296 Ti .44 Centennial?

[Gordon]

Tamara: before I buy a 296 Ti .44 Centennial (used) for $400 did I see a hint in a thread that you had problems with one? Any one else had problems?

 

[Tamara]

It wasn't really a "problem", so much as a "less-than-stellar trigger pull out of the box".

Had my 'smith install a Wolff spring kit and diddle with the hand and star and now it has a DA pull that shames any box-stock PC gun I've felt in the last few years.

 

[Gordon]

Thank you Tamara, I cant find any wolf springs listed foe 296 or 396 models. I wonder if L frame kit does it. Is Centennial hidden hammer same internal? I got to lessen 12 pound DAO pull.

 

[Tamara]

We just used the standard L-frame kit. It's busted the cap on every Silvertip, Blazer Gold Dot, or Federal LSWC-HP run through it so far.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

I know 296's are being discontinued. I wonder if there are some good deals that the dristributors are offering the gun shops?
Do you know, Tam?

KR

 

[Gordon]

Listen I can't buy it! I went to ffl dealer to get signed copy and approved for sale in Cal. on 296 expired 02 01 03. Since it's discontinued ain't likely to be renewed. On Pistolsmith.com under "for sale" forum is a 296 that was Dane Burns Personnel gun, has luscious custom grips and comes with Kramer Horse hide holster for $399. I'd buy it in a second if I could. Thanks for your help, damnit I want one of these I can only buy private party Ca.

 

[Kahr carrier]

Check the Cal approved list again it is back on it with a 2004 expire date. Isnt life in the PRK grand.

 

[jimmy]

My stock Model 296 is a good quality revolver and easier to shoot than I expected. It's the gun I use for carry in a fanny pack. Maybe somebody makes a holster for it, though so far I haven't found one.

 

[Tamara]

jimmy,

Galco Speedmaster (or any other K/L-frame rig w/no thumb break) should work fine...

 

[Gordon]

Dane Burns comes with Kramer Horsehide pancake highride and some gorgeous cocobolo grips he made.

 

[jimmy]

Tamara--thanks for the info! I'd about given up on a holster for my 296. After seeing your message, I ordered a Speedmaster from Galco.

 

[AIM_SMALL_MISS_SMALL]

The Last New Smith & Wesson Model 296 (?) was just purchased.

I got interested in the 296 in summer of 2005.
Found it discontinued and decided to try my luck on a Charter 2000 .44 Spl "Bulldog Pug."
A total waste of money.
Straight out of the box, it shoots like poop: needs trigger job and needs to have barrel correctly installed (it looks like it's not screwed on all the way).
It consistently shoots 3.5-4 inches to the right.
I put the "dog" away, got on the internet, and kept looking up 296 stuff.
Found a picture.
Wrote the guy who posted it.
http://www.fenderforum.com/userphotos/?recid=9733
Congratulated him on his weapon.
Asked if he wanted to sell it.
He told me where a new one was sitting in a shop in Idaho!!!

I paid $459.00 for it--picked it up on 04-26-06.
(CA DoJ shows it will not expire from "safe gun list" until 01/02/2007.)
Of course it has no "ILS" ("Internal Locking System"-for those unaware of the acronym's meaning).
It is a beast of a gun in the sense that it is light, recoils fairly hard (with heavy grain rounds), and makes BIG holes.

I love it.
I can hardly wait to try out CorBon 165 grains in it.

Moral of the story: KEEP THE FAITH.
Seek out the gun you REALLY want until it is in your hands.
Don't settle for second best or any substitutes.

 

[Stainz]

The CCI 200gr Gold Dot JHP Blazers open by 800fps, which they will barely eclipse from the 2.5" barrel on the 296. They were matched at birth. The GA Arms Starline brass variant is similar in stats - and ~$20/50 - leaving you with nice Starline .44 Special brass. I swapped the squared conversion cocobolo Ahrends stocks for the original Uncle Mike's rounded combats on my then also new 696, putting the UM's on the 296. Wow - what an improvement! Sure, it slightly increases the 296's size - but covers that backstrap. Great improvement in shootability. The trigger was initially pretty hard, albeit fairly smooth. Several months later, I finally got around to taking the sideplate off - it was dry as the Sahara inside. A very small amount of oil 0n the axles and slide, and I buttoned it back up. You could 'feel' the improvement as I dry-fired it to accelerate the break-in. Nice trigger now. Great carry piece. Kind of a 642 on steroids...

Stainz

 

[Gordon]

Looking back I did get my 296 a couple years back. Yeah they were on the approved list, my dealer was full of it! I use the Blazer 200 grain gold Dot load too, it keeps the weight down
Mine came with a nice trigger, which I made nicer. I like this gun so much that last year I got the 7 shot .38 twin to it; the 242!

 

[BigG]

Anybody know why the 296 has the hump on the back while the .38 j-frame models don't? Just wondering.

Thanks!

 

[Gordon]

The 296 has a big hammer swinging in there. I think the J frame bodyguards did too(and it was exposed on the back)where the centinenials don't..

 

[jackdempsey]

296 is perfect

hey im new to this site i have a 296 with crimsontrace grips i think i have an onopened box of corbon165gr for it but have shot probably 800 rounds of cci blazer 200gr through it and i carry it with those too they have light aluminum cases and huge hollow point cavity its the one gun i trust most i usually just stickit in my back jeans pocket without a holster of anykind
anyone with this gun has to get crimsontrace grips its so fun and if you keep it dailed in you dont lose that much in accuracy not using the sights at all but the laser is set to accurate at one distance
like this gun is any sort of target gun anyway im wondering have any of you used the gun with bullets over 200grains disregarding the side of barrell warning i know it kicks enough already but i wanna try a full load anybody know?

 

[jackdempsey]

296 is perfect

oh and i didnt quite understand the answer to the big hump on the 296 but the 357 mag airweight dont have one

 

[Lucky Derby]

There is a used one at J&G Gunsmithing in Roseville CA. I don't recall the price.