Smith & Wesson 696 .44 Special
Model: 163132
Smith & Wesson 696 .44 Special
Model: 163132
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Smith & Wesson 696 is a stainless double-action .44 Special built for belt carry and range work. It is no longer made, so it is a used buy. Its combat round-butt grip and smooth combat trigger are the fittings S&W put on revolvers meant to be carried and shot in a hurry.
Frame and barrel are both stainless steel. A frame-mounted firing pin block is the safety, with nothing external to engage. The barrel is rifled 1 in 18.75, right hand. Nothing on the gun is cut for an optic, and S&W no longer lists the model, so sights and springs come off the used market. The round butt takes the corner off the bottom of the grip frame.
If you're cross-shopping, the Smith & Wesson 624 is the other discontinued S&W .44 Special, set up with square-butt target grips and a target trigger for bench work. The Charter Arms Target Bulldog 4.2" is still in production, 22.0 oz of stainless with adjustable sights behind a 4.2-inch barrel and five rounds.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Stainless throughout means no blued finish to wear through at the holster mouth or the cylinder face.
- The combat trigger face is smooth, so a long double-action stroke does not saw at the finger.
- A rubber combat grip spreads recoil across the palm where a wood target grip concentrates it.
- S&W no longer lists the model, so parts and service mean finding a shop that works on older Smiths.
- With no optic cut and no rail, a dot or a light is aftermarket work on a gun nobody still supports.
Category Rankings
How the Smith & Wesson 696 .44 Special ranks among compact .44 Special handguns.
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Alternatives to Consider
Similar compact .44 Special handguns ranked by similarity.
| NAME | BEST PRICE |
|---|---|
|
Smith & Wesson 396 Night Guard .44 Special
Smith & Wesson
|
$1,146.99 |
|
Charter Arms Target Bulldog 4.2" .44 Special
Charter Arms
|
$444.99 |
|
Taurus 445 Ultra-Lite .44 Special
Taurus
|
— |
|
Smith & Wesson 624 .44 Special
Smith & Wesson
|
— |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can it shoot .44 Magnum?
No. A .44 Special chamber is shorter than a .44 Magnum case, so the longer round will not seat.
What does a frame-mounted firing pin block do?
The firing pin sits in the frame and a block keeps it from moving forward until the trigger is pulled all the way through, so a loaded cylinder stays safe to carry.
Where do these go wrong with age?
Timing, lockup and cylinder gap, and whether the original grips are still fitted. The grips are easier to replace than the hand or the cylinder.
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