I'm thinking about getting one of the new revolvers for my wife (really!), and was wondering if anyone has any experience with one.  I know the recoil with mags would be no fun, but with .38 +p's I hope it will be manageable.  Part of the choice is that Lasergrips are available for it, and her eyesight doesn't deal with iron sights very well. Thanks for your input!  

It's a great revolver as far as weight goes but for shooting purposes it hurts your hands even with regular .38s.  Magnums are out of the question.

Shoot it with light loads, but load it with the real deal when you are in the real world.

I own a S&W 642 Airweight and shoot +P 158 grainers through it.  Two cyclinders full and Im starting to feel it.

The scandium guns are great carrying, but painful.

If this is your wife's only gun then I strong urge you to not get it for her. She won't practice with it enough because it'll hurt her hand, even with mild .38s.

Even the aluminum S&Ws are usually too light for novice female shooters. Please get her an all-steel snubbie & then after a year or two & several hundred rds she can "graduate" to an airweight, IMO. A model 36 would be a good one, or a model 10.

While I have lusted after the scandium models, I haven't quite made the leap yet.

Quoted: If this is your wife's only gun then I strong urge you to not get it for her. She won't practice with it enough because it'll hurt her hand, even with mild .38s. Even the aluminum S&Ws are usually too light for novice female shooters. Please get her an all-steel snubbie & then after a year or two & several hundred rds she can "graduate" to an airweight, IMO. A model 36 would be a good one, or a model 10. While I have lusted after the scandium models, I haven't quite made the leap yet.

I agree with BobCole completely.  Funny enough you just described my carry piece.  340PD .357 Scandium with the rubberized crimson trace grips.  It is really easy to carry around every day.  Believe it or not it is light enough that when I have it in the front pocket of my jeans, I have to double check its there sometimes.  It really is that light.  However it is hard on the hands, even more so with full loads.  I personally carry hydrashocks in .357 and practice with mostly .38's and a few .357's to keep the recoil in mind.  Its a great gun and with the grips its even better.