PMCI - March - 2020

pmcimagazine.com
SMITH AND WESSON 638 AIRWEIGHT
started shooting the pistol in single action mode. The hammer
features a small stud on the top that rides slightly above the
frame during its full range of motion. There are four small
grooves cut into the stud horizontally to provide just enough
grip surface for my thumb to pull back the hammer. I noticed
this to be relatively difficult with the stiff factory hammer
spring. Every four out of five attempts would be successful but
before carrying any pistol for self-defense, I require everything
to work every time if I may need to depend on it. One quick
call to my friend, Paul Erhardt at Apex Tactical and a J-Frame
performance spring kit as they call their Carry / Duty kit was on
the way.
Once the kit arrived, it only took 20 mins to install the
new trigger return spring, hammer spring, firing pin and firing
pin spring. As I dry fired the 638 in my work shop, I could
immediately feel a difference. In both single and double action
dry firing, the trigger and hammer seemed much smoother
and gone was that annoying “hitch” feeling. I headed over to
the range and proceeded to run an assortment of ammunition
through the gun to test function under rapid fire. Overall, I could
not have been more pleased with the gun. It ran smooth as silk
with zero function issues.
With more confidence in the pistol, I began to carry it
daily inside the waist band or on my left ankle. A bit of dry
fire mixed with “bar room speed” practice on the range really
showed off how easy the model 638 could be drawn and put
into action. Everything about the pistol’s design is meant to
be completely snag free upon quick retrieval prior to sending
lead down range. When feasible, I would even carry the S&W
in addition to my SIG P365. This combo would offer me not
only 16 total rounds of firepower but also an additional firearm
in the extreme case of mechanical failure with the other. At
no point did I feel uncomfortable with the Cheata Tactical or
Safariland holster during carry.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I really enjoyed the model 638 Air Weight revolver.
Its practical application is timeless due to its reliability and
simplistic operation as with any revolver compared to semiautos.
If the hammer drops and the cartridge fails to fire, rather
than going through a complex system of tap, rack, fire, drop
magazines, rack, load, rack and fire again, the end user simply
pulls the trigger once again and first another round. Where
the model 638 really shines unto its own is the lightweight
carry and clean lines that resist snagging on clothing during the
draw. As I found with both the Safariland holster and Gun Sox,
all day carry and quick, efficient movements to put the pistol
into action are easily accomplished without issue.
If you need to run to the store at night once you have
already gotten home, out of your work clothes and into your
favorite sweat pants, this would be good choice as well. Rather
than needing to change into jeans and belt with your daily
carry holster, you can simply drop the model 638 in a jacket
pocket and head out. Its advantage over a small semi-auto
pistol comes in the event you must shoot from concealment.
If it were a semi-auto, the first shot would fire and then the
slide would more than likely become stuck or catch inside your
pocket. The 638’s action revolves the cylinder inside its frame
and can offer continuous fire from inside the close quarters of
the newly ventilated jacket pocket.
The model 638 is offered from S&W with a few custom
options such as pink rubber grips instead of the standard black
as well as a laser grip module from their partnership with
Crimson Trace. In low light, across the room distances, the laser
grip may be your best option. In any case, just remember, this
small gun does take a lot of dedicated practice to shoot well.
Some have wrote calling it the “expert’s” gun, but I would not
go that far. I have seen many shooters devote time practicing
with the pistol and quickly become very efficient with it.
If you are a professional who carries an issued gun full time
and you’re looking for a solid back-up option, I would suggest
looking into the model 638 for yourself to see the reasons why
it has stood the test of time. For those simply looking for a solid
gun for the car, specifically lightweight carry pistol or even a
back-up to your “go-to” gun when it all goes south, you can’t
beat the reliability of a revolver. My suggestion is to make it
routine to also carry a reload option in either a
speed strip or speed loader in addition to a quality
knife. With only five rounds and slow reloads,
you may want to consider other options as you
work through your force continuum. For more
information, visit www.smith-wesson.com to find
the S&W firearm that best fits your needs.
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