Thoughts on the S&W 69?

[lee n. field]

I’ve got one.
It shoots well. Especially with target level .44Spl loads.

What I was thinking, "sounds like a great platform for .44 Special."

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I was in a local shop a bunch of years ago when they first came out. One of the sales guys handed me one and asked what I thought.

A 44 Mag that light?

No thanks.

 

[DR505]

The 69's do work well with light .44 Specials. For full-house .44 Magnum I use something more substantial.

 

[nofendertom]

I could see it as a .44 special, but marketing probably felt it would sell better as a .44 magnum.

 

[.38 Special]

I spent an afternoon with one when they came out and was impressed. On my example, anyway, everything worked the way it should. The SA trigger was perfect. The DA trigger was a bit heavy and uneven. If the gun had been mine I would have had that fixed. The sights were fine. Accuracy was as good as I could manage - though it deteriorated as the day went on, because the thing really kicks.

I consider it the moral equivalent of the Model 19/66, but with more power. For someone who wants that power in a portable handgun, the 69 is hard to beat - and just like the 19/66, it's a "carry a lot/shoot a little" kind of gun that most likely will see a lot more Specials than Magnums.

 

[.308 Norma]

My thoughts exactly. I could be wrong, but I have to believe that more rounds of 44 Spcl. Get run through these than the magnum loads.

.44 Special or .44 Special +P (at most) in .44 Magnum cases is all that gets run through mine.
I'm not sure whether my Model 69 or my 74-year-old tendonitis filled right elbow would wear out first with a steady diet of full-house .44 Magnum loads.

 

[.308 Norma]

marketing probably felt it would sell better as a .44 magnum.

Probably. I sure do wish "marketing" would have felt it would sell well as a .41 Magnum though. I'd have bought one in .41 Magnum even faster than I bought the .44 Magnum one.

 

[cfullgraf]

I could see it as a .44 special, but marketing probably felt it would sell better as a .44 magnum.

Marketing probably had a bad taste in their mouths from the Model 696 debacle. Although the 696 was chambered for 44 Special it sounds like folks pushed the envelope on the 696 and ruined quite a few.

Although the Model 69 is rated for 44 Magnum, I suspect like the Models 19/66, an Achilles heal will reveal itself if a steady diet of 44 Magnum loads are fired in the 69.

 

[derek45]

I LOVE the L-frame smith

I LOVE the 44magnum

I was really excited to get one.

Mine had very difficult extraction, the chambers were milled bowed like whiskey barrels.

I sent it back. They didn't fix it.

I sent it back again.
got it back and sold it.

tempted to try again, but...once bitten....

 

[WisBorn]

S&W please listen! We love the 69 44mag, but it needs to be paired with a L frame 41mag....
Please
Please
Please

 

[cfullgraf]

Over Thanksgiving, my Brit son-in-law was in the US for our "turkey" holiday. I had purchased a 6" and 8" Colt Anaconda and decided to let my son-in-law shoot them first as he does not have a similar opportunity in the UK.

We had full power factory 44 magnum ammunition and shot them in the two Colts plus am S&W 629 for comparisons. The Colts are heavier than the 629 and handled the full power 44 Magnum loads better than the S&W 629. I did not bring out the Model 69, but being lighter than the 629, I'm sure the model 69 would be less comfortable to shoot than the SW 629.I should have brought out the 4.2" Model 69.

But on the other side, the Model 69 would be more comfortable to carry than a S&W Model 29/629. The Model 69 is a bit lighter and smaller than the 29/629 revolvers.

There are always trade offs.

 

[cfullgraf]

S&W please listen! We love the 69 44mag, but it needs to be paired with a L frame 41mag....
Please
Please
Please

I won't disagree, I'm not sure it is not a forlone hope. I'd be in in a heartbeat if S&W came out with a Model 69 chambered in 41 mag. It would be a good companion for my 8-3/8" Model 57.

 

[Hal]

Although the Model 69 is rated for 44 Magnum, I suspect like the Models 19/66, an Achilles heal will reveal itself if a steady diet of 44 Magnum loads are fired in the 69.

Think about this for a second.
The M69 is an L frame - the same as the M686 - arguably one of the stronger .357 magnums.
If the L frame will stand up to the hottest .357 magnum loads ~ 35k psi, then a .44magnum ~ 36k psi - shouldn't deliver undue wear and tear.
At least not on the gun. The shooter on the other hand.....

 

[paul105]

Test - Friend shooting my 2.75" M69. Testing max book loads of H110 (24.0gr) and 11FS (23.0gr) under 240gr Zero JSP.

Click on X when redirected, click on "download mov" in blue under picture. Let me know if this works.

 

[SDGlock23]

Years back I had the 4" version then about a year ago I tried the shorter 2.75" version. They're a good size but definitely get your attention with .44 Mag, of course I was shooting it with wooden grips and it physically rubbed skin off my thumb. Not terrible to shoot but lively for sure, with better grips it would have helped. They can handle 44 Mag but are much more enjoyable with lighter loads.

 

[dickydalton]

Test - Friend shooting my 2.75" M69. Testing max book loads of H110 (24.0gr) and 11FS (23.0gr) under 240gr Zero JSP.

Click on X when redirected, click on "download mov" in blue under picture. Let me know if this works.

It works. Thank you.

 

[Buck13]

I'd like a 4" one to use with heavy .44 Spl or starting magnum loads. I could live with the jokes from Wayne and Garth.

Probably not going to rise to the top of my "to buy" list, though.

 

[Oldschool shooter]

.44 Special or .44 Special +P (at most) in .44 Magnum cases is all that gets run through mine.
I'm not sure whether my Model 69 or my 74-year-old tendonitis filled right elbow would wear out first with a steady diet of full-house .44 Magnum loads.

My LGS has an older model , the number escapes me, S&W in 44 Special. 4" nickel gun with an $1800 price tag. Seems the 69 would be a great alternative at 1/2 the price, and better quality than a Charter Arms Bulldog.

 

[.308 Norma]

My LGS has an older model , the number escapes me, S&W in 44 Special. 4" nickel gun with an $1800 price tag. Seems the 69 would be a great alternative at 1/2 the price, and better quality than a Charter Arms Bulldog.

I think that's a real good way of looking at it. That is, a Model 69 being a great 44 Special that could be used as a 44 Magnum if need be.
I'm very fond of the 44 Special cartridge, and the fact is, I ordered a Ruger Bisley 44 Special from our favorite LGS before Christmas. The problem is, the owner of the LGS told me it might be a year, if ever, before he can get it for me. So, I'm sort of just hoping I have I have a 44 Special before Christmas this year.

 

[CraigC]

I would treat them just like my N-frame .44Mag's, as slightly stronger .44Spl's. Something to feed the 950fps Skeeter load without worry for the forcing cone.

Think about this for a second.
The M69 is an L frame - the same as the M686 - arguably one of the stronger .357 magnums.
If the L frame will stand up to the hottest .357 magnum loads ~ 35k psi, then a .44magnum ~ 36k psi - shouldn't deliver undue wear and tear.
At least not on the gun. The shooter on the other hand.....

A .357 is not a .44 and does not represent the same level of strain on the platform. Pressure is only part of the equation.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

I've got a 2.75" M69. Had it a few years now. It's been treated like a strong 44 Spcl. The last loads put together for it had 215 gr BNWC over 5.0 gr Bullseye in 44 mag brass. These were target loads.

The gun has yet to exhibit any real faults. As recent Smith products go, it's one of their better efforts. Both DA and SA trigger pulls are very good, it's comfortable with 44 Spcl loads, and accurate. Would like to buy the 4.25" version if I knew it was going to be this good. Of course full power 44 mag loads might be a different story.

Got it for a good price too. Idly placed a bid on Gunbroker and ended up winning it. Half hoped someone would outbid me after the bid was placed.

 

[someguy2800]

I had a 4.2" one and I liked it. It had some quality issues out of the box and had to take a ride back to S&W but they took care of it at no cost to me. It was great to shoot shmedium load out of, like 1000 fps 250 grain cast loads, but it was quite a handful with full power magnum loads mainly because the stock grips it comes with are sadistic. I put a set of big hogue grips on it which made shooting magnums tolerable, but they are so big that it kind of defy's the point of the gun. I probably could have found a better compromise for grips but a 5" 629 caught my eye one day and I bought that and sold the 69.

 

[.308 Norma]

the stock grips it comes with are sadistic.

Ha! "Sadistic" is a real good one-word description of the Model 69 stock grips as far as I'm concerned. I've never looked around for grips to replace them with though - I just avoid running very many full-house .44 Mag loads though mine.

 

[v8stang289]

I've had mine for a little over 2 years now. It's my main sidearm during deer season. My main loads are 240 swc over 10gn Unique and a 200fp over 8gn HP38
I shoot some full magnum w296 and 2400 loads, but honestly they're a handful in this revolver.
It's a fun and accurate gun with mid and mild loads though. I love shooting steel and 8" steel plates.
I did recently swap the red ramp for a patridge sight, but don't have any updated pics.

 

[paul105]

I was out shooting my 2.75" today. My typical range loads are 5.0gr WST and 17.5gr A2400 under 240 - 265gr Cast deep seated and crimped over the front drive band in 44 Mag cases. Shot both today. Steel out to 100 yds.
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Picture taken last yr IIRC - more snow today.
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The front sight on the gun I was shooting today is a Dawson precision 1/10" fiber optic.
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One of my favorite handgun platforms.