Pleased with New Pistol: S&W 69

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Took my new S&W model 69 out yesterday and I must say, I really like it.

 

As some of you know, its the 5 shot, 44 mag revolver.     Mine has the 2.75" barrel.

 

I thought it might Buck & Roar, but it was actually tame and a lot of fun to blast away.

It roared..... but it didn't 'buck' like I thought it might.

 

As TN Williams says.....  it was blowing the poop out of those cow pies on the farm.

 

Well balanced and feels super solid for a smaller sized big bore revolver.    If you are one of those who recently posted

your desires for a model 69,  be patient........ the wait is well worth it.

 

..........Widder

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

I can’t imagine my little girly man hands would consider it tame…but I like it!

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-69

[bgavin]

My LGS has the Ruger version of this in stock... a bird in the hand...
It's too bad I have zero interest in the short barrel, as I am holding out for the 5.5" model.
 

[Dantankerous]

On my short list...

 

Had three in my hands over the last year point five but never took one home. Gonna do just that as soon as I find one locally again. Thanks for the review.

[Pat Riot]

That's great Widder. I know you have been waiting a while for that one. Glad you like it.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

First S&W .44 Mag I had back in the late 60's was a four inch Model 29.  Had those horrible old "target" stocks.  Hurt my hand.  This one looks neat.  I have not seen the Model 69 back on the local shelves yet but other S&Ws are showing up sporatically.

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

I like the 69, because it's based on the L frame.  That said, I carry a 624 in 44 special on a fairly regular basis.  It's a 3" non Lipsey made model.  

 

[Ezra Hawthorne]

Why don't most .44 magnum revolvers have ported barrels, wouldn't that help to reduce felt recoil?

[Dusty Devil Dale]

25 minutes ago, Ezra Hawthorne said:

Why don't most .44 magnum revolvers have ported barrels, wouldn't that help to reduce felt recoil?

Felt recoil and muzzle flip might be reduced by porting, but I wouldn't want to be standing too close beside you without a full face shield.  Muzzle flash must be significant with that round in that short of a barrel. 

 

  For shooters who believe recoil is really a problem, (it's really no more than a 20 ga shotgun) a smaller bore, like .357 might be a better selection .   The heavier .44 bullet doesn't gain anything if you cannot hit the target due to flip or recoil -- or more likely due to anticipatory flinch..

And a well placed .357 mag is a deadly round to be hit by-- even for large game like a black bear, or deep penetration into an engine block.    

 

--But that diverges from the OP.  And the Model 69 (44 mag) is a great looking firearm in all respects.  There is one sitting in a LGS that has seriously tempted me over this past week and I (and my wife) fear it is winning.   

[Dantankerous]

57 minutes ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

I like the 69, because it's based on the L frame.  That said, I carry a 624 in 44 special on a fairly regular basis.  It's a 3" non Lipsey made model.  

 

 

Quite possibly the sexiest revolver S&W ever put out.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

I've fired a few big bore revolvers during my shooting life and some were uncomfortable to shoot,  like a .454 Casual and some of the 

S&W 29 and 629 models with those blame wood grips.   Even some .357's with wood grips stung my palms and not a lot of fun

to shoot.

 

All that being said, its obvious the rubber grips are a nice enhancement on this size/caliber pistol.

I was shooting CCI LAWMAN .44 Mag, 200 grain slugs and they had little bite back to my hand nor intimidating.

Sun is shining again here in E.TN and I might make it back to the farm again this afternoon and test out some of my

'patented' reloads:   23+ grains of H110 with a 240 slug.

I also got some 'real nice' loads using LilGun powder.  In some loads and bullet weights, It has out performed H110 in other pistols,

mostly determined by the barrel lengths.

 

I plan to work up some nice 180 grain XTP bullet loads to see how they also work.   But that will be later.

 

..........Widder

 

 

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

1 hour ago, Ezra Hawthorne said:

Why don't most .44 magnum revolvers have ported barrels, wouldn't that help to reduce felt recoil?

 

I've owned and shot a few PORTED handguns.  Personally speaking, the blast is multiplied to those close by AND the shooter

A short barreled, PORTED, magnum shooting revolver would not be as pleasant to shoot as some may think.   

I'm glad this particular model 69 is not ported.

 

..........Widder

 

[Rex M Rugers #6621]

23 grs. of H 110 or Win 296 w/ 240 gr. Sierra  was my old silhouette load for several years. It was noticeable in the heavier Rugers and Dan Wessons that I had then.

Probably will be delightful in that S&W 69.

Rex 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

49 minutes ago, Rex M Rugers #6621 said:

23 grs. of H 110 or Win 296 w/ 240 gr. Sierra  was my old silhouette load for several years. It was noticeable in the heavier Rugers and Dan Wessons that I had then.

Probably will be delightful in that S&W 69.

Rex 

 

"Delightful" is probably an understatement..... 

 

I figured once I pop off a few of those 'special' reloads,  there won't be a lion, tiger, grizzly nor T-rex venture into my neck of the woods this

evening.

 

..........Widder

 

[Pat Riot]

7 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

I can’t imagine my little girly man hands would consider it tame…but I like it!

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/model-69

I have those same grips on my 327 Night Guard. I really like them. They tame hot .357 magnum loads in that 27 Oz revolver. 
 

I was hoping the model 69 spec sheet would name the maker of those grips, but it doesn’t. The spec sheet for my 327 lists Pachmayr Compaq Custom grips, but they are not those grips. 
https://snwcdnprod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/spec-sheets/10064_0.pdf

[Widder, SASS #59054]

PAT,

I don't know who makes them.   To me, they feel more like 'HOGUE' rubber than Pachmeyer.

But, all they show on the grips is the S&W emblem/logo.

 

They feel darn good............ not to sticky or spongy and not to hard either.     They are nice and firm.

 

Went out this afternoon and put a few 'thunder boomers' thru it.   Real, down to earth .44 mag fodder

wasn't as bad as you'd expect from a small pistol.

I was shooting 23.3 grains of H110 with a 220 slug, and 23.3 LilGun with a 220 slug.

 

I ain't sure I could 'plink' all day with it, but shooting a couple dozen rounds is doable without intimidating the shooter.

 

I would also help if the shooter wore a nice, palm padded shooting type glove.

 

One thing I noticed:  recoil wasn't so fierce that the trigger guard bruised, pinched or hurt my middle finger from recoil.

 

I enjoy blasting away with it and will probably not hesitate shooting it often and possibly carry with me on occasion.

 

..........Widder

 

[Pat Riot]

55 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

PAT,

I don't know who makes them.   To me, they feel more like 'HOGUE' rubber than Pachmeyer.

But, all they show on the grips is the S&W emblem/logo.

 

They feel darn good............ not to sticky or spongy and not to hard either.     They are nice and firm.

Cool! I will tell you that I bought my S&W 327 in 2012. I have carried it and shot it often and the grips still look new. I have tried to find out who makes these grips from S&W. They won’t tell me and they don’t offer them for sale separately. I wanted a spare set, just in case. 
 

Have fun with your new shooter. I like the looks of the 69 and the concept, but I can’t punish my wrists any more with stout shooting handguns. 
 

 

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Nice , Finally found what was on my list active  search for a year , little bigger than that a Thompson 1927

[Dantankerous]

38 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Cool! I will tell you that I bought my S&W 327 in 2012. I have carried it and shot it often and the grips still look new. I have tried to find out who makes these grips from S&W. They won’t tell me and they don’t offer them for sale separately. I wanted a spare set, just in case. 
 

Have fun with your new shooter. I like the looks of the 69 and the concept, but I can’t punish my wrists any more with stout shooting handguns. 
 

 

 

Well... buy the sexy gun and limit yourself to 44 Specials.

 

You know you want to.

[Pat Riot]

26 minutes ago, Dantankerous said:

 

Well... buy the sexy gun and limit yourself to 44 Specials.

 

You know you want to.

Actually I plan to buy myself a heavy duty .357 Magnum. Probably an S&W model 27, model 686 or perhaps a GP100. Maybe a Blackhawk, but I have wanted a model 27 for quite a while. That one is my preference over all the others. Just hard to come by right now. 

[G W Wade]

Nice!!!   Just love those S&W revolvers      GW

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

The more I look at it the more I like.  But now the big BUT.  But what would I do with it?  I would probably take it out of the box and fondle it and then fire a few rounds and stick it in the safe and that would be it.  Luckily no one has had one in stock for a long time so I am safe from myself for the time being.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

21 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Actually I plan to buy myself a heavy duty .357 Magnum. Probably an S&W model 27, model 686 or perhaps a GP100. Maybe a Blackhawk, but I have wanted a model 27 for quite a while. That one is my preference over all the others. Just hard to come by right now. 

 

Pat,

Don't overlook the Model 66 Combat Magnum.    Its the little brother to the Model 69, BUT..... its in a 6-shot  .357 mag.

Their profiles seem to be the same.

 

..........Widder

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Hey Larsen,

I would say that most of us have many guns that we fondle and keep in the safe most of the time.    Lucky for me, I live next to a farm,

which allows me to shoot most anytime I want.

The owners son is also a shooter and he and I are good friends.     Most any day of favorable weather, I jump on my ATV and cruise down to the pond

where I can blast off my pistols, do accuracy testing and chronograph work also.

 

It also the place I have filmed most of my YouTube videos.

 

..........Widder

 

[Pat Riot]

11 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Pat,

Don't overlook the Model 66 Combat Magnum.    Its the little brother to the Model 69, BUT..... its in a 6-shot  .357 mag.

Their profiles seem to be the same.

 

..........Widder

 

I have a model 19 and my 327NG. I want a bigger .357 that I can put some hotter loads through for woods carry and hunting, maybe. Besides, my model 25 needs an N frame companion. 

[DeaconKC]

51 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I have a model 19 and my 327NG. I want a bigger .357 that I can put some hotter loads through for woods carry and hunting, maybe. Besides, my model 25 needs an N frame companion. 

Look for a clean Model 28, just not as highly polished blue finish.

[watab kid]

one of these is on my "list" for this years expenditures , been looking a little not yet found the right one ,  

[Dusty Devil Dale]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Actually I plan to buy myself a heavy duty .357 Magnum. Probably an S&W model 27, model 686 or perhaps a GP100. Maybe a Blackhawk, but I have wanted a model 27 for quite a while. That one is my preference over all the others. Just hard to come by right now. 

I have three 686s.  One is 2-1/2", another is 3-3/4", and the third has has 5-3/4" barrel.  All three are very formidable tack drivers.  I've shot soda cans at over 85yds off of a rest with the short barrel.   

 

My wife and I each carry one when we llama pack in the Sierras, as bear and lion "repellant".   I've never had to shoot a bear, as yet. But I did loan one of the guns to a Nat Park Service Backcountry Ranger once, and he used it to dispatch a big problem bear that had been mock charging backpackers to get their food.   (He saw our stock and hiked up to our camp and asked if by chance we happened to be armed.)  About an hour after he left we heard a single shot about a mile distant.   On returning the gun, that evening, he said one well placed heart shot with a 158gn jacketed HP brought the bear down almost instantly. 

[Dantankerous]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Actually I plan to buy myself a heavy duty .357 Magnum. Probably an S&W model 27, model 686 or perhaps a GP100. Maybe a Blackhawk, but I have wanted a model 27 for quite a while. That one is my preference over all the others. Just hard to come by right now. 

 

I have a Ruger GP100 7 shot that I like quite a bit although .357 magnum just isn't quite my cup of tea. I like recoil feedback from a revolver and the .357 mag just doesn't provide enough. I much prefer .44 magnum on up although the more I play with .44 magnum the more pussycat it becomes...  Ruger makes a darn fine wheel gun and I absolutely love my .44 and .45 Redhawks. I hope to add a .454 and a .480 Ruger someday. My BFR 500 JRH needs company. 

 

That said, a S&W Highway Patrolman has been on my list for years although I'd probably send it off for a conversion to .44 Special 'cause Skeeter. 

 

I spent some time over the weekend shooting a friend's Super Redhawk .454 Casull and have discovered I'm a bit of a masochist for recoil I guess.

 

But back to the Smith model 69. I think I prefer the 4" barrel model as the sight picture is just a little more eyes-friendly. Otherwise I probably wouldn't turn down the shorter barrel gun. The trigger on these model 69s is quite nice.

 

 

[Dusty Devil Dale]

2 minutes ago, Dantankerous said:

 

I have a Ruger GP100 7 shot that I like quite a bit although .357 magnum just isn't quite my cup of tea. I like recoil feedback from a revolver and the .357 mag just doesn't provide enough. I much prefer .44 magnum on up although the more I play with .44 magnum the more pussycat it becomes...  Ruger makes a darn fine wheel gun and I absolutely love my .44 and .45 Redhawks. I hope to add a .454 and a .480 Ruger someday. My BFR 500 JRH needs company. 

 

That said, a S&W Highway Patrolman has been on my list for years although I'd probably send it off for a conversion to .44 Special 'cause Skeeter. 

 

I spent some time over the weekend shooting a friend's Super Redhawk .454 Casull and have discovered I'm a bit of a masochist for recoil I guess.

 

 

I've shot a friend's 454 Casul quite a bit, as I considered buying it.  Very nice firearm, and I didn't find the recoil to be that terribly heavy.  But I am certain it would easily collapse any North American big game animal.  

[Dantankerous]

1 minute ago, Dusty Devil Dale said:

I've shot a friend's 454 Casul quite a bit, as I considered buying it.  Very nice firearm, and I didn't find the recoil to be that terribly heavy.  But I am certain it would easily collapse any North American big game animal.  

 

A Ruger SRH Toklat .454 Casull would my easy first choice. Very nice handgun.

[Dusty Devil Dale]

4 minutes ago, Dantankerous said:

 

A Ruger SRH Toklat .454 Casull would my easy first choice. Very nice handgun.

I did not buy it - I've regretted that decision ever since.  Besides the extreme ballistics, it's a beautiful looking gun that feels great in-hand.  I just didn't want to spend the $1,000 at the time.  Shoulda done it!   Made a similar mistake later when I had a chance to buy an original Anaconda for about the same money and passed it up.  

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

2 hours ago, DeaconKC said:

Look for a clean Model 28, just not as highly polished blue finish.

Same as the model 27 with a dull finish.  I'll bore you all with a short story.  In 1971 I was at Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona going to MI school.  I went into town to the local Western Auto and they had a cabinent full of guns.  I bought the Model 28 and some ammo and then drove back on the base and out into boondocks.  I was shooting it when some MPs showed up.  I thought "I am in big trouble."  They asked what I was doing and I told them I was shooitng my brandy new .357 MAGNUM.  They answered "can we shoot it!"  Now a-days you would most likely be court martialed and sent to transgender awareness training.

[WOLFY]

On 2/1/2022 at 9:39 AM, Ezra Hawthorne said:

Why don't most .44 magnum revolvers have ported barrels, wouldn't that help to reduce felt recoil?

 

none of my 44 magnums have ported barrels… I’ve never really had an issue with recoil

my all time fave is still my 3” model 29. 

If I'm going to put a lot of rounds down-range, I'll run CAS loads instead of full-power.

[Pat Riot]

I used to be one that enjoyed recoil. Not so much any more. 
 

The model 69 weighs a touch over 37 ounces. It sure is a sweet looking revolver. As I was looking at the specs this little demon started whispering in my ear “Year Widder and Utah Bob like them…you should try one out.” Then Dantankerous’ post came to mind and the little demon said  “Yeah, .44 Special is a good round. You could do that.”
Then the little Angel popped in and said “You would have to get set up to load .44s and besides, you want a new .357.” 
Then the little demon said “Yeah, go ahead, go with the angel, then the next visit to the gun store there will be a model 69 there…just for you…and then I am going to be in the background going ‘See, I told ya…Buy It, Buy It, But It!”

Then I snapped out of it before the idea took root.