airweight weight?

[hotrod150]

I recently bought a "pre model 37" airweight Chief. It's considerably lighter than my model 36's-- but how much lighter? Comparing my airweight Chief to a buddy's model 442-2, they heft just about the same. As I recall, the listed weight for a 442-2 is 15-1/2 ounces.
The 2" RB model 36 is listed at 19 ounces in the owners manual, and in all the references I've ever seen. But I've seen various weights shown for the airweight Chief-- anywhere from 12.5 to 15.5 ounces. The SCSW says 10-3/4 ounces for the original baby airweight Chief with alloy cylinder, but doesn't mention a weight for the follow-on steel cylinder models. In the model 37 section, it says 12-1/2 ounces. (rant: SCSW puts some model 37 info in the pre-model sction, and some pre-model info in the model 37 section-- kind of confusing. It's a great reference, but I wish they'd kept the info separate instead of mixing it like this.)
Kind of annoyed with myself-- I bought and resold a pristine model 37 with box etc about 6 months ago but can't recall what the owners manual showed for the weight. I googled up photos of the model 37 owners manual (from ebay listings etc) but none of them is clear enough to zoom in and read. Does anyone have an airweight Chief owners manual (either model 37 or pre-37) that they can quote the weight off of? Or better yet, post a photo of? Thanks.

 

[Old cop]

I weighed mine (M37) on my wife's food scale and loaded it weighs 16 ozs.

 

[snubbyfan]

Ok, I had to check. My 442 with a Pachmayr Compact grip and Laserlyte laser weighs 20.50 ounces loaded, 18.40 unloaded.
The Pachmayr grips weigh 4.65 ounces, Uncle Mikes boot grips weigh 2.05 ounces.
My 442 with the boot grips weighs 17.95 ounces loaded and 15.85 unloaded.
I'd like to carry with the boot grips but they just don't work with my hands.

 

[BJoe]

My manual says with 2" barrel and round butt 19 ounces.

 

[hotrod150]

Old cop, at 16 oz loaded that'd be about 13-1/2 empty if your loads are 158 grainers. Thanks. I'd still like feedback on what the airweight Chief/model 37 owners manual says. Bjoe, if your manual says 19 ounces I don't think it's for a model 37.

 

[shouldazagged]

My manual says with 2" barrel and round butt 19 ounces.

That sounds like a 36. Seems that's the figure I've seen most often for the steel gun.

 

[BJoe]

That sounds like a 36. Seems that's the figure I've seen most often for the steel gun.

Read em and weep.

 

[alwslate]

I have a 37-2 and a 60-7. Both are 1 7/8" RBs with factory magna grips.
On my small food scale the 37 weighs 13 oz and the 60 weighs 19 oz.
These are empty weights. Obviously your ammo choice will effect the
loaded weight.

 

[hotrod150]

So nobody's got a airweight Chief/model 37 manual that they can post a photo of?

 

[kaaskop49]

J-frame weights

Does anyone remember my post of last winter when I weighed several different types of J-grips on a jeweler's scale? That was important.
Anyhoo, I have a 1982 Smith color catalog (don't know about foto-ing or anything newfangled) Pps 4-5 show weights: Models 36,60: 19 0z (539g) with 2" bbl. Model 37:14 oz (397g) with 2" bbl.
If there are variations of as much as 3-4mm in length on a nominally 4" bbl, there are bound to be variations in weights as well over the years. I've also seen 13.5 oz for a 37.

 

[alwslate]

I have another 37-2 that is a bit newer than the one I usually carry.
It has the word "Airweight" and other lettering on the right side of
the frame with white accenting from the factory. Comparing the two
37s shows that the more recent one has a bit more metal in the frame
and topstrap than the older one and it weighs 13.5 oz compared to
the 13 oz of the older one.

 

[Homie]

Hotrod,

My as new '68 M37 -as issued- weighs 13.7 oz. empty; 16.3 oz with 5/158 +Ps on my electronic postal scale.

The '67 dated spec sheet in it's box says 19 oz!!!???

The '68 Stoeger's lists 14 oz.

The '58 Stoeger's lists 12.5 oz.

Go figure.

 

[elm_creek_smith]

So nobody's got a airweight Chief/model 37 manual that they can post a photo of?

Manual? I ain't got no manual! I don't need no stinking manual!

Mine came to me wearing over-sized Art Jewel finger groove grips in a crummy, disintegrating pocket/IWB holster in trade for a KelTec P32 with the soft case, two spare magazines, and a Fobus paddle holster.

ECS

 

[kaaskop49]

Since we all helped out, can we have our supper now?

114 degrees today.

 

[hotrod150]

114 degrees? Holy smoke! I think I'd have to eat my supper sitting in a bathtub full of cold water. The only time we get up to 114 around here is when the house is on fire.