S&W AirLite Ti With Shrouded Hammer?

D

Druggie

New member
:confused: I have owned several S&W 638 AirWeights with shrouded hammers--by far my most favored version of the J-frame. With kids in college, etc., I had to sell them for quick cash.

My favorite carry gun is now my S&W 337 AirLite Ti (w/hammer)--11.0 oz., Bantam grips--I've owned it for around 2 years.

I was at H&H Gun Range in Oklahoma City last week, and a Smith & Wesson rep was there displaying their guns. He said that there are "plans" to introduce an AirLite Ti model with the shrouded hammer. He was so busy, that I couldn't get him alone one-on-one to get more info.

I emailed S&W and got some bumpkin answer like, "our new models come out in january keep checking you'll never know"...really helpful.

Has anyone else heard of a 11.0-12.0 oz. AirLite .38 spl. with a shrouded hammer coming out anytime soon from S&W? I know Taurus is going to have it's clone, "The Protector", but I want the S&W--it will probably be around 4.5 oz. lighter anyway.

If this has been addressed before...my apologies...I'm not able to check this forum every night. THANKS.:D
 
I haven't heard anything, but the mod 38/638 has always been my favorite, I just went to the 342 because it was even lighter. If I could get a 338 or 238 I would jump all over it. Anyone want to buy a 342?
 
What could be nicer?? Capability to cock the hammer for that target shot or fire that quick double action shot. (638) I still wonder about firing +P .38 specials in a 12 oz pistol. How about it, Jeff? How do +P's feel from that 342? Or have you always kept it loaded with RBCD's?

KR
 
Airweights and RBCD ammo......something to consider!

My 638 Bodyguard at 15 oz, is within 5 oz of a 342PD and 3 oz of a 340PD. After firing a variety of self-defense ammo out of it, I found bullet weight, more than +P pressure, to be the most critical determinent in recoil. The standard pressure 158 gr SWC's had more felt recoil and their POI was higher up than the 110 gr JHP +P's that I tried. POI for the 110 gr ammo was lower by some 5-7" than the 158 gr bullet, but everyone's results would probably vary.

Now comes the X-factor in self-defense ammo: RBCD ammo, either in .38 spcl or .357 mag. I would dearly love to shoot some RBCD through a super lightweight Smith 342PD or 340PD to see how it recoils. Is it not true that a component of felt recoil is the physical inertia of getting a heavier projectile moving out the barrel?

Getting back to my little experiment, the 110 gr JHP+P's were very manageable and showed significantly less recoil than any heavier-grained bullet. Man, I could just pepper a pie-sized target at 7 yards by firing as rapidly as I could aim and pull the trigger with this lightweight ammo.

As for me, I'm seriously looking at a 340PD or 342PD as my primary concealed weapon and stoking it exclusivly with RBCD ammo. Your thoughts?
 
S&W doesn't recommend firing anything lighter than 120 gr. out of the 340 PD (this warning is also stamped on the barrel), due to concern for premature erosion of the cylinder face from the hotter gases of lighter loads. That said, I have fired RBCD 60 gr. rounds from my 340, and the recoil is much more manageable than anything in the 110-125 gr. range (158 gr rounds are quite brutal in the 340). A small diet of 60 gr RBCD's shouldn't be too damaging, though I'd recommend mostly normal pressure 38 Spls for basic revolver-handling work with the 340.
 
A 642 or 638 only weighs 3 more ounces and you can fire as light a bullet as you want from those stainless cylinders. Plus both of the above are less expensive than the Ti's.

KR
 
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