My SW airweight is an MP360. Scandium frame, SS cylinder, glow in the dark front sight. Chambered for .357mag. The weight of the gun empty is roughly 13oz. If the person you're looking for is in any way scared of huge muzzle blast and hellacious recoil, this is not the gun to get. With a gun this light, even .38spl is extremely snappy. This is not a gun you buy to shoot for fun or anything, but you have to grit your teeth and force yourself to practice with it. One day at the range I made it through 50 rounds of full power .357magnum in it, and it nearly made my hands go numb, even switching hands every couple of cylinders.

Is your friend a so-called "gun person", who enjoys shooting? If not, then you absolutely need to find a gun this friend will be comfortable with enough to shoot on a regular basis. If this person won't practice/shoot on a regular basis, forget about the gun, it won't help anybody who doesn't practice at least occasionally. Make sure the friend knows all about how to use the iron sights before moving up to the laser/gizmos. Gizmos can fail probably at the least opportune time, while chances are the iron sights will always work.