Smith & Wesson 637 Airweight

[Mykltn]

A friend is considering getting a Smith & Wesson 637 Airweight as her first handgun. I have owned a Colt, Taurus and Rossi revolvers but never a Smith. I wanted to know about experiences with this revolver, good, bad and ugly. She wants the one with the laser grips so if anyone has those also I would be interested in reviews. Thanks.

[DavidD]

A friend is considering getting a Smith & Wesson 637 Airweight as her first handgun. I have owned a Colt, Taurus and Rossi revolvers but never a Smith. I wanted to know about experiences with this revolver, good, bad and ugly. She wants the one with the laser grips so if anyone has those also I would be interested in reviews. Thanks.

Very nice carry piece, light, safe and reliable. Those same features also make it a "spunky" shooter. Be sure to prepare her for it. The laser grips ae cool too and I think if it is within her budget, she should definately go that route. Overall, I think it's an excellent piece and S&W does revolvers better than anyone, in my opiion of course.

[Guest Muttling]

A friend is considering getting a Smith & Wesson 637 Airweight as her first handgun. I have owned a Colt, Taurus and Rossi revolvers but never a Smith. I wanted to know about experiences with this revolver, good, bad and ugly. She wants the one with the laser grips so if anyone has those also I would be interested in reviews. Thanks.

Wayyyy too light for a first weapon. I carry a .357 airlight and have shot the .38's as well. Very easy to carry and to conceal, but they kick like a country mule.

A steel J-frame would be a far better choice for a first revolver. Extremely accurate, reliable, and easy to shoot. Its just a little heavy to carry.

[Guest Bluemax]

Wayyyy too light for a first weapon. I carry a .357 airlight and have shot the .38's as well. Very easy to carry and to conceal, but they kick like a country mule.

A steel J-frame would be a far better choice for a first revolver. Extremely accurate, reliable, and easy to shoot. Its just a little heavy to carry.

+1000 Find her a S&W model 37 or 38 let her get used to it with light loads even wadcutters but Muttlings right I have a 342ti which can shoot hot loads but its no pleasure on the hand and not something your friend will enjoy spending time at the range with Good Luck

[Mykltn]

She is currently practicing with my .357 Mag snub nose to get used to the recoil. She is doing well with it in both .38 Spl and .357 Mag. I advised her of the added recoil inherent in an AirWeight so she is not going into it with any disillusions.

[DavidD]

She is currently practicing with my .357 Mag snub nose to get used to the recoil. She is doing well with it in both .38 Spl and .357 Mag. I advised her of the added recoil inherent in an AirWeight so she is not going into it with any disillusions.

She should do fine with it then. Just remember, they are not designed to be range guns but for self defense. Got mom a 642 and will get her to put 25 or so down range then switch her over to a G19 for the rest of the range session.

Edited January 3, 2010 by DavidD

[Guest Muttling]

When she starts shooting it, teach her to wrap the thumb of her weak hand around he back of her strong hand.

You ca't use this grip on an automatic because the slide will take a bite out of your thumb, but it works great on a heavy recoil revolver.

[Mykltn]

When she starts shooting it, teach her to wrap the thumb of her weak hand around he back of her strong hand.

You ca't use this grip on an automatic because the slide will take a bite out of your thumb, but it works great on a heavy recoil revolver.

Way ahead of you on this. We went through grip and hand placement while practicing today.

[MasterBlaster]

My wife's daily is a 637 and it is light compared to a wheel of mine I carry 90% of the time-(Charter Off-Duty +P) but go with some 3-fingers for added control over combat or boot style grips.

[enfield]

When she starts shooting it, teach her to wrap the thumb of her weak hand around he back of her strong hand.

You ca't use this grip on an automatic because the slide will take a bite out of your thumb, but it works great on a heavy recoil revolver.

I think you'd be teaching her a bad habit, that'd get her thumb bit (or worse) someday with a semi-auto.

[Mykltn]

I think you'd be teaching her a bad habit, that'd get her thumb bit (or worse) someday with a semi-auto.

My step-father was a Vietnam era Marine Corp vet and taught me to shoot when I received my first pistol at age 18. I have taught the same two handed style to my wife and her friend. In almost 27 years of shooting I have not found a better way of controlling a pistol for accuracy and follow-up shot placement.

So that being said, please try and keep the information you contribute only to your experiences with the Smith & Wesson 637 Airweight. What problems have you incurred? What about the pistol do you like or dislike? Any repair issues or customer service dealings have you had? Things like this are what I need to know before I recommend to my friend whether or not to purchase this pistol. Thanks

[MasterBlaster]

You cannot go wrong with a Chief's Special! You just need that little finger on board and not dangling for hotter loads that are required to deem the .38 a minimal man-stopper.

[VERO1]

Over the years I have had a bucketfull of S&W J frames. I have never had any function problems with any of them what so ever. Some were new,some used, some 50 years old. Do not hesitate to buy a Smith revolver.

[Guest Muttling]

My step-father was a Vietnam era Marine Corp vet and taught me to shoot when I received my first pistol at age 18. I have taught the same two handed style to my wife and her friend. In almost 27 years of shooting I have not found a better way of controlling a pistol for accuracy and follow-up shot placement.

So that being said, please try and keep the information you contribute only to your experiences with the Smith & Wesson 637 Airweight. What problems have you incurred? What about the pistol do you like or dislike? Any repair issues or customer service dealings have you had? Things like this are what I need to know before I recommend to my friend whether or not to purchase this pistol. Thanks

That's my peferred grip. Now go shoot a .357 magnum that weighs 11 oz's with that grip and talk to me about it.

[Guest Bluemax]

I think you'd be teaching her a bad habit, that'd get her thumb bit (or worse) someday with a semi-auto.

I just happen to have a Jframe at my computer desk and while I see your point as far as this grip goes toward interfering with a semi auto. It is a very sturdy and comfortable grip to use with a small frame revolver especially if you have small hands

[Guest GimpyLeg]

My wife shoots a S&W airweight 38spl with laser grips. She really likes the gun, but I had to load some lighter loads for her to get used to it since it is a bit snappy. Nothing she cannot handle well, but I don't want her to shy away from practice.

[Guest B_Carter]

I have been looking at something like this as well....good thread...how would you compare this to the Ruger LCR?

[wjh2657]

As you can see below, a 637 is part of my "summer lite" setup. I pocket carry and evrything is light emough for chino or slacks pockets. As you are electing a smaller, light gun, I don't recommend regressing and loading up "howitzer" ammo. I carry Hornady 125 gr XTP/JHP standard pressure or Federal NYCLADs in mine. If you feel undergunned on standard pressure then drop the snubbie and carry a 640 on your belt and dress to cover it. When I feel the need that is my rig or my Glock 23.

I don't really feel undergunned with the 637 and find it to be an excellent shooter at the <25 feet SD range. I practice daily with a 317 in .22LR and once a week at indoor range with the 637 and WW 130 gr FMJ from Walmart. Buy Snap Caps and dryfire the gun zillions of times to smooth out trigger. It doesn't need an expensive trigger job.

I think that you will find that a lot of the folks on these forums who say you might as well not carry as to carry Standard .38 Special ammo also say in another section that they usually slip a Keltec .32 ACP in their pocket for "going to the store." I myself feel better armed with a .38 Spcl than a .32 ACP.

[Chris]

Great carry gun, but the recoil is pretty sharp. My wife had to move to a heavier revolver in order to keep it manageable. I did change out the factory grips for something that would pick up my pinkie finger... that helped a lot with recoil but cut down on the guns concealability.

[TNMP40]

Considering the intent and purpose of the S&W Airweight it is a great carry gun. Ruger just came out with one LCP that I think is even lighter. You can get low recoil ammo as well.

This is they type of gun that you will probable never have to shoot (hopefully) other than range practice. Good choice I think.

Edited January 9, 2010 by TNMP40

[Guest Ae-35]

Can't go wrong with a Smith J frame, I've carried all most all of them , 36, 37, 38, 49, and 60. Right now 442 in my pocket. Recoil has never been an issue for me( used to shoot bigbore handgun MS in southern CA. ) Light bullets at standard pressure for training, I carry BB 158gn.+p swchp's, snappy but I always perfer heavy bullets. truth is a standard pressure 158gn. swc in the hands of Leo's has probabily put down more bg's than any other rd. in the last 70 yrs. help her find grips that fit, my wife and a lot of women hate grips with finger grooves, she says the recoil is felt more with her fingers spread, makes sense to me, I don't know. JMO.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Ae-35

[mikegideon]

I have a 637 and it kicks like a mule. I bought it because my favorite small revolver of all time was a Model 36 that I sold 20+ years ago (and have regretted it ever since). I shot it last summer with sweaty hands, and the Uncle Mike's grips were slick enough to make it difficult to control. Swapped the grips to the 36 style wood ones, but haven't had a chance to shoot it since. They feel a lot better.

The S&W site says they're making the 36 again. Quite a bit more expensive than the 637.

[Guest B_Carter]

I am interested in both but I am going between this and the Ruger LCR. I dont think I can go wrong with either but anyone got any experience that will enlighten me?

[Guest parris001]

Hey, my daughter just got a Model 37-2 for Christmas. Her only complaint is that the thumb release for the cylinder is too rough and digs into her thumb. Does anyone know of a smoothed release that's available?

[wjh2657]

Problem isn't release, it is her grip, which is probably dependent on what grips are on the gun. I have 5 different J Frames and my thumb is nowhere near the release when firing. Try different grips. her thumb should be wrapping down, well clear of the release. See two handed grip below, again thumb should be well clear of release ( Jerry Miculek in this picture has big hands. I have smaller hands and thumb is much further away from release.).

Edited January 11, 2010 by wjh2657