TGS... that is a very good question and would speak to the life expectancy of parts. And I am still thinking about that J frame BTW
TGS... that is a very good question and would speak to the life expectancy of parts. And I am still thinking about that J frame BTW
Taking a break from social media.
Depends on which iteration of the J frame you're talking about.Originally Posted by TGS
The pre-1995 AirWeights (alloy frame/yoke, steel cylinder) are wildly variant; I've seen one start stretching the frame after 100 rounds, and I know of another one with several thousand standard pressure 158 RNL rounds though it that is still nice and tight. I much prefer the pre-95 frame geometry, but the two I have of those in AirWeight configuration don't get shot any more. The steel guns, of course, are fine. A much-abused M-640, purchased in 1993, is my main "shooter".
The post-95 guns, with the so-called "magnum" frame, should last a good long while. S&W claims that the Scandium-framed examples rated for full-house .357 are good for 5K of those. I have one of these, an M-360PD purchased in 2002, that has been carried daily for most of the intervening ten years, and has had well over 4K .38 Special rounds through it. Most of those rounds have either been wadcutters or other standard-pressure .38s, but several hundred have been my +P Gold Dot carry cartridge. Oh, and I shot a dozen .357s through it when it was new. Imagine holding out your open hand, and allowing Babe Ruth to take a full power swing with his Louisville slugger; your palm being his target. Shooting full-house .357 ammunition through a 12-ounce small revolver is something that can only be fully appreciated by doing it. It also gives new meaning to the phrase "Never again!"...
Sorry; I tend to ramble. The short answer to your question is that a post-95 J frame should have all the durability one needs. I don't shoot that 360PD much these days, because it really isn't much fun, and as I edge past 60 I find myself much less tolerant of recoil. The steel M-640 is much more pleasant to train with.
But I'll tell you this; for pocket carry, NOTHING beats an AirLite J frame in my book. You simply forget its there. I'm speaking of the Scandium frame examples with a titanium cylinder. Not sure what the model designations are these days. I have two; that M-360PD, and an M-342 without the lock that is my prize.
And again, the post-95 guns, regardless of what they're made of (steel, aluminum alloy, or Scandium) are all rated for +P (or .357) and are definitely more durable than earlier AirWeight/alloy-framed examples.
.
From what I have seen the Ruger LCR and the S&W 642 both have what may as well be an infinite life.
Each have been on the rental wall for over a year, and neither one has had any parts breakages that I am aware of. They get shot plenty, are rarely cleaned, and people abuse them. Considering most people, even fairly serious shooters, don't typically rack up high round counts on these little guys I'd not be concerned recommending one to anyone.
Now, for the comfort of the students you might seek a steel frame... but I doubt you'll wear out an LCR or a 642 substantially faster than a steel framed counterpart. (Honestly, I kind of doubt you'll wear one out at all.)
Honestly, I wouldn't worry about durability in YOUR lifetime. These guns will outlast you. Most things can be fixed and some small adjustments or parts may be necessary over its lifespan of a couple of generations.
Do you have more than that?
Round counts are much more informative than saying "my/your lifetime" or "outlast you."
Some people shoot more than others. A Hi-Point will live through the average shooters "lifetime." They wouldn't last two range sessions with 99% of this forum's membership. An LCR will outlast most shooters out there, but with not only measurable but noticeable frame stretching over 5800 rounds, I highly doubt it would last a lifetime for some of the members here. An Airweight J-frame will <insert specific knowledge here>......
Well I went ahead and ordered that J-Frame from http://crosscreekguns.com/index.html. I went with the no-lock version. Looks like Smith is currently out of stock, so not sure when it will show up. Planning on renting one again tomorrow and putting some more rounds downrange.
Taking a break from social media.
My hand aches just thinking about putting 6,000 rounds through an airweight.
I had to put together a firearm's examiner proficiency test last year for 25 people. This involved shooting 500 rounds of 9mm ball through a HiPoint C9, using five different slides (for the different breech face markings), 100 rounds per slide. The barrel is fixed to the frame on these, as you probably know. We weren't using the bullets, just the brass, so that didn't matter.
What is germane here is that, after 500 rounds through the same barrel, that sucker was a SMOOTH BORE. The gun was brand new when I began, and I kept the first and last bullets fished out of the water tank. Comparing those two was quite enlightening.
It was still working, though. I had only two malfunctions the entire time. I wanted to get out to the square range and shoot it at 25 yards to see what the "accuracy" would be with the rifling all but gone. Alas, the gun and slides were a loaner from HiPoint and had to go back before I could do this.
Moral of the story... HiPoints are made from pot metal... including the barrel. But they generally are reliable, and have killed a lot of folks. Although the S&W Sigma is becoming the thug gun of choice around here, I cannot tell you how many homicide cases we've processed involving HiPoints in the three years I've been here; but its a bunch.
.
I just put an Apex kit in my 642. Mucho better. Not hair-trigger at all but more controlable. Very happy! I watched the how-to videos on Youtube.
Reply With Quote
