I was looking at the thread over in the revolver section and note it got shut down, but I thought there were some points that had not been mentioned.

My guess is just about every firearms manufacturer uses trace amounts of Scandium in their Aluminum alloy. S&W has no unique right to use it. What S&W has is a patent for how the Scandium is incorporated in the Aluminum alloy, or how the cake is baked.

So two things happen. Other firearms manufacturers have their own method or they pay S&W to use theirs and if the firearms industry is anything like the computer industry I work in then there are agreements and money paid so theoretically somebody like Kimber is not going to mention they are using the S&W procedure and S&W is bound by agreement not to mention somebody like Kimber is using it.

Did S&W sales/marketing use Scandium in marketing/sales. Of course.



I think to some extent the "billboard" guns sort of backfired on marketing/sales. I bought mine new but I see nice used ones at good prices these days because a lot of people do not like the billboard.

I think there was one post in the revolver thread that bothered me. I do not think S&W ever used any Aluminum alloy for a cylinder. I have an early 325PD. It has an Aluminum alloy frame with Scandium advertised in a small way and a Titanium cylinder, plus a SS barrel. I think later S&W may have gotten away from the Titanium cylinder because some people wanted to get the black off the front of the cylinder with abrasive methods and damaged the coating on the Titanium. Leave them unclean if you have one.

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NRA Life Member

I also have a 325pd/sc (the silver-grey finish) & 2 other titanium cylinder guns. The combination of the sc/alloy frame & ti cylinder made them light to the point that some thought the 325pd hurt to shoot. The 325ng has a ss cylinder & is heavier by 6/7 oz. S&W still makes ti cylinder guns & if you read the directions on cleaning the ti guns you won't have a problem.

If I'm wrong I'm sure one of the experts will correct me, but I believe at least some of the S&W Aircrewman .38 Specials had aluminum cylinders and are not considered safe to fire today.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I also remember reading an article about those years ago in the "American Rifleman" or something. Sort of a survival pistol in case the plane went down.

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NRA Life Member

Besides the early Aircrewman mentioned, recent K & J frame .22's have had aluminium cylinders. And my aluminum framed 351PD doesn't list it's frame as having any scandium, so I reckon the expense and manufacturing expertise to use the material is only needed in centerfires.

As far as titanium cylinders, they're still a big deal on the competitive circuit where their reduced weight and inertia are helpful. Julie Golieb had her 627 V-comp fitted with one.