My wife a very nice early 90's Model 640 I like very much. And so does she. Two questions, is it nickel or stainless? And what is the model with the exposed hammer equivalent? One more question, when did they start putting the +P mark on them? My wife's doesn't have it. Thanks
It's stainless. The hammered version is the Model 60. All of S&W's steel guns marked for .38 Special which have model numbers (post 1957) can handle Plus P. When .38 Special was standardized in the 1970s, it was standardized on the mild side. Plus P is only about 20% warmer and comparable to many pre-standardization factory loads. It goes without saying, there was no Plus P before the 1970s.
Within the first few thousand model 640s, some are stamped "Tested for +P+". Not all of them, and the ones without the stamp are functionally the same.
The hammer version of the S&W most similar to the 640 would be the M49/649 Bodyguard. It's all steel. The Airweight Bodyguard is the M38/638. The AW has an aluminum frame. The Bodyguard has a shrouded hammer. It can be cocked for single-action shooting, while, at the same time, being a snag-free design for pocket carry.
Model 640 Equivalent
Linear Mode
