Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns .44 Special

I bought a used Smith model 69 a few months back and I really like it for that very purpose.

The bad, for the most part, is that they are identical in size/weight to the 44 magnums.

I'm really thinking hard about a 69 (too many possibilities with that statement to count).

You like it so far, yes?

Yes, I really do like it. The one thing about them that I am sketchy about is the ball detent on the front of the crane. I have seen them where the ball didn't line up properly from the factory, so I'd want to look it over before buying to make sure that was squared away. Otherwise, I enjoy shooting that pistol and it is a joy to carry. I like it well enough that I am thinking about sending it off for a slick up action job.

I've been thinking about selling the 29-2 to get one. I need to put my mitts on one.

As much as you like the K frames, you'll really enjoy the 69. Plus, your leather will work across the board.

Dear God man.




Dave

I'd even kick in a few hundred if that helps.

I have thought about buying a S&W 69, as it would be a virtual twin of my favorite S&W 357 carry, the 520/620, but I already have a 329PD, so it appears to be a niche that is already filled.

Did you ever change out the front sight? Mine is hard to see in bad light. I will put a little white paint on the tip, but one with the red like my .38 special would be neat. miles

No, they all have the original front sight blades, but do put a little neon pink hi-vis paint on them.

I bought 4 5/8 Ruger Flattop when they first came out in '09 or so. It's been stellar with various 240gr jacketed and cast, 255gr WFN, and 280gr WFN. So far I've killed about six deer with it, using the 255 WFN started at 1050. I can tell you that bullet will brisket to bunghole a deer at 50 yards, busting the femur on the way out. Lung shot ones run about 25 yards and pile up. The swaged Hornady 240s make for very accurate plinking loads in my gun. I only wish I could've found a stainless one. Mine is developing some bluing loss character.

The S&W 69 is an outstanding carrying around the woods gun. I thought I wanted one, then once handled it was a must have. I got one last year and shot a couple deer with stoutly loaded 280 WFNs but I've since switched to 300s at 1150fps. Strangely, I have yet to fire any specials in it. I'll have to change that soon.

Used to be hard to find decent modern self-defense ammo in .44spl. Still not as common as .45acp, but much more available now.

I had a 3" Taurus 431 that was fantastic, except for a couple of things. I didn't like the stainless front sight and I would have preferred it to be round butt. When Taurus announced that they would be offering a round butt version, I sold the gun in anticipation. That was a very bad move, because the RB version was available in 2" only (at the time).

I since moved on to the .45acp, but often consider getting another .44 caliber revolver. As much as I liked the Taurus, the S&W 69 is more likely the way I would go. I don't mind cleaning chambers.

i have some gold dots in 44special. you can just about put your pinkie finger in the hole.

The good. Real power w/o the nasty muzzle blast. I like it better than the .45 Colt because you don't have to seat lead bullets extra deep and crimp them into the driving bands when you make up loads for it.
The bad, well, not the variety of ammo availiable for it ?
Lots of us, after shooting the high pressure rounds for a number of years, have found that the old, low pressure rounds like the .38-40 and the .44 Special are much nicer to shoot and can be very effective with the right bullets. E

I have the S&W 396 titanium mountain lite in 44 special.... 17 oz unloaded.... Talking about a dream to carry while hiking... Great gun and I love the round....

If I had to get by with just one handgun for the rest of my life this one would be the one. Maybe some nicer grips. This one serves me well with 255 grain SWC's over 17 grains of 2400.

Yep.

Or especially the 45 AR thrown in...

Seems like I recall that when I was packin' the 431, I had it loaded with an aluminum case CCI round that had the 200gr Gold Dot bullet in it. Great round.

Each his own, I guess. I owned a 329 for awhile and couldn't find anything to like about it but the lightweight.