Looking for comments on the accuracy, quality, reliability of Smith's Airlite 3" barreled 22LR revolver.

Looking for comments on the accuracy, quality, reliability of Smith's Airlite 3" barreled 22LR revolver.

Had one for about three years, hasn't had any problems. Harder to shoot straight becasue of the light weight, but that's more a biologic problem than a mechanical one; it has the accuracy if you can hold it. The "day-glo" sights give a non-precise sight picture; will retro-fit mine with a standard rear and make a ramp blade front.

Springs don't scale any heavier than the steel framed J-frames, but the light weight make them seem that way. Avoid the urge to use lighter main and trigger return springs. No missfires or odd happenings...does have ammo preferences like any other firearm. Does actually like the Aguila 60gr. load, but does print it higher than the standard weight loads.

Nice to have in the pack when you've a good large caliber primary weapon along. Like it enough that if I lost it, would buy another.

Thanks ribbonstone. This thread is in the same vein as the Colt Frontier thread I started. Looking for a pot gun for spiking out from base camp. I handled one a few weeks ago and they are definitely lightweight adn compact. Wasn't sure about the accuracy or reliability.

Thanks ribbonstone. This thread is in the same vein as the Colt Frontier thread I started. Looking for a pot gun for spiking out from base camp. I handled one a few weeks ago and they are definitely lightweight adn compact. Wasn't sure about the accuracy or reliability.

Hate to quote accuracy figures...you may shoot better or worse than i do, and that's not a fair reflection on the gun. Have several J-frame guns (and older I-frame). Get the occasional one that just seems super accurate...but generally they are all pretty accurate. Side by side, have shot the other .22's of that size (a 3" Pathfinder .22mag. that I've had for a lot of years, a 2" Mod. 34 "Kit Gun", and a 3" Hand Ejector 32SWl..are others, but have longer barrels)...would take a machine rest to sort out the accuracy order.

But you will notice the light weight...both on your hiop and at arms length...will notice the lack of weight damping, but with consentration, can overcome that.

Oh, wasn't wanting a definitive accuracy statement. Just user's comments on if these could compete with Ruger's single-six's, Bearcats, Colt New Frontiers, S&W 63's, etc...

Actually am hoping to find some subsonic loads that shoot well, from whatever handgun I choose. The gun will typically be used late in the evening, after spike camp is set up and the shadows grow long. The subsonic idea is they seem to be a little quieter than normal loads, and we don't want anything too noisy scaring the big game off that may be within earshot. One crack type sound, may alert the animals, but unless there are other sounds or major commotion about, they will settle down in a half hour's time.

What about the old aluminum Bearcats? Those might be a little hard to find, though.

All handguns are loud in comparison to rifle length barrels. Was looking at some old reports that were measuring the noise reduction of variuous muffs and plugs and noticed the measured noise increas from shot hangun barrels...may not be loud enough to bother big game....but for just "goofing" arround camp, the revolvers use of CB caps is a good thing.

Like the Bearcat...wife still has an old 1st issue Super Bearcat (steel frame...but a little smaller frame than the current reintroduction). The Al. framed originals were good trail guns, but it seems most of the ones I fired were sighted in a bit high. Making the fixed sights look where it shoots can be a job (was on my wife's...had to weld it taller, and thicker...then file the thickness on one side to get the windage).

Still...if size and weight are prime considerations, the 317-3" is about as good as it gets. Wouldn't turn down an old Airweight Kit gun (model 43) but they are kind of rare to find used (and tend to cost a good bit).
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Developed tha habit of keeping it on a lanyard (has a little pin in the back strap). putting the lanyard around my neck, and tucking it in the top pocket of my hunting jacket...it's light enough to not be a bother, and this area always has water than needs to be crossed. (have spent time barefooted, working my toes along the bottom looking for dropped gear...in the summer, you're 'gator bate, in the witer you have to keep taking breaks to get the feeling back).

Mike,
The Bearcat has a lot of positives and negatives, all coming from that fixed sight system. You definitely can't find a more rugged sighting system, but as in ribbonstone's last post, sometimes its the devil to find the right ammo.

ribbonstone,
As far as packing this thing, its going to have to be in a cargo pocket, a tactical styled holster, or in my pack. The hunting this will be used for is for spiking out and carrying pack. The shoulder holster, chest pocket carry will interfere with the chest strap and/or shoulder straps of the pack. Likewise a high hip holster will interfere with the hip belt. As light and small as the 317 or Bearcat is, it is possible to just slip it in the pack, until camp is setup, then retrieve it for use. Though a tactical plastic thigh holster might be preferable.

If sheep are close enough that I'm afraid I'll scare them off with subsonic loads, I'll just be content to munch on dried salmon strips, pilot bread, and energy bars for the night. Trying to eye on the big picture, I'm out there spending the money on a fly-in trip to hunt sheep, goats, moose or what have you, not ptarmigan and grouse. I knock off one of those in the backyard. However, after two weeks of spiking out and climbing mountains, it sure is nice to eat some fresh protein in the evenings. Several days of dried salmon gets a bit old. :D

The original areas of concern were the alloy cylinder and it's locking notches and the sleaved barrel.. Less of a concern with the ligher weight cylinder than expected...less weight, less stress when the bolt snaps up and locks the cylinder. Heavy steel cylinder guns used in rapid DA fire show a good bit of peening to the nothces...lighter steel cylinders show less...and I haven't seen any signs of it with this light cylinder, but it doesn't get the DA rapid fire of a police handgun.

Barrel sleave is steel, and pretty thin (the outer tube is a shaped alloy part). Measured, the sleeve is about the same thickness as the barrels on the little mini-revovlers; they don't rupture their barrels so the 317's sleeve seems thick enough to stand the pressure of a .22LR.

Read one report of a guy on a differnt site that claimes his buldged and split...but if you stick a bullet and fire one benhind it, you're going to run the same chance of ruining an all steel barrel.

Well, I went to the gunshop last weekend and compared the Airlite to a Bearcat. The Airlite fit my hand much better than the Bearcat, so I placed an order for the 3" barreled Airlite (the one I was handling had the 1 7/8" barrel). The Airlite is a lot lighter also, weighs around 10 ounces empty.

The gun came in yesterday and I was able to pick it up today on my lunch break. Won't get to shoot it till the weekend.

I picked up 3 different kinds of ammo, Federal Match, Remington (grrrr) subsonic, and Winchester standard velocity. Was hoping to find other brands of subsonic stuff, but all they had in stock was Remington.

I'm assuming its okay to try some longs in this revolver, is that correct?

Well, I went to the gunshop last weekend and compared the Airlite to a Bearcat. The Airlite fit my hand much better than the Bearcat, so I placed an order for the 3" barreled Airlite (the one I was handling had the 1 7/8" barrel). The Airlite is a lot lighter also, weighs around 10 ounces empty.

The gun came in yesterday and I was able to pick it up today on my lunch break. Won't get to shoot it till the weekend.

I picked up 3 different kinds of ammo, Federal Match, Remington (grrrr) subsonic, and Winchester standard velocity. Was hoping to find other brands of subsonic stuff, but all they had in stock was Remington.

I'm assuming its okay to try some longs in this revolver, is that correct?

Don't see Longs all that often, other than the CB variety, so I'm guessing you plan on some CB cap use....22short, Long, or Long Rifle case lengths will all work.

May be pleased with CB caps...can be a lot of fun...but expect them to have a bit of a bark from a handgun. Outdooors, in thw woods, it's not all that noticalbe...indoors, like down the hall way, it certainly can be.

Well, the 317 was ranged today. Man, is that thing light and hard to hold still!!! I was able to run out to the range, and shoot a few rounds at the 25 yard line through the snowflakes with the Federal Gold Medal ammo. I didn't do well at all. I don't know if it was me having a hard time with holding it steady (I can't get over how light it is), the wind and snow, or if it just doesn't like the Fed ammo I tried. Best was around a 3" 8 shot group. Had a few that I called, so the group may have been better. The trigger needs a little work. I stopped by and picked up several different brands and flavors of ammo after the short, dark range session. Supposed to have snow and wind all weekend, so I doubt I make it back out to the range for a while.

Neat little gun, hope I can improve my shooting.

Understand...felt like I was waving at a the Easter parade passing by when I first stood offhand with that little light revolver...all the little faults that a heavy weight gun helps cover were there in plain sight. Found out how well the little gun would shoot by bench testing...then get angry becaue any increase over those bench groups is a biologic problem, not mechanical.

With enough work, got to wehre I could shoot the little light gun pretty well off hand...SA or DA. BIG help with the other guns as well, learining the shoot the difficult one makes the others seem easy.

So what did I do? Took the rubber grips off and added a set of those tiny little "string bean" walnut grips that S&W use to use as standards. Even milled a little of the underside making the grips more or less hollow to lose another fraction of an ounce (figure into the lite-weight concept for a dime, in for a dollar). Shooting fell off again, and I practiced a good bit more to get it back.

This one's trigger is going to have to be worked on. I didn't even try DA. The DA pull is heavier than my Ruger Redhawk. It's smoother than the Redhawk, but a good 5 lbs heavier. On a gun this light, at least for me, that is way too heavy. SA is heavy also, but not bad, pull is crisp and the break is clean.

It kind of hurt my feelings, shooting like that. Shooting the Redhawk, even with heavy loads, and the Springfield, I'm used to seeing nice big holes grouing together in a tight cluster. The target I shot with the Smith looked more like a shotgun hit it.

I honestly believe it is me. Never shot anything so light before and I need a bunch of practice. Picked up some snap caps and will work with those also.

Can't believe you lightened yours even more!

Figured the object of the gun is to be as light as possible...it's the only reason its made, they'd have stayed with the steel frame if weight was wanted. There is a reason that heavier guns are seen on the firing line in accuracy competitons...weight steadies both the human and the mechainical vibrations.

Smooth DA pull is required...but not too light as the .22's tend to get filthy...and with a nice layer of crud acting as a cushion for the rim, missfires start to appear. I just smoothed mine, didn't change any of the springs...if you must fiddle with the springs, get the full kit...and of the springs offered, the trigger return spring is the one that lightens the pull without actually lightening the firing pin strike.

Speaking of which...be sure the area under the extractor star is free from fouling...that will chushion the fiing pin hit just as well as gunk under the rim.

Hard to measure the actual DA wight by feel...as light as the gun is, the DA trigger oull is going to feel really heavy. Fish scale(one of the hang-the-fish type pocket scales), bench vice the pistol, and a few tries will get an average number. Supose to be in pounds, but don't believe they are all that well calibrated , but at least the number is good for comparison.

(Could it be that fishermen like scales that show heavier than real life fish...is it like women's dress sizes, where if you make a size 14 but mark it as a size 10, some will buy it even if it's butt-ugly?)

Can take the alternate method of practice...slap some big oversized heavy grips on it, practice enough to get confident, then revert back to the normal grips...realizing that the grip size doesn't do anything for mechanical accuracy, just an interface between shooter and the launch platfom and if the sights are lined up when the bullet exits, it's going to the same place reguardless of grip. ("grip" here as the noun rather than the verb).

Oh, I think I'll come around to shooting good groups with it. Just not use to the light weight is by far and away the biggest obstacle. Practice, practice, practice.

Yeah, agree with you about the gun being made for lightweight, I just don't know if I would want it any lighter than it already is. I might not be able to hit the paper then!!! :p

As with everything else, I just need to shoot it enough to become familiar with the feel and the level of concentration it requires. Same goes for the 500 Jeffery. :D

Oh, I think I'll come around to shooting good groups with it. Just not use to the light weight is by far and away the biggest obstacle. Practice, practice, practice.

Yeah, agree with you about the gun being made for lightweight, I just don't know if I would want it any lighter than it already is. I might not be able to hit the paper then!!! :p

As with everything else, I just need to shoot it enough to become familiar with the feel and the level of concentration it requires. Same goes for the 500 Jeffery. :D
She's a new girl in your life. Younger and thinner. Just got to get use to the way you hold her.

I sure do like the weight and portability of this revolver. Once I get use to it, it should be just the ticket for a pot gun. Spring is just around the corner(?) and it'll start getting a good work out shortly.

If I see you out in Rabbit Creek, when it warms up, I'll come over and bug ya. BTW, my camp gun is a S&W 622. Not as light or compact as yours (22oz) but it is very deadly. Are you heading to the Wrangell for sheep this year?

For the first time, I bought an annual membership at Rabbit Creek! I'll be there. Usually try to get there right when they open on the weekends. Stop by and say "hi", I'll be the guy in the green Swarovski cap cussing my bad groups with the little Smith!! :D

I'll also be out there with the 500 Jeff from time to time, I'll let you loose a few rounds if you are interested.

We are looking at a couple of other places this year for sheep. One is over in the south Alaska Range, one over near Tazlina Lake in the Chugach's, and I'll try to do some scouting in the open areas of the Kenai this summer. Getting late in the year for scheduling a flight for sheep season, so there's no telling where we might end up. Somewhere for sure, though! I doubt we will venture into the same area of the Wrangells again, just getting a lot of use and seems like the rams are getting killed as soon as they turn legal. Lots of hunters going in there.