I am considering replacing my .44 629 mountain gun with the smaller model .44 69 . The mountain gun is backup to my BFR .500 JRH.
Does anyone have / had both revolvers to give feedback on the 69? I'm not getting any younger and the lighter / smaller 69 may be worth it.
Shooting full house mag loads? My go-to load is the Buff Bore 305's.
Barrell length?
Any input would be appreciated.

- RENO

629 is an N Frame with 6 Shots
69 is an L frame with 5 Shots

I would expect the 629 to be a bit more robust.

They use to call the 69 the 696 and it was 44 spl only.

If you want small and lighter you might look at the 329 --but be careful what you ask for that sucker kicks.

May want to look closely at the older 396 super light and really compact but it is a 44 SPL.

If you decide to sell the 629 MG let me know I may be a buyer.

May I recommend the set-up I am working on right now? I have purchased a Model 329 Smith and Wesson and have got an aftermarket Smith and Wesson stainless steel 629 cylinder to use on it. The 329 PD is light at 26 ounces with a titanium six-shot cylinder. The titanium cylinder is light and strong but high velocity loads can cause erosion of the titanium. So I put the Model 629 stainless cylinder on my 329. It adds about 4 ounces, bringing the empty gun weight to 30 ounces. I also put on an X-frame Hogue grip that has the pad in the grip to reduce felt recoil.
So that is where I am at. Mag-Na-Porting will come next with dual trapezoidal EDM cut ports at the front area of the four inch barrel. It will be my EDC revolver in a custom shoulder holster.
The big advantage of the Model 329 over the Model 69? The Model 69 only has 5 shots and the Model 329 PD has 6 shots. And one more thing. The frame size where the forcing cone is supported is larger on the N-frame Model 329 PD. The force of the bullet entering the forcing cone could be better handled with the larger area of mass of the N frame on the Model 329 PD.

I love my model 69 4". I usually shoot 240's through it though. It becomes a handful with heavy bullets and lots of powder. I've only put around 200 rounds through mine, but I don't see it giving up the ghost anytime soon. It's a packable and very accurate gun.

I received quite a bit of feedback on the 'single-actions board so I picked up the model 69 yesterday. I went with the 4" version. I also bought several boxes of different factory ammo, different weights, velocities etc. for testing.

jeff460 - I handled a 329 PD yesterday. S&W found a hokie solution for the flame cutting issue. There is now a thin strip of stainless(?) inside the cylinder window from the bottom of the top strap and the top of the forcing cone. It is held in place by the front screw of the rear sight mount.
Thanks for the replies.

It is a solution and that is not what I was referring to that erodes. The titanium cylinder throws off sparks and erodes over time. The stainless cylinder is more durable and needs no extra finish to handle what has always been used as well in the Model 629.
Even Smith and Wesson has fitted a stainless cylinder to the Backpacker 329 version that was a special run for Alaska clients. The Alaska Backpacker model.
Good luck with that slick Model 69 five shot. I am sure it will serve you well. Get a speed loader and be ready for quick reloads as needed. Or send it to TK Custom for a moon clip set-up. Moon clips are faster to reload and faster to eject and TK Custom will set you up. Just an idea.

Jeff, do you have a photo of it? I would love to see it.

I will take a picture with my phone and get it posted. Thanks for the interest. Should I wait till I get the Mag-Na-Porting completed or just get the picture with the Hogue X-frame grips and the stainless-steel 629 cylinder replacement in place?

I would like to see pics of your 329 mod as well.
I shot the 69 yesterday with three different loads.
Hornady 240 grn. XTP, 1350 fps : Easy shooting. Felt like I was shooting .45 acp
Hornady 300 grn. XTP, 1150 fps : What I was expecting. A heavy hollow point with an acceptable amount of recoil. Decently priced at $22 for 20.
Buffalo Bore 305 grn. LBT - LFN, 1325 fps : This load was punishing (as it is even in my 629 Mtn. gun). It was the most accurate of the three tested at 25 yards, however on the expensive side at $36 for 20.
Velocities were 'as advertised' on the box and not verified by Chrony.
My initial experience was favorable. The 69 shot much like the Mountain Gun with a few differences. Although there is a 7 oz difference between the two, the 69 felt like the same weight as the 629 MG shooting free hand. The 69 feels smaller in size and has than 686 feel I am accustomed to. Also the lower bore height of the 69 is noticeable especially during recoil of the Hornady 300 grainers.
The factory trigger on the 69 has a lot to be desired, as I am a bit of a trigger snob. Single action mode was acceptable, however DAO was not. I was comparing it to my circa 1981 S&W 686 trigger but I probably shouldn't.
I don't yet have an opinion regarding carrying the 69 in a holster. Apparently S&W 69 holsters are uncommon in the cookie cutter holster market. The extra .25" barrel length prevents other L framed holsters from performing double duty.

I carry my model 69 on the farm and as my daily CC weapon. I use a simply rugged pancake and it works well. Tuck it in my waist for socializing, and on my hip while on the farm. It's a very versatile weapon.

When I'm out woods bumming, my model 69 rides comfortably in a Lobo holster. Don't even know it's there. My 69 is stuffed with 44 Special level ammo.

I carry my 69 in a ManGear Alaska Chest rig ... fits perfectly and serves my needs perfectly. I never gave an opinion on the original question as I've never owned or fired a Mtn.Gun, but my 69 has been a joy to shoot and carry.

P

I am sending my 629 Stainless six-shot cylinder to Bowen Classic Arms for some attention. I will use it to replace the titanium six-shot cylinder that came on my 329 PD. Bowen Classic Arms will be checking cylinder necks and throats and honing them true if too small. If too big it will be unable to be adjusted. Also,
they will be doing a Colt Black-Powder Cylinder Chamfer, as well as beveling the charging holes for faster reloading when using a speed-loader or loading-strip.
After I get it back I will make the switch and post a picture. Other work will be done too. But the look will be shown with the replacement cylinder in place.