S&w 696

What’s some favorite loads for the S&W 696

7.5gr Unique and a Keith

Go here for a good discussion that includes the 696:

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell44SpecialRevisited.htm

Mine gets 7.2 Unique now, has shot many at 7.5 gr. Sketter loads in the past. Also it shoots a 200gr rf very well. I cannot remember the load, I found 1000 of the bullets cheap and are long gone. They were 44WCF design but sized to .430. I would stay away from the really light really fast " self defence" factory stuff due to the forcing cone thickness. I am not sure there is really any issue, but 696s have become scarce and Expensive! Better safe than sorry, Skeeter load is max for mine.

There is one at the LGS. Ported - so might be a Lew Horton. Might just go and buy it tomorrow - 4 razor clams...

I've got one that I'm pretty sure was a Lew Horton as it is Magna Ported. I try to follow the Fryzel article as a guide, but for carrying around loads I get the CCI 200 grain Gold Dot HPs with a hole big enough to crawl into with a sleeping bag. I haven't had to verify the effectiveness on anything but 5, one-gallon jugs of water taped in a row, and they sure blow them up! GF