Will the model 69 combat magnum be able to handle a lifetime of 44 mag loads?

[horsemen61]

Will the model 69 combat magnum be able to handle a lifetime of 44 mag loads? That is the question with a smaller frame than a redhawk or a superblackhawk or a model 629 do you feel that over the course of its life it will handle the sheer power of the 44 mag? Please speculate

 

[Barry the Bear]

since the 69 was built to SAAMI spec, I believe it will stand to regular 240 gr and even 300 gr rounds for quite a long time. However I dont own one yet do I cant say for sure.

 

[Sam1911]

Yes. I don't think S&W would put this out on the market if they hadn't tested the platform thoroughly enough to feel sure that they won't have to replace more than a fractional percentage of them due to accelerated wear.

Shooting any gun with highest power loads will accelerate the wear it shows. Shooting any gun with hot magnums will wear it out faster than shooting it with standard velocity target loads. How many rounds does S&W expect these L-frames to take before they need to have corrective maintenance? I don't know, but I imagine they have figured out an expected lifespan, and that lifespan is longer than the expected round-count 95% of their buyers will put through the gun, so the product makes fiscal sense.

 

[MrBorland]

I'll echo what Sam1911 offered: It depends on how one defines "a lifetime of 44 mag loads". I expect it will almost certainly hold up to the number of full power loads the great majority of shooters will likely put through it, but I also expect 1 or 2 or 3 thousand of those full power rounds will be enough to shoot it loose.

 

[buck460XVR]

....since it comes with a lifetime, no BS warranty, the answer is a no-brainer.

 

[BobWright]

I am not familiar with the Model 69, but if, as you imply, it is a lightweight frame, I'd venture to say this: Fed full power .44 Magnum ammunition, it will outlast your ability to digest them!

Bob Wright

 

[Sam1911]

I am not familiar with the Model 69, but if, as you imply, it is a lightweight frame,...

The new Model 69 is Smith's new 5-shot L-frame .44 Mag. It isn't a lightweight, but it is a little smaller than a 629 or 29.

Apparently to appease the Canadians )) they went with a (just over) 4" barrel. If the barrel was a 2" or 3" I'd have said this is THE most requested revolver over the years. Folks have begged S&W to make an answer to the Charter Bulldog for decades. I guess a light dedicated .44 Spc. gun was too much of a niche for them to aim for, but they figured more folks would buy it if it was in Magnum...and they're probably right.

 

[Dframe]

Count me among the folks who REALLY want one with a 3 inch barrel.

 

[paul105]

+1 on Sam1911’s first post above in reply to OP.

I’ve had a M69 for a couple of months and have put about 900 rounds downrange -- about a quarter of which were 44 mag level loads of various persuasions. From here on out the gun will be shot mostly with .44 special or midrange .44 mags.

I really like the M69 -- subtle but noticeably different feel vs. the 629 Mtn Gun

Can’t imagine that anyone would purchase the M69 with the intent to shoot large numbers of full house .44 Mags thru it. Most guns that are subject to sustained heavy load use will require a rebuild at some point (something that S&W would do under warranty).

I know a guy that shot a Ruger Redhawk so much that the barrel and cylinder had to be replaced due to extensive gas cutting and erosion at the gap between the barrel and cylinder face. There were spider like radial grooves at that junction where the gas was cutting escape paths on both surfaces. That was with 240gr commercial hard cast bullets over 21.0gr of 2400.

Top to bottom - 629 Mtn Gun, 696, M69



FWIW,

Paul

 

[Wil Terry]

I AM ALWAYS INTRIQUED by questions like this.
Did you ask the dealer to note the day your new truck fell apart ?
Did you ask the realter when the the new house you bought will disintegrate into toothpicks?
Have you EVER worn out a gun ?
DO YOU KNOW anyone who has EVER flattout worn out a gun ?
I have been trying for nearly sixty years. Had one break from shooting factory cartridges, a bit over 12,000 of 'em.
Have numerous guns well over 20M rounds.
Have several over 40m roounds.
Have two well over 50M.
One over 65,000.
AND I do know this; sitting around on the 'net gabbing and talking like a bunch of ol' ladies in the sewing circle never accomplished a damn thing in the gun usage department.
SOOOOOO.....when will your truck fall completely apart..?
And so it goes...

 

[Drail]

OK, let's define out terms. Does "50M" mean millions or thousands? And yes, it IS possible to wear out a gun. Talk to some IMSHA shooters about that. S&W did and had to redesign the N frame to hold up for those guys.

 

[Sam1911]

"M" is generally the abbreviation for thousands, when using the latin-based system, hence "C" for centum (100) and "M" for mille (1,000).

It's most commonly used in the construction industry, where board foot costs will be listed as so-and-so many "MBF" (thousand board feet).



...But hey, I could be wrong. He could have two firearms through which he's shot over FIFTY MILLION ROUNDS. Assuming he could hit 0.20 sec. splits constantly (not counting reloads) he'd have over 347 days of constant shooting, 8 hours a day, on each gun. And, assuming maybe $0.20 a shot, to be cheap, $10 million in ammo, per gun.

 

[Hometeached1]

Yeah, if they made these with a 3" barrel I'd be finding a way to buy one and reloading supplies.

 

[horsemen61]

Alright guys listen I have never owned a smith nor a 44 mag I just had some unwarranted fears I guess for me it is a healthy chunk of money to put down and when I say 44 mag loads I mean a 240 grain bullet at moderate speeds thanks guys y'all answered my questions

 

[SunnySlopes]

if they made these with a 3" barrel I'd be finding a way to buy one and reloading supplies.

I've got the reloading stuff. So if they made it w/a 3 inch barrel and no lock, I'll buy one.

 

[eldon519]

I've got one. Only has about 300 rounds through it, factory 240s. So far so good. I reload, but I plan to feed it a steady diet of H-110 magnums. That's basically what my Bisley has been eating since I've had it. Will it wear out? Maybe. If it does I'll send it back to the factory and see what they can do with it. If it's dead, maybe I'll buy another assuming I got decent life out of it and like it then as much as I like it now. Kind of like folks said, it is probably best to compare it to a car or motorcycle. Perhaps I'll wear it out someday, but realistically I have my attention spread between enough guns that I likely never will. And the way ammo and component prices are long-term-trending...who knows?

 

[Desertrat357]

Well I've been drooling, dreaming, and researching this revolver for about a month. After bugging my LGS almost daily, I realized it'd be a very long wait. So I bit the bullet and just bought one off GB. I am really looking forward to this one. It's main purpose will be as a EDC while hunting, fishing and just bumming around the hills. Yes, I plan on putting some magnum rounds down range. But 95% of what I will shoot through it will be 950-1000 fps handloads. Not because I don't think it can handle full house magnum loads, but that is what I enjoy shooting the most. My hats off to S&W. I think this is the most niche revolver put out by any mnfg. in quite a while.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

For some reason many shooters think all S&W guns are weak and will not last. I'm sure this stems from the K frame .357 Magnum revolvers being subjected to a lot of 125gr ammo it was not designed to shoot. Now everyone thinks all S&W revolver are weak.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Will the model 69 combat magnum be able to handle a lifetime of 44 mag loads?

Depends on how long a life your shoot'en hand has.

Deaf

 

[horsemen61]

Thanks guys for all the replies

 

[W.E.G.]

I doubt the bone in my hands and wrist would withstand the number of full-house .44 Mag round that it would take to "wear out" that gun.

At the price of .44 Mag ammo, I'm pretty sure my wallet would be in tatters too.

 

[CraigC]

I reckon it depends on the shooter's lifetime and how many full power rounds he puts through one. An N-frame doesn't survive what I would call "a lot" of full power .44Mag so I would expect the lifespan of an L-frame in the same chambering to be shorter. Although I do think it would make a dandy .44Spl. Stoke it with a 240-250gr cast bullet over enough Unique for 900fps and we're ready for the trail.

 

[Drail]

I would say that if you feed it a steady diet of moderate loads (950-1000 fps) you have adsolutely no worries about "wearing it out". The guys who insist on shooting full blown "killer" loads will find out first how sturdy the 69 is. The hard way. The only "unknown" factor to me is the new two piece barrel setup. I suppose we'll see how it holds up. And I agree with CraigC that the 69 will make a very good .44 Spl. revolver. That would be my use for one. (still not as good as the 696 but pretty "dandy") I sure hope they decide to offer the 69 with a 3 in. barrel. That would be a perfect "packing" gun.

 

[eldon519]

The guys who insist on shooting full blown "killer" loads will find out first how sturdy the 69 is. The hard way.

Seems kinda silly to present it as foolhardy that someone might actually want to fire their weapon regularly with the ammunition and performance level it is spec'ed and designed for. Especially just on your hunch. If we were getting back lots of reports of them falling apart, I could see the cautionary words, but it's a bit premature for that I'd think.

Besides that, what actually gives out on a (6)29? We always hear about their fragile nature, but I have looked before and had trouble finding the specifics of what gives out.

 

[Drail]

That's not a "hunch". I have seen .44 Magnum S&W N frames beat to death with steady use of heavy loads (read - "handloads"). While you may not have ever seen one only means that you have never seen one. If it can be done with a N frame, it can also be done with an L frame that was designed for a considerably weaker cartridge. If you are only going to shoot standard factory ammunition you will probably never beat it up to the point where it needs an overhaul. However guys who handload and feel the need for more velocity, ft. lbs, "stopping power, etc, etc, etc, will continue to trash nice guns just like they always have.