Scandium advantages.

There are no advantages, because no gun I would consider is made of it.
 
I can't think of any advantages for the buyer. On the other hand the manufacturer has the advantage of making money on each sale!

I'll give that advantage to Taurus and Ruger!
 
Just lighter weight. I will buy one just to see what it's like firing off a 12 oz. .357. It should be awesome!
 
I'm not sure there is an advantage. I have a S&W Model 642. It's a 15 oz .38 spcl. With 158 gr. FBI load, it plain HURTS to shoot. 15 rounds and I'm done. An 11 oz. .357 Magnum? No thanks. It's all yours. And to enjoy all of that pain, you'll have to pay something like 80% more than you would for a 642.

Seems to me that S&W has gone well past the point of diminishing returns on the weight thing. YMMV

M1911
 
I have a Total Titanium Taurus 38 and while it does kick pretty good, it isn't painful.....

Its interesting though, that the S&W AirLight 38s with the Titanium cylinder weigh 11.9 oz, while the same gun with Scandium frame weighs 12.0 oz. So I ask again, where is the advantage with Scandium? It is light, but not lighter than the Titanium cylinder models.....
 
Pure entertainment for those who watch you fire the first and last round, as the pistol whips out of your hand and smack into your head.
 
Lightsped, seriously the scandium is heavier from the simple periodicity-or its place in the periodic table of elements. It is stronger than aluminum however, and thus these guns are able to take increased pressure required for .357.
 
First off, the guns are not "made of Scandium".

Scandium is worth $7,000 per pound. S&W isn't selling "Scandium guns".

Trace amounts of Scandium are being used to improve an Aluminum alloy. The improvements seem to be real, but it's questionable whether they've hit the strength of Titanium yet.

The Taurus 27oz .357 7-shot TI seems to be a saner alternative, esp. with a ported 4" barrel. I wouldn't want to shoot the Taurus TI 5-shot .357 snubbie either, that's about 19oz, right? A 12oz version in Aluminum-Scandium alloy would be nuts.

How well are the recent Taurus wheelguns holding up?

Jim
 
I have both a Total Titanium Taurus snubbie and a Stainless Taurus snubbie. Both have functioned perfectly with absolutly no problems whatsoever.

my2taurus38s.jpg
 
The Taurus 606 I've been shooting lately seems to be quite well made. It's a mid frame sized, 6 shot, 2" barreled, non-ported, .357 magnum. Quite accurate for a snubby. I can reliably hit a steel plate human shaped target at 25 yards in double action standing. Good enough for me.

It seems to be holding up to 158 grain .357 Golddots quite well.
 
Jim,

I have a Taurus 617T .357. Believe it or not, it is very pleasant to shoot with .357's! My wife can shoot it all day long and it doesn't leave your hand sore in the least.
BUT, this is all due to the porting and the Taurus ribber grips. Now, take those two things away, and it would probably be unpleasant - but Taurus has done an OUTSTANDING job of recoil management. BTW, there is no muzzle rise at all.

Zack
 
How do titanium, "ordinary" aluminum alloy and scandium-enhanced aluminum alloy compare in terms of:

a) Cost of raw materials

b) Cost of machining

c) Strength per unit of weight

d) Strength per unit of volume

???

BTW, what I'd really like to see is something like a Lightweight Commander made with one of the new wonder alloys, but that's a topic for another section. ;)
 
Yeah, for another section, but boy-oh-boy what a topic.

BTW, the cylinder is longer on the 357 than the 38, not much, but it might be the one oz. difference.

I like the idea of an airlite in 357 for two reasons:
1) increased strength & longevity w/ 38 +P or +P+, and
2) in extremis ability to use the magnums.
 
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