Help me ID a Smith & Wesson Airweight

[femoralis]

I saw it at a gun store, so I don't have pictures. Sorry about that, I know that would help a lot.

It is a snubnosed revolver, with "Airweight" on the frame. The barrel was marked ".38 Special". It didn't say "+P".

It had an internal hammer, not a shrouded hammer.

It has skinny wooden grips, with no grip safety.

The finish was silver-colored, but there was some blemishes on one side of the frame, so I suspect it may not have been a factory job. I am not sure though.

They wanted $325.

Does anyone know the model? How does the price sound?

Thanks!

 

[Sniper X]

Smith & Wesson Airweight. Great little snubbie and if in the market, that is a good price if it is in excellent condition.

 

[femoralis]

I dry fired it, and it felt fine. I didn't see anything about it that looked damaged, to my ignorant eyes. It did have cosemtic blemishes to the finish, a spot probably about the size of a quarter. It looked like some sort of "spray" effect on the finish.

 

[Kernel]

A S&W 442 (no dash) with nickel finish?

Top is a blue 442, bottom is 442 nickel.

 

[WC145]

I saw it at a gun store, so I don't have pictures. Sorry about that, I know that would help a lot.

It is a snubnosed revolver, with "Airweight" on the frame. The barrel was marked ".38 Special". It didn't say "+P".

It had an internal hammer, not a shrouded hammer.

It has skinny wooden grips, with no grip safety.

The finish was silver-colored, but there was some blemishes on one side of the frame, so I suspect it may not have been a factory job. I am not sure though.

They wanted $325.

Does anyone know the model? How does the price sound?

Thanks!

The one you're describing also sounds lie a 642, perhaps an older one. The aluminum frames have a kind of a "clear coat" on them that can wear off over time, it comes off in kind of a flakey/peely fashion. They can be bead blasted to remove the coating and restore a uniform appearance.

They're great little guns but at $325 with finish issues, I'd try to talk them down. Bud's has brand new ones for $418.

 

[femoralis]

You guys are great!

The shape of it looks like the picture posted, with the huge exception that this one had narrow wooden grips. It also said "Airweight" on the frame, which I don't see on the picture.

In my internet search, I could not find a picture of any airweights with the skinny wood grip and internal hammer.

What is the difference between the 442 and the 642?

 

[bdb benzino]

642 is stainless and aluminmum and the 442 is black with the same alloy.

 

[Kernel]

Some 442's were matte nickel and appear silver over all (that‘s what‘s in the photo above, that‘s NOT a 642). A nickel 442 looks A LOT like a stainless 642, but they are made out of carbon steel (the lower grip frame on both is aluminum, of course). You can find the model number by popping open the cylinder and look for the markings inside the yoke on the frame.

If it's not marked for +P it's likely the "no dash" version made prior to '96. After that date 442 production moved to the magnum frame, became a -1, and were rated for +P.

 

[Sniper X]

I would guess it to be an older Airweight since it has wood grips.