"Airweight" guns - problems?

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Slyk54

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I am concerned about what I have read recently on this forum regarding "airweight" revolvers- primarily the S&W 442, since I recently acquired a used one. I examined the gun closely, and it appears to be in excellent condition. I have not fired it yet, and my plans would be to use standard .38 spec rounds since I have fired one of these guns on another occasion, (range rental) and find the standard loads to provide all the recoil I need. However, if it is likely that a pin will fall out, or the frame will crack, or some other major breakage is likely occur, I will likely be trading soon-

I am never sure when reading about problems on a website such as the ones described here whether or not there is a strong likelihood that a given model of gun will routinely "break" or if the problems are essentially a "one-off" situation.

I would appreciate your input on this-
 
There is certainly nothing wrong with the Airweights with standard-pressure ammo. There is certainly nothing wrong with the Airweights with standard-pressure ammo. With older J-frame Airweights, +P ammo may lead to early frame stretching; at least, Mas Ayoob has reported such. I have personally experienced second strikes on fired chambers from using +P ammo in a Model 37. I have never heard of a frame cracking or pins falling out from use of +P ammo.

There is certainly nothing wrong with the Airweights with standard-pressure ammo.
 
The vast majority of those of us who use 'em and love 'em have no problems, so nothing to report. A very few have experienced troubles, those are the ones you'll hear about.

Enjoy that little gem! Shoot it like you stole it.
 
Many of the problems occur when people use their own bullets. I've gone through about 200 standard pressure factory rounds (.38spcl) since I've owned mine (a little over a month) and about 50 +P rounds with no ill effect. My father has had a J-frame Airweight for a few years now and nothing has failed or broken yet.
 
Originally posted by Slyk54:
I am never sure when reading about problems on a website such as the ones described here whether or not there is a strong likelihood that a given model of gun will routinely "break" or if the problems are essentially a "one-off" situation.
Click to expand...


A few examples posted becomes an epidemic in no time on the internet. Have some experienced problems. Yes. Should we all run around in circles flapping our wings in panic? No.

I own a half dozen or so Airweights and have shot thousands of rounds, mostly +P, with no problems at all except for the abuse on my hands.
 
I've had a couple Airweights with cracked frames, but both of them were brand new in the box--neither one had been fired since they left the factory. According to the S&W Customer Service rep I spoke to when I sent the last one in for (free) replacement, the problem was an overtorque at the factory that put too much stress on the frame when the barrel was installed.

So don't worry about overuse, or even the effect of +P on a new 442. Just inspect the gun thoroughly before using it (and whenever you clean it), looking specifically for cracks below the barrel. If there are none, the gun should give you a lifetime of good service. And even if it does somehow break in normal usage, S&W will replace it for free according to their lifetime warranty. They even pay shipping both ways.
 
With factory +P ammo you will not have to worry,but shoot hot overloaded reloads you will.People think 100fps will make a big difference,but the truth is bullet placement and bullet constuction will make the difference not 50-75fps.With the price of ammo what sense doe,s it make to shoot +P hp defence ammo at paper targets.Other than a few for site in.A good standard speed 158swc or 148 wadcutter is fine for practice and range work.Don,t try to make a 357mag out of a 38spec. A load that hit the same as the speer 135gr. short barrel +P38spec was the 130gr. Winchester target range ammo in 100rd bulk packs.If you want a 357 buy one.But the blast and recoil will make you want the 38spec back. I went the SW 360 and went back to the no-lock 642.In a 357 mag snubby make mine a M_19 2.5 rb with WW 145 silvertips.
 
Have a well carried 638 Airweight and glad to report that 500+ (I stopped counting) of +P and absolutely no problems, no internal lock failures, nothing.

I'd agree with the above that red hot handloads and an occasional factory problem somehow become an epidemic on the internet.
 
I have had a Model 37 Airweight Chief Special since Jimmy Carter was making a joke out of the presidency. It has received a steady diet of standard .38 Special loads with no problems at all.
 
Originally posted by Slyk54:
I am concerned about what I have read recently on this forum regarding "airweight" revolvers- primarily the S&W 442, since I recently acquired a used one. I examined the gun closely, and it appears to be in excellent condition. I have not fired it yet, and my plans would be to use standard .38 spec rounds since I have fired one of these guns on another occasion, (range rental) and find the standard loads to provide all the recoil I need. However, if it is likely that a pin will fall out, or the frame will crack, or some other major breakage is likely occur, I will likely be trading soon-

I am never sure when reading about problems on a website such as the ones described here whether or not there is a strong likelihood that a given model of gun will routinely "break" or if the problems are essentially a "one-off" situation.

I would appreciate your input on this-
Click to expand...

For the most part, the problems you read are one-offs, or limited to a few. S&W produces so many guns that the "effect" of seeing a single problem mentioned on this or any other forum unfairly magnifies the problem. It is somewhat akin to how the national media reports few alcohol related fatal car crashes, but EVERY shooting, which creates the impression that shootings constitute a far bigger problem than alcohol induced car crashes, which as we know from the numbers is not so.

Enjoy your revolver and if by chance you should have a problem, S&W will take care of it, unless you damaged your own revolver by doing something to it.
 
I've stopped counting how many rounds I've fired from my 637 Airweight, but it has to be around 2,000. Almost all of it was standard pressure range loads, but several dozen were +p stuff. No problems (except that it ain't fun shooting an Airweight). From what I have read on sites such as this one, cracked frames tend to crop up quickly after purchase. This makes sense to me. If the barrel installer overtorqued the barrel, then almost by definition he overstressed the frame. A bunch of +p later and one has a cracked frame.

S&W has the best warranty service in the business. If your Airweight develops a problem, call them. If they agree you have a problem (and they have an excellent reputation on this) they will send you a free shipment label, fix it or replace it, and return it to you, free, and usually within two weeks.

I would love to have an experienced contributor expound upon this "aluminum frame - barrel overtorque" problem. It has been a website subject for at least the eight years I have been monitoring it. Since S&W has been screwing its barrels into the frame since 1980, I would be surprised if they had not mastered the process by now. I suspect that most of them occured decades ago, and are just hanging around on websites, clouding things up. But I freely admit, that's just my opinion.

Cordially, Jack
 
IMHO, the only problem with the Airweights is . . . I like 'em too much!!!

In .38 Spl., they are the perfect "always" pocket gun!!!

T.
 
Shawn McC pretty much hit it on the head. For every Airweight gone bad that you hear about, there are probably a 1,000 plus still shooting. Remember they are a carry gun by design, not a target gun. Some people may have used them like they were an L-Frame, then wonder what happened. As long as you stick with factory standard loads, you shouldn't have a problem.
 
I've got around 1000 rounds through my 642 and it just keeps getting smoother. No problems here.
 
I got a 337 a few years ago. open the box and checked out gun . the barrel was loose. I call S&W and the guy said the shroud was loose? I said NO the barrel. He said It was impossable. I said I know enough about guns ,the barrel is loose. He said it would not have made it past a fireing test. I said it was not fired/no fired case. I sent it back and about a week later got a letter of appoligy.Said they were looking into how gun got out with NO records. I did not know for 2 years that they sent another serial no. rick
 
No problems ever with my 642-1. I've been carrying it lots for the last 12 years and shoot it often.

The frame finish is wearing a little around the edges, but not a problem.

360125088.jpg

360125090.jpg
 
My new 642 is on its way back to S&W right now. I've had it to the range three times and each time I've had a "click" with no bang. I registered here to do a search and see if it's a common problem. So far their c/s has been excellent.
 
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