I inherited a S&W 296 Airlite, .44 Special. I don't know if it's been shot. I have the case, all paperwork. It's a very nice gun, would make a neat concealed weapon, very light.

My question is , what do I have, should I put it in the safe, shoot it, sell it? What could I expect to get if I sold it?

It's one of the few L-frame Airlites (the 242ti and 396ti being the only others I know of). Produced from 1999 to 2001. It has an aluminium alloy frame and a titanium cylinder. SCSW says 2001 retail was $754. One sold recently on gunbroker for $560.

I bought one new when they first came out. It is very light, and not real comfortable to shoot with full power loads. Since it was only produced for a short time, and in small numbers, it is "collectible". Any time one shows up on here with a reasonable price it is quickly snapped up. I would not let that keep me from shooting it, however. It is a nice carry gun with the right holster, so I vote for you to shoot it and carry it.
Jim

I have one, and carry it in a Lobo IWB holster. While I cannnot tell you what to do, I would shoot it. As stated, it can be a handful, but it is manageable. Here's mine

I shoot mine, or at any rate have shot it. I haven't been back to the range with it recently because I have been training other handguns.

Be advised: the light weight means that even the "lowly" .44 Special can sting your palm mightily when you pull the trigger. I replaced the titanium cylinder on mine with a steel 696 cylinder. That added a couple of important ounces to the total weight and made it slightly less of a challenge to shoot.

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David Wilson

I love my 396TI and will probably never part with it. Let me be the first to say, send me a pic or two and I'll shoot you an offer.

I bought my 296 8.5 yr ago - new - for $349! I put the UM's rounded Combats on it - covering the backstrap - and rendering it a belt holster carry - infrequently. So fitted, it was shootable - mainly with 200gr Gold Dot Blazers - and I shot 1200+ of them from it over the first few years, as well as a mix of other JHP's. About five years ago, one of those Al cased Blazers ruptured in my 696 (SS - no damage!), so I switched over to Georgia Arms same bullet/similar chrono (~805 fps from the 2.5" 296.) loads in new Starline brass - and gained good brass to reload. The local Academy once had a great price on those Blazers - now the price edge goes to GA Arms - nice folks, too. That is it's only diet now - and an odd first bullet of 240gr LSWC (760 fps) for woods use.



Nearing five years ago, it dawned on me that the 296 in an OWL pancake OWB holster was an infrequent carry - so I asked R. Mika to make a pocket holster for my 296. Back on with the OEM boot grips and into a front pocket for EDC - the combo fits ~3/4 of my pants front pockets. A subsequent 642 purchase - and a similar/smaller hollster - that combo fits all of my pants - and the 296 only gets carried in the woods - or when I 'feel' empowered. It is an experience to shoot with it's OEM grips. The trigger smoothed out tremendously after I removed the sideplate and cleaned the manufacturing dust from the lockwork - and lightly lubed it, as it was as dry as the Sahara in there. No spring changes, as this is a dedicated CCW - although I did try the four sets of five each SPC targets at the range one day - and never missed (Good thing - it's a five shooter!).

S&W will tell you to be kind to that Ti cylinder - nylon brushes only - and accept the vestige of blast rings on the cylinder's chamber exit face. Stay at 200gr maximum - and clad only. Some lead use won't hurt - but it is likely to accumulate, with light weight/hotter lead loads, at the topstrap. As there is no SS blast shield, some topstrap erosion is possible, too. The greatest danger is in "Hollywood rapping" that ejector rod with the cylinder out - it will hit the cast-in-place cylinder stop - and it can pare it right off, too - dumping the cylinder, hopefully, into you hand. Mine has 2,300+ rounds through it now - and looks pristine - a little care helps. Near revolver!

Stainz

PS DCWilson is not the only one to make AirLite Ti's into SS cylindered AirLite's - S&W did so with the 396 Night Guard, now canned, too.