New to me S&W Airweight 38 Special

[morcey2]

Been gone for a while (from the entire forum, not just revolvers. Not sure if I've ever posted in this sub-forum.) While I was gone, I got remarried. My new wife's late husband had several guns that she wasn't aware of. She knew he had some but didn't know anything about them. My late wife, on the other hand, just assumed that I bought a new gun every month or so. If only that were actually the case.

Anyway, a Rem M700, .54 Cal muzzleloader, and stray bolt from a .22LR later, she brought me this little beauty. Almost all my guns are long guns with the exception of a CZ-82 that is my EDC. I've shot quite a few autoloaders and I'm familiar enough with revolvers to feel comfortable around them.

However, I've never owned one. I've always wanted one and now I do, unless my bonus-son decides he wants it which he doesn't at the moment. ("Step-son" doesn't quite feel right in this situation.)

Her late husband, let's call him Mike, a nice generic name, passed away about 12 years ago so this gun hasn't been touched, let-alone fired, in that time. It has definitely been fired, though. The bore looks great. I always check the bore condition because most of my guns are surplus and have been fired with lots of corrosive ammo. Force of habit. But I'm not really sure what else to check on it. I've been through a couple of "how to check a used revolver" checklists and it seems to pass everything there. The lockup seems good. There's a tiny bit of wiggle in the cylinder with the trigger pulled and dry-fired. I can't really check alignment other than eyeballing the top of the cylinder. Slight cylinder gap. I have feeler gauges in the garage, but it's dang cold out there right now.

What can I expect from this in terms of recoil and performance? It weighs a little more than half my CZ (15 oz v. 25 oz respectively) shooting a slightly more powerful round (assuming standard pressure, not +P) so I'm not looking forward to the recoil from it. I'm not what you call recoil-shy, but I don't exactly relish it either. It does seem like it would make a good little carry piece, though.

Any input, warnings, mild teasing, or general conversation would be welcome.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Autodidactic]

Been gone for a while (from the entire forum, not just revolvers. Not sure if I've ever posted in this sub-forum.) While I was gone, I got remarried. My new wife's late husband had several guns that she wasn't aware of. She knew he had some but didn't know anything about them. My late wife, on the other hand, just assumed that I bought a new gun every month or so. If only that were actually the case.

Anyway, a Rem M700, .54 Cal muzzleloader, and stray bolt from a .22LR later, she brought me this little beauty. Almost all my guns are long guns with the exception of a CZ-82 that is my EDC. I've shot quite a few autoloaders and I'm familiar enough with revolvers to feel comfortable around them.

However, I've never owned one. I've always wanted one and now I do, unless my bonus-son decides he wants it which he doesn't at the moment. ("Step-son" doesn't quite feel right in this situation.)

Her late husband, let's call him Mike, a nice generic name, passed away about 12 years ago so this gun hasn't been touched, let-alone fired, in that time. It has definitely been fired, though. The bore looks great. I always check the bore condition because most of my guns are surplus and have been fired with lots of corrosive ammo. Force of habit. But I'm not really sure what else to check on it. I've been through a couple of "how to check a used revolver" checklists and it seems to pass everything there. The lockup seems good. There's a tiny bit of wiggle in the cylinder with the trigger pulled and dry-fired. I can't really check alignment other than eyeballing the top of the cylinder. Slight cylinder gap. I have feeler gauges in the garage, but it's dang cold out there right now.

What can I expect from this in terms of recoil and performance? It weighs a little more than half my CZ (15 oz v. 25 oz respectively) shooting a slightly more powerful round (assuming standard pressure, not +P) so I'm not looking forward to the recoil from it. I'm not what you call recoil-shy, but I don't exactly relish it either. It does seem like it would make a good little carry piece, though.

Any input, warnings, mild teasing, or general conversation would be welcome.

Thanks,
Matt

Congrats. I have two Smith airweights, a 637 and a 642. Love them.

I’d start with wadcutters. Even standard pressure fmj will be stout recoil. +p will be very strong recoil. The gun can be mastered and shot well, but due to the short sight radius and most snubbie sights you won’t shoot it well at first unless you have substantial revolver experience. It will likely take practice for a few months otherwise. I don’t know if you carry, but they are great for concealed carry.

Performance, between .380 and 9mm. Hollowpoints can be used, but one must be choosy with snubbies due to loss of velocity.

Two that work both as far as penetration and expansion in a snubby are the 135 grain +p Gold Dot, and Federal Punch +p. Otherwise many suggest wadcutters as well.

 

[wcwhitey]

What model? Info is inside the crane if you look! We enjoy pics too! Even if it’s newer and +P rated the Air Weights are much nicer to shoot with SV ammo. Have fun and enjoy.

 

[hawg]

A set of Pachmayr Grippers will help a lot.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I carry an Airweight daily and I do practice with it. The recoil is not as bad as you are anticipating. Now, if you were speaking about an Airlite in .357 Magnum that would be different.


I carry and shoot the Speer 135gr .38 Special +P GDHP Short Barrel ammo, very controllable but since you are brand new shooting that revolver the above suggestion of starting with a .38 Special Wadcutter is a good idea. To shoot a J frame well trigger control is paramount. With such a short barrel a slight jerk of the trigger will destroy accuracy. Shooting revolvers are very different than semi-autos and you even hold the gun differently. I highly suggest buying a set of snap caps and do a lot of dry firing before going to live ammo. You will quickly see what you are doing right or wrong since there is no recoil to mask errors in trigger control.

You will probably learn to shoot your J frame well in short order if you put the time in. Good luck, be safe and have fun...

 

[Tallball]

I carry one frequently. For most adult male shooters, mild 38 range ammo would feel brisk but not painful. That's both an opinion and a wild generalization.

A lot of it depends on how well it fits your hand.

 

[Autodidactic]

I carry an Airweight daily and I do practice with it. The recoil is not as bad as you are anticipating. Now, if you were speaking about an Airlite in .357 Magnum that would be different.


I carry and shoot the Speer 135gr .38 Special +P GDHP Short Barrel ammo, very controllable but since you are brand new shooting that revolver the above suggestion of starting with a .38 Special Wadcutter is a good idea. To shoot a J frame well trigger control is paramount. With such a short barrel a slight jerk of the trigger will destroy accuracy. Shooting revolvers are very different than semi-autos and you even hold the gun differently. I highly suggest buying a set of snap caps and do a lot of dry firing before going to live ammo. You will quickly see what you are doing right or wrong since there is no recoil to mask errors in trigger control.

You will probably learn to shoot your J frame well in short order if you put the time in. Good luck, be safe and have fun...

It is stout recoil for those not accustomed to it. Common observation. One can get used to it, as I did as well.

 

[Laphroaig]

My 638 was downright painful to shoot with the factory grips and +P ammo. Replacement grips (Hogue monogrip if I recall) made it much more comfortable to shoot, but a little more bulky. It's still slim enough to conceal easily.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Depends on ammo and grip selection. My Airweight (lower gun) has a Pachmayr Compac rubber grip that does a pretty good job:



You might want to start with some lighter bullets in the 110-125 grain range. Recoil is snappy but not painful with those.

 

[Autodidactic]

The Hogue Tamer grips help a lot, with grip and recoil. I put them on my Smith 642 for approximately rounds 100-500 to learn the way of the snubbie.

Hogue Tamer Smith & Wesson J Frame / Polymer Bodyguard Overmolded Grip (gunmagwarehouse.com)

 

[Y-T71]

"Bonus son", I like that.

Like many here, I have a 642.

I shoot it every chance I get.
Recoil with this revolver (still wearing the OEM rubber "boot grips") doesn't bother me but, IMHO, I think a lot of that has to do with individual hand sizes/shapes.

For some guys, these things simply aren't comfortable no matter what.

I also agree with 110-125gr bullet weights.

Be careful, this little J-frame might be a "gateway drug" to more revolvers in the future!

 

[chickasaw_hunter]

I carry one every day. I try to stay away from the high performance stuff, not sure how much more you really get out of that stuff given the very short barrel. But I try to stay with std velocity ammo. I have to shoot a qualification shoot once a year at the local sheriff's office. They have a small indoor range in their basement. They don't allow lead ammo, so I'm on a treasure hunt some of the year looking for that stuff lately, especially in .38 spl. The first time I shot that stuff I thought I had a squid load. I stopped the range session to check my bore. The range master chuckled and said I get that a lot with people going from lead to lead free. Since the projectile is so much lighter the recoil is also lighter. I have no idea how that lead free stuff might work in the real world, but if your recoil sensitive this would be one route to take. I wouldn't be afraid to carry the stuff in my EDC. I think I find my accuracy improves because I'm not bracing for the recoil. I think putting the bullet where I want it to go might be more important than how heavy the bullet is when it gets there. YMMV.

 

[hawg]

The skimpy little grips on my wife's 637 hurt her hand. The Pachmayr Grippers add a little length and are thicker than the stock grips. She can shoot it without pain now.

 

[morcey2]

Thanks everyone. I'll look into Hogue or Pachmayr grips.

I carry an Airweight daily and I do practice with it. The recoil is not as bad as you are anticipating. Now, if you were speaking about an Airlite in .357 Magnum that would be different.

Yeah, I looked up the weight on those. 11 oz unloaded? That really just sounds like it was designed by a sadist.

What model? Info is inside the crane if you look!

It's a 642-2.

That's both an opinion and a wild generalization.

I'm really good at both of those.

Be careful, this little J-frame might be a "gateway drug" to more revolvers in the future!

I'm hoping to get more revolvers. I really want to get a matching-chamber set with a revolver and a lever gun. I have a 336 in 30-30 already, but I'm not real keen on getting a BFR in 30-30, if they're still even being made. Maybe a 45/70 instead.

Matt

 

[Haywood]

I always carry a J-Frame in my pocket. I have to use Pachmayr Compacts or Hogue Tamers to practice enough to stay good with them. I rotate the guns and grips depending on what I shoot and carry.

 

[aaaaa]

I always carry a J-Frame in my pocket. I have to use Pachmayr Compacts or Hogue Tamers to practice enough to stay good with them. I rotate the guns and grips depending on what I shoot and carry.

Hogue Tamer was great on my 642, but I took it off for pocket carry and later traded the 642 in for a 442 (black to hide better in pocket). Looks like you have two 442s in your collection. Second gun from last has the Hogue Tamer, the one above looks like the factory grip. Big difference in length (3 finger vs 2) and the Tamer has rubber behind the back strap, so buffers the recoil better.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Congratulations on wife #2 and revolver #1!
All Airweights are prone to frame cracking beneath the barrel extension. A quick search of google images will show you what to look for.
+P certainly doesn't prolong their lifespan, so my not-so-humble opinion is they are best carried a lot and shot just enough to stay proficient.....(shrugs).
Otherwise, the J-frames (and other S&W revolvers) are generally fantastic and rewarding to collect and shoot.
Good luck!

 

[aaaaa]

Congratulations on wife #2 and revolver #1!
All Airweights are prone to frame cracking beneath the barrel extension. A quick search of google images will show you what to look for.
+P certainly doesn't prolong their lifespan, so my not-so-humble opinion is they are best carried a lot and shot just enough to stay proficient.....(shrugs).
Otherwise, the J-frames (and other S&W revolvers) are generally fantastic and rewarding to collect and shoot.
Good luck!

Get two, one for the range and one to carry!

 

[Pat Riot]

I carry an S&W 442. I practice with and carry standard velocity loads. +P sounds good but doesn’t feel good and if you try double taps while practicing you’ll see that they really throw off your ability to quickly get off a well aimed second shot.
My 442 came with factory boot grips. It still wears them. If you practice with them you’ll find they get easier to use and you will be comfortable with them in time.

 

[aaaaa]

I carry an S&W 442. I practice with and carry standard velocity loads. +P sounds good but doesn’t feel good and if you try double taps while practicing you’ll see that they really throw off your ability to quickly get off a well aimed second shot.
My 442 came with factory boot grips. It still wears them. If you practice with them you’ll find they get easier to use and you will be comfortable with them in time.

Good point on the +P. My carry ammo for the 442 is Hornady 158 grain XTP. Not sure that is the best choice but it is what I got back when I first got a J-frame. I am sure it will do the job but there may be better ammo out there. I also have some .38 Special Black Hills Honeybadgers +P but those bullets look like sharpened Phillips screwdriver bits and I was told a prosecuting attorney would have a field day with something as vicious looking as that, so have not used them for carry.

 

[halfmoonclip]

The hammerless Centennials can sit lower in the hand than the exposed hammer guns, so their perceived recoil is less.
A gun, left unused that long, is apt to be mighty dry inside. Exposed hammer guns can simply be given a squirt of oil down in front of the cocked hammer; Centennials require pulling the grips, to get oil up in the works.
BTW, it's not difficult to slick up the action on S&Ws; find a local smith who can polish some parts, and use a lighter rebound slide spring.
Moon

 

[Riomouse911]

Good point on the +P. My carry ammo for the 442 is Hornady 158 grain XTP. Not sure that is the best choice but it is what I got back when I first got a J-frame. I am sure it will do the job but there may be better ammo out there. I also have some .38 Special Black Hills Honeybadgers +P but those bullets look like sharpened Phillips screwdriver bits and I was told a prosecuting attorney would have a field day with something as vicious looking as that, so have not used them for carry.

The 158 gr +P load will be a handful out of an airweight. I personally prefer the Critical Defense load Hornady makes in my snub .38’s. A couple of ammo demos that I have participated in left me with a positive impression with that load.

As for the info you received on the honeybadger, lots of myths abound. That one you were told needs to be taken with much more than a grain of salt.

Stay safe.

 

[aaaaa]

The 158 gr +P load will be a handful out of an airweight. I personally prefer the Critical Defense load Hornady makes in my snub .38’s. A couple of ammo demos that I have participated in left me with a positive impression with that load.

As for the info you received on the honeybadger, lots of myths abound. That one you were told needs to be taken with much more than a grain of salt.

Stay safe.

The Honeybadgers are 100 grain, so may be a much better J-frame carry alternative. I think I will switch them out. Though I'll keep the Hornady's in my speed strip because the Honeybadgers will cut a hole in my pocket!

 

[Autodidactic]

The Honeybadgers are 100 grain, so may be a much better J-frame carry alternative. I think I will switch them out. Though I'll keep the Hornady's in my speed strip because the Honeybadgers will cut a hole in my pocket!

Although, you can do carpentry work with them if need be

 

[aaaaa]

Although, you can do carpentry work with them if need be

I have them in the gun now. I suspect these will be more effective stopping the BG than the HPs.