My Pre-Lock 317 AirLite Snubby 22lr. Why?

[HarrishMasher]

In answer to your "Why?" question:

1. It's light - very light. That's the reason I bought one. In the summer, going to events that require dress slacks but where there is no need for a jacket, the only logical option for me has been the ankle holster. For ankle holster wear, the little 317 has been perfect. Doesn't feel like a boat anchor tied to your foot.

2. Eight shots - not 5, not 6, but 8.

3. No ugly hole or associated components.

4. There is no one I know who wants to get hit in the face with even one round of hi-speed .22 LR - and seven more shots are there for the asking.

Check the picture above. Notice a couple of things different from yours?

A. The optional factory Dymondwood (laminated wood) stocks - more than a tad lighter than those Goodyears.

B. The hammer is different, too. Like you, I despised the DA trigger pull. I complained to S&W customer service, and they had me send it back to them. They installed a Ladysmith hammer and spring. Made a noticeable difference. Recognize that with such a small handgun, the hammer spring has to be pretty stout to throw the light hammer with sufficient power to assure ignition of all the various makes of .22 LR. While lighter, the Ladysmith arrangement will still give reliable ignition for most .22 ammo out there. Test it with what you intend to carry, and if it fires every time, you're good to go.

Hope this helps you re-think your purchase. It's a great little gun, with purpose-built features.

John

Just sayin'. One is 38spl one is 22lr. Same weight. I would never consider using a 22lr revolver for defense. You would really choose the 22lr?

317 22lr - 10.3 ozs

342PD .38spl - 10.5 ozs.

I just weighed the stocks (see my post right below this one). The dymondwood stocks weigh 1.7 ozs and the Goodyears weigh 1.7 ozs. Exactly the same. I have the dymondwoods on my 442 (not pictured). So the assertion that the Dymondoods are so much lighter than my goodyears is incorrect.

 

[HarrishMasher]

I decided to swap around some stocks that are on my other J Frames to see how light I can go. Here are the stock weights I came up with:

- Eagle Secret Service Grips - 1.1 ounces. (Lightest grips for J
Frame I know of).
- S&W Factory Magnas - 1.2 ounces
- S&W Ahreds Cocobolo - 1.3 ounces
- S&W Factory Goodyears - 1.7 ounces
- S&W Dymondwood Laminates - 1.7 ounces



I got the 317 down to 9.7 ounces with the 1.1 ounce Eagle Secret Service Grips. So 317 is a half an ounce lighter than my 342PD with the same grips.

Here is the 317 with the Ahrends Cocobolo Grips at 10 ounces even.

The 317 looks mighty good with the Ahrends Cocobolos!

 

[Ethang]

Some here may disagree with me...but I think of almost all small J-frames as belly guns. They're not fun to shoot, they're not real accurate with the awful sights they come with...they have a purpose, short range, don't aim. They are not fun range guns, not in the slightest.

.

I am one of those.

J-frames are far from "not real accurate" you just have to work a little harder to shoot them well. I often will run our qual course with my 638 just to show the young guys what can be done with a "belly gun".

To the OP, running your 317 with the heavier than normal trigger will make you a better shot with your normal revolvers. Your already shooting that little guy pretty good. Instead of questioning why you own it, take it with you more often. Shoot the heck out of it.

 

[silversnake]

I decided to swap around some stocks that are on my other J Frames to see how light I can go. Here are the stock weights I came up with:

- Eagle Secret Service Grips - 1.1 ounces. (Lightest grips for J
Frame I know of).

That is impressively light for a DA revolver.

If it were mine, and it was only going to be used as a range gun, I would put bigger, hand-filling stocks on there, something that comes down below the grip frame and covers the backstrap. Having grips that fit your hand is essential for shooting well in double action.

 

[ABPOS]

I agree. I have hogues on my 442 and I just tried the pachmyrs. They both feel really good and if you're not concealing it, it doesn't matter how big they are. Although it still conceals with either of those in an IWB rig just fine.

But the wood does look nice. I don't really get why you're wanting to make it super light, unless you are wanting to carry it as a BUG. Which would be better than a sharp stick. I would think. Wouldn't be my primary choice. But there again, better than nothing.

 

[Threadkiller]

Looks like a great tractor gun

 

[HarrishMasher]

I agree. I have hogues on my 442 and I just tried the pachmyrs. They both feel really good and if you're not concealing it, it doesn't matter how big they are. Although it still conceals with either of those in an IWB rig just fine.

But the wood does look nice. I don't really get why you're wanting to make it super light, unless you are wanting to carry it as a BUG. Which would be better than a sharp stick. I would think. Wouldn't be my primary choice. But there again, better than nothing.

I am actually not trying to make it super light. The discussion of weight came up several times above. I was just showing the lightest it could possibly be and how it is barely lighter than S&Ws lightest 38, the 342PD.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Just sayin'. One is 38spl one is 22lr. Same weight. I would never consider using a 22lr revolver for defense. You would really choose the 22lr?

Copy that - the Goodyears and the Dymondwoods weigh out at the same. My bad.

The weight of the ammo also has to be taken into consideration. Try weighing out 5 rounds of your .38 defense ammo vs. 8 rounds of 22 LR. Snubbys are close-quarters guns; at that range, putting .22s in the face should be easy, and it's 8 shots vs. 5 with virtually no recoil to mess up quick follow-on shots. I have a 642 and a 442, and I can tell you that in an ankle holster, the 317 is like it isn't there at all by comparison. By the same token, with my normal shirt-out/Levis attire, the 642 or the 442 makes sense in the front pocket.

John

 

[silversnake]

I am actually not trying to make it super light. The discussion of weight came up several times above. I was just showing the lightest it could possibly be and how it is barely lighter than S&Ws lightest 38, the 342PD.

I would suspect that for most people, the big difference is in felt recoil (or possibly ammo cost) between .38 special and .22 LR, not just weight. If you can get fast follow-up shots with a 342 then I agree it's the better option for you.

 

[eveled]

Just sayin'. One is 38spl one is 22lr. Same weight. I would never consider using a 22lr revolver for defense. You would really choose the 22lr?

317 22lr - 10.3 ozs

342PD .38spl - 10.5 ozs.

I just weighed the stocks (see my post right below this one). The dymondwood stocks weigh 1.7 ozs and the Goodyears weigh 1.7 ozs. Exactly the same. I have the dymondwoods on my 442 (not pictured). So the assertion that the Dymondoods are so much lighter than my goodyears is incorrect.

Yeah it's a PD, for sure. I was thinking of it afterwards, the PD is my daily carry, it's always loaded. The 317, is always empty, when I pick it up. The ammo is the difference. I'll go back and edit my post, to show that.

They both have. Crimson Trace grips, the PD has the one with the gel pad for shooting magnums, the 317 the smallest one without the padding.

 

[eveled]

Are you sure you have a 342PD? Mine weighs virtually the same as my 317. We are talking less than a third of an ounce.

Yes it's definitely a PD, I was thinking about it after I made my post. I EDC the PD, and a 442, they are always loaded, the 317 is usually empty when I handle it. It's the ammo making. The difference. I'll go back and edit my post to show that. Thanks