I carry most days and I find myself almost always with my 642, I have 3 J frames 442, 642 and a LS model 36 these are the 3 I carry most. I tried glocks and didn't like them I tried a 1911 but kept pulling up my pants.

Almost every day my 642 is with me I feel pretty well protected.

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Stan

A 642 in a Mika holster in my right hand front pocket with a speed strip in my left rear has taken the worry out of being close for me for the last 12 years.

That's because you are!

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Stay protected my friends.

My 642, loaded with 38+p Hornady Critical Defense ammo, has been my daily carry since I bought this gun about a year ago. But I will admit that my newest gun is lately the one that I sometimes grab as I leave my home: a Ruger LC9s. It is slim and compact, but not tiny, and holds 7+1 of 9mm ammo. While its profile is a bit larger than the j-frame snubbie, it is thinner. But what really makes it in some ways my preferred gun is that I can shoot it more accurately than I can my 642, for distances of anything 5 yards or further. I doubt I would ever get rid of the 642; one thing about it that I so like is its 100% reliability. I have zero doubt that it will perform if I ever pull the trigger, as compared to about 99% confidence in the Ruger. So I switch back and forth with these two handguns. Since I bought the LC9s, my other Rugers, an LCP and a sr40c haven't left the safe.

Your choice is a good one. I've carried a 442 or Model 38 for well over 40 years w/confidence. These guns require frequent practice to be proficient so make a range trip, 50 quick rounds, about once a month.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

My 442 is usually on me or under the pillow. I figure it will get me out of most of the trouble I'll run into. I admit some of the recent threads, along with the changing weather (and the changing world around us!), have me considering some additional capacity, but there's something very comfortable about those 5 "fer sure" rounds of .38 +p.

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Because of the metric system?

442 works for me.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I'm a Floridian and I have a pair of 642s. While there's times one will be a BUG to my Glock or CZ, there's something easy about cargo shorts and an Airweight S&W snubbie!

My 642 is with me 24-7. Just got a good deal on a custom 19-21/2" that I fell in love with. I carry it sometimes but it's too heavy. Seem to go back to the 642. Bought one for my wife also, she has a CCW license. Also have a 386 mountain lite that's lighter then the 19, just a little bulkier. Larry

I've been looking more and more into the 442/642 models. Something about a nice .38 snub I just like. I love shooting my Wife's older Taurus 85, and am pretty good with it. She just won't give it up! Now a local dealer is selling the 642 for $369. Why don't these deals ever show up when I have some extra $$$ to burn. Oh, no! Things get tight, and sweet toys go on sale...

L8R,
Matt

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SD40-VE owner and proud of it!

Great price for a new 642. I recently paid $480 for a no-lock NIB.

Buy and carry a second 442, I went to get my second one and a 340pd was in the used case so I went with it instead. I love these lightweight black centennials. Nothing better for honest everyday carry. (IMHO). ED



The 442 now has Barami hip grips, and the 340pd crimsom trace. Sometimes I carry one or the other sometimes both, and sometimes the 340pd in my Mika's pocket holster, and my 327owb. They 3 guns are so similar to shoot, and a joy to carry.

I have carried my 640 +p on me for years. Love it. Need to get back to a range again though.

I've long felt that a 5-shot J-frame, especially in the hands of someone trained & experienced in shooting them, can be a very handy, practical and relatively effective choice for lawful CCW or LE off-duty roles.

Yes, carrying a short-barreled snub of only 5-shot capacity does offer some potential disadvantages. Life is full of choices, compromises and consequences, though.

I typically carry one or another of a pair of 642-1's or one of a pair of M&P 340's.

The 642-1's are identical, but the M&P 340's differ in that one is from the very first production run (having the ILS, or "the lock") and the other is a more recent version released without the ILS.

Since I can usually notice the difference in lighter weight with either of the M&P 340's (I added an ounce to one when I replaced the original grips), compared to the 642's ... and the M&P's have a much easier to see (for me) sight set up (XS front night sight an nicely U-shaped rear notch) ... I've increasingly gone to carrying one of the M&P's.

FWIW, while I've been shooting the no-lock version a lot (to take some of the wear & tear off my well-used original M&P 340), more often than not I'm carrying the ILS (lock) version as my retirement CCW. It's just become so smooth from all the shooting ... not to mention nicked, scratched, dinged and worn ... that it's very familiar to my hands.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Yeahhhhhhhhh.............. every danged day ....... yessireebob!

***GRJ***

Simple, reliable, light and easy to carry. What's not to like?

Bud's has no lock 642s for $381. And they are in the "make offer" category so probably can get it for a few bucks less than that. Free shipping too. Heck, I might just buy another!

Frequent range time is something everyone should do. I would say once a month is minimum. I also have a 442.

Wow, great price. S&W msrp is $469.

That's the going price in Chicago area. Cabelas had them on sail for 449, but for me, the driving back and forth , I would have used up any savings on gas and tolls.

a 442 rides in an ankle holster whenever we are road tripping. when i'm nostalgic, a 1963 model 37 rides in a galco combat master and the 442 in a galco horsehide pocket holster. a speed strip, and a 2x2x2 belt ammo pouch completes the deal. i only feel outgunned in certain parts of town...

lc9s is a big improvement over the lc9. my lcp is 100% reliable after 1,000+ rounds... good choice, great carry option!

I carry my 637 most days. That little j frame will get it done. When I go to the "big city" I usually carry a 1911 or my Glock, but the j frame is still with me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These are new?

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“Look life in its iron face”

You mean the no-ILS (lock) 642-1?

If so ... yes, they've once again been making the '-1' model in both 642 & 442 for a handful of years, while still making the '-2' versions of each model (with the ILS/'lock').

I was told that a while back they decided to clear out a few thousand (3-4K, can't remember) older production, not-yet-serialized 642-1 frames taking up space in their parts inventory (not making them any money).

They numbered them and used them to make a run of new guns, selling them through some of their usual wholesale dealer network. The customer response apparently caught them by surprise, as they sold out in very short time.

By the time I'd heard about them and called the factory to order one (as an armorer), I was told they'd shipped out all of them out and used up all those older '-1' frames, but referred me to one of the wholesale distributors who had received some. (I had my local S&W LE distributor locate & order one for me, to complement my 'original' 642-1 which I liked so well.)

Then they did the same thing with some older 442-1 frames, I was told.

Even though the 642-2/442-2 ILS/lock models sell as fast as they can make them (and the 642 is pretty much S&W's bread & butter revolver when it comes to high sales demand), they saw the older no-lock models also seemed to have a following in their customer base. Duh.

They finally made the decision to restart the 642/442-1 models and make occasional runs of them, and then added another no-lock model of a Centennial-style J-frame now and again. (The last one I bought was a no-lock M&P 340, to add to my first one that only came with the lock, but I wish I'd thought to have ordered either a M40 or M42 when they were running.)

I rather like my pair of 642-1's, myself.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Yes.

Buy S&W Revolvers at BudsGunShop

I bought a 642 for my wife when she got her CCW and its her baby.
She tried several autos but knew she would not be going to the range with any regularity no mater what I say. I offered to let her use one of my little .380 autos but she declined. She wanted something that would not require constant practice but be an effective point and shoot up close.
She carries the 642 every day she goes to work at the jewelry store, mostly for coming and going. When she does go with me to the range she handles the little thing damn well at 21 feet. She has arthritis in her hands so I put on Hogue three finger cushion grips.
The best thing she has going for her is a hard "Don't Tread On Me" attitude which I've seen in action. Probably any weapon would work for her.