Shot that new M69

They are handsome irons for sure. If you were to carry it would it be with the magnums in the cylinder?

I just wish the ball detent lined up...

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According to S&W Customer Service, it's not suppose to.

Awesome mine is still on layaway

If the ball was centered in the V notch it wouldn't push the crane in towards the frame. Ideally you want the ball to ride in the center of the outside of the notch. But anywhere on the side that will push the crane in will do. I don't like this new ball detent setup as much as the older one with the ball inside the frame and crane and a full lug front latch. But that takes a little more precision and on mass produced guns that means "mo time and mo money". If the cylinder and crane are mounted squarely in the frame and machined to "snug" tolerances the ball detent is not really needed. None of my older Smiths have ball detents and they are FAR more accurate than you can hold them. In a Ranson Rest they all place 12 rounds into one 1.5 in. hole. Somehow a .44 Mag in an L frame doesn't sound like much fun to me.

I would love a Model 69 with a 2 inch barrel.

I "think" I'd like to have one, but so far I can't bring myself to pay what they want for one!

IF I had one, I'd carry it with hard cast 250's at an honest 1,000 fps, in magnum cases, and that would be plenty of velocity for me.

DM

The ball on mine is to the outside and it shoots great.

In my perception my model 69 has less felt recoil than my 629-3 4" and about the same as my 6" 29-3.

And my sense is that it is just as accurate.

I'm still waiting for Ruger to do this with the GP100.

I was thinking about getting one, but decided not to right now. Because they're a new model, the price seems to be hovering around list - I'm hoping to see more discounted prices in a few months. I like the looks of the gun, but the glass bead finish is not exactly to my taste. It's probably very durable, though. Lastly, I can't see the .44 mag as practical for my situation...that doesn't keep me from wanting one, though. The price is awesome for a gun of that quality, IMO.

One advantage of the ball detent is that on a short barrel revolver the ejector rod can be made almost an inch longer, since there is no need for the space required for the front lock.

Jim

I think a 3" barreled model 19 is the most beautiful gun ever made.

If they would make the 69 with a 3" barrel I would buy it just to have it as a piece of art.

I'm still waiting for Ruger to do this with the GP100.

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This.

No internal locks for me.