The entire S&W L-frame 5-shot .44 Special family is now gone - the 396 is not in the '05 S&W catalog. Several years ago, I had grown tired of drooling over my dealer's long-time new case sitters, a 696 for $439 and a closeout-priced 296 for $349, both brand new. I bought the pair and quickly replaced the grips on the 696 with the squared version of the same grips, a la the 66's, and recycled it's rounded UM's on the 296 Airweight, a great improvement.
The 296 was discontinued years ago, yet persisted in the pipeline new for closeout prices of $350-$400, vs it's MSRP of $789. It has fixed sights, 2.5" SS lined barrel, Al frame, Ti cylinder, enclosed hammer, and is ammo-restrictive (200gr or less clad only). At ~21oz loaded with CCI Blazer 200gr Gold Dot .44 Specials (or, what I use now - GA Arms Starline brass cased version), and an L-frame, it is a bit hard to conceal. Great home gun.
The 3" 696 was axed later - but still several years ago. It's numbers were exhausted quickly - and it has developed a cult following, causing it's used prices to go from $350 to as much as $700 some places. Don't ask me how I know about the cult thing, we are all sworn to secrecy. Mine is my most common range companion - now with Ahrend's cocobolo stocks. Whether my 'wimpy' 240gr LRNFP over 3.5gr Titegroup in .44 Russian, which make a whopping 690 fps, or my hottest loads, it is pure fun. S&W has never had much luck keeping .44 Special, their own round dating back nearly a century, revolvers in production - just low demand. Get them where you can find them!
Stainz