AirLite recoil problems

[tom turner]

Hi again,

I'm glad to see your evolution. You are on the right track.

Again, you need a STEEL-framed J-frame for fun/practice/home/car use (very versatile) and an Aluminum-framed "Airweight" for a lighter concealed carry "twin."

Whether it be a humpbacked "bodyguard" pair, a hammerless "Centennial" pair (ala a 640 + 642) or an exposed hammer pair (36/60 + 37) they will serve you well.

The 25oz steel guns are fun to shoot, and the 15oz. Aluminum-framed guns are easily tolerable for concealed carry and practice too.

If you can get only one right now, go steel framed so you can avoid the harsh kick . . . and thus develop much better accuracy and technique that comes from good practice!

Tom

BTW, that's the way I did when I got J-frames . . . steel first (in my case a Model 36), then the Aluminum-framed Model 37 later).

Also, I bought solid and used vintage J-frames. They are more desirable than the new ones . . . and cheaper too!!!

Finally, if I want a .357 I'll strap on a larger gun. I'm quite happy with "just" a .38 Special load in my little J-frames. The bad guys won't know the difference as to what is in the tube . . . and I can shoot the .38 loads faster and with greater control too.

Through the years the .38 Special has been a very effective load for self-defense. Lee Harvey Oswald (Kennedy's assassin) used one to quickly down and kill officer J.D. Tippett, then Oswald himself was instantly downed by a .38 Special bullet fired from a Colt Detective Special snubbie himself. Oswald died from a simple "gut-shot." His killer said he gut shot Oswald so he'd suffer the most before he died. I'm sure you've seen the video clip on tv when Oswald got shot. He went straight down in excruciating pain and died a short time later at the hospital.

Yep . . . a .38 Special is all I feel I need in my J-frames. I think you'll find the same over time!

Good luck!!!

 

[Ed333]

dry fire..

Dale's comment is excellent advice, I would even go further and say that with a center fire piece, with firing pin on the hammer, you don't even need snapcaps. And squeeze with that off hand, about 70-80% of your total holding force from the off hand wrapped around the trigger hand fingers. Maintain sight alignment, and then go for sight picture, and move it around to different sighting points. And breathe. Do this a lot. Perfect practice makes perfect.

 

[flop-shank]

Great advice from Dale, Tom and Ed!

Make sure that when you practice, you have a good backstop. In my case I go down to my basement. If you don't have a basement a bucket full of sand will work.

 

[Ed333]

no ammo in sight when dry-firing

It should go without saying, but i will say it anyway, I don't believe in having any ammo anywhere in the same room where the piece is kept, or where I practice dry-firing. Obviously I am not talking about bedside table situations, I am lucky and do not live in a crime ridden zone, a billy club is enough for me. Also, Maine does not subscribe to the Castle Doctrine, you are supposed to retreat.
And probably not a good idea to practice your dry firing in front of company...they may get the wrong idea.

 

[JNewell]

Nothing but good advice and good attitudes here. I will just say that if the following aren't true, you probably should be thinking about carrying or using a particular gun:

1. If it's a carry gun, it must not be too big, or heavy, or difficult to carry and draw. If these are not true, sooner or later (probably sooner) you will stop carrying it.

2. It must be a gun you feel comfortable shooting, ideally one you enjoy shooting. If it is unpleasant to shoot, because of light weight or muzzle blast or some other factor, you will not practice, and without practice you might as well carry a silver cross or wear garlic to ward off goblins and vampires.

You are clearly thinking and doing the right things - you are going to make this work, I am confident. It is better that you carry a 25 oz .22LR that you shoot often and well than that you carry a 10 oz .357 Magnum with full-house loads.

Best luck - I think you will find it because you are doing your part to make the right things happen.

 

[1911luver]

I think you should try some pachmayre compac grips or hogue monogrips,these work great for taming recoil even with .357's. I personally feel that the recoil of these guns is a bit overrated but will say that the factory rubber boot grips are all but useless for shooting.
I will say that I tend to shoot either 125gr Remington golden sabers which are a "mid range' loading for .357's and speer's gold dot short barrel loads in .357,they are 135gr and also a mid range powered magnum round.

I love my 340PD for what it is a light,easy to conceal,reliable and powerful gun. It is not a range gun in my opinion its a gun you shoot enough with your carry ammo to stay proficient with and carry a lot.

I do most of my practice with .38 special +P FMJ ammo and finish up with two or three cylinders on my carry loads in .357. I have the crimson trace model LG-405 laser grips that have the air cushion over the back strap,and these help a great deal with making this little beast bearable to shoot. I can get good COM rapid fire hits and double taps on a man size target at 7 yards with the above mentioned .357 loads.

As much as I love my 340PD I do plan on getting a model 640 for more leisurely range use,home defense use and possible belt holster carry in cooler weather. Look at the .38special defensive loads that are out now they are top notch and recoil much less than a .357 out of the same gun. Recoil is a very subjective and personal thing. For example I find any of the .357 magnum federal hydrashok loads just brutal out of my 340PD,as they are full power magnums meant for use in much bigger and heavier guns. You'll get this thing figured out good luck.

 

[AirLitenewbie]

Great news! The AirLite is gone and a shiny new 640 has taken its place. My local gun shop gave me a really good deal on trade: nearly as much as I was asking in private sale, and almost as much as I paid for it when I bought it from them two years ago.

Thanks to the abundance of information offered on this thread, I have been able to arrive at this plan and carry it out with no second thoughts whatsoever. I feel really good about making the switch and look forward to trying out the new toy... in a couple of weeks, and for just a couple of shots at first.

I now have a nicely matched set -- the 317 for high-rep practice work and the 640 for practice/carry -- both outfitted with Pachmayr grips. Since the 317 is also an actual AirLite (I've always called it "the baby AirLite"), I guess I can keep my username.

Get yourself some "snap caps"

I've had snap caps since the beginning, and agree that dry-fire practice does wonders in improving hand strength. I need to be much more disciplined about using them. I might feel less resistant about such things now that there's no gun in the stable with which I have a love/hate relationship.

I'll let you know in a couple of months how it's all working out. It has to be better than what's come before, so life is good.

Elizabeth

 

[Iggy]

You made a great choice.

Have fun.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Great news! The AirLite is gone and a shiny new 640 has taken its place. My local gun shop gave me a really good deal on trade: nearly as much as I was asking in private sale, and almost as much as I paid for it when I bought it from them two years ago.

That is certainly good news! Glad to hear that the weight of the 640 is acceptable - I am sure you will find it reasonable to shoot, particularly with Goodyears (local slang for rubber grips) and reasonable ammo.

I suspect that you will be very happy with the pair of revolvers you now have.

 

[Fourbits]

I have a S&W438 Bodyguard that I replaced the stock grips with the Pachmayr Decelerator Grips. They made a BIG differance. As mentioned above they are bigger than the stock hard rubber grips that came on this gun.
Fourbits

 

[AirLitenewbie]

Good to know about the Decelerator. I only tried mine on the now-defunct AirLite after my hand was already beaten up, so there was no way to tell how much it may have helped. When I'm able to shoot again, I'll get to see how it is on the 640. Maybe someday down the road after I'm good and used to it, I'll put the stock grip back on the 640 and shoot it that way once just so I can appreciate what the Decelerator's really doing for me.

 

[moxie]

If you must stay with .357, then the only solution is the 640. Anything lighter is .38+P territory, IMO. Of the pocket guns suitable for that round, the 442/642, or the Ruger LCR, are the best.

 

[BlackSky]

I ran into the same issue. .38's out of a steel J frame I found annoying. .38's out of a Airweight were ridiculous. I solved the issue by going to a smaller caliber.

I carry a 432PD Airweight (12oz) in .32H&R Magnum. With the hottest loads available the recoil is extremely manageable. I can shoot it and practice with it all day long. Because of this I have become proficient with it. Plus, it has 6 rounds instead of 5 which is nice.

 

[ImportJunk]

The 32H&R is my idea of the perfect solution to the carry question. Six rounds in a S&W 332 is a pleasure to carry and shoot. Low recoil,near 38 special performance and laser grips for my old eyes.

I own and at times carry one of almost every Smith, Glock, Walther, Sig,Colt and Browning model. Most days the 332 is my primary carry.

Lots of firepower is good. Less firepower you trust, shoot well and always have at hand is great

 

[310nightguard]

Dont forget muzzle flash...

357 muzzle flash from a 2'' barrel is like looking into the sun.

I like 357 rated small revolvers just because they are built a little tougher and more likely to stand up to a good diet of 38 defense loads and generally only a tiny bit bigger

 

[Szumi]

Elizabeth,

This is an old thread but I found it looking for info on my 442-1 which is a .38spl j frame. The only reason I'd want a .357 airlite is to shoot some of my ++P IDPA loads I normally shoot in a 4" heavy barrel steel ruger security six .357 target model. Think +p 38 spl and work up to what you can handle. A .38 spl beats the heck out of the .380 alternative imho. I've found that some old 125g .38spl Winchester winclean I had laying around to test my new 442 was pretty snappy and my 53 year old arthritic hands sure noticed it.

Clutch

 

[Old cop]

Another choice for your Airlite is the Federal Nyclad 125 grain normal pressure load. I'd be careful to test this before carrying since lead bullets jump crimp in these light guns (but not the aluminum Airweight J's) and can tie up the cylinder taking you out of the fight.

Most of the Airlight guns recommend jacketed ammo to avoid the jump crimp problem.

Again, this is only MHO. I carry the old aluminum frame J's b/c they give me more choices in carry ammo.

Best,
Old cop