TGS, people are making the change to their carry guns, live with a little more weight for a more shootable gun.
Wheeler, for the most part the change from LCR and light J-frame is because of recoil, now the Ruger cylinder is smaller than a J-frame and speedloaders do not fit (HKS or Safariland) you can only get the tip of the rounds in the cylinder, this was a problem some owners found after purchase, one LCR frame gave up (top strap burnt through) at 300rds of Win White Box 130g.
A problem that has not caused a fail yet with the airweight Smith's (don't know if all are this way) but is being watched is the use of alloy pins in the gun EG the hammer pin (pin pressed into frame that the hammer pivots on) shows a groove in the pin from the hammer in only 200rds, I've noted this on a few guns and only time and rounds will tell.
Regards,
Dean