Ultralight and Airweight toughness

[sterno]

I'm thinking about picking up a lightweight .357 or .38+p snub for pocket carry. I'm considering either a S&W Bodyguard style or perhaps a Taurus. I like the shrouded hammer or hammerless.

Anyway, What I was wondering is how well these revolvers would stand up to being fired alot. I like to practice with what I carry and I'd be putting somewhere in the neighborhood of 200-300 rounds a month thru them.

How would a lightweight stand up to a steel revolver?

 

[john55555]

My 637-2 gets at least 300 - 500 rounds of .38 spl +P each month and begs for more!

I've had zero problems with this little Smith Snubbie and recommend it highly.

You'd probably love the Model 60 if you want to feed .357 as well.

 

[wdelack]

We currently have 4 J frames. A 642-2 Airweight, a 342 Airlite, a 317-2 Airlite and a 351PD Airlite. The 642 and 342 are both 38+P, the 317 is 22LR and the 351 is 22WMR.

My wife carries the 342, and practices with both of the 22's a lot. I have shot the 642 quite a bit too. I have noticed the 642 will begin to shoot high and to the right once it gets good and heated up.

So far, except for finish wear all 4 have been holding up well. Though we have not fired the 342 a lot.

I was at a local gun dealer this past Saturday and looked at an older all (blued) steel J frame. My thoughts are this would make a good practice gun as well. Though I am not recoil shy the little grip on these gun does wear on the palm of my hand. A heaver J frame might reduce this somewhat.

We have had trigger work done to the 642 with excellent results. The other 3 are now likely to get the same work done.

 

[Paul105]

First off, let me say upfront that I'm no expert, and what works (or doesn't) for me, will probably be different for someone else.

I have two S&W 329 PDs -- the Titanium/Scandium .44 Mag that weighs 26 Oz. Alternating between the two, I've shot around 2,500 rounds of Magnum Level loads thru these gun since the first of the year. I've shot up to 50 rounds at one time (mostly limit it to 24 rnds plus or minus 5 or 6 time a week) before real fatigue set in. Mine have the Hoque S&W 500 grips on them -- both the wood, and open backstrap Hoques that came with the gun are unshootable for me.

I also have a 340PD (shrouded hammer) and a 360 (exposed hammer) 357 Mags that go 12 oz. I actually split the web of my hand, (requiring stitches) with the factory Hogue Bantam grips and Fed 130gr Factory .357 Mag Personal Defense loads. I would have called someone a liar before experiencing it first hand. I changed the grips out -- the 340 got Crimson Trace laser grips, the rubber ones with the covered back strap. The 360 is wearing Pachmayr Gripper Decellerator's. I have shot .357 loads with bullets up to 185gr (chronoed at 1,000 fps) with these guns and the "replacement" grips. I can't comfortably shoot a full cylinder of full house .357s with either of these guns, and the dread factor is red lining on the second cylinder. With that said, they are fun to shoot with standard 38 special loads.

If you really intend to shoot 200/300 full house 357 Mags each month from one these airweights, you owe it to yourself to try one first. Some people claim they can do it -- I can't and won't -- they just plain hurt with magnum loads.

Several years ago, some guy on the S&W forum reported he had in excess of 5,000 rounds of 357 Mag ammo thru one of these guns and had no problems. If you shoot any gun enough, you will probably experience some problems -- kind of like your vehicle.

Sorry about the round about way of trying to answer your question.

Paul

 

[JoeHatley]

how well these revolvers would stand up to being fired alot

I'm not sure what you consider "alot", but my 325PD AirLite has several thousand (4k+) rounds through it. Still works and looks like new.

Joe

 

[sterno]

Let me clarify -

I shoot my Ruger GP100 about 2-3 times a month. each time I take it out, I usually run about 200 rounds through it. These are reloads, maybe about .38+p in power. I've had the gun about a year now so I figure I've put about 6000 rounds through it. I've put around the same amount (maybe more like 4-5000) thru my current carry guns (a Makarov and a .22 pistol).

So, long story short, I guess I'd say 5-6000 rounds a year would constitute "alot"

-Paul105 -
You say the standard .38 load is fun to shoot. Is that with replacement grips or with the factory?

 

[Paul105]

I have a 386 Ti/Scan with the Hoque Bantam grips -- can shoot mags no prob with the 386 -- bigger frame, more weight (18 oz vs. 12 oz -- 50% more weight).

The "38 Spcl are fun to shoot" are with the Crimson Trace (340) and Pachy Gripper Decel (360) -- have not shot the J Frame Ti/Scan with the Hogue Bantam grips since the "incident".

Paul