Scandium J Frames: Marketing Hype or Not?

[Data]

It's been said over the years that Scandium J Frames are a result of marketing hype and are severely overpriced. It has also been said that they are not a viable option when it comes to recoil mitigation and pain management... lol. Further, some say that if you shoot too many high power loads (aka .357 magnum / 340 PD), it's going to cause nerve damage, and you lose accuracy, and so on. In my opinion, I honestly think it's meant for the experienced concealed carrier and someone who has extensive training coupled with excellent marksmanship skills. I think the bottom line here is that you have a super lightweight feasible carry option. While the Scandium J Frame is not going to be your "oh-happy-days" range gun; however, I think it's the best damn niche revolver on the market.

What are your thoughts ...

 

[LittleCooner]

I prefer the L frame size and a 44 caliber size hole in the end of the barrel. Yep, not your "go to the range every day" gun, but the "carry every day and forget the weight" gun.

 

[ImDrRich]

Scandium-frame guns are in a class by themselves. I cannot understand how anyone can go through a box of 50 rounds and not be hurting from it.

 

[The Kid]

I think if we really boil it down the idea is that many people go to a gun store and handle a few and buy the “shiniest” one. Most buyers aren’t hardcore gun people so features sell.

Take your average person who might think it’s a pretty good idea to have a gun around or in their purse or pocket but isn’t a dedicated shooter or gun person. The guy behind the counter recommends a snub nose revolver for simplicity and shows them a M60 and a 640 or any Airweight. In my experience behind the gun counter 9 out of 10 will choose the lighter one with no regard for recoil or shootability.

Any short barrel revolver takes a good bit of practice with to reach some level of proficiency, more so for the lightweight models. 357 out of a 640 is probably borderline impossible for the once a year shooter, maybe even the once a month shooter. But I’d guess many are bought, shot once to see if they make a loud noise, and put up or even carried without any more practice.

The gun shop I worked at was in big bear country. 44 mags and the heaviest ammo on the shelf was the order of the day. Almost nobody was interested in buying 44 special to practice, they wanted a 20 round box of 320gr Hardcast 44 Mag and they were ready for anything. The turnover of 329PDs was incredible, I saw some bought and sold 3 or 4 times.

Joe Gunbuyer wants the best, even if it’s not the best for him.

 

[Marshal Tom]

IMHO snubbies of any flavor are not a beginner's or novice shooter's gun and especially not the Scandium guns. I have had an M&P 340 for many years. I've carried it quite a bit and shot it little. I recently put it up for sale and purchased a 649-2 that I like a lot better. Being all steel, it is far more comfortable to shoot. I liked the M&P 340 for coat pocket carry in the colder months. The scandium guns are nice for the weight factor but that's about it.

 

[rockquarry]

I think if we really boil it down the idea is that many people go to a gun store and handle a few and buy the “shiniest” one. Most buyers aren’t hardcore gun people so features sell.

Take your average person who might think it’s a pretty good idea to have a gun around or in their purse or pocket but isn’t a dedicated shooter or gun person. The guy behind the counter recommends a snub nose revolver for simplicity and shows them a M60 and a 640 or any Airweight. In my experience behind the gun counter 9 out of 10 will choose the lighter one with no regard for recoil or shootability.

Any short barrel revolver takes a good bit of practice with to reach some level of proficiency, more so for the lightweight models. 357 out of a 640 is probably borderline impossible for the once a year shooter, maybe even the once a month shooter. But I’d guess many are bought, shot once to see if they make a loud noise, and put up or even carried without any more practice.

The gun shop I worked at was in big bear country. 44 mags and the heaviest ammo on the shelf was the order of the day. Almost nobody was interested in buying 44 special to practice, they wanted a 20 round box of 320gr Hardcast 44 Mag and they were ready for anything. The turnover of 329PDs was incredible, I saw some bought and sold 3 or 4 times.

Joe Gunbuyer wants the best, even if it’s not the best for him.

Good post, very true. You mention aspects that many prefer to ignore. Proficiency is not high on their list.

 

[pbramlett]

I have several scandium guns and carry a 360PD regularly. I also regularly practice with it. My practice sessions are mostly with low flash buffalo bore wadcutter 38 spl but I do run two or three cylinders of 357 each trip as my reload when i carry this is 357 Magnum.

I'm fully dedicated to snub nose carry and over the past few years have almost exclusively sought to increase my proficiency with them. The 340PD, 360PD definitely have a place for me. Like another poster said earlier, snubs are not beginner guns and they are often sold to people that do not shoot regularly. They are sometimes regulated to being a "get off me gun" and that is what some people purchase them for. I've found them to be really accurate and actually fun to shoot and get good with.

Finding the right grips for your snubs plays a big part of comfort and shootability for me. I have found for my J frame smith's that the old uncle mikes boot grip works the best for me for concealment/comfort. The old uncle mikes combat grip is more comfortable, but it is less concealable in a pocket for me. Those are the grips that I use on all my J frames.

 

[petepeterson]

Airweight is as light as I want to go on anything larger than rimfire.
My mother packed a 337ti for years until she was over one day and I had her touch one off.
Found her a .22 LCR the following weekend....

 

[rockquarry]

I have several scandium guns and carry a 360PD regularly. I also regularly practice with it. My practice sessions are mostly with low flash buffalo bore wadcutter 38 spl but I do run two or three cylinders of 357 each trip as my reload when i carry this is 357 Magnum.

I'm fully dedicated to snub nose carry and over the past few years have almost exclusively sought to increase my proficiency with them. The 340PD, 360PD definitely have a place for me. Like another poster said earlier, snubs are not beginner guns and they are often sold to people that do not shoot regularly. They are sometimes regulated to being a "get off me gun" and that is what some people purchase them for. I've found them to be really accurate and actually fun to shoot and get good with.

Finding the right grips for your snubs plays a big part of comfort and shootability for me. I have found for my J frame smith's that the old uncle mikes boot grip works the best for me for concealment/comfort. The old uncle mikes combat grip is more comfortable, but it is less concealable in a pocket for me. Those are the grips that I use on all my J frames.

Very commendable. These certainly aren't the easiest guns to shoot well and definitely aren't for beginners.

 

[Bill Lear]

It's been said over the years that Scandium J Frames are a result of marketing hype and are severely overpriced. It has also been said that they are not a viable option when it comes to recoil mitigation and pain management... lol. Further, some say that if you shoot too many high power loads (aka .357 magnum / 340 PD), it's going to cause nerve damage, and you lose accuracy, and so on. In my opinion, I honestly think it's meant for the experienced concealed carrier and someone who has extensive training coupled with excellent marksmanship skills. I think the bottom line here is that you have a super lightweight feasible carry option. While the Scandium J Frame is not going to be your "oh-happy-days" range gun; however, I think it's the best damn niche revolver on the market.

What are your thoughts ...

If you use a ratchet to tighten and loosen bolts and nuts over years of repetitive action, you can also develop nerve damage - no heavy recoil required. The human body is a "machine" like all other machines and designed for moderate use of most systems.

While it's currently "tacti-pop" to claim one must shoot any gun upwards of 250,000 rounds with full-bore loads before "trusting with my life," the fact is, that's a mindset that has nothing whatsoever to do with reality - especially with revolvers. First, I would not want to be the one facing down someone pulling out a brand new revolver, and yanking the trigger five or six times - that would be a VERY fast and likely final lesson in statistical probability!

When gun makers such as S&W are innovative enough to develop ultralight - bantamweight revolvers built of exotic materials and offer them for sale, we should appreciate that they went to the nth degree to offer an 11.5 ounce .357 magnum intended to be CARRIED a great deal, and SHOT with full-force loads, maybe five times in a lifetime, and shot with lower powered .38 loads loads for a few cylinders! S&W places a lifetime warranty such products because they know that FEW will ever fire even a full box of .38 shells from such guns, and fewer still will fire a .357 magnum round unless confronted with a life-or-death situation.

For those who love to say "guns are tools" indeed they are, and ultralight, uber-powerful revolvers are very specialized tools meant for a specific application - not range blasting with a padded glove to see at which point one can stretch the frame, or crack the forcing cone, just to prove they could do it.

 

[studenygreg]

I love my scandium revolvers. 340pd, 327pc and 329pd are often in my carry rotation and range trips.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[rwsmith]

Scandium revolvers......

....are great to carry, but no fun at the range. A couple of cylinders and I'm ready for something else. Oh, and I did put Pachmayr grips on it, too.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I like weight so the J-Frame Smith & Wesson of any persuasion is my least favorite frame size. I have fairly large hands and long fingers. Only three J-Frames live here and I only ever make serious use of one of them, a Model 649.

The scandium models are for someone else.

 

[HeyJoe]

I think if we really boil it down the idea is that many people go to a gun store and handle a few and buy the “shiniest” one. Most buyers aren’t hardcore gun people so features sell.

Take your average person who might think it’s a pretty good idea to have a gun around or in their purse or pocket but isn’t a dedicated shooter or gun person. The guy behind the counter recommends a snub nose revolver for simplicity and shows them a M60 and a 640 or any Airweight. In my experience behind the gun counter 9 out of 10 will choose the lighter one with no regard for recoil or shootability.

.

I have not heard of any new shooters being recommended a revolver by a gunstore in more than a decade.

 

[tlawler]

They’re kind of like a flare gun: lightweight, unobtrusive, and not shot much. But boy, if you need it, you’re sure glad you got it! I had a 360 for awhile, but wanted a 340 because it’s hammerless. Sold the 360 and ended up with a 342, which the wife carries when needed and I’ll slip it in my gym shorts pocket for around the house carry sometimes. I’m still looking for a lock free 340.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

I like my scandium J-frame fine but since its last paint job I've been carrying a ltwt Colt Mustang. Those odd ergo grips work great for me. I use Hornady Critical Defense ammo in both.

 

[Pisgah]

If anyone picks up a Scandium Airweight and wonders what it's good for -- well, he is just severely limited in brainpower. Its sole niche is as "the lightest". If you are looking for anything else, you will be disappointed.

For me, its numerous drawbacks outweigh its single advantage, by far.

 

[pbramlett]

If anyone picks up a Scandium Airweight and wonders what it's good for -- well, he is just severely limited in brainpower. Its sole niche is as "the lightest". If you are looking for anything else, you will be disappointed.

For me, its numerous drawbacks outweigh its single advantage, by far.

What are some of the numerous drawbacks in your opinion?

 

[Old cop]

I’ve had my no-lock 340PD for about 10 years and keep it loaded w/+P. The magnum rounds produce too much recoil for quick, accurate follow up shots. While it’s not made for range fun I’ve shot it enough to be confident w/it & it’s significantly lighter/easier to carry than a standard air weight J Frame. I got it b/c my back & hip problems mean I need the lightest weapon out there. It was worth the money for me.

 

[SecurityGeek]

I made the mistake of putting a pair of buffalo horn boot grips on my 340PD the first time I went to the range with it. Two-finger grip + slick stocks + full power .357 loads = no fun at all.

The guy in the lane next to me said "Son, even if you miss, you just might set him on fire with the muzzle blast." So there's that.