What is Scandium?

[WardenWolf]

S&W started using Scandium in their revolver frames after +P ammo became popular. The older aluminum Airweight J-Frames had problems with frame stretching and failure when fed a steady diet of +P. Adding Scandium allows them to safely shoot +P without being damaged over time.

 

[swinokur]

Scandium is in the same family as upsidasium and unobtanium, making it hard to find and causing your gun to float in mid air.

 

[Kahuna5]

Like a few others have mentioned, Scandium is intended to increase the overall strength of the frame by as much as three fold as well as lighten the pistol. The percentage of scandium present within the frame is less than 1%.

I have shot the scandium E-series .45acp, and while it was a beautiful autoloader, there are numeroud 1911's that perform equally as reliable for a fraction of the cost. Just my .02

 

[GBExpat]

You might find this of interest!

http://www.chuckhawks.com/smith-wesson_dark.htm

Thank you for the link, 115fmj.

I, for one, found it to be very interesting!

 

[Quat]

Did smith ever make a 38 special j frame with a 3"+ barrel or k frame out of it?
Or any other lightweight 38 spc beyond 2"-2.5"

 

[barnbwt]

The main problem with those scandium revolvers is that the recoil in .357 is wicked, just short of a broken hand.

Recoil is tame in my .357 TRR8, snappy (it is a .357 after all), but very controllable. That's because it's a 5" N-frame (just as God inteded .357's to be ). I've never heard any good things about recoil in magnum-snubs, so I don't think alloy is the limiting factor with that. I also keep hearing about how crappy MIM is, but I've never actually read a post by someone who just broke a part. Yeah, it looks cheap (up reeeal close), but it works fine, and is here to stay.

As far as my pistol, the only issue (and a rare one) I've heard of anyone having has to do with the two-piece barrel setup not being torqued properly, ultimately causing the barrel work loose (I think I have that right). Smith supposedly addressed the problem.

The far bigger issue is finding holsters for a 5" N-frame with rails and do-dads on it...

I am interested in the alloy's utility for autoloaders. How did S&W get that to work properly, given all the sliding surfaces (very few in revolvers), and that the slide weight is crucial for proper function/durability? Did they press in steel inserts, or is the metal beared-upon directly? Are the recoil springs really heavy?

TCB

 

[Jim Watson]

Only the receiver of a "scandium" autopistol is the light alloy. The slide is steel and operation is normal. The aluminum is anodized for wear protection.

Taurus and SVI have done some titanium slide guns, but they are not common.

 

[19-3Ben]

Did smith ever make a 38 special j frame with a 3"+ barrel or k frame out of it?
Or any other lightweight 38 spc beyond 2"-2.5"

Yes. Smith made the model 36 with 3" bbl as an option. They also make a model 60 with a 3" tube. It's .357 rather than .38, but of course you can load 38's. I am not sure but I think they also made it with a 3" bbl back when the 60 was a .38 rather than .357. Both the 36 and 60 are all steel though.

I know at one point there was a Airlite .357mag with a 3" bbl that came with a FO sight. It was meant to be a kit gun.

As for K frames, yes they made them, but they are not all that common and fetch a premium. The 2", 2.5" and 4" were more popular.

The Ruger Speed Six, Service Six, and Security Six were k frame sized and made with 2.75" bbls if that's close enough to 3" for you.
Again, the K frames and Ruger Sixes that I mention are all steel. there was one aluminum K frame that I know of. The model 12. I don't know if it ever came in a 3". If it did, that would be one awesome carry gun!

 

[mesinge2]

there was one aluminum K frame that I know of. The model 12.

You mean this one below. Its one of my favorites!

 

[Auto426]

Did smith ever make a 38 special j frame with a 3"+ barrel or k frame out of it?
Or any other lightweight 38 spc beyond 2"-2.5"

I don't believe they ever made any K frames or J frames with 3"+ barrels with Scandium frames. There were some L frame and N frame magnums produced with scandium frames as well. The Scandium frames are usually reserved for magnum caliber guns designed to be as light as possible, such as concealable J frames for larger guns designed for backpacking. When it came down to the small .38's meant for carry, Smith went with short barrels to keep the guns as small and light as possible.