Yes, the 315 Night guards do not have a blast shield the other NG's do have a blast shield
It's interesting the scandium J-frame .38 Specials have the blast shield, but the scandium K-frame .38 Specials don't. At least the M315 doesn't.
I looked on S&W web site for a Product Spec Sheet for the Model 315. They didn't have one, though they had them for some of the individual Night Guards. A spec sheet would definitively state the frame material.
Here's my 325 NG from 2008. I've removed the extended cylinder release since this pic. Had to get rid of the Pachmeyer grips because they sucked and replaced with the S&W. The trigger is great but it's not my EDC.
This is my wrist buster. It has traveled many a mile in an IWB holster.
The symbol on the side plate is the Scandium atom with it's 21 protons orbiting the nucleus. The frame is not made of pure Scandium. It is mostly Aluminum with a minute amount of scandium added to make it stronger and more durable.
My 329 PD, 329 Night Guard, and 396 Night Guard, are all scandium alloy (per SW customer service); and all have the blast shield. Only the 329 PD has the atomic logo with 22 electrons..
My 342, 296, 396 Mountain Lite have no blast shield and per SW customer service, no scandium in spite of all having the 22 electron atomic logo on the right side of the frame.
All above have the titanium cylinder, except the Night Guards.
So what does the atomic logo really mean?
Last edited by skipnsb; 03-23-2017 at 08:03 PM.
Reason: clarification
My 329 PD, 329 Night Guard, and 396 Night Guard, are all scandium alloy (per SW customer service); and all have the blast shield. Only the 329 PD has the atomic logo with 22 electrons..
My 342, 296, 396 Mountain Lite have no blast shield and per SW customer service, no scandium in spite of all having the 22 electron atomic logo on the right side of the frame.
All above have the titanium cylinder, except the Night Guards.
So what does the atomic logo really mean?
22 electrons means titanium, per its atomic number. The ones with the 22 electron atomic symbol mean it has a titanium cylinder. Some guns have a scandium frame but stainless cylinder and also have an atomic symbol logo but it only has 21 electrons for scandium, per its atomic number. For example, my 342PD (aluminum frame, titanium cylinder) has the 22 and my 386Sc/S (scandium frame, stainless cylinder) has the 21.
Several 360/360Js have already been posted but here's another variation that I recently purchased.
The 2-Tone 360J has the Sc/Al alloy frame (15oz.) with a bright stainless steel cylinder, bright hammer/trigger/cylinder release & red ramp front sight. I replaced the factory black rubber grips with a set of black Badger boot grips.
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S&W 360J 357Mag - on SCSW#4
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Waiting for the break of day
Last edited by BLUEDOT37; 08-14-2021 at 03:16 AM.
Reason: .re-add lost FotoTime pics
So after welding up the holes on the 340 M&P and adding the titanium cylinder to it, I found a no lock 340pd today locally and it followed me home. Two is one and one is none...After pocket carrying a 11.3oz j frame, everything else feels like a brick. I had to have a backup for the system to feel bulletproof. So I guess I can carry my 340mp without a care for scratches or problems..now I got my backup system.LOL see what I mean about scandium sickness?
Last edited by michpatriot; 04-20-2017 at 09:35 PM.
Recently added a 329PD to my lightweight clan. Of course it comes with a scandium frame & titanium alloy cylinder but I though I'd try something a little different.
S&W made a 329 Alaska Backpacker in 2009, for TALO, that had a scandium frame but with a stainless steel cylinder and a 2-1/2" bbl. They called it a "Two-Tone" finish. Same idea as my 360J .357 Magnum 2-Tone I posted above.
Previously I replaced the fluted Ss cylinder on my 629-6 Classic 5" bbl. with a Ss unfluted cylinder, so I had it's surplus cylinder available.
I swapped the Ss cylinder for the Ti cylinder but reused all the original Ti cylinder's associated hardware: center pin, center pin spring, extractor, extractor rod, extractor rod spring, & extractor rod collar.
This made the swap pretty effortless. Timing, lock-up, B-C gap & end-shake all stayed tight, nothing needed addressing.
Since it was new out of the box, I dry fired it a bunch to see how it'd change. SA trigger pull was 4.5# & what little creep it had got worked out.
Popped the side plate & found the firing pin was the dreaded short length, .487", which usually leads to light strikes, so I installed a CS extra length firing pin, .510" long.
Polished up the rebound slide & replaced the rebound slide's spring with a Wolff 14# spring which I shortened by one turn. SA trigger pull now was a target shooting friendly 2.5#.
It comes with the orange Hi-Viz front sight but the rear has a V-notch blade, which I don't care for in precise shooting. Replaced the V-notch with a .196" tall black square notch blade that I got from MidwayUSA (S&W# 033020000). It's notch is the deepest (.104") of any of the standard square notched blades I've used & helps give a great sight picture. A ton better than the V-notch.
Lastly, the muzzle was pretty cleanly cut from the factory but had a sharp edge that frayed cotton cleaning patches on insertion so I chamfered the muzzle giving it a gentle break & the rifling a better presentation.
Weight with Ti cylinder: 25.2 oz, with Ss cylinder: 28.8 oz.
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M329PD, "2-Tone" with Ahrends Cocobolo S&W Tactical Grips, Square Butt Finger Groove, model grips.
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S&W 329PD 2-Tone - side view
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M329PD with Ss cylinder, square notch rear sight & chamfered muzzle
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S&W 329PD 2-Tone - muzzle view
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Titanium cylinder weight
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Stainless steel cylinder weight
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Waiting for the break of day
Last edited by BLUEDOT37; 08-14-2021 at 03:08 AM.
Reason: .re-add lost FotoTime pics