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S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


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Old 02-13-2016, 04:01 PM
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Default Lucky find at the local gun shop

I have mentioned in other posts that there is a small gun shop located dangerously close to where I work and that I drop in there all too often.

One day last month I dropped in there and spied a nice looking Model 640. It was immediately appealing to me and on impulse I plunked down a little money to put it on the too easy terms lay-a-way plan the owner has.

I snapped a couple phone pics of the gun and went on my way back to work.

Of course I came home and began to read up on the 640 here on the forum. Found several threads that refer to this particular gun. This thread was very useful: 640 .38 ?

That's where I learned that a relatively small number of these 640's were marked, "tested for +P+".

Armed with this information I went back to the shop and asked the proprietor to get the 640 out of the safe where he was keeping it till I could get it paid for. He obliged and handed it over.

I opened the action to take a look at the frame beneath the cylinder, and there is was, "tested for +P+"!

Now I know this isn't the rarest of them at all, but I was pretty tickled to have stumbled on to it and get the opportunity to make it my own.

I picked it up today. Brought it home and gave it a good cleaning. I even found that I had some Federal .38 Special +P+ ammunition.

I posed it for a couple pics to share my lucky find here with you guys. Clearly not the original grips, but these are nice enough.






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Old 02-13-2016, 04:12 PM
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Very nice, I like white grips on a stainless gun. Hope it serves you well
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Old 02-13-2016, 04:26 PM
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Way to GO!!!!! GREAT story, and congratulation on your find!!!!!!!
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Old 02-13-2016, 04:35 PM
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Nice find!
I never knew about the "tested for +P+" thing....

That's why I love this forum!

I like your "white" grips!
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Old 02-13-2016, 04:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wheelyfun66 View Post
Nice find!
I never knew about the "tested for +P+" thing....

That's why I love this forum!

I like your "white" grips!
I kinda like the white grips too. That is what got my attention first with this one.

I certainly wouldn't have learned about the, "tested for +P+" if not for this board. Have learned a lot of stuff here.
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Old 02-13-2016, 05:17 PM
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Fine looking 640.
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Old 02-13-2016, 05:33 PM
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Very Cool Brother. Good Luck With It!
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Old 02-13-2016, 07:37 PM
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"CEN" s/n prefix?
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Old 02-13-2016, 11:59 PM
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Quote:
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"CEN" s/n prefix?
Yes sir!
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Old 02-14-2016, 12:34 AM
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Do you mind sharing your serial number, obscuring the last 2 digits with XX?
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Old 02-14-2016, 12:40 AM
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Quote:
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Do you mind sharing your serial number, obscuring the last 2 digits with XX?
Sure. CEN 40xx
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Old 02-14-2016, 01:54 AM
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Congrats on your new find. Sounds like that LGS is a little too close for comfort, lol. But it's sure is nice that it's close LOL. Enjoy it !!
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Old 02-14-2016, 03:31 AM
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Quote:
I never knew about the "tested for +P+" thing....
.
Since there's no (+P+) SAAMI standard that I'm aware of, I wonder to what pressure they were tested to?

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Old 02-14-2016, 04:36 AM
HOUSTON RICK HOUSTON RICK is offline
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WOW. Thank you for posting and particular the pictures.
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Old 02-14-2016, 08:14 AM
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Congrats on landing that hard to find and wildly popular J-Frame.
Looks great with the smooth white grips.



S&W introduced the 640 Centennial in their 1990 catalog, and in it they stated that the 640 is "RATED for +P+ ammunition"


Last edited by jughed440; 02-14-2016 at 12:04 PM.
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Old 02-14-2016, 02:14 PM
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Thanks jughed440 for providing some background on my "reborn Centennial 640". Good stuff!
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Old 02-15-2016, 07:44 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BLUEDOT37 View Post
.
Since there's no (+P+) SAAMI standard that I'm aware of, I wonder to what pressure they were tested to?

.
The warning on a box of Winchester Ranger 38 Special +P+, 110 Gr. JHP states that theirs are loaded to where pressure is 15-20% higher than +P standards.

(sorry about the blurry cellphone pic)


Last edited by jughed440; 02-15-2016 at 07:47 AM.
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Old 02-15-2016, 08:10 AM
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Thanks jughed440. That is going to send me back to dig out my own box of +P+ to see if it carries any similar warnings.
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Old 02-15-2016, 08:55 AM
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wow, that's nice.....I've often thought of replacing my 642 with a 640.
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Old 02-15-2016, 01:10 PM
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I'm curious, what is the difference in the cylinder steel and/or heat treat between a "Rated for +P" and a Mod 60 no dash? I have seen numerous quotes from S&W that any "numbered" S&W revolver was O.K. for +P. Is the "Rated for +P" mainly advertising hype?
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Old 02-16-2016, 01:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jughed440 View Post
The warning on a box of Winchester Ranger 38 Special +P+, 110 Gr. JHP states that theirs are loaded to where pressure is 15-20% higher than +P standards.
That's interesting. Don't see that (specifics) very often.

My question "what pressure they were tested to?" was pointed to S&W. How would you know that the ammo you bought didn't exceed what S&W designed them to?

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