Doggie Question

[Green Frog]

OK, as I’ve been wandering through various sources and doing some speculating as well, the question arose, did S&W ever make a lightweight Terrier? Of course there were lightweight 38 Spls made in J frames and I even saw a listing recently for a lightweight 22/32, but I don’t recall ever seeing mention of a lightweight 38 S&W of any ilk (nor yet of any such 32 S&W). Did a lightweight small frame 38 S&W ever get produced, leading to an “Airweight Terrier”?
Inquiring minds want to know!
TIA ~

 

[Hondo44]

Never even heard a hint of one.

The closest would be the Baby J frame Airweight with short grip, 1952. You could get the early one with alloy cylinder and ream it for 38 S&W.

Then if you find a 38 S&W Terrier barrel I or J frame (but early I frame would be preferred for the 1/2 round front sight), you'd have the correct bore diameter. Also the Terrier barrel has a longer shank on it. So you could even turn an 1/8" or so off the front of the .38 Spl cylinder so the result would resemble a Terrier more than a Baby J frame!

The whole package would weigh a lot less than an I frame Terrier.

Or if you could find a Model 32-1 J frame parts kit, the J frame longer cylinder would still look like an earlier Terrier in the Baby J Airweight frame, because it's still shorter than a 38 Spl cylinder.

The gun would sure get a lot of "double take" looks.

 

[Hondo44]

The 22/32 Airweight Kit Gun came out in late 1955 and it's a J frame only made with a square butt, except for a very rare few 2" round butt special orders.

 

[Green Frog]

Thank you Jim. That’s what I’d found so far, but I wanted confirmation. I had hoped to see Jim Supica at the VGCA Show this weekend, but got sick at the last moment, so I figured I’d ask you and perhaps Bob Townsend and a couple of others, but it dawned on me that I could ask it here and eventually get it from all of you. You never fail to impress, Friend Jim!
BTW, for once in my life I’m gathering originals, so unless there’s a prototype Airweight in a safe somewhere…. just 3 more variants to go (unless somebody finds another one I’ve missed in my research).
Regards,
Froggie