Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Smith model 69 SS 5 shot 44 magnum...

a 5 shot round 2 pound 4 ounce 4 inch barreled 44 magnum on I guess an L frame...with rubber wrap around grips for $850...

I got to admit I am interested, but I don't know why...maybe I am brain damaged from shooting the N frame...

The Model 69 is available for around $700 or even less from a bunch of places online.

Sounds like something a guy should have.. Hard for me to justify ANOTHER .44, but that is a dandy..

What is not to like? It's pretty light at just over 2 pounds, and you don't have to worry about bottleneck case forming and stuff like that you would with the 10mm

Had one and it was nice and light to carry and was accurate but it was sold to fund a 5 shot Ruger .480 Bisley Super Blackhawk

They're all right. I sold mine because it seemed repetitive with my Mountain Gun and I preferred the MG.

I bought one for Jr. for his HS graduation. He also has a 686 that I got him for Christmas a few years back. I like that he can use the same holster for either pistol.

Just the opposite for me, I sold my mountain gun because it was redundant and FOR ME, less comfortable to shoot with all loads.

This pretty much boils down to personal preference. The M69 is one of my most used handguns.

You should be able to find one at $700 to $750 out the door (excluding sales tax)

Paul

this particular gun store happened to have a pound of unique, however I am not surprised they are higher than even MSLP, they usually are on everything.

i have a 29 MG and love it but i want a 69. to me its not redundant since my MG is blued and the 69 is stainless. the way i hunt, i lay my MG on my right side and have my rifle cradled. if something sneaks in on my right, i reach over and pick up the 29 and shoot it offhand. my first shot offhand is good to 30-40 yards. 2nd shot and on is not quite as good. the 69 would be a good one to lay in the wet leaves. kind of pains me to leave my blued MG laying there getting rained and snowed on. i just need to moolah to do it.

Sleeved barrel! Glad you posted this.

I bought my S&W 69 with the intentions of only shooting kind of stiff 44 sp loads in it. It shoots good now, but had a problem with the barrel crown when I got it. It actually had the lands of the rifling extending past the crowned end of the barrel. Since I re crowned it, I have had no problems with it. That was one weird looking crown.

I have shot it with 44 magnum factory loads and recoil is brisk. More than a Mountain gun in 44 Magnum, but not uncontrollable at all. I like the 69, even with its sleeved barrel…

I did not notice the sleeved barrel when I looked at it, (reading glasses required), I know they use them on their aluminum and titanium guns, I have a 38 special +P 2 inch barreled pistol that is still alive and kicking after I bought it when they were first introduced. I like the lightness of the 69, I suspect it will be as accurate at the non sleeved guns. Wonder how they will hold up over time to "moderate" 44 magnum loads. If I got another 44 I would put pachmayers on it.

This sounds like it would be a perfect gun for somebody that lives in bear country like Alaska and needs to pack a .44mag every time they step out the door.
I would love to see a Ruger GP-100 five shot .44.

I bought one last year then sold my 629. The 69 is now my all time favorite double action 44 mag.

I have three M69s.

#1 Rnd Count: 2,700.

Everything from 320gr WLNGC at 1,180 fps (Max load of H110 from Hodgdon’s online manual) to 240gr SWCBB at 800. Ninety percent of those were 240gr JHP Fed Fact chronoed at 1,215 fps (1,375 from 7 ½” Ruger Bisley hunter) and 265gr SWCGC at 1,140 fps

Point of reference – 250gr Keith (Lyman 429421), 21.1gr A2400 chroned 1,250 fps at 5 long paces from muzzle and 83 deg F. The 240gr Fed Factory load chromed 1,215 fps at 5 long paces and 45 deg f.

About 2,500 rounds, the gun started binding in both single and double action. Sent it back to S&W on their dime. They “fixed the crane/yoke”. Turnaround time from doorstep to doorstep was 3 weeks exactly.

No problems since.

#2 Rnd Count 4,500 +.

Mostly 240gr SWCBB at a chromed 880 fps (maybe 15% 240gr Fed Fact and 265gr SWCGC mentioned aboe.

No problems to date

#3..Rnd Count less than 100 (fuction tested, sighted in and put back in safe as a backup).

Here’s a picture of sight in target for gun #3 (two circle – final sight setting w/265gr SWCGC at 1,140 fps).



Here’ a target I shot (benched at 25 yards) with gun #1 to check POI with same POA. Rear sight was bottomed out and POA was center of center diamond for all loads. Only shot two rounds of each load to minimized recoil induced fatigue and minimize target clutter.

NOTE: GUNS BEING DELIVERED NOW HAVE SIGHTS THAT ALLOW FOR ZEROING WITH .44 MAG AMMO (based on rear sight blade and POI of my GUN #3).



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Brian Pearce covered the M69 and appropriate load data in Dec 2014 (#293) issue of Handloader Magazine. If you have a M69, you should consider ordering a copy from Wolf Publications http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/index.cfm?magid=689 .

With the Hornady 240 XTP Brian listed 24.5gr H110 as Max. A max load of 21.5gr of A2400 was listed as max for both the 240gr Nos JHP and 250gr Keith.

Here’s a brief recap of the article excluding load tables.

Article addressed strength & durability w/long term use of .44 Mag level ammo – shot over 2,700 round while testing and discussed engineering features.

S&W Reengineered yoke to place enough supporting steel surrounding bbl threads to handle Magnum pressures and allow increased barrel shank diameter.

Due to location of bolt notches (chamber wall thickness at weakest point is .040” in 629 vs. .052 in M69) cylinder strength is more than adequate to handle .44 Mag pressures. Ball detent lockup is a plus and “aids chamber alignment and durability”.

All endurance package features previously/currently incorporated in 29/629s have been included in M69.

Brian quotes S&W “the L=frame has a strong durable frame and barrel built for continuous Magnum useage”. Further, S&W engineers subjected the M69 to endurance testing with full power .44 Mag ammo and passed with ease.

Per Brian “IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED, HOWEVER, THAT THESE GUNS ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR LOADS THAT EXCEED MAXIMUM SAAMI PRESSURE GUIDELINES FOR THE .44 MAGNUM, OR 36,000 PSI”.

Regarding recoil he said the smaller L-frame’s lower bore axis “translates into decreased muzzle lift, less felt recoil and quicker follow up shots”.

Balance of article is basically discussion of load data specific to the M69 with some other observations.

Showed a table comparing velocities M69 vs M629 with various factory loads (210gr thru 300gr). Also included a couple of load data tables covering bullets from 180 – 300gr.


Hope some of this helps.

Paul

The model 69 has replaced everything else for me. Wonderful handy revolver. My heavy load is the H&G 503 at 1200. Very accurate after ten fire lap loads. Cylinder throats were .430 . put a Dawson green fiber optic front sight, shows up quite well after the rifle sights disappear. The x frame grips are a must for me but mine are starting to wear out. I have four thousand plus rounds through it. Paul 105 likes his so much he owns three of them. I may own another one, they are a marvelous size.

The model 69 has replaced everything else for me. Wonderful handy revolver. My heavy load is the H&G 503 at 1200. Very accurate after ten fire lap loads. Cylinder throats were .430 . put a Dawson green fiber optic front sight, shows up quite well after the rifle sights disappear. The x frame grips are a must for me but mine are starting to wear out. I have four thousand plus rounds through it. Paul 105 likes his so much he owns three of them. I may own another one, they are a marvelous size.

Love my Smith 69.

Not sure if they have finally started putting taller front sights on them or not but this can be aggravating depending on what loads you plan to run.

Some people get hung up on 1 less round in the cylinder but I think it is a non-issue.

The sleeved barrel hasn't given me any troubles and I have about ~3k rounds through mine after a couple of years with it....for what that's worth.

All that aside, I think it is a great little revolver. Running 265gr cast SWC about 1050fps I am hitting just right with the rear sight bottomed out. In my El Paso Tanker holster it is a dream to carry and gets toted more often than any of my other revolvers / holster combos.