S&W 396 Mountain Lite

S

Snub357

New member
A bit of a departure from my usual all steel Smith revolvers.

This is a Model 396 Mountain Lite Ti, in 44 Special. 5 shots, alloy frame, titanium cylinder.

Weighs a whopping 18 ounces, and is an L frame. Sweet action, and no lock. HiViz front sight.

Feels very strange to be so light for as large as it is. Weighs an ounce less than a steel J frame snubbie.




 
I really like it and would love to get my hands on the 696. I suspect it will feel a bit strange shooting it too. I love the 44 spl. but that light weight wont absorb much of the recoil. Nice gun and it will be great to carry just not much of a range gun.

Let us know how it shoots.
 
I'll let you know. I've heard them called the "Mountain Bite". It sure has a nice action for a newer gen Smith.
 
Geez, Sub, that's a good .44 Spl you've got there,,,,aside from the atrocious front sight....it'll kick some for sure, but it's arguably the perfect back-packing trail gun. I've looked for a 696 for years but I'm not willing to pay the collector prices for one. Good find..>Rod
 
The atrocious looking front sight, a HiViz, is really a plus in bright sunlight. The bead really "pops". I would hate them on a classic old Smith, but on these "space age" guns, they don't look out of place.
 
To each his own, Snub...they're not for me...on a handgun...but gotta admit, a friend put a Williams fire sight on the business end of his Marlin .30-30, and I laughed it off...til I tried it on our woods range...deep and shady, 'bout what you'd expect from a KY deer stand...that red bead really stuck out, and wasn't nearly as big as I'd expected. I promptly bought and installed one on my Marlin 336 .44 Magnum...very useful for those of us still toting the traditional irons. It accounted for this year's white tail doe on a dim and overcast early November morning. Rod
 
I've had one for a few years now

fishingun.jpg


Used 180gr laser cast with top titegroup load. Very accurate, very painful. Gonna try some cast 210 with top trailboss load @ around 700+. I love mine but it definately is a carry a lot shoot a little shooter.
 
They are great woods walking guns as long as you load them light. They were never meant to be Elmer Keith type guns. But 800-850 fps types of loads.... sweet.

Gregg
 
Snappy. But not ridiculous. At least in my opinion.Thats with Hornady XTP's. My 4 inch Model 29 bites harder, with full power magnums.

But for range sessions, I wear a shooting glove. It helps.
 
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