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.