interested...

I was looking at the video coverage of the 2014 SHOT Show over on gunblast.com, (day 3 video if you are going to go look) and they were showing the new, 5 shot L Frame model 69, 4.25" barrel in 44 Mag.

I like the concept - will need to see & hold one to really decide.

Anyone else interested?

Have a good weekend,
Bob S.
Click to expand...

I thing it's an outstanding idea! A five shot .44 Magnum isn't any "less" than a five shot .44 special by Charter Arms!
 
I'll be buying the first model 69 that I see. It looks to be a twin to my 686-6 Mountain Gun (6 shot 357 with lock and same barrel profile made for Lipsey's in 2010). Remington made a mid-range 44 Magnum loading that I have used in the past in my 629-2 Mountain Revolver, and I think will match up well with this new revolver. And thanks Paul105 for the photo comparisons.
Tim
 
Care to put both the 629 mountain gun and the 69 on a scale for comparison?
Thanks!

Sent from my Motorola Flip phone.
 
What's the cylinder diameter and frame window height?
 
In response to the last two posts:

629 Mtn Gun weighs 39 oz
M69 L Frame weighs 37 oz

Frame window - height: 1.600"
Frame window - width: 1.820"

Cylinder - outside diameter: 1.560"
Cylinder - length: 1.670"
Cylinder - wall at narrowest: .600" (this was really hard to measure so it is definitely plus/minus)

I haven't checked throats or grove diams.

My range is doing some upgrades so I haven't been able to get on for the last two days -- its driving me crazey - and it looks like it will be closed for one more day.

Paul
 
5 shots in a Chiefs Special is aplenty. 5 shots in an X frame 500 is definitely enough.. Model 69 is the best thing to happen to 44Mag in quite a few moons
 
Hillbilly77 said:
Like a J or K frame will choke on .357 Magnums? ;) :D
I bet an L frame can handle it, and I guarantee there's a market for it.


The nice thing is, if you do have trouble, S&W's Lifetime Warranty will take care of you. :)
Click to expand...

Until they stop working on that model.

The good news is, that would be after most of our lifetimes.
I hope it would, anyway.

I'd just load it with Buffalo Bore's .44 Spl LSWCHP +P load.
 
For a trail gun, that M69 looks to be ideal with Specials or less-than-maximum-load home grown mags. I'm not sure how a 4" barrel conceals for most CCW folks, but anything in a medium frame that has a big bore is a winning combo. S&W must be listening, because the M69 is a nice supplement to the 696 and the various discontinued Night Guards.

For those of us who would appreciate a 2-1/2" - 3" steel L-frame .45 ACP, hope that the M69 sells well. We may get another medium sized big bore revolver sooner than later.
 
Last edited:
Paul105 said:
Just a short update. I took possession of a 69 today. OD of barrel shank is right at .620". The cylinder is 1.670 inches and isn't recessed for cartridge rims -- a 1.712" handload fits, but is right at the face of the cylinder. Lymans No 49 edition shows OAL w their 425421 Keith Bullet is 1.710".

Here are some pictures:
.
M69 Barrel Shank/Forcing Cone area:
.
BarrelShank69-1_zpsb72ac0a2.jpg

.
M696 Barrel Shank/Forcing Cone Area:
.
BarrelShank696-1_zps022af189.jpg

.
629 Mtn Gun Barrel Shank/Forcing Cone area:
.
M629MtGunBarrelShank_zps8e4a7fad.jpg

.
Family Portrait - 629 Mtn Gun, M696, New M69:
.
62969669_zps609b0821.jpg

.
Sorry about the "so-so" pictures -- light wasn't the best and I'm not the best photographer.

Headed to the range with about 25 Lbs of .44 ammo (Mild to wild) and the chrono. Naturally, the range was closed, so I'll do it another day and open a new thread to post results.

What a neat little package.

FWIW,

Paul
Click to expand...


Hereby nominated as most useful response of the year, it be appreciated
 
Thanks for the pix. The stressed areas look to be robust. I like it, except for the stocks. NOT crazy about those!
 
This development of a smaller package .44 Magnum is the answer to many hopes and speculative musings. After a test cruise and any shakedown fixes, with the 4" barrel, I think it could well engender shorter and longer barreled examples. Hopefully the grips from S&W are similar in material to the absorbent X-frame grips.

With CNC and modern materials, we could be on the cusp of the mid 50s once again, with a new expression of what is to me the most useful large caliber [esp for the non-reloader] since the .357 twenty years earlier.

I admire and own the Redhawk, SBHs and N-frames - all b-i-g pieces of metal. My favorite frames are smaller. This L-.44 could prove ideal and the start of something most useful.

Regards,

Dyson
 
 
Surprised their is only a two ounce difference in weight between it and the MG, assuming same grip material? Trade that for one less round?
 
I would like to see a revolver with five shots in 44 special/Russian offer it in pink too for my misses.
 
Paul 105,

Could you please turn the gun upside down and take a picture from the bottom. I want to see how the ball detent locks into the frame.
 
In CA you can also remove the DA sear and then it becomes a SA revolver and will be exempt from the roster. You just need to find an FFL that knows this and will do it for you. The guys at Calguns.net can usually help with finding an FFL in your area that will do the transfer.

Paul
 
ptgarcia said:
In CA you can also remove the DA sear and then it becomes a SA revolver and will be exempt from the roster. You just need to find an FFL that knows this and will do it for you. The guys at Calguns.net can usually help with finding an FFL in your area that will do the transfer.

Paul
Click to expand...


I believe that is not the case, it needs to be made a Single Shot not Single Action...Therefore you have to do other Modifications so the Cylinder will not Turn...
 
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