Will
Well-Known Member
Got a early Christmas present Saturday. The S&W 69. This will work out good for me to pack around on the farm. Should take care of anything I encounter.
S&W 69
- Thread starter Will
- Start date
uncle jimbo
Well-Known Member
Some people are sure lucky. You will enjoy this revolver.
Wasalmonslayer
Well-Known Member
Will,
I have that exact same smith model 69.
I love it!
It shoots cast perfect and very accurate.
My favorite so far is Win Brass 12gr HS6 Mihec HG 503 SWC HP medium crimp right in the groove.
Just an FYI I have shot em lubed and pc’d with not a whole lot of difference.
I got the easy route now they are all pc’d.
The short barrel does not get you a lot of velocity with this load but it’s right around 875 average across my chrony.
I put two shot capsules in it for snakes and three slugs for more troublesome critters.
Those capsules filled up do a number on them dang snakes!
I hate snakes to start with.
I have that exact same smith model 69.
I love it!
It shoots cast perfect and very accurate.
My favorite so far is Win Brass 12gr HS6 Mihec HG 503 SWC HP medium crimp right in the groove.
Just an FYI I have shot em lubed and pc’d with not a whole lot of difference.
I got the easy route now they are all pc’d.
The short barrel does not get you a lot of velocity with this load but it’s right around 875 average across my chrony.
I put two shot capsules in it for snakes and three slugs for more troublesome critters.
Those capsules filled up do a number on them dang snakes!
I hate snakes to start with.
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Glaciers
Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Picked up a 69 last Christmas, or I should say, that was a present from my wife. Truly a understanding Lady.
Have not used it much yet, will be put it to a side by side comparison with my model 29. The 29 is a 4" and carries nicely, which I've carried for years. The 69 is only 6 or 7 ounces lighter, but that will help I'm hoping. Like the extra power of the mag with 265 - 270 grain slugs for stuff with teeth and claws we have around here.
44 SPL for fun though, much more pleasent.
Have not used it much yet, will be put it to a side by side comparison with my model 29. The 29 is a 4" and carries nicely, which I've carried for years. The 69 is only 6 or 7 ounces lighter, but that will help I'm hoping. Like the extra power of the mag with 265 - 270 grain slugs for stuff with teeth and claws we have around here.
44 SPL for fun though, much more pleasent.
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
I almost reached for the wallet on a new 4" variant of the Model 69--but held off and chose the PC Model 625 a few weeks later for the same "niche".
That done, I still think the Model 69 is a smart, useful design as a trail gun that could be pressed into anti-ursine roles if the need arose. Bears are a mild concern for me, generally. Coyotes are even less so. My major concerns in the back-country are feral canines and feral people. Encounters with both are not frequent, but they have occurred often enough to stay armed at all times in that environment. In town......res ipsa loquitor.
The S&W Model 69 is another 44 Magnum design that has benefited from the revamp of SAAMI pressure standards c. 1990. 36K PSI in place of 43.5K CUP has enabled the Model 69 and repro Win '73 actions to digest 44 Magnum factory ammo with minimal tredipation. "In how much comfort" might be a question, and a J-frame 357 Magnum platform still seems scary and definitely feels painful in my hands. I can do without "Painful". So, a 240 grain SWC @ (my comfort level in an L-frame) 1100 FPS vs. 255 grain SWC at (maxed out) 900 FPS in an N-frame.......I chose the 625, one more round too. Adequate for canids and 2-legged vermin, which are its target populations. Varmint gun in a shoulder rig.
That done, I still think the Model 69 is a smart, useful design as a trail gun that could be pressed into anti-ursine roles if the need arose. Bears are a mild concern for me, generally. Coyotes are even less so. My major concerns in the back-country are feral canines and feral people. Encounters with both are not frequent, but they have occurred often enough to stay armed at all times in that environment. In town......res ipsa loquitor.
The S&W Model 69 is another 44 Magnum design that has benefited from the revamp of SAAMI pressure standards c. 1990. 36K PSI in place of 43.5K CUP has enabled the Model 69 and repro Win '73 actions to digest 44 Magnum factory ammo with minimal tredipation. "In how much comfort" might be a question, and a J-frame 357 Magnum platform still seems scary and definitely feels painful in my hands. I can do without "Painful". So, a 240 grain SWC @ (my comfort level in an L-frame) 1100 FPS vs. 255 grain SWC at (maxed out) 900 FPS in an N-frame.......I chose the 625, one more round too. Adequate for canids and 2-legged vermin, which are its target populations. Varmint gun in a shoulder rig.
I've had good luck with 9.0 unique for a nice plinking round thru the 629...
gman
Well-Known Member
I always wondered if one was packing that revolver for things that bite how it would handle a load like 300 grains at 1000 fps? Anybody with one try that yet? Just curious. Even though I chose the GP-100 doesn't mean I don't like it. I was truly wanting a 44 special at that time. The one I handled was a 4".
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
The Lew Horton 24's are a gem. I still marvel that I snagged mine for what I did. But that's the beauty of the 44 Spec, most people these days never even heard of a 44 Spec, so they're sleepers. Lucky for us!
I'm not up on the M-69, but my impression is it's an L frame 44mag? Using 44 Spec loads that should be a beauty!
I'm not up on the M-69, but my impression is it's an L frame 44mag? Using 44 Spec loads that should be a beauty!
Hawk
Well-Known Member
I'll bet that is a BEAR with full house loads!
I load 9.0 grains of Unique behind a #429421 for about 900-950 fps out of my 6" 629.
Mild load that shoots into an inch at 25 yards from the bench. That's lubed with LBT Blue. You could probably get a little more velocity with powder coating, but might have to tweak the load a little bit for accuracy after changing the lube method.
I load 9.0 grains of Unique behind a #429421 for about 900-950 fps out of my 6" 629.
Mild load that shoots into an inch at 25 yards from the bench. That's lubed with LBT Blue. You could probably get a little more velocity with powder coating, but might have to tweak the load a little bit for accuracy after changing the lube method.