"thin" cylinder 696

[brian]

here's some interesting data. the 696 is a 5 shot. No clyinder stop bolt notch cut over the chamber. cylinder walls look thin. my caliper says 0.050". Oooh. be careful... well, let's see. model 625 cylinder wall was 0.070" BUT the bolt stop notch, which is right over the chamber was 0.040" deep. So the chamber wall is really only 0.030" at the thinnest point. There are many articles about fairly stout loads in the 25K PSI range for the 45 Colt or the 45 ACP +P. Now why wouldn't a 25K PSI load have even more margin with 0.015" thicker cylinder walls? I suspect that the "limit" will be where the gun becomes uncomfortable or unplesant to shoot long before the pressure limit on the design is reached. I'd be interested if anyone with a model 29/629 would measure the cylinder wall on the chamber and subtract the bolt notch cut depth and post it. I suspect that it will be less than 0.050". I am anxious to try my new (used) to me 696. However I suspect that a 240-250 gr. bullet around 900-1000 fps will be my "ouch" limit anyway. Just some thoughts for discussion.
thanks,
Brian

[StrawHat]

Brian,

Also to be considered with the thickness of the cylinder is any heat treating. S&W does (or used to) heat treat the magnum cylinders for their revolvers.

This increases the strength. I believe they also treat the frames, which is why it is not advisable to mount a magnum cylinder on a non magnum revolver.

Not having used a 696, I can not comment on the recoil factor. But I still have some 36's (also 5 shots) and yes, the recoil is what usually limits my reloading. The lack of weight (revolver, not me) being the bad actor in this case.

Of course the recoil is the limiting factor in my 405 WCF, 45-70 and 50-70 rifles also.

[Lloyd Smale]

I have run keith level loads in mine alot and also in the titanium version the 396. Recoil is the limiting factor especially in the 396 as its down rite visious with a 250 loaded with 18 grains of 2400. Recoil is stouter then my 500 linebaugh. The 696 is more comfortable but still a little stouter then id want to deal with for plinking. I mostly run loads equivelent to 7-8 grains of unique, power pistol or herco in them. there comfortable to shoot and that load will easily take a deer, hog or black bear as ive shot all of them with loads like that. The cylinder never made me nervous on these guns what did is the very thin forcing cones. i doubt if theyd hold up to a ton of really warm loads.

[Swagerman]

I gave up a long time ago trying to shoot them dang mouse guns, (snub nose .38 specials) the recoil would inhibit my accuracy to zero.

Lloyd Smale, has said it very well as to the 696 limitations. I knew a gent in AZ who had a Kaboom with the cylinder on one. The loads were not excessive either.

Though I really pine for a 696 S&W in .44 special, it would have to be a give away price before I would succum to its siren song.

Jim

[brian]

Thanks for the good advice. Of course not working at S&W, very few of us would know the exact heat treat, or lack thereof, among the different model lines in the portfolio. Mr. Smale has a good observation in that the forcing cone is visually quite thin looking. Again no knowledge on if any heat treating on the forcing cone part. Unfortunately, work is keeping me from getting out and trying it out anytime soon, but I suspect recoil issues will keep outrageous loading procedures from rearing it's ugly head. I do hope, though, that I can get the Lyman 429640 HP mould drop bullets that work well out of this revolver. A lot of the fun is getting there. I'll seriously peruse the data books, but I'm hoping 950 fps isn't being too rediculous on a goal, and soft enough alloy to get decent expansion at 25 yards. And of course adequate accuracy too. However I suspect the accuracy limitations will lie with my abilities (or lack thereof) rather than with the revolver.
Regards,
Brian

[slughammer]

I bought my 696 when they first came out. Not being one of my competition or hunting guns it has been shot little. But none the less it is one of my favorite guns if only for the cool factor.

We can get the same size gun in a 6 shot 357 mag, but for me, these guns are about big heavy boolits and low pressures. Imagine using one or the other inside a closed room. 44spl or 357 mag will both get the job done, but which one will leave your hearing maybe partially intact?

My current fun load for mine is 4.0gr of Clays, I can't even remember if they are 240's or 200's. I loaded a big bacth of them back in 2004 and I'm still shooting them up a little at a time. IIRC the chrono said 600fps, but they are fun. Perhaps the next batch I'll work up some stronger loads.

[Lloyd Smale]

brain 250s at 950 are just idleing in that gun. It would hold up to a lifetime of those loads

Thanks for the good advice. Of course not working at S&W, very few of us would know the exact heat treat, or lack thereof, among the different model lines in the portfolio. Mr. Smale has a good observation in that the forcing cone is visually quite thin looking. Again no knowledge on if any heat treating on the forcing cone part. Unfortunately, work is keeping me from getting out and trying it out anytime soon, but I suspect recoil issues will keep outrageous loading procedures from rearing it's ugly head. I do hope, though, that I can get the Lyman 429640 HP mould drop bullets that work well out of this revolver. A lot of the fun is getting there. I'll seriously peruse the data books, but I'm hoping 950 fps isn't being too rediculous on a goal, and soft enough alloy to get decent expansion at 25 yards. And of course adequate accuracy too. However I suspect the accuracy limitations will lie with my abilities (or lack thereof) rather than with the revolver.
Regards,
Brian

[Swagerman]

Slughammer:

My current fun load for mine is 4.0gr of Clays, I can't even remember if they are 240's or 200's.

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Hey, that Clays 4.0 grain is a good one, check this out.

Jim

[9.3X62AL]

I get ~950 FPS in the 44 Special from 7.5 grains of Unique and Lyman #429421, the renowned "Skeeter's Load". This is from a 6.5" harrel in a M-624. It might not be my first choice for a hunting load, but it would likely do fine on the coyote-sized blacktails and muleys in the local mountains if not 'way far off the muzzle. Mostly, it's just a good, healthy, accurate load in 44 Special.

[Kraschenbirn]

I've shot 11.5 gr. of 2400 behind a hard-cast 240 gr SWC through a 3" Lew Horton (round-butt frame) Mod. 24 and, while reasonably controllable, the load was about all I cared to deal with so far as recoil and muzzleblast.

Bill

[Bear4570]

I love my twin 696-no dash's and they would be some of the last to go.
Favorite loads:

250 Keith with 7.5 grains of Unique
200 Round Flat Cast with 7.0 grains of unique

Favorite carry load Corbon 165 gr JHP

Both shot great and have no sign of any problems after 1000+ rounds.

The Twins: