A number of commenters in the post below have chided me for not upgrading from the Taurus Tracker I started carrying about three (four?) and a half years ago.
And the truth is – I did. Late last year.
Regular readers might recall that last October I posted an article comparing my Tracker to a neighbor’s new-to-him S&W Model 69. My reaction to that pistol was positively inappropriate – it was like lusting after your neighbor’s wife. You just don’t do that ’cause it’s nothing but trouble, right?
I mean the 69 was exactly like the Tracker in every way – except better in every way. And the Tracker would have been perfect for me – light, easy to carry but good cartridge choice – if it were only … better in every way. It’s basically the difference between a range toy and a serious working gun.
Well – it turns out my neighbor really didn’t like his Model 69. It’s light for a .44 Magnum, he doesn’t reload, and you can only buy magnum ammo locally. You kind of have to be a recoil junky to like it*. And if your neighbor doesn’t really mind you lusting after his new pistol, well … one thing led to another. Trades ensued.
As with the Tracker, it really needed a better grip. Hogue makes two that fit the L-frame; a svelte one and a big ugly one that takes some of the pain out of the recoil. You see the one it has now.
But it did develop a mainspring problem. My theory is that its previous owner swapped in a lighter mainspring for a lighter trigger. Certainly somebody not a gunsmith took the sideplate off at some point because a couple of screws are chingered up slightly. It never was 100% with hard primers, though it worked fine on commercial ammo until this weekend. When I took the grip off I found that the tensioning screw had backed out, and it should be cranked all the way down and Locktited. So I have a heavier ‘duty’ spring coming.
As to why I didn’t mention it on the blog even though I was giddy as a schoolgirl at the time – I dunno. My weapons have been upgraded somewhat over the past few years and some private things should remain private. But not talking about the S&W, which I carry every day, may have been taking that policy to extremes.
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* It’s pleasant to shoot with .44 Special. But I can roll my own Specials and need to because they’re not sold locally. My neighbor was stuck with Magnum ammo only.
Those that have used the 69 extensively report that the x frame grip that comes standard on the big 50 and 460 Magnums tame the recoil of the 69 well. Personally I would treat it as a .44 Special but apparently many have put a steady diet of Magnums and are still chugging along.
Well that is more like it. Once you undo all the amature gunsmithing ‘improvements’ you should have a 100% reliable EDC.
I will admit I didn’t like the stock DA pull on my 25-5 and had a actual gunsmith do the work.
The DA pull was improved a bit but oh lord the single action pull is scary. Somewhere in the area of 2-2.5 lbs.
Model 69’s are great guns, I am sure you are going to enjoy lusting over its acquisition.
Ah, a Smith & Wesson. A proper revolver.
My only objection is gun pr0n in 400×301 pixel format.
And on that note – why does the cylinder appear tapered at the bottom of the frame window? (more daylight towards the front) Just an effect of the angle?
Nice to hear of the upgrade – hope you can get it to 100%.
Cool beans. As much time as you spend outdoors in the desert, you NEED a reliable gun that travels every where you go. And a holstered handgun is about the best you can do to accomplish that. I hope you get things squared away but it sounds like you are on top of it so …
Now THIS:
http://itaintholywater.blogspot.com/2020/05/pure-genius.html
is what you need before next winter!
S&W Model 69? Very nice! I’m sure the Wolff spring will correct the problem you had on the weekend. One thing I know is that S&W make a damn fine wheel gun.
My bad. I should have thought of that.