Gun Show S&W 696

[pdogkilr]

Found this little beauty at a gun show - too old not to have been shot, but looked pristine. Tight lockup, nice trigger. Had to have it. Five shot .44 Special. Speed Loaders for the range, Speed Strips for carry - nice and flat (carries six instead of five).

 

[jon86]

She's purdy.

 

[Walkalong]

Congrats. They are superb shooters. The DA on mine is excellent. I shoot the plates well with it.

 

[Chuck Perry]

WANT. Nice revolver, I'm sure you're going to have fun with that one.

 

[cwl1862]

Sweet looks just like mine You'll love it! The 696 is one of the sweetest shooting 44 spls I've ever had the pleasure of shooting, accurate too!! Enjoy! BTW is yours a dash O or dash 1? In other words do you have a internal fireing pin or is your fireing pin afixed to your hammer. Just curious

 

[bannockburn]

Very nice. I would love to have one as I'm a big fan of the .44 Special.

 

[Arizonagunrunner]

I have a Rossi 720 with fixed sights. Looks almost like your 696. I would love to have a 696, but not for what the asking prices are. You got a sweet gun.
Great pic's

 

[pdogkilr]

Thanks Guys - it is a dash-one firing pin is frame mounted

 

[Drail]

pdogkilr, I have a dash-0 that I bought when they first offered these in 1996. Carry it every day. All I can say is DON'T NEVER SELL IT! Guys will try to buy it from you all of the time. Just smile and walk away. I doubt if these guns will ever be made again.

 

[Tony_the_tiger]

Sweet

 

[BYJO4]

Very nice S&W.

 

[JoeMal]

So...we all want to know....what'd you pay!?

 

[DC3-CVN-72]

Outstanding !!

 

[Stainz]

I paid $439 + s/t for my 696-1... when it was new (1/'03)!

Now, guess what weighs in at less than six ounces more, has an inch more barrel, another hole in the cylinder, a real forcing cone, can take Elmer Keith's idea of a .44 Special all day, and costs new what some folks are asking for a used 696?



Yep - a 4" 629-6. Sure, it is a .44 Magnum. S&W only has one .44 Special offering now, if you can find it, a 'Classic' 6.5" 24. Of course, when I finally decide to say goodbye to my 696 - that 4" 629 will still be here. The 3" 5-banger with a knife-edged forcing cone is fun - but the 629 is more practical - and a heck of a lot more stout, too.

Another point - the Ahrends wood grips not only look good on the pair above - they are certainly appropriate for .44 Specials.

Stainz

PS To the OP.... great find on that LNIB 696... they are fun!

 

[jad0110]

Now, guess what weighs in at less than six ounces more, has an inch more barrel, another hole in the cylinder, a real forcing cone, can take Elmer Keith's idea of a .44 Special all day, and costs new what some folks are asking for a used 696?

The 696 is a wonderful gun for sure, and I know that supply and demand determines the pricing of these things. But I still don't understand why people are willing to pay so much for them. If they go much higher they will be in Colt Python territory.

Oh well. Instead of a 696 for $900, I bought a 5 shot medium frame Taurus 431 3" for $268. So it is only 30% of the price, and it is certainly much more than 30% as good (probably more like 85 to 90% as nice as the 696). So for me, cost/benefit wise, the 696 just doesn't work out. But I still really appreciate them, and if I ever luck out and stumble on one for under $500 (yeah, I know), you better believe it will be coming home with me.

 

[mesinge2]

Oh, man. You found a gun I have been hunting for a while now.

Nice buy!!

 

[pdogkilr]

JoeMal - I paid $750 - gunshow dealer paid the sales tax and the 3% CC fee.

 

[righteoushoot]

Lucky You!

I have been looking for one of those for a while. Have yet to lay eyes on one in person.

I saw a Lou Horton 624 the other day at a LGS, but they were asking @ $750 and it look like some one intentionally went over every freakin square inch of it to scuff it up.

Then I saw the same model at a gun show, pristine, and they were asking $1100.

No 696's though.

 

[PabloJ]

I have been looking for one of those for a while. Have yet to lay eyes on one in person.

I saw a Lou Horton 624 the other day at a LGS, but they were asking @ $750 and it look like some one intentionally went over every freakin square inch of it to scuff it up.

Then I saw the same model at a gun show, pristine, and they were asking $1100.

No 696's though.

While these look nice some of the prices quoted are hard to understand. One can get second-hand gen3 S&W compact 7+1 .45auto pistol for $350 to $600 depending on condition and model. It will do everything .44Spl can do. These are very reliable. My last one model 457s had one failure in 300 rounds fired and that was with Winchester PDX-1 which look like freekin' tulip petals from front.

 

[pdogkilr]

While these look nice some of the prices quoted are hard to understand. One can get second-hand gen3 S&W compact 7+1 .45auto pistol for $350 to $600 depending on condition and model. It will do everything .44Spl can do. These are very reliable. My last one model 457s had one failure in 300 rounds fired and that was with Winchester PDX-1 which look like freekin' tulip petals from front.

I agree completely. My EDC is a Smith PC CQB in .45 ACP. I saw this one, negotiated a fair price and bought it because I wanted it. These days purchases are few and far between, but need rarely comes into play any more.

 

[JimStC]

Just sayin, this thread isn't about semi-auto versus revolver, nor is it about whether the OP could have paid less for a different gun. It is about a great example of a fine S&W revolver that was found at a good price.
Congrats PD. I carry a S&W revolver every day. (and I get to choose from several) They are addicting....

 

[bluethunder1962]

Here it is Easter and I am breaking the 11th comandment. "thou shall not lust over another mans gun"
Wish I got to it first.

 

[bluethunder1962]

You are right Jim. I would leave all my simi's at home to carry that one.

 

[Walkalong]

breaking the 11th comandment. "thou shall not lust over another mans gun"

Does this help?

I lucked into a great deal on mine about 4/5 years ago.

 

[bluethunder1962]

Thanks Walkalong. Trying to get me to go to hell?
Do they shoot mag to or just specials. I can't find specials in big bulk and shooting mags are not fun.