Pulled the trigger on a new M69....

[fortyshooter]

I have three .44 revolvers... the 629-2E with 3 inch barrel...a Ruger SBH with 7.5 inch barrel and my Charter Arms Bulldog with 2.5 inch barrel.
I've had this itch to have one in 4 inch and have been attracted to the M69 for a good while.
So with the S&W rebates going on I just confirmed a deal on one.

Really enjoy shooting my 4 inch Model 66 no dash and seems to be a perfect sized revolver for general use.

I also reload for .44 Mag and Special so I believe my soft Mag load of 9 gr. of Unique under a 240 bullet should do well in the new 69.

What the heck this Summer heat made me do it!! Gearing up for Fall!!!

 

[BigMuddy]

I think that gun and your Unique load will be a perfect match!!!

Dan

 

[nipperdog]

The 69 is a Great Revolver. I've had mine for quite a While and I have nothing but Good things to say. I have several M629s and a couple of Redhawks in 44mag also. When I purchased the M69 I planned to use it primarily for 44 Specials, but it handles 44mags with a very manageable Recoil, and is quite Accurate too. I plan on holding onto mine for a long time.

 

[CajunBass]

I had an idea that I'd like the Model 69 when I first heard about it. Since I got one nothing has changed. I used it mostly as a 44 Special, but then the only thing I'm using it for is to punch a hole in a piece of paper.





I remember a lot of people complaining about the black hardware (sights, cylinder release, etc.) but I like the black/silver combo.

 

[fortyshooter]

Glad to hear you folks expierence with it!

Hopefully by the time it gets here this heat wave will be down a couple clicks. Have only been down to my range once the last 2 weeks.

Gun show coming up this weekend and need to find the guy who sold me the great holster for my 66 and maybe he will have one for the 69.

 

[yfdcap]

I have the 4.25 and the 2.75. Great guns. They are very accurate with the 9 grains of Unique pushing a 240 slug.

 

[Dave Lively]

I have pulled the trigger on my M69 so often it is long past new But even though the new has worn off I still really like it.

I shoot mostly 44 special and mid-power ammo in my but it (or more accurately I) can handle a cylinder or two of full power magnums on a given range session. While bigger 44s are stronger and the extra weight helps tame recoil they have always felt somewhat unbalanced and awkward to me. The M69 just feels a lot better to me, particularly with the 500 grips which I highly recommend.

 

[fortyshooter]

I have pulled the trigger on my M69 so often it is long past new But even though the new has worn off I still really like it.

I shoot mostly 44 special and mid-power ammo in my but it (or more accurately I) can handle a cylinder or two of full power magnums on a given range session. While bigger 44s are stronger and the extra weight helps tame recoil they have always felt somewhat unbalanced and awkward to me. The M69 just feels a lot better to me, particularly with the 500 grips which I highly recommend.

I put the 500 grips on my 629-2E and yes makes a nice difference in shooting. Will look at that swap for the 69.

 

[shocker]

I blew up my 4.25, and I replaced it with a 2.75. My comfortable but still powerful load is a 200 gr RNFP and 10 gr of 231.
I'm fine with the stock grips. The limit for me isn't hand sting but muzzle flip - go much beyond what I listed above and the gun gets really jumpy.

 

[Dave Lively]

I blew up my 4.25

Yikes! Double charge? Any injury?

It looks like all the debris went sideways instead of towards the shooter but that still looks scary.

The 500 grips do help some with recoil but mostly they just fit my hand better. I would use them even if I only shot weak 44 specials.

 

[nipperdog]

I blew up my 4.25, and I replaced it with a 2.75. My comfortable but still powerful load is a 200 gr RNFP and 10 gr of 231.
I'm fine with the stock grips. The limit for me isn't hand sting but muzzle flip - go much beyond what I listed above and the gun gets really jumpy.

OUCH...Looks like a Severe over Pressure Event. Glad to hear You're OK and still Shooting a 69

 

[CajunBass]

That'll stain your drawers I'll bet.

 

[fortyshooter]

Wow...that was a blast!

No I won't be stuffing the strongest Mag loads into this one.

What load were you shooting?

 

[Paul105]

I've had a couple since they first came out, added the 2.75" more recently. My favorite .44 platform. The 2.75" shown below has the S&W 500 X Frame grips that I modified by removing the finger groves and rounding the butt. Shown with my Kahr CW45.

Paul

 

[Dave Lively]

The 2.75" shown below has the S&W 500 X Frame grips that I modified by removing the finger groves and rounding the butt.
Paul

I don't see the hammer spur on the 2.75". Am I just missing it or did you have it bobbed?

I am going to try rounding the butt on the 500 grips I have on my 4" 69. I tried the Packmayr Diamond Pro grips and while I liked the shorter size the 500 grips feel better to me. Rounding off the 500 grips may be the best solution.

 

[Dave Lively]

Wow...that was a blast!

No I won't be stuffing the strongest Mag loads into this one.

What load were you shooting?

You won't blow up a 69 shooting full power loads. Something bad really bad has to happen to split a cylinder. That had to be a double charge, wrong powder, some other type of reloading accident or an obstructed bore.

 

[Paul105]

I don't see the hammer spur on the 2.75". Am I just missing it or did you have it bobbed?

I am going to try rounding the butt on the 500 grips I have on my 4" 69. I tried the Packmayr Diamond Pro grips and while I liked the shorter size the 500 grips feel better to me. Rounding off the 500 grips may be the best solution.

Hammer spur has not been removed, just hard to see in the picture.

I too tried the Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips -- they didn't work for me -- too narrow at the top and for some reason allowed the trigger guard to hammer my middle knuckle. Grips are a very personal thing.

 

[fortyshooter]

How are the factory grips when shooting mild,like 240 gr./9 gr. Unique loads?

Rounded butt on that grip looks great!

 

[Paul105]

You won't blow up a 69 shooting full power loads. Something bad really bad has to happen to split a cylinder. That had to be a double charge, wrong powder, some other type of reloading accident or an obstructed bore.

What Dave said. The 2.75" pictured above has close to 1,800 rnds down the pipe. The majority of those (probably 95%) have been 240gr JSPs over 24.0gr of WW 296. The 4.25" at least that many.

Brian Pearce did an article on the M69 and put over 3,000 rnds of full on .44 Mags thru the gun with no issues. In the article he stated that the gun had been thoroughly tested by S&W with full pressure .44 Mags which is what it was designed for.

The blown M69 shown above is due to a reloading accident.

FWIW,

Paul

 

[Paul105]

How are the factory grips when shooting mild,like 240 gr./9 gr. Unique loads?

Rounded butt on that grip looks great!

Keeping in mind that grips are very personal and individual ergonomics vary significantly. For me, there is too much curve at the upper end of the factory grips which allows it to get a running start at the web of my hand.

Pretty easy to Mod the X Frame 500s -- Dremel with sanding drum or belt sander -- just go slow. There's a plastic insert covered by the rubber and it is closest to the surface at the lower finger groove. The second set I modified (in the picture) I removed excess material with a sharp knife (AGAIN, GO SLOW You can't put it back on) before using the Dremel and then belt sander (knife sharpener).

FWIW,

Paul