Ti/Scandium j frames

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otis24

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Are the titanium and scandium J frame revolvers susceptible to frame cracking like the aluminum frame J frames can be? I have a 640 no dash.38 and have owned a 642/442 in the past. As much as I like my 640 (I will keep it), I wouldn’t mind adding something lighter in .38 Special to the lineup. But durability is important to me. Please advise.
 
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Why do you feel you need a gun that weighs as much as a tic tac? :D

Yes, the lighter the material, the less durable it is.

A steel J-frame is pretty light!
 
I’m not yet convinced that I need a lighter gun. Just exploring the possibilities and gathering information. I wore my 640 to church. Really wasn’t that bad. I’ve got a proper pocket holster on order. I will carry the 640 in that for a while before I decide on something else. I wouldn’t call a 640 light, but it is certainly tote able. I guess I didn’t specify that I was interested in pocket carry. Right now, the 640 is doing double duty as ccw and pocket carry piece.
 
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One of S&Ws cost-cutting changes on the later production was to replace the steel cylinder retention lug with an integral scandium part. That scandium lug wore down on mine over the course of normal use to the point that the cylinder would move freely back onto the frame and eventually off of the gun. No resolution from S&W after months of some awful customer service, eventually brought it and a cracked Model 38 and cracked Beretta Tomcat to a buyback and turned it into a couple months worth of groceries.

tEIml6T.png
 
Are they susceptible? Sure. But I love my 360PD Scandium J and all my other Scandium revolvers. I don't shoot them thousands of rounds but I do carry them and the 360PD gets regular carry. I find it is a joy to shoot. I normally carry 38+P Federal HST Micro in it. I do not find the 357's are annoying until after about 3 cylinders worth.

Don't deny yourself a fine firearm over a possibility of a crack. They can all crack if not cared for or fed properly.
 
I’ve been carrying/shooting my 340PD for years but mostly w/standard pressure & +P, very few magnum loads. No frame cracking thus far but I suppose it’s as susceptible as the other light weight guns.

My “need” for such a light gun stems from acute sciatica so it’s either the scandium frame (or LCP) in a pocket holster or nothing. I suppose a shoulder holster might work, I have one from my LEO days, but it’s too much trouble.
 
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I don't carry often but when I do I like something that is as light as possible. My 340PD fits that bill and seems plenty durable for my purposes; carry when I want to, shoot not all that often. Hard to beat these little scandium/Ti J frames in my opinion.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

https://flic.kr/p/2n7oE4X https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/
 
I bought a 342 Titanium about 20 years ago (CFC70XX) and, while I take care of it, I’ve shot it a lot; especially during the first 10 years I had it. Never hurt the frame, but a couple of years ago while cleaning it I noticed that the center portion of the yolk (part that goes inside the cylinder) had a circumference crack half way around it. Sent it back to S&W and got it back in less than two weeks repaired. They substituted a steel yolk (just like the one on my 642) and the revolver works great. Don’t know if they replaced the aluminum yolk with steel one because they no longer had the original part, or they had a recurring problem with the aluminum part. I guess the gun is slightly heavier now ( by maybe 1/2 ounce?) but I can’t tell the difference in carrying or shooting. I usually shot +p factory loads out of it, so I didn’t “baby” it and it’s my EDC during the summer months; usually in an ankle holster. Best gun ever for ankle carry. Hope this helps.
 
I have two, a 296 and a 342ti*. I carried the 342 for years and qualified with it annually. We referred to it as 364 days of pleasure and one day of agony. I also qualified with the 296, once. I forgot to replace the wood grips with rubber and when I finished I had to take the grips off to get the blood off the frame. Won't make that mistake again.

While susceptible like all others these guns were meant to be carried much and shot little.

* (I know that the 342ti is not supposed to be Scandium, but S&W did make a limited number of .38 frames and displayed them at SHOT. Our agency had two warped frames replaced by the factory. The L.E. Distributor who sent them back said they are Scandium now. S&W would not admit to replacing the frames, but they left us with the four line address and were returned with the two line address, and same serial number.)
 
otis24 said:
Are the titanium and scandium J frame revolvers susceptible to frame cracking like the aluminum frame J frames can be? I have a 640 no dash.38 and have owned a 642/442 in the past. As much as I like my 640 (I will keep it), I wouldn’t mind adding something lighter in .38 Special to the lineup. But durability is important to me. Please advise.
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ALL Alloy framed Smith & Wesson revolvers are susceptible to frame cracking at that same spot

It does not matter if we are talking Aluminium alloy or Scandium alloy revolvers (Titanium is not used for frames)

This cracking has been going on for more than half a Century, ever since the introduction of Air Weight Smith & Wessons

My oldest Model 340 has more than 7000 full power 357 Magnum rounds through it so far, but then my 2" Model 327 arrived with a crack in that spot.

It is the luck of the draw
 
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I've got three of these. Plain aluminum, no scandium. Installed titanium cylinders and center pins to reduce weight and reamed for 9mm to increase power. Weight ranges from 11.5 to 12.5 ounces depending on which grips are mounted. No cracking on any of them so far, but I do consider the frames to be expendable and will replace as needed.
 

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Posted on other threads but my early 642 (non plus P & not abused with hot loads) had cracked frame discovered last fall. Crack in yolk cut out under frame. I have no idea how long it was cracked. Discovered after reading a thread about it on this forum. Sent back last fall and they replaced with a no lock 442 at my request vs the stainless 642.
 

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Put a steel J-Frame in your pocket all day, every day for two weeks. At the end of that time, you won't notice it is there, only when it is missing.

CC is ment to be all day, every day! Not just for dress up days!

I have put a 36 in an ankle holster, also took 2 weeks to adjust to the presence. after a month and a half I returned to pocket carry. I couldn't walk straight for 2 weeks!

Ivan
 
Ivan the Butcher said:
Put a steel J-Frame in your pocket all day, every day for two weeks. At the end of that time, you won't notice it is there, only when it is missing.

CC is ment to be all day, every day! Not just for dress up days!

I have put a 36 in an ankle holster, also took 2 weeks to adjust to the presence. after a month and a half I returned to pocket carry. I couldn't walk straight for 2 weeks!

Ivan
Click to expand...

When my pants fall off in the office someone will notice. It’s not the weight that bothers me, it’s what the weight causes, which is my pants constantly slipping down.
 
I wouldn't worry about the frame cracking. The beauty of carrying a 10 oz or so, full power gun outweighs the small risk. And in the unlikely event it does crack, put it in the box and send it back for a new one. I'd worry more about my hand cracking than the frame. This 360 has about 4000 rounds through it from being used at different instructor classes. It sill locks up as tight as the day I brought it home. Don't ask me how!

c1.jpg
 
I've had my 360PD for nearly 15 years now. It doesn't get shot weekly but when it does, it see's 38 defense and 38+P loads. No cracking or other anomalies nor do I expect any in a gun rated for 357 loads to crack with 38 specials. If it ever does fail, I'm sure SW will make good on it.
As for weight, I've owned /carried just about every J frame made at some point. For me those extra few shaved ounces (paired with the right set of grips) make this little revolver more comfortable to pocket carry (and therefore more likely to be with me) than any other carry gun I've owned.


p.s. This is an early picture taken right after I bobbed the hammer. It wears a set of Crimson trace 405 grips these days. They really suck up the recoil on +P 38's.
 
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waffles said:
One of S&Ws cost-cutting changes on the later production was to replace the steel cylinder retention lug with an integral scandium part. That scandium lug wore down on mine over the course of normal use to the point that the cylinder would move freely back onto the frame and eventually off of the gun. No resolution from S&W after months of some awful customer service, eventually brought it and a cracked Model 38 and cracked Beretta Tomcat to a buyback and turned it into a couple months worth of groceries.
Click to expand...

Are you sure that wasn't just the yoke getting slightly sprung out of alignment?
 
I've got a alloy framed 637 no dash that I have carried and shot occasionally for at least 15 years. I was the 2nd owner at least. It has served me well and will continue doing so. I just obtained a 342 no dash Airlite Ti and will do the same with it. They are meant to be carried a lot and shot very little. If you follow that direction they will last as long as one's life. If you shoot it all the time with +P loads, it will crack just like the old model 37 and 38's did. I had a model 38 that cracked. So I'm familiar with the problem. I will still carry the lighter weight anytime in preference to the solid steel or stainless.
 
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