The 296Ti, a five-shot .44Spl, was one of only two models of DAO enclosed-hammer "Centennial" L-frames made by Smith & Wesson back around the turn of the Millennium.
The other was the 242Ti, which was otherwise identical but a .38Spl seven-shooter. I bought the .44, because I was (and still am, kinda) enamored with big bore snubbies. Thing is, the gun's limited to a max bullet weight of 200 grains, lest it turn into a kinetic bullet puller under recoil. That's not such a big deal, though, since most defense-oriented loads in the caliber use 200 grain or lighter projectiles.
None of those bullets expand reliably anyway, and if they did, they'd probably wind up with marginal penetration so it's probably a good thing they don't. Take Hornady's 165gr FTX Critical Defense, for instance. In my experience it's pretty iffy in the expansion department in clear gel through four-layer denim. In bare ordnance gel, it expands just like the brochure photos...and penetrates about eight or nine inches. The same as a decent .380ACP load.
So, loaded with Silvertips or Federal 200gr LSWC-HP, you've got a bullet that penetrates about fourteen inches through 4LD with some reliability, and you've got five of them. If I'd bought the 242Ti and loaded it with 148gr Federal Gold Medal Match .38 Special wadcutters, I'd get the same amount of penetration, less recoil, and two more shots.
We live and learn.
When carried it on the belt, rarely, I carried it in an old Galco Speed Master revolver holster, which had a distressing tendency to collapse and be difficult to re-holster with. These days I'd use the more rigidly molded Combat Master from Galco... if I didn't just go ahead and get a Summer Special IWB rig from Milt Sparks.
Right after I got it, I had a gunsmith do a trigger job, trying to get the lightest possible trigger pull while still reliably busting caps. It was down around nine pounds. Of course, that required a lightened rebound spring and gave a slow reset you could easily outrun shooting fast in double action. I had that problem sorted by the late Denny Reichard of Sand Burr Gun Ranch, who set me straight with a trigger job using factory springs. Sure, it's a couple pounds heavier than it was, but it's much better for real-world use.
I should get a tritium sight on the front...
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