S&W 696 .44 Magnum?

[Stainz]

My 696 weighs 36 oz with the UM's combat grips on it... my 296 weighs in at just over 21 oz loaded with Blazers and sporting the rounded (off my 696...) UM's combat grips (They cover that ever-thumping backstrap!). The 696 is a delight to shoot... the 296 is 'shootable' with those Blazers (It's diet here.) and the bigger grips - you still note when it goes 'Bang!'.

Reserve that fine 696 for any proper .44 S&W Special round - or even some neat-o wimpy .44 Russians. Leave the .44 Magnums for a proper 629 - and not my 629MG, either....

Stainz

 

[Lloyd Smale]

IVe shot loads as heavy as 17 grains of 2400 and a 250 in my 396. smith themselves say the gun is strong enough for that. The recoil at that level is fierce. It is more unconfortable to shoot then my .475 or .500 with heavy loads. Why would anyone in there sane mind want to shoot .44 mags in one!

 

[Albert Shear]

I just checked my 696(no dash) and magnums will not chamber. They almost do but not enough.

 

[Poohgyrr]

Hmm, I never would have expected maggies to fit in a modern Special. This seems to come under a common sense thing then........

 

[Mossyrock]

KABLOOIE!!!!

Hanging over the register in a gunshop I used to work in hangs an early Charter Arms Bulldog. Rather, the remnants of a Charter Arms Bulldog. Out of curiosity, a customer wanted to see if he could get away with carrying magnums in his .44 Special for "Bear Protection" (the shop was in Alaska). Lo and behold, they fit, so off to the range he went. He got a way with one round. As the hammer dropped on the second round, the top strap departed for places unknown, as did the top third of the cylinder. Our intrepid explorer survived with three stitches for a vertical gash right between his eyes. An inch either direction, and he would have been blind or dead.

So, is the S&W 696 a better quality revolver than the CA Bulldog? Without a doubt. Is it a good idea to fire .44 mags out of a .44 Special? Not so you would notice.....

 

[Gewehr98]

Ok, I had to try it...

My 696 (no dash, either) won't chamber a .44 Magnum, it stops just .064" shy of fitting. Which is good, cylinder wall thickness mikes at .050" chamber to outside of cylinder, and .130", chamber-to-chamber. Which explains why S&W never offered the gun in .45 Long Colt, either!

 

[Hutch]

Way back when, and S&W had just come out with the 624, there was a Q&A in the Rifleman about shooting Magnums in the 624. The magazine staff writer contacted S&W and asked if this was doable, and shockingly enough, they said... Okay. Something to the effect that "a limited number of Magnums" wouldn't hurt the gun. Surprised me, I tells ya.