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Bill Wilson
03-06-2014, 11:02 PM
Just got my new M69 S&W in. This is the best new model revolver for 2014 in my opinion. Boy did S&W hit the mark on this one!!!

Probably the best back wood packin handgun I've ever had the pleasure to handle and shoot.

Got it zeroed today with 1000fps 240gr loads and went right out and shot 4 hogs with it.................1 DRT, 2 ran 20yds or so and the 4th after dark (60yr old eyes) was a bit of a running gun battle :)

Going to open the width of the rear notch tomorrow and I'm going to be real happy with this piece.

GJM
03-06-2014, 11:09 PM
It didn't happen without pictures!

GJM
03-06-2014, 11:31 PM
Bill, will the new M69 fit in a regular L frame, four inch holster?

Splitting the weight difference between a 329 and 629, this should be less brutal than shooting the 329, but in a trim package.

Drang
03-07-2014, 01:57 AM
Ooh! Oooh! (http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_827559_-1_757767_757751_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y) How did I not hear this was coming?! I'll be in my bunk...
...especially if they bring it out with a 2.5-3" barrel.
Maybe Talo will do something...

Dagga Boy
03-07-2014, 08:33 AM
I would love to see a snub version. With that said, I think Det.WD could slay things with that like the Bambi executioner. He loves hunting with service size pistols and revolvers and that thing would be about perfect as he likes the medium frame guns more than the N's. We both like them all, but he leans to the K's and I am more into the N's (which goes back to first duty guns).

Chuck Haggard
03-07-2014, 09:22 AM
I already have a 681 that I often wear to the woods, and have whacked one deer with. I would want one of these if it turns out they don't have issues with acting weird under recoil.

Tamara
03-07-2014, 09:32 AM
"Smith & Wesson's first medium frame .44 Magnum!" reads the ad copy. (Except for, you know, those 696s that made it out of the factory with over-long chambers...)

Also, me and Smith are all broke up right now over the sacrilege and heresy going on in the nomenclature department.

I'd barely gotten around to forgiving them for naming the Moulded Plastic service auto after the legendary duty revolver, and now there's a thread in the revolver forum that, judging from the title, looks like it should be about a 1st generation stainless double-stack 9mm. And then they've got that 9x19 N-frame with the puzzling 929 designation... No, sir, I don't like it one bit. All this used to be orchard! :D

Tamara
03-07-2014, 09:36 AM
I would want one of these if it turns out they don't have issues with acting weird under recoil.

I'm keeping my ear to the ground on that, too.

This is a class of revolver I feel a completely irrational affinity for: Little gun, big bullet. I've had most of the off-brand 5-shot .44 Specials as well as the Smiths, and still keep the 296 around for a purse howitzer, and (most especially with the off-brands) I've found them to get wonky fast with >200gr loads, but that's admittedly the statistics of small numbers.

Chuck Haggard
03-07-2014, 09:58 AM
If this thing works with standard 200-240gr .44mag ammo without issues then it will be doing exactly what I need it to do. Years ago shooting rounds out of a handgun that were besting a .45-70 from a rifle quit being fun for me.

2alpha-down0
03-07-2014, 10:03 AM
I have absolutely no use for this gun, and for comfort and long-term durability I'd probably be better served with a 629.

Don't care, though. I need one, because "Combat Magnum".


Sent from my iThingy using Tapawhatsit

Tamara
03-07-2014, 10:06 AM
If this thing works with standard 200-240gr .44mag ammo without issues then it will be doing exactly what I need it to do. Years ago shooting rounds out of a handgun that were besting a .45-70 from a rifle quit being fun for me.

Word. If it can't be done with a 240gr bullet at 1200-1300fps, I don't much care to try and do it with a pistol anymore.

JHC
03-07-2014, 10:09 AM
I love this concept. I've been shooting my 629 4" a bit lately with factory loads to get my .44 groove on for carrying it while fishing/hiking AK later this year (I hope/plan). N frames magnums impact recoil in the base knuckle of my strong side thumb just so due to the frame size to be as Chuck said, not that much fun anymore. I can imagine that the L frame dimensions could give a lot of hands a little better positioning that might, might I say, make up for the ounces trimmed. It could happen.

Chuck Haggard
03-07-2014, 10:20 AM
Word. If it can't be done with a 240gr bullet at 1200-1300fps, I don't much care to try and do it with a pistol anymore.

I truly think you can do almost everything outside of elephant hunting with a good 250gr Keith style hard cast at about 1000fps or so. I have a friend that hit a large moose in the shoulder with such a bullet, found it in the guts, that's like 4" of penetration.

JHC
03-07-2014, 10:33 AM
I truly think you can do almost everything outside of elephant hunting with a good 250gr Keith style hard cast at about 1000fps or so. I have a friend that hit a large moose in the shoulder with such a bullet, found it in the guts, that's like 4" of penetration.

^ that and I wish there were more factory loaded options for that. I guess '14 is the year I unpack all the reloading components and get a new press.

Dagga Boy
03-07-2014, 10:52 AM
"Smith & Wesson's first medium frame .44 Magnum!" reads the ad copy. (Except for, you know, those 696s that made it out of the factory with over-long chambers...)

Also, me and Smith are all broke up right now over the sacrilege and heresy going on in the nomenclature department.

I'd barely gotten around to forgiving them for naming the Moulded Plastic service auto after the legendary duty revolver, and now there's a thread in the revolver forum that, judging from the title, looks like it should be about a 1st generation stainless double-stack 9mm. And then they've got that 9x19 N-frame with the puzzling 929 designation... No, sir, I don't like it one bit. All this used to be orchard! :D

Glad it is not just me. They must have found some kid with a degree in business marketing who was born in the 90's to be in charge of gun designations and thinks this stuff is cute. It's not.........stop it Jacka$$.

I always get amused that Tamara also loves the ugliest Smith ever made, yet one of the coolest. My Bowen 296 is one of my favorite things to this day and served me well as both an on-duty BUG and a fishing gun for the Eastern Sierra's.

GJM
03-07-2014, 11:27 AM
Since Bill is still getting up to speed on uploading photos to a forum, he asked me to post this:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg251/GJMandes/Wilsonpig_zps5508b77b.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/GJMandes/media/Wilsonpig_zps5508b77b.jpg.html)

Tamara
03-07-2014, 11:35 AM
Since Bill is still getting up to speed on uploading photos to a forum, he asked me to post this:

Yup. That's a dead pig, alright.

GJM
03-07-2014, 11:52 AM
Yup. That's a dead pig, alright.

Tam, you are slipping. I would have thought you would have pointed out, as an astute viewer, that this pig is really 20 pounds smaller than you might expect --- since we are used to seeing an N frame for size perspective, and this is only a L frame.

Rosco Benson
03-07-2014, 02:38 PM
The little .44 is tempting. If only some enterprising outfit (like...I don't know...Wilson Combat) would offer something to replace that horrid lock thing.

Rosco

JHC
03-07-2014, 03:20 PM
Yup. That's a dead pig, alright.

Is it the eyes that give it away?

JHC
03-07-2014, 03:21 PM
Word. If it can't be done with a 240gr bullet at 1200-1300fps, I don't much care to try and do it with a pistol anymore.

+1 and really, if there was a place that 5 shots ought to be plenty it would be for this sort of pistol.

GJM
03-07-2014, 03:29 PM
+1 and really, if there was a place that 5 shots ought to be plenty it would be for this sort of pistol.

That sounds right -- unless you have had to run off three grizzly bears, like when we were caribou hunting a few years ago. This is the three of them, and then heading north, after "shots fired."

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg251/GJMandes/3bears_zps43a746cf.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/GJMandes/media/3bears_zps43a746cf.jpg.html)

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg251/GJMandes/3bearsgone.jpg (http://s250.photobucket.com/user/GJMandes/media/3bearsgone.jpg.html)

JHC
03-07-2014, 03:42 PM
Nice! But you didn't need a sixth right? You needed 6-15 on board. ;)

Edit - Hey, no fair. You had a rifle too. I thought you meant it took most of your revolvers shots to scare them off. lol

1986s4
03-09-2014, 09:50 AM
Is there room in an L frame's cylinder for six .41's?

Wheeler
03-09-2014, 10:52 AM
Is there room in an L frame's cylinder for six .41's?

No. There wouldn't be much metal between the chambers.

JHC
03-09-2014, 11:08 AM
Is there room in an L frame's cylinder for six .41's?

5 I guess but I like where you're going. ;)

1986s4
03-10-2014, 08:51 AM
No. There wouldn't be much metal between the chambers.

I don't have any L frames so I don't really know. I do know they got 7 x .357 holes in the 686+. Did not Colt make a .41 special in one of their medium frame revolvers? Just wishing..

Tamara
03-10-2014, 09:19 AM
On a Smith with an even number of chambers, the cylinder stop notches are right over the chamber.

Six .40 holes is the limit in an L-frame, and I had read somewhere that that was supposedly only possible with a titanium cylinder.

TR675
03-10-2014, 09:49 AM
That sounds right -- unless you have had to run off three grizzly bears, like when we were caribou hunting a few years ago. This is the three of them, and then heading north, after "shots fired."

Gorgeous photos.

1986s4
03-10-2014, 10:14 AM
On a Smith with an even number of chambers, the cylinder stop notches are right over the chamber.

Six .40 holes is the limit in an L-frame, and I had read somewhere that that was supposedly only possible with a titanium cylinder.

Dang. Back to looking for a M58...

JHC
03-10-2014, 11:04 AM
Dang. Back to looking for a M58...

I've owned two. I didn't pay over $300 for either. Didn't hang onto them though. :(

But if S&W brought this out in a 5 shot .41, is that so wrong? ;)

Totem Polar
03-10-2014, 11:35 AM
I've owned two. I didn't pay over $300 for either. Didn't hang onto them though. :(

But if S&W brought this out in a 5 shot .41, is that so wrong? ;)

That would be so right.

Totem Polar
03-10-2014, 11:36 AM
And another perfect tribute to Taurus.






:D

JHC
03-10-2014, 11:57 AM
And another perfect tribute to Taurus.


:D

I tried out a Taurus snub in .41. Accurate and soft recoiling (relatively) with their rad rubber grip. But in DA firing it would spin the cylinder. Apparently not uncommon with them.

Lester Polfus
03-10-2014, 01:02 PM
Taurus makes quite a few guns I wish Smith and Wesson would make.

I can't tell you the number of times I've been tempted to buy a Taurus, but every time I contemplate paying over night shipping to FL multiple times, I realize I can't afford a gun that cheap.

NEPAKevin
03-10-2014, 01:16 PM
please delete, misread

1986s4
03-11-2014, 09:52 AM
I've owned two. I didn't pay over $300 for either. Didn't hang onto them though. :(

But if S&W brought this out in a 5 shot .41, is that so wrong? ;)

No way! We need more revolver variations IMO. I just prefer 6 rounds instead of 5 in a medium+ size frame.

Chemsoldier
03-11-2014, 04:26 PM
On a Smith with an even number of chambers, the cylinder stop notches are right over the chamber.

Six .40 holes is the limit in an L-frame, and I had read somewhere that that was supposedly only possible with a titanium cylinder.

Excellent, they need to make an L-Frame, titanium cylindered 10mm revolver. It will be huge, I and at least three or four other people will buy one. But don't worry, we will say how great they are so loudly that it will sound like the next micro-nine craze. Then 6 months later the gun store owners will be holding their heads in their hands wondering what they are going to do with all of them. :p

Tamara
03-11-2014, 08:20 PM
Excellent, they need to make an L-Frame, titanium cylindered 10mm revolver. It will be huge, I and at least three or four other people will buy one. But don't worry, we will say how great they are so loudly that it will sound like the next micro-nine craze. Then 6 months later the gun store owners will be holding their heads in their hands wondering what they are going to do with all of them. :p

People have reamed out 646's before. (I wouldn't, but I'm cautious like that.)

Little Creek
03-12-2014, 07:06 AM
On a Smith with an even number of chambers, the cylinder stop notches are right over the chamber.

Six .40 holes is the limit in an L-frame, and I had read somewhere that that was supposedly only possible with a titanium cylinder.

I have a M646 with the full lug barrel. The walls of the titanium cylinder are pretty thin under the cylinder stops. Kicks like a 357 magnum too.

Tamara
03-12-2014, 11:09 AM
I have a M646 with the full lug barrel. The walls of the titanium cylinder are pretty thin under the cylinder stops. Kicks like a 357 magnum too.

Yup (http://cosmolineandrust.blogspot.com/2008/03/sunday-smith-39-model-646-2003.html). We converted a couple to 10mm and the owners never called back to say their guns blew up, so I take that as a good sign. Mine is years gone now; ejection wasn't too sticky, but it was stickier than a regular Smif if I didn't keep the chamber walls clean and dry and I was all the time forgetting which were the thick clips and which were the thin ones.

Drang
03-12-2014, 11:11 AM
Seems that Julie Golob is gong to be making an appearance at the FLGS this Saturday as part of a Smith & Wesson Event, so I'll have to stop by and see what I can see...

NEPAKevin
03-12-2014, 11:16 AM
Yup (http://cosmolineandrust.blogspot.com/2008/03/sunday-smith-39-model-646-2003.html). We converted a couple to 10mm and the owners never called back to say their guns blew up, so I take that as a good sign.

That assumes that one would be capable of speech post10kb.

Tamara
03-12-2014, 11:17 AM
That assumes that one would be capable of speech post10kb.

One of 'em was still posting at GT years later, so I assume he still had at least two fingers. :D