S&W 69 ready for Alaska

[bula]

PotatoeJudge, Has your uncle made his choice yet ? Could you explain the C&S extended firing pin ? Issues, why ? Etc..

[potatojudge]

Mart, it'll be Fairbanks in around a month I think. When he makes it up I'll let y'all know. Last I talked to him they were still looking for a place and all, but I imagine they've got that sorted out by now.

Bula, I asked him the other day and he's swamped with all the other logistics. Once those are decided upon we'll decide what and how to get his choice up to him.

For the firing pin, it gives more reliable ignition but is slightly more prone to breakage. Not an issue with regular shooting, but snap caps are recommended. The guys on the S&W forum have plenty of discussion on the issue and that seems to be the consensus.

[bula]

Thanks.

[webber]

After a couple thousand of that 320 gr load let know how the M69 is doing. I am curious as the recoil impulse is what beats up a Smith 44 Mag. Not running SAAMI compliant loads.
Ask Mr Bradshaw his take on running a couple thousand trough it. Now a few won't hurt it but that would be all I would run through it.
Continued use of loads like that is what a 4.2 Redhawk is for if preoccupied with a DA.
Just let us know how the M69 fairs. With an accurate report that is as to how it is doing.

[bula]

Believe is he is running SAAMI spec loads. Then he decided to go some lighter yet for follow up shots. After shooting BB 305's and Federal CastCore 300gr WFN's, i'll be content a bit slower yet. Looks like with the 4" barrels that the slow burn powders just don't pay off well to get a few more FPS.  

[potatojudge]

Well, I got a text the other day saying he traded his 586, mod 94 trapper, and a Sig 1911 for a Ruger Alaskan in 44 mag plus cash. Like with any trade, I wish he'd gotten a better deal, and I'd have been happy to buy that 586 off him, but done is done.

I think the Alaskan is a great gun for the job, though I'd have gone with the 480 or 454. He doesn't reload, is a bit more recoil sensitive than me, and the 44 is the gun they had in stock. I'll still order him one of the holsters that was mentioned, and I guess that means I get to keep the 69 for myself... tragic lol.

Appreciate all the suggestions and comments, and I'll definitely have more questions for those up in AK to help him get moved and settled in Fairbanks.

[bula]

Thank you for sharing this journey ! Things were learned. 

[bradshaw]

My high mileage with Smith & Wessons is limited to the old DA’s built around drop forged components and the “hammer nose” firing pin, and with the floating firing pin of the K-22, the M-34 Kit Gun; sterling reliability from each. I commonly dry fire on fired cases, often immediately after shooting. L-frames and J-frames with floating firing pins generally go around once or twice before primers lose their cushion. You feel moment the primer no longer absorbs shock. Mainspring force and weight of hammer may result in one useful dry fire, or up to three. To digress, the Winchester Model 70 may go three strikes, whereas the Remington M700 goes two, a Mauser 98 or SAKO L61 perhaps one. Some bolt actions should not be dry fired without a strong snap cap, the Wichita among them. The short, fast firing pin fall of the Wichita requires a very hard firing pin; the shock of dry fire can break it.

Some guns should not be dry fired, leastwise not without a good cushion. Lever actions rank high on that list. A cushion between hammer and receiver will protect a lever action from dry firing. The firing pin of the Winchester 1894 tends to peen the the thin bolt face into a slight volcano condition. Marlin lever action firing pins tend to break when dry fired, without peening the bolt face. I would trust an Interterams Virginian Dragoon with floating firing pin to limited dry fire, but avoid dry fire altogether with the bewildering array of revolvers built around Sig Himmelmann, especially the Mossberg Abilene, the frame of which swage frame metal up to the floating firing pin, causing the firing pin to seize. (Firing a peened Abilene doesn’t necessarily lock up the gun, as chamber pressure exerted against the primer resets the firing pin. Dry fire on a firing pin with frame metal swaged around it seizes the the pin forward to prevent cylinder rotation---attempting to cock, the rim countersink in the chamber bumps into the firing pin.)

Among revolvers, Ruger is the benchmark for dry fire durability. At the opposite extreme, the Dick Casull revolver of Freedom Arms, when subjected to dry fire, has the most breakage-prone firing pin. Simplest solution for the Freedom Arms is to interpose a piece of leather or lead between hammer & frame (hammer slot). Dick Casull prided himself on the fast lock time of his revolver, and the sharp primer strike.

Information based on observation. As to the morality of DRY FIRE, this shooter is all for it. Some guns take dry fire in stride, others do not. Insertion of an eraser, a strip of leather, a chunk of lead in the hammer slot of a revolver frame should allay fear of damage among persons who think dry fire is some horrible practice. If there is one champion reading this who doesn’t dry fire, please holler.
David Bradshaw

[warhawk]

Great set up, I'm a big fan of the Model 69 myself. For me, it has replaced the 629 Mountain Gun.

I really like these rubber Hogues without finger grooves.




I'm happy with this Galco holster, and also have an old Bianchi 111 marked "Colt 357" that fits perfectly.



Here it is with my tuned up Rossi trapper .44.



As far as loads, I generally carry a 250 grain Keith bullet at about 1000 fps. I doubt I'll be going back to Alaska, but if I do I would plan to bring the 69 along.