Shootability of steel/alum vs titanium/alum J-frames?

[BerettaNut92]

Specs say only 3oz difference--15 vs 12oz. Shot my buddy's 5-shot alum/titanium and ouchie!!! Will the steel/alum be much more shootable? Marginal? Barely even noticeable?

 

[treeprof]

Notably more shootable IME (342Pd vs. 642). My 642 is a relative pussycat, even w/158 gr +p.

 

[MikeJ]

I have a model 37 Airweight, 15 oz., and I don't find it a fun gun to shoot but it serves its purpose as a light weight carry weapon. I much prefer my 23 oz. 640 Centennial for shootability, big difference. Every few ounces become noticeable, as far as I am concerned, in terms of felt recoil. Mike

 

[JoeHatley]

Yes!! It noticable, at least at the practice range. That's why I went with the 15 ounces.



Those missing few ounces might not make a difference durring use in it's intended purpose, but you still have to practice...

Joe

 

[Lloyd Smale]

ought to try the 396 18oz .44 special. With keith loads that thing will really punsish you!

 

[twoblink]

scandium = sore hands for a week..

Shoot 357's out of them and see what pain is like.. Absolutely no reason to do that to yourself unless you feel even the Airlights are too heavy..

 

[10-Ring]

Oh absolutely makes a difference! Which is why I've wussed out & gone w/ a steel j-frame. I like being able to practice w/ my guns. I had shot an ultra lightweight snubby once (...only once!) and all it did was give me a serious flinch

 

[SteelyDan]

My two cents. The little .38 Specials, like 2" snubbies, generally have little tiny grips. Since it's such a small gun, you will tend to use relatively powerful cartridges for self-defense purposes. That combination makes it difficult to make quick and accurate follow-up shots. Which is important, since the practical accuracy of these guns is pretty limited in the first place. So why make the problem worse with new and less-proven lightweight frames, especially when they cost more? Personally, I'll gladly accept a few extra ounces to get a steel model.

 

[twoblink]

I was pretty use to my Ruger SP101 and it's a fairly heafty gun; and although the Hogue grips for it are much better IMHO, the factory grips weren't too bad, absorbed a lot of recoil. So when I tried the airlights.. I almost couldn't believe it was the same loads I was shooting...

Weight makes all the difference..

10-Ring, you didn't wuss out; just got smart..

 

[tomkatz]

I had a 342 for awhile, I sold it and kept my airweight bodyguard and my nickel 442, they are light enough, very shootable, and didn't cost near as much. I just had to see for myself what others here had told me, those ti cylinder j frames just pass the point of being sensible IMO......tom

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

AirLite Ti snubs...

Recoil is one of the reasons I bought my AirLite Ti chambered in .32 H&R magnum. Recoil isn't bad at all, holds six rounds. I like .32 H&R Mag anyway.
*As I've said many times before. The little, light as a feather revolver is on my hip at this very moment...Loaded with Magsafes. For up close and personal use, it's hard to beat Magsafes. I carry it on my ankle a lot when I've got my Glock 27 or something on my hip. If I get knocked down (like in a dark parking garage), I can draw from my ankle pretty fast.

KR

 

[VictorLouis]

I've had a Ti Airweight, as well as a regurlar one.

The extra 3oz. of the regular one makes very little difference in the pocket, or on the ankle. It makes a bigger difference in ease of shooting, which means more practice, which means more proficiency, which makes for more confidence.

 

[JERRY]

i was hesitant at first with my taurus titanium 850 cia.

but it has a ported barrel and those taurus grips are small (short) yet filling.

you get alot of "blast" precusion........... but as far as kick and hand abuse.... none.

i think if you port your s/w snubbie and put on some non wood backstrap covering grips, youd see it is really a sweet little package.

 

[makarov1989]

I have not shot one of the ultra light Titanium revolvers yet but I have shot several Airweight and several all steel snubbies. I can't really say there is much of a difference in recoil between the all steel (~25 ounce) and the aluminum framed (~15 ounce) snubbies that I have shot.

I wish I had experience with the 10-12oz snubbies to have a better idea of what to expect. I find the 15oz snubbies comfortable to shoot even with +P loads. I can shoot a box or two from a gun like this before my hand starts to tremble. That is not that bad considering that after 10-15 rounds from a Glock 36, my hand starts to tremble.

If you are considering getting a snubbie, get a Airweight or lighter. The all steel is too heavy and it doesn't soak up any recoil that I can feel. I just bought a 642 but I wish I had paid the extra and got one of the 10.8oz revolvers. I didn't get one because of the extra cost and I haven't shot one yet so I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Someday after I get to shoot one, I will probably buy the Titanium version of the 642.

 

[Sox]

In these little things it's wild, but every 4-5 oz. makes a difference in shooting comfort. They can be had in weights from 10.9 0z for the 337PD, 13.5 oz. for a M37, 15 oz. for a 442, 19 0z. for a M60, 23 oz. for a 640. The Titanium guns,even in .38 are painful. The 442/642 is a great gun and much more comfortable to shoot. I have found 3 things really help with the little guns: grips that cover the backstrap, lighter loads- and I am talking lighter than wadcutters- Winch 130 FMJ is pretty mild. Shooting glove. Have fun.

 

[E=MC^2]

I find no difference in recoil between my Sc 340PD and 442 Ladysmith. Both are noticably more than my 3-inch all-steel Model 60. I fire Winchester's 125gr Silvertip .38+P in all three.

The one that's with me all week at work is the 340PD. It is carried around 16 hours a day, while fired only about 16 minutes a week. However long it takes to fire a box of 50. In my case, lighter weight wins over shooting comfort. I carry it in a zippered chest pocket on my coveralls