S&W 696 - 44 Special for home defense?

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bk40

New member
I am taking a look at the S&W 696 5 shot revolver. Primary usage would be for home defense.
Its chambered in 44 Special. Weight is 36oz. What is the "L-Medium" Frame that S&W states the 696 is based on.

Anyone shot this revolver? What ammo would be appropiate for home defense? Any input appreciated.
 
You can purchase the following self defense ammo at WWW.WHOLESALEHUNTER.COM :

#WINCX44STHP52 44 S&W SP, Super X 200 gr, Silvertip HP

The price is $10.00 per 20 cartridges. I haven't personally shot this revolver, but I plan to try out this ammo in a S&W 629 44 magnum I just purchased.
 
The S&W L frame has the same grip size as S&W's K frame (as used in the Model 10, K-22 Masterpiece, and Model 19) with a thicker cylinder and frame. It was designed as a stronger alternative for those who thought that the K frame .357 Magnums wouldn't hold up to extensive shooting with full loads. The best known S&W revolver built on the L frame is the Model 686.

If you're familiar with the Ruger GP-100, it's about the same size as the S&W 686 and 696.
 
Thanks guys!
I have owned a 686 in the past, good gun, but I did prefer the K frame m66 over the L frame 686.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>The S&W L frame has the same grip size as S&W's K frame (as used in the Model 10, K-22 Masterpiece, and Model 19) with a thicker cylinder and frame.[/quote]

I am familiar with the L frame Smiths, but what had me puzzled was the term "L medium" frame. Wondering if this was a cross between the K and L frames.

What can I expect the recoil to be like in this 3" revolver with typical defensive ammo?
 
I flirted briefly with a 4" Taurus .44 5-shot. Quite similar to the 696 in size & weight. Recoil was stout. You didn't say the barrel length on your 686, but I would compare the recoil to hot 125's out of a 3", or 158's our of a 4", but with more muzzle rise. The wood grips on the Taurus didn't help much. The 696 comes w/Hogues, much better.
 
I have a Taurus 431 .44 Special, 4" bbl. VictorLouis is right about the grips (I ordered a Hogue mono for it last week, should be here today or tomorrow), but I found recoil with PMC ammo to be entirely manageable.

I'd have no problems using this gun for HD, with a good JHP bullet (Hornady XTP 200gr over 6gr of Bullseye is what I use).

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"If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance."
-- Samuel Johnson
 
The 696 is an excellent choice. In fact, it's the gun I have in the quick-safe in my bedroom. It and a couple of speedloaders are loaded with CCI Blazer Gold Dots, which you can get from Ammoman.com at a good price (I think they were $16 per box of 50). I'm a great believer in revolvers as home defense guns, and the 696 is just right. The combat grip feels great and recoil is pretty mild (if you ever have to use it, you won't even notice).
 
If you want to use the .44 Spcl. with a short barrel you should reload your ammo !!!
Use a fast burning powder !
Factory loads are often made with slower powders which need long barrels.
If you use such ammo, you loose a lot of power and the .44 Spcl. is to weak.
With handloads you can make excellent defensive-ammo.
You should use heavy bullets (lead is better than jackets) and load them subsonic. Thats also good for your ears !

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Remington 870 rocks !
 
I'd definitely have to shoot reduced handloads for extensive practice - I broke my wrist a couple of years ago and it just won't stand up to a lot of recoil.

Mag-na-porting may be an option also, though I worry about the debris shooting out of the ports.

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BKs Pistol Pages
 
I have a 696 that I like a lot -- it's really a great size. I have Silvertips in mine for social purposes, although I'm giving strong consideration to swiching over to a stout 240-gr SWC handload.
 
I have a Model 696 (L-frame, 5 shot) and a Model 24 (N-Frame, 6 shot) both with 3' barrels. I use Georgia Arms 44 Specials loaded with 200 Speer Gold Dot HP, a 44 caliber version of the Flying Ash Tray (same bullet as used in the Blazer's). Mine GA's crono at 832 FPS, the Blazer's 825 FPS. A 200 grainer at 800 FPS plus is not in the short and weak catagory. Seems a 230 grain .45 caliber I heard about, has been doing quite well at the same velocity for about 90 years.

Blazer's are a buck cheaper (15 vs 16 bucks), but Georgia Arms uses reloadable Starline Brass.

BTY, 200 Win Silver tips only crono'ed about 775 FPS in both guns.

Regards,
 
I have owned one and really liked it. It was one of those trades you wish you could take back. One day I'll make it right again. The only problem I had with it was that with jacketed ammo, it couldn't hold hold the bull at 25 yards. I tried everything and finally came to the conclusion that it needs very soft bullets. The most accurate load was the 200gr Remington SWC. Soft swaged lead. I traded it for a Glock 10mm thinking that I might not be able to buy an automatic in the not so distant future. The 696 is a stout little gun. The .44spl is rated at @15,000 psi, but the cylinder walls are as thick as my .44mag blackhawk if you count thinness of the cylinder stop notches. The 696 is a 5 shot so the stop notches are positioned between the cylinder walls instead of over them. I've been told unofficially of course by a known gun writer that he as loaded his as high as 35,000 psi with no adverse affects. I would not reccomend this, but it says alot about the strength of the gun. It really peaves me that I sold it, but everyone needs an automatic to call their own. I don't count my duty weapon as it's not really mine. Revolvers are great. I guess I watched too many westerns as a kid. I tried Hogue monogrips, but hated them. I highly reccomend the S&W diamond wood grips. They are a wood/polymer combo that look really nice, feel great, are tough as nails, and cost half the price of the Hogues.
 
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