Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum – Superb 2.75 Inch Carry Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum is The Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum takes the medium frame 44 Magnum and shortens it to the point where carrying it stops being a chore. Two and three quarter inches of barrel on an L-frame five shot cylinder makes for a revolver that is genuinely compact by big bore standards, short enough for a belt holster under a coat or a chest rig on a trail, while still firing the full-power cartridge.

Stainless steel throughout means weather and sweat are not a concern, and the adjustable rear sight lets you zero for the specific load you carry rather than accepting whatever the factory picked.

Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum Short Barrel And Medium Frame

The engineering that makes the Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum possible is the five shot cylinder. Six chambers of 44 Magnum require a large cylinder and therefore a large frame. Dropping to five lets the chamber walls sit between the cylinder bolt notches, which is the strongest arrangement available, and lets the whole thing fit inside the medium L-frame. You trade a round for a much handier revolver.

Shortening the barrel to two and three quarter inches takes that further. Compared to a four and a quarter inch model this is noticeably faster out of a holster and considerably less obtrusive under a jacket. It is about as small as a 44 Magnum gets without becoming impractical.

The adjustable sights are a meaningful inclusion at this size. Short barreled revolvers are usually given fixed sights, and 44 Magnum loads vary enormously in where they print. Being able to zero properly turns this from a gun you point into a gun you aim.

A red ramp front sight picks up light quickly, which helps in the timber and at dusk.

Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum Recoil, Blast And Honest Limits

This is where honesty matters. The Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum is a light, short 44 Magnum, and full-power ammunition through it is punishing. The recoil is sharp rather than heavy, the muzzle blast is loud and bright because a short barrel cannot burn all the powder, and a cylinder of heavy loads is genuinely uncomfortable. Nobody enjoys a long practice session with this configuration and anyone claiming otherwise is posturing.

The sensible approach is the one experienced owners use. Shoot 44 Special for practice, which this revolver fires without any modification and which is pleasant enough to run a hundred rounds through. Carry full-power ammunition, ideally a load designed with short barrels in mind, and sight in with it.

Five rounds is adequate for a trail or field gun and thin for anything else. Reloading a five shot magnum under stress is slow, and 44 Magnum recoil makes rapid follow-up shots hard.

Use ammunition with a firm roll crimp. Heavy recoil in a light revolver can pull bullets forward out of the cases still in the cylinder and lock the gun up until you clear it.

Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 10064
• UPC: 022188868012
• Caliber: 44 Magnum, also fires 44 Special
• Capacity: 5 rounds
• Barrel: 2.75 inches
• Frame: stainless steel L-frame
• Sights: adjustable rear, red ramp front
• Grips: synthetic
• Action: double action and single action
• Finish: satin stainless

Buyers weighing the Smith Wesson Model 69 in its two barrel lengths are trading comfort for portability. As a 44 Magnum L Frame Revolver it already sits two frame sizes below the traditional big bores, and as a Five Shot Stainless Revolver it gives up a chamber to get there. The short barrel takes that logic as far as it sensibly goes, which is exactly right for a trail gun and exactly wrong for a bench gun.

Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum

Buy the Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum if you want serious big bore power in a revolver small enough that you will actually have it with you. For hikers, anglers, hunters walking long distances and anyone working in country with large animals, a 44 Magnum on your belt beats a larger one left in the truck. Stainless construction shrugs off rain and sweat, and adjustable sights let you zero for a real hunting load.

Skip it if you are recoil sensitive, because this is one of the harder kicking factory revolvers you can buy. Skip it if you want a range gun, where a longer barrel and heavier frame cost the same and shoot far more comfortably. And skip it if five rounds and a slow reload do not fit your intended use.

Who Should Buy The Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum

The Smith Wesson Model 69 Combat Magnum suits This revolver suits trail and backcountry carriers, guides, ranchers, anglers in bear country, and hunters who want a backup or a walking gun rather than a bench gun. It is a poor fit for new shooters, for anyone sensitive to recoil or muzzle blast, and for high-volume range practice with full-power ammunition. All firearm sales ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and handgun and carry rules vary by state, so confirm your local law before ordering.

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Every firearm we list ships to your chosen FFL and is transferred there after a background check.