337 Airlite TI

[bbarker]

I recently picked this up on trade and do not know a lot about this gun. I have tried doing some research on have not come up with a lot. It is a 337 Airlite TI that came in the vinyl box with a blue lock. It is in very good shape with barely a ring on the cylinder. In my research, I did find out not to shoot any lead ammo. I cannot paste pics for some reason but it is the sliver scandium frame and titanium cylinder and stock black grips.

My biggest question is trying to come up with a value of the gun. I have seen very few of these for sale....it looks like they were only made a couple of years before they were discontinued. Any help is appreciated. Thanks all.

 

[Lobster Picnic]

I believe it is the lightest S&W .38 Special ever made at under 11-oz.

Don't shoot lead ammo? So...carve the bullets out of wood, or what?

 

[bbarker]

If you do not use jacketed ammo, the recoil will let the lead bullet back out of the brass and jam the cylinder.

 

[s&wchad]

That's correct.

Welcome to the forum.!

$500-650. The barrel warning (.38 Special +P Jacketed) refers to only using jacket bullets when shooting +P cartridges. The light weight and abrupt recoil turns the gun into a bullet puller and the slugs can move forward enough to lock up the gun. Jacket bullets hold crimp better.

I generally don't shoot non-jacketed lead bullets out of titanium cylinders because S&W warns against using abrasives and I worry about getting the lead out.

This is from the owners manual:

 

[bbarker]

Thanks for the info, Chad. I appreciate it and look forward to more good interactions like this one. If I ever decide to sell it, I will post it here.

 

[murphydog]

There are two versions, a 2" with fixed sights and a 3.2" with an adjustable rear sight.

To post photos:

Click on the Post Reply icon (blue background, white letters and "pages", yellow quill pen) just under the last message in the thread, then scroll down the page and click on Manage Attachments. A smaller window will open with an empty text box toward the top. Right next to Upload file from your Computer, click on Browse to search your hard drive for the location of the photos, add the location to the text box (on most computers, you find the photo in your computer's files, then double-click or on "Open" to do this), then click Upload. Finally, click on Close Window at the bottom once the photos are attached. You can add text in the empty text box at the top, then (finally!) click on Submit Reply. The photos should appear in the text when you post the message.

 

[rburg]

They made them in two models. The 337-1 has the longer barrel. Yes, they're really light and make an exceptional carry gun. But not really any better than the 360 (I've got one of the 50 or so with the small frame window. In essence the 337 but with a 360 model number.

Its a fine gun and still my favorite carry gun. Even with as much trouble as I had with my early CT grip, I've got a set mounted on mine. The lightest grips seem to be the best. No reason to add any weight. The gun is light enough.

Ammo is an interesting question. As I recall the warning, it was against shooting +P lead bullets. Yes, I've done it, just to see. And the rounds do grow in length. The first 3 will fire, no problem. But then the 4th and/or 5th will tie up the gun as they extend out of the cylinder. On the other hand, good old fashioned 158 gr standard velocity will probably be just fine. Buy a box and test it in your own gun. If it doesn't "grow", you'll be OK with that box. For a long time I enjoyed 148 grain wadcutters. They don't grow, and they're maybe -P rounds! At the present time I've got Golden Sabers in mine. No, I have no idea why, but they work just fine in mine.

With any gun you plan on carrying and maybe even trusting your life to, I'd suggest you test some of it first. Not difficult, but a couple of guns full will tell you where it hits, and that it can be trusted.

 

[bbarker]

Pics Attached

Here are some pics of my gun.....it is the shorter barrel obviously. It is something I am probably not going to carry. My brother is law is a deputy and he has one similar in a hammerless version that he keeps in an ankle holster mainly. The finish in the holster has worn considerably on his from being carried so much.

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I just purchased one of these today that looks like it was hardly fired. It is a pre-lock model.

It did not come with a box, so my question is, how hard would it be to find a box for it? I really can't figure out why the previous owner of this pistol would toss out such a unique and cool box!

 

[DeeBee]

I just purchased one of these today that looks like it was hardly fired. It is a pre-lock model.

It did not come with a box, so my question is, how hard would it be to find a box for it? I really can't figure out why the previous owner of this pistol would toss out such a unique and cool box!

I have a couple of those boxes. You can PM me if interested.

 

[nutsforsmiths]

DeeBee,

PM sent.

 

[opr1945]

what is the difference between the 337 airlite Ti and the 342 Airlite Ti?

 

[DeeBee]

what is the difference between the 337 airlite Ti and the 342 Airlite Ti?

337 has exposed hammer, the 342 does not.

 

[opr1945]

337 has exposed hammer, the 342 does not.

Duh, I knew that. thanks.

 

[Allen-frame]

Greetings .

Here is one of the 3.18" models.

I bought it specifically because the serial prefix 'CDT' is my brothers
initials. He passed away back in November of 2011.....


The 'Julian' date on the box label shows this one was test fired on January 16th. 1998.

Regards
Allen Frame