Since my eyes are starting to go bad and I am starting to have a difficult time seeing the tiny sights of my trusty 49, I was pleasantly surprised to find a shiny new 640 Pro Series at one of the local shops. Of course, I made the mistake of asking to look at it and the next thing I knew it was following me home... Doing the paperwork for it just seems like kind of a blur...

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I got it to the range today, and thought some of you might like a brief review/range report, since there don't seem to be many of these guns out there yet:
The sights are easy for me to see and are tritium 3-dots. The rear sight dots look larger than the front due to having white dots around the tritium vials while the front sight does not. The sights are bright and easy to pick up in dim light.
Fit and function are excellent, the finish has a brushed look to it which is just fine for a working gun, IMO. There is no internal lock on this gun, which is the way I like 'em (not a shot at those who have and like the lock, just my preference). I'm not sure that the fluted barrel actually serves much purpose, other than to look cool, though I suppose the increased surface area might help with cooling and may save a fraction of an ounce in weight.
Speaking of weight, this gun weighs in at 23 ounces, so it's definitely not a feather-weight unobtanium pocket gun. I have always carried steel snubbies in my jeans pockets, so it's not an issue for me, but I could see it making the pockets of dressier pants sag.
The stock grips seem a bit skinny for my hands, but were otherwise comfortable. I swapped them out for the rosewood grips after returning from the range. These are the grips I normally have on my other snubbies, and I kind of wish that I had put them on the gun prior to the range trip as I may have shot better with what I am used to.
The cylinder is also cut for moon clips, and the gun comes with three. They are very easy to bend if you aren't careful, and don't seem very sturdy to me, though this is my first experience with them. I don't see myself carrying a loaded moon clip in my pocket for fear of bending it, but I like that all of the empties are ejected in one package so that I don't have to worry about any casings being partially ejected. The gun will be carried with a moon clip in place so that the first cylinder full of empties is guaranteed to all come out with one whack to the ejector.
The trigger is the smoothest I have had in a new j-frame right out of the box. I find it comparable to my 40 year old model 60 that has had thousands of rounds through it. Trigger pull weight seems comparable to my other J-frames, but I don't have a scale for a true comparison.
As for the shooting, the gun functioned flawlessly and grouped well when the shooter did his part. I found Remington Golden Saber 125gr "magnums" to hit about 2.5" low at 7 yards. 135gr WWB FMJ was closer to point of aim at about 1.5" low, and Remington 158gr LSWCHPs and my 158gr SWC reloads went right about where the front sight dot was on the target.

These targets were shot with the Remington 158grs and my reloads, respectively, offhand at 7 yards. Not bad for the first time out, and good enough for a close encounter in my book.

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Overall, I'm very happy with the gun. It cost me about $200 more than a standard 640, but I'm sure that getting a trigger job, having a cylinder cut for moon clips, and getting 3-dot night sights installed on a standard 640 would run more than that.
Although I love my old 49, I think I am going to be retiring it and carrying the 640 Pro instead.
As a kind of an odd side-note, the model number stamped on the frame (under the yoke) is 640-1, not the -3 I was expecting.

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Any quality problems like canted barrel, rough crown, etc?

very nice gun, grips and group!

I have never seen or heard of this version, what a great find and thanks for writing it up. Boy would I love it if it was possible to put a set of Novak's like that on my 642.

That is awsome. I am still waiting to see one here in NC..I tried to special order one but was told that it was not available yet by 4 different distributors.
Congrats on the 640 pro...I cant wait to get one myself...

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M.J.Hanna

I was aware of the canted barrel complaints lately so I checked that carefully before purchasing and can detect no cant, the crown is smooth. The only thing I can see appears to be cosmetic; when the cylinder is closed there is a slight gap between the yoke and the frame, under the ejector housing/barrel underlug, just wide enough to slide an index card into. I can't press the gap closed and it takes a little bit of force pressing on the cylinder to widen it any. Not something that worries me, it just isn't present on my old 49 or model 10s, though my 60 no-dash and 686 no-dash have similar gaps.

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Thank you to the other responders for your compliments

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TK carries additional Hi Quality moon clips at 10/$60. I believe TK makes them for S&W.
They also carry the California Competition Moon Clip Carrier for the 5 shot J Frame at $20 a pop. I have 2 and they make carrying spare moon clips on the belt for fast reloading a snap. The moon clip carrier for the J Frame was a much needed item. The spring steel CCW units are thin and carry great on the belt. I have been using them for years with my 625, 610, and 310NG revolvers.
They also have a pocket moon clip holder at $30 a pop. Basicly it is a round device that goes over the bullet end of the moon clipped ammo and keeps the shells in the clip and keeps the clips from getting bent when pocket carrying the moon clips. If you plan to pocket carry 38 Special moon clips you probably need a couple of these.

The .025 thick factory moon clips work best with Remington, Speer, Mag Tech, and Federal cases. No Winchesters due to the under cut size. Probably a good plan to get a Delux Moon Clip Tool so you do not bend the moon clips loading and unloading them.
Deluxe Moon Clip Tool
You will need the .380 Arbor size with the 5 shot J Frame 38.
With that said, I have a 442 Pro Moon Clip, and I can finger load it with most ammo that I am using for concealed carry. (Mag Tech, Speer 135 Short Barrel, and Remington 125 Golden Sabers) I still use a tool to take the brass out of the clips. I am very impressed with the TK moon clips.

You have a great carry handgun with the 640 Pro. Last week a couple were listed on Gun Broker, so you can find one if you look a little.

Great Report by the way.

Enjoy

Bob

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ICORE MO2908

I recently bought one of the 640 Pros. I have never really been a big fan of J frames, prefering the larger frames. That said, everyone needs a J frame pocket pistol . . . . ., and I think with the 640 Pro S&W came up with the perfect J frame.

It won't be perfect for everyone due to it's weight, but the proportions, and sights are just perfect for me. The moon clip ability I think is a big plus too. Not really necessary, but nice to have. Another Plus that really isn't needed, but nice to have is it's appearance. The fluted barrel, I think, really adds to it's cool factor. I am glad that S&W left off the IL too!!

The 640 Pro is a bit on the pricy side compared to other Smith J frames, but I think it is worth the extra. If I need something light I have a couple of Smith's lightweights, but I think that the Pro will be used the most.

No canted barrel, or other problems with the gun. The only thing is that the rear sight is canted over to the left a tad, and that problem appears to be in the sight itself.

I am really glad that I got one.

Best Wishes,
Tom

Thanks for all the good info, BobR1

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Here's mine and my experience mirrors your report. Best J Frame ever made!

Tracer bullet, good report. Thanks for posting it.

It seems odd to me that S&W would put white rings around the rear sight tritium vials but not around the front sight vial. Probably most common are rings around vials on both front and rear sights, and putting a ring around only the vial on the front sight is available from some sight makers, but I've never heard of rings around the rear vials but not the front one. This would actually draw the shooter's focus toward the rear sight and away from the front sight, running counter to accepted best practice of focusing more attention on the front sight rather than the rear sight. Is it possible that there is supposed to be a white ring around the vial on the front sight as well, and it was never put on during manufacture? Some sight makers use white paint for these rings and others IIRC use a plastic/polymer/nylon ring glued into place.

Thanks for the info. I've been wondering how these shoot. I like the idea of the night sights that can be drifted for windage. This is a good feature as most revolvers hit left for me, so I usually need to adjust the rear sight. Nice looking 640!

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

You had to post this didn't you!

Dang it!

Now I've got to have one! I didn't even know this J frame was out there.

I have the 632 Pro - the same basic revolver except it is a .327 Federal Magnum 6-shooter.



I complained about mine hitting low here - then I was told it uses a 'combat' front sight image, ie, the front orb centered between the rear orbs and superimposed over the bullseye, not my usual 6 o'clock sighting. It hits coincident POI/POA from 7-12yd with 115gr Gold Dots - a bit low with milder 85gr/100gr SJHP's and ~2" low with my 94gr LRNFP .32 S&WL plinkers. Very pleased with it now - and the 60 Pro grips help. Still, those 115gr Gold Dots - at over 1300 fps - give you a snap!

Neat series - I have the 627 Pro and 60 Pro, too... keepers! I may have to look for a 640 Pro now...

Try the 'combat' sighting re those low hits - and congrats!

Stainz

I like that 640 Pro, geez another gun to get . No IL makes it enticing for me, not looking to start a fight, just prefer no-locks in my carry guns. I am looking for a 627UDR, lock and all. The MIM doesn't bother me in the least, my MIM guns have better triggers than most of my others, except the pre-war guns.

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Sure you did

oldtexan: I don't think the front sight is quite wide enough to put a white ring around the vial. It did take a little getting used to, because, as you say, the larger sight dots tend to draw your eye to them.

Stainz: The shop had a 632Pro also, which I like because of the 6th shot, but I didn't want to get into another caliber and just stuck with the .357. I did eventually figure out to use the combat sight image, which is why the target I shot with the Rem 158s has the group more centered than the one with my reloads. Unfortunately, I was out of range ammo and Golden Sabers by that point, so I'll have to try them again next time I get to the range. BTW: Love those grips you have on your 632. I tried them on a 60Pro and they felt great in the hand.

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Very nice. Thanks for the write up!

The 640 is not a bad value when you consider a $100 Moon Clip Conversion price to have one done.
Comes with 2 of the TK moon clips $12.
Then we have factory Tritium Night Sights, well worth another $100 .
Then the front sight is Drift Adjustable to fine tune the windage if needed.

Then the Cool Looking barrel for free.

Smith & Wesson is getting it right.

I just wish my 442 Pro Moon Clip had a changeable Tritium Front Sight. That would about make it perfect for concealed carry.

Bob

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Do these come with a trigger job? What all is included in the 640 Pro Series that one cannot see with the eye?

Mine is on order. Here's a nice review:

Gun Review: Smith & Wesson Model 640 Pro Series | The Truth About Guns

And a follow-up review:

Gun Review: Smith & Wesson Model 640 Pro Series Pt 2 | The Truth About Guns

Enjoy!

I wish I had a trigger pull scale so I could say how much lighter my 640 it is than my 442.
After firing this 640 Pro I know my 442 needs trigger work.

I have been wanting one of these for months because of my vision but unfortunately the outlet I go through has been out of stock on these for quite a while. I'll get one as soon as they are back in stock though.

I am also considering to purchase this gun - I need a small J frame for pocket carry. After I could not order one locally, I contacted S&W. They told me that there will be another 640 Pro production run in June and the gun will be available for order again.

I still cannot make up my mind between the M&P 340 and the 640 Pro.


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Update: My 640 Pro continues to perform well at the range, I have another 100 rounds downrange with it now and the groups are getting tighter.
The shop had another one in stock and that one did have a white outline around the front night sight vial, so I guess mine is an oddball in that regard.

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I was told by a very knowledgeable dealer that a lot of the Pro Series are not available as we speak.......er, write. Too bad, might be willing to swipe the plastic for this one.

New to forum and learning a great deal from reading the comments from others. I'm interested in the 640 Pro but can't find one locally. Any suggestions on who to order from? Thanks Ken

I love mine.
Dressed it in some Talo wood grips that fit my hand perfect.
After a little bit of adjustment on my finger pull I was grouping well.

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27-2, 66-1, 640 Pro, 10-5

Find an S&W dealer in your area and request an order, he should be able to tell you if the distributor has them in stock and a rough estimate of how long it would take to get one.

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27-2, 66-1, 640 Pro, 10-5

I just picked one of these up and it is a very nice revolver. Everything is straight and tight and it groups well.
The sights are awesome! I'm looking at all the wood grips here and that will be my next purchase.

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Smith has finally come out with one I was holding out for...

I'm on the hook for one of these!!!!!!!!

It's been 8 months since I purchased mine and it has become the only "snubbie" that I carry. The 442 and the SP hammerlessare in the safe. The Colt Cobra was sent out for a retime, but it will go with the SP.

This gun just does everything I use a snubbie for.

Damn you guys!!! just when I convinced the wife that the 586 L-comp is the LAST wheel gun I am saving for.....you go and show me this!!!!! I am NEVER going to get to sleep in my bed again!!!! SCREW YOU GUYS!!!!

(ps....very nice gun)

What's a good to reasonable price on a S&W 640 Pro?

Any clue on what's current availability as of Sept. 20, 2012?

I paid $639.00 a week ago. My friend who was with me when I bought it decided he wants one too, they got on the computer and said they'd have another one in soon.
So it sounds like they are available.
Right now it is the coolest gun I own LOL!!!!

I put Pachmyr Compac grips on mine, which I prefer over the Compac Pros. I have medium hands and I seem to shoot the gun better. It is as smooth as reported; a really neat package. It goes with me whether I'm in a suit or hiking in the woods, either with 158 gr. SWLHP ore 115 gr. +P+.

HiCap

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HiCap

Is there anybody out there who'd consider trading a 640 Pro for a 1006 with adjustable sights?

I've got two spare adjustable sighted 1006s -- with some extra mags. I'm considering parting with one or both guns -- as well as some mags.

If so, PM me.

Any idea what the current availability is on these -- or the best sources for ordering them?

Mines a 640-3 and doesnt have the fluted barrel and all but is still surprisingly accurate for such a short barreled gun. It is my main carry gun - very concealable and not uncomfortable at all. I bet you can still get one of these since its not the pro series. Bad guy wont notice if its a pro or not or if its got a dash.

Sorry, I had a regular 640 and didn't like it much. I especially hated not having night sights on the gun -- and not easily being able to locate good grips for hot loads.

With the Pro Series, S&W appears to have corrected everything I didn't like on the regular 640s.

Night sights, trigger job, fluted barrel, full strap rubber grips, moon clips and full-length ejector rod are all crucial.

It bears underlining and highlighting that the Pro series has the full length ejector rod, which to me is major, major, major.

No more pounding to get empties out, only to have the gun slip and have empties get stuck under the ejector -- and the moon clips should also help in that regard.

Probably the only thing I'd want to do is chamfer it -- and that's probably it.

The Pro series has my name on it. I'm in the market for two -- and if they pan out, they'll probably be "forever" guns.

They're probably still a palm-busting b!tch to shoot with hot loads, though. I've got arthritis along my inside knuckle lines in my palms.

The first time I shot the 640 with hot .357 loads and the bare metal backstrap Hogue boot grips, it felt like someone had hit me with an aluminum baseball bat -- or worse. It felt almost as if the gun had exploded in my hands.

I'm not a pansy, but I almost shed a tear. I've been hit squarely in nose a few times during fights and got a deviated septum -- but shooting that regular 640 on bare metal may have been the worst pain I've ever felt. I almost thought I'd been shot through both hands.

It took forever, but I finally found good grips for it. By that time, I wasn't so much in love with it any more.

Shooting hot .357s on a bare metal backstrap is a mistake you never make twice...

I agree Outrider, my 640 w/boot grips was a monster w/.357.
What is it like to shoot the ultra light scandium snubbies in .357? It must be beyond brutal LOL.

I tried my Pro with .357s for the first time yesterday with the Pachmayr Compac grips and had no problems at all, carpal tunnel and arthritis and all. I like the revolver so much that I'm trading my 3" model 60 for the model 60 3" Pro.

HiCap

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HiCap

You know, I've long been convinced that ultra-light .357s with bare metal backstraps might well be the best defense hand gun out there -- for a very odd reason.

One of the toughest hurdles in a legitimate self defense shooting trial is convincing a prosecutor -- or failing that -- a judge and jury -- you had no other option than to shoot your attacker.

Overcoming that obstacle with hot loaded .357 light J-frames is fairly easy.

Why?

With an ultra-light J-frame with .357 hot loads, the gun kills -- on BOTH ends.

Let the prosecutor, judge or jury shoot bone-rearranging .357s from your gun -- and they'll be convinced your shooting the Bad Guy was your next to last choice...

...And the only thing worse in the entire world than shooting your hot J-frame -- was allowing yourself to be taken out by the attacker.

In that respect, the ultra-light .357 shines -- and will probably get you off -- twice -- acquitted in the field of battle -- and the jury room...

Let the jury shoot your gun just ONCE -- and they'll KNOW you had NO choice but to shoot that evil dude who jumped you in the dark alley...

After they shot the gun, they'd KNOW you certainly wouldn't have EVER fired that blasted thing for any other reason...and certainly not if you had any other way out...

That's what I wanted to hear...

Be advised: don't ever shoot the screaming stuff with the Hogue Bantam boot grips...You'll regret it -- even if you don't have arthritis...

You won't like what a blistering .357 does to a bare metal backstrap.

I had to order mine. Unlike yours mine came with the banana grips like th original poster's gun. The catalog shows boot grips. I bought mine because of the sights which are easily the best sights I've ever seen on a concealable revolver. I also have a 340PD and the 640's sights are better.

The gun conceals very well under an untucked shirt. I don't carry any spare ammo. I carry a Glock 27 on my ankle instead.

New here but grew up with guns and competed briefly in college. Sold my only pistol (S&W 9mm) many years ago when we adopted two children. They are adults now. As a matter of fact my daughter has expressed some interest in shooting.

The 640 Pro looks like it would be perfect for home defense and carrying while hiking/horseback riding on our rural retirement property (bear and cat country).

I thought I had one from Bud's but it turned out they had listed it as available when it wasn't in stock. I added it to my wish list though.

Is S&W still making this model? Is it hard to find simply because demand is so high?

My local gun store special ordered one and it arrived in four days.

Thanks - I'll check with mine tomorrow!

"Probably the only thing I'd want to do is chamfer it -- and that's probably it."

The chambers are already chamfered. Makes reloading much faster

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My 640 Pro w/new wood. I'll go shoot it today to see if these are going to work for me.

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I'm in the hunt for 2 640 Pros.

Has anybody heard anything on these recently?