I actually bought a "new" gun for a change. Well sort of. It was in the used case, but was in unfired, in the box condition. I've wanted one since I first saw them, but didn't want to pay the full retail price for one.
"One" is the new Smith & Wesson Model 69, "Combat Magnum" in 44 Magnum. Not the best looking S&W I've ever owned, but still not really "ugly" either. Sort of "plain" I guess.
Built on Smith & Wesson's "L frame", it's a five shot, 44 magnum, with a 4.2 inch (Canada friendly) barrel, adjustable sights, and some kind of rubber grips (they sort of remind me of the old Uncle Mikes grips). The sight are black (good) with a red insert front and white outline rear, the trigger, hammer, and cylinder release are black also...(OK...not so good, but not awful either). The price in the used case was a couple hundred lower than in the new case on the other side of the counter. Like most new Smith & Wesson's it does have "the lock".
Not a big deal to me, but I know some don't like it. Probably not a gun you'd want then.
Although it is chambered for 44 Magnum, I will probably never shoot any. I've got a good stash of 44 Special brass, and since I don't used a gun for much of anything except putting holes in paper, those will do just fine.
I took it to the range yesterday along with a box of my reloads. 200 grain RNFP cast bullet, over Unique (the load is in the book). I make no claim to be a great pistol shot. I'm a duffer at best. From ten yards, standing with a two handed hold, the first 25 shots looked like this.
The ones that didn't go into the 10X ring area are my fault. The gun is very comfortable. S/A trigger is crisp. I didn't even shoot it D/A but the D/A trigger is pretty good too IMHO.
The last 25 in the box made that area at the top of the X ring into one big ragged hole. I didn't touch the sights.
Normally I don't care for rubber grips but these are at least comfortable, and work well at the recoil level I was working with. Since I like my guns to look "stock" I probably won't do anything with them.
I'm looking forward to working with this one. I think S&W has a winner here. If I was still bumming around in the woods, I think it would be an ideal companion.
"One" is the new Smith & Wesson Model 69, "Combat Magnum" in 44 Magnum. Not the best looking S&W I've ever owned, but still not really "ugly" either. Sort of "plain" I guess.
Built on Smith & Wesson's "L frame", it's a five shot, 44 magnum, with a 4.2 inch (Canada friendly) barrel, adjustable sights, and some kind of rubber grips (they sort of remind me of the old Uncle Mikes grips). The sight are black (good) with a red insert front and white outline rear, the trigger, hammer, and cylinder release are black also...(OK...not so good, but not awful either). The price in the used case was a couple hundred lower than in the new case on the other side of the counter. Like most new Smith & Wesson's it does have "the lock".
Not a big deal to me, but I know some don't like it. Probably not a gun you'd want then. 
Although it is chambered for 44 Magnum, I will probably never shoot any. I've got a good stash of 44 Special brass, and since I don't used a gun for much of anything except putting holes in paper, those will do just fine.
I took it to the range yesterday along with a box of my reloads. 200 grain RNFP cast bullet, over Unique (the load is in the book). I make no claim to be a great pistol shot. I'm a duffer at best. From ten yards, standing with a two handed hold, the first 25 shots looked like this.
The ones that didn't go into the 10X ring area are my fault. The gun is very comfortable. S/A trigger is crisp. I didn't even shoot it D/A but the D/A trigger is pretty good too IMHO.
The last 25 in the box made that area at the top of the X ring into one big ragged hole. I didn't touch the sights.
Normally I don't care for rubber grips but these are at least comfortable, and work well at the recoil level I was working with. Since I like my guns to look "stock" I probably won't do anything with them.
I'm looking forward to working with this one. I think S&W has a winner here. If I was still bumming around in the woods, I think it would be an ideal companion.