I bought mine for $349... NIB 6+ yr ago!! I bought a NIB 696 the same day at my pusher's - $439. He gave me another $10 off for buying the pair - still my most expensive S&W purchase in a day. He got another 'closeout' 296 in for $359 - but never got another 696 in - they evaporated rapidly.
Okay - the 296 is a 'necessary evil'. Great stopper - miserable hand-whacker. Sure, the rounded Uncle Mike's Combats liberated from the 696 so it could sport some proper Ahrends wood grips helps the recoil - mainly by covering that backstrap. So fitted, the 296 is a belt holster gun - and mine didn't travel with me often. Along came Robert Mika and his excellent pocket holsters. I ordered one for a 642, as well. I found a 'deal' on a LNIB 642 and between it and the 296 - with it's OEM boots back on - my pocket protection was 24/7.
I used CCI Blazers - over 1k of them, until one split it's case in my 696 - might have been a problem in the Ti cylinder of the 296. I switched to Georgia Arms new Starline brass loaded with the same Speer 4429 200gr low speed Gold Dot in .44 Special - doubles it's cross-sectional area at over 800 fps incident in gelatin. The homebrews I've made, Blazers, and GA Arms loads all chrono-ed 800-805 fps from the 2.5" 296 - 835-840 fps from the 3" 696, etc.
One item to check on any used 296 is the cast-in-place cylinder stop - the protrusion on the frame by the recoil shield on the cylinder release side - it halts the backward movement of the Ti cylinder when the ejector rod is pushed. A good 'Hollywood' rap or two could pare away that lite alloy stop - check it carefully for wear. If releasing the cylinder and pushing the ejector rod puts the cylinder in your hand - or on the deck - big oops.
Check the topstrap above the b/c gap for erosion - they told me it happens with higher speed lead bullets. I tested well crimped 240gr LSWC sub-nuclear level loads - noting the unshot bullets. Two cylinderfulls, same result - the last, ie, fifth round, had pulled it's crimp! Imagine that - had it been a six-shooter, it'd definitely been a 'jam-o-matic'.
If it seems I am negative re the 296, I am not. It is a fine piece of protection. It isn't fun to shoot with the 200gr GDs - but it is accurate - and effective. Now, if you want it more comfortable to shoot, consider the X-frame .460/.500 Magnum grips S&W Accessories sells (~$37) - they fit K/L/N & X-frames! Of course, it looks absurd - and won't be much of a pocket protector!
Mine has a home... as does the 696. I'd be more likely to sell the 696 first - it has a 'cult' following that has really driven the price up. I'd pay $500 in a heartbeat for a good one - the thing sold for $789 MSRP in the last catalog it was listed in. The price didn't help, but the .44 Special chambering killed it... it has never sold well, sad to say.
Stainz
