I picked up a 642 recently and put some hip-grips on it so I can quickly slip it in my waistband or pocket when I don't want to belt-up and holster my regular carry pistol. That part I like.
The part I don't like is that little sumvamitch is a handful when you fire it! I've shot mostly mid-level handloads with 158 gr. bullets and that thing almost hurts! I tried some 125 gr. bullets as well and really didn't notice a whole lot of difference to be honest. In addition, the speed of the bullets I was shooting was 650-700 fps. If'n I'd have shot some +P loads I would have likely thrown the ******ge in the ditch afterwards!
Now, I know I could put some nice Pachmayr Compacts on it that would help tremendously with its bark, but that would negate the reason I put the small hip-grips (S&W's version made by I can't remember who) on it.
I'm seriously thinking of selling it and sticking with one of those pocket 380's, or even a Kel-Tec PF9 with a clip on it (there's no way it could kick any more than this snotty-nosed, rambunctious 642!).

We need a picture!
I would love to see your Hip Grips!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I tried a pair of Hipgrips and to me they do not fit anyone's hand. When a gun doesn't fit the recoil may hurt. If it hurts it's no fun, and you can't hit anything. Ditch the hipgrips, put on some rubber grips that soak up the recoil, and see why the 642 is one of the most popular J Frame's ever built. Keep in mind the reason it is nice to carry is because it is light. Gun weight soaks up recoil, and the 642 has very little weight. So, you need something to soak up the recoil.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

It's the DeSantis Clip Grip, like these:

You should try a 340 with full house .357's in it.

Have you shot the gun with the stock grips? I find the rubber grips it comes with manage recoil quite well and I don't find it uncomfortable to shoot.

I have pocket and AIWB holsters for the 642 and the stock grips are perfect for either method of carry.

Don't give up too soon. Give it a fair chance to win you over.

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642-1, M&P15 TS

I just bought a Kahr CM40. A pocket .40 that is less than 5.5" long and weighs only 15.8oz. If you think that it might kick too much, they make a CM9 that is the same size and weighs a little less. Worth looking at if you are looking for a pocket gun.

I have purchased several PC J-frames of late with these HipGrip-knock-offs installed. These grips rest in the boxes that the guns came in. The guns now sport UM boot grips. The knock-offs are difficult to shoot with: the grip screws loosen under firing and I cannot get a firm grip on the guns. While several posters have disagreed, the grips do not hold the gun securely in the waistband.

Solution? The UM boot grips are out-of-print. S&W makes an acceptable knock-off of these boot grips, which are now installed OEM (proper term?) on most J-snubbies. They may still be available on the S&W website in the "Store" section. These grips work well in IWB, OWB, and pocket carry.

And perhaps try target wadcutters as an easier shooting carry load.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

One of my EDCs is also a S&W J-frame, an M438 (I miss my old M49 Bodyguard!). Defensive loads are 158 gr. SJHPs. The stock rubber grips suit me just fine. The "clip grips" do not look comfortable at all. Knives with clips in the pocket... OK. On a pistol... not so much for a comfortable carry, or for shooting.

I am not a very large man (5' 8" - 160 lbs., and a retired old geezer to boot), and have absolutely no problem with recoil on much of anything. Strong hands and arms, yes, which helps. Control and attitude are more important, though, I believe.

As for not wanting to belt up a holster, here are a couple of IWB rigs that do quite well with belly/appendix carry. No belt needed... just slip it inside your waistband. The spring clips keep everything quite secure. The ratty, beat up holster is an old Safariland I bought in the mid-'70s for the aforementioned M49 (restitched a few times), and the other is a fairly new De Santis 106 02. I'm still breaking that one in.

And PLEASE don't ever fire +Ps in the 642... the aluminum frame will not take the beating for very long.

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Nope, ain't gonna do it.

Attn Excitable Boy: Absolutely LOVE that old IWB holster! Too cool! My IWB suede pouch rigs all come from the $1/'junk' box at a range, left there by folks who did not appreciate them. If these rigs could talk..., but I'm sorta glad they can't!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I had a 642 and feel your pain. I now have a Charter Arms Police Undercover in .38 special...it's heavier than the 642 by about 8 oz, a little bigger, AND offers 6 rounds vs 5 for the SW. Recoil isn't nearly as bad. I have found the CA to be totally reliable and accurate, regardless of other reviews. I got rid of my 642 (after carrying it for 5 years) because of the recoil issue.

You might try some more comfy grips (rubber) with a Clip Draw. The Clip Draw is a metal clip that utilizes with side plate screws to hold it in place and the stocks can be better suited to your desires.

Smith and Wesson J-Frame Holster Clip

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On the Oak Savannah

That Desantis hip grip was the first thing that came off my 442. If you must have a hip grip I like the Barami better. Still hard plastic but it feels better in my hand. I'm still waiting on a Tyler T grip I ordered to try it as well.
But as others have said, go with rubber if it is that uncomfortable. Personally I don't find it objectionable and can shoot a box or two of ammo in a range session.

Kaaskop49:

Have it riding where my appendix used to be right now. Handiest and quickest rig I've ever owned.

Perhaps Newton's Law of Physics was forgotten about here....J frames are not a pleasant gun to just go to the range and blast away. They ARE however a fabulous choice for concealed carry.

Ken Hackathorn once told me that J frame Smiths are professionals guns....not for the fire a cylinder every other year sort of thing shooter. He was right!

When a J frame is actually fired in the course of protecting its owner and such, no recoil will be noticed.

Randy

Well said.

I've found the lightweight j-frames to be unforgiving little beasts. They require some practice to shoot well. The pain...you sort of get used to it after a while...

I've used a Barami Hip-Grip on my 642 and it was useless until I put a BK Grip adapter in place, then it was much more comfortable to shoot. A Tyler T-Grip would work too.

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Virtue,Liberty & Independence

Is that a nice way of saying that those of us who are not bothered by the recoil are "insensitive dolts"?

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642-1, M&P15 TS

I still don't get the "pain" thing. My lady "co-pilot" is 5-foot nuthin', barely over 100 lbs., and the M438 doesn't bother her a bit. She still likes the Shield 9 that I got her a lot better, though. Shoots that just fine, too. It's her EDC...

Yes, I may try that.

It's a "mind-set". Same thing as the fear of snakes, etc. Kids just love the darned things... until some adult tells them that they're dangerous. If you go into believing something will kick your ***, it almost invariably will.

I
Well, I'm 6'2", 200 lbs, and do construction work - and that 642 feels like I've hit my 20 oz. framing hammer on a piece of steel.

It's not a mindset thing, it's a 20 oz framing hammer on a piece of steel indeed! The mindset thing applies to a lot in life, but not the kick of a lightweight j-frame obeying physics. Every time I took my 638 to the range, after 20 rounds, I was done. Time to go back to my snappy .40 or a steel revolver. I cannot imagine how those lightweight .357s must feel. I would like to shoot one once.

If my hand if going to be sore after 20 shots, I rather it be my Model 69 or 6.5" 29-10 shooting .44 Magnum than just a little ole .38 Special. I can shoot my 640 all day, and its added weight is trivial for my carry methods.

Then I would recommend highly a set of Pachmayr Compacs. Had them on both my old M49 Bodyguard and a beat-up old M36 on which I chopped the hammer spur and parkerized in my shop. They even have a slot for your pinky.

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Personally I would forget carrying that thing in nothing less than a decent IWB Holster with a set of rubber boot grips, and I would practice with 148 gr. wadcutters until you can manage the recoil. I do own and shoot a 340PD and I have shot full house .357's which I consider a waste of time as rounds on target is what matters. I carry 135gr, Speer Gold Dot short barrel ammo in most of my snubbies and they are very tolerable in small doses.

You do not own a range gun. It is made for up close encounters at bad breath distances so boxes of ammo per range visit may not be necessary.

Not everyone enjoys recoil, and that's OK. I would suggest you trade the 642 for 9mm semi auto. The ballistics between the 39 Special and today's 9mm aren't that far apart. A semi auto will help mitigate some of the recoil as it will use some of it to function the slide. I believe you will find the recoil much more manageable and less painful.

Yes, I know this is a revolver section, but for some, revolver's are not the answer.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

Had 642s for over 20 years.
Always wanted to like them like so many do but they hurt to shoot and I was never accurate with them.
The only grip that made them useful was the Hogue Tamer.
Larger than I like but it does tame the beast.

Oddly, I've had a couple of 342s (3 ounces lighter) and find them very comfortable to shoot with Hogue Bantam grips.
Go figure.

Recoil is a very subjective thing, but I literally feel your pain.

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<><

I have a M640 .357 and didn't like the factory rubber because of recoil with 158gr. FMJ factory .357. Lots of bite. Tried Pacmar Grippers. A bit better but still bite. I finally reduced the recoil with Hogue Battan J frame rubber grips. The difference is the open back strap. I can grip the open back strap at the high point with little impact. The closed back strap grips slam into your hand Web more. The 640 weighs 23 oz. empty. So weight does have a big part to play to.

Just carry wadcutters, problem solved. They also make that 90gr pink Hornady stuff that is low recoil and supposedly fast enough to expand.

I can say that the early model "Barami Hip Grips" were painful to shoot ( relative to other stocks.) Those were hard plastic and had a squarish profile. I find the newer Pachmyer style more comfortable.
That said one of the great things about a J frame is that there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of grip choices for it. My bet is that a bigger /softer grip will get you smiling. ( I have CT 405's on my 11 oz 360 and find them comfortable with 38+P all day long.)

Bottom line: Grips are your connection to the recoiling firearm. Try different grips before trying a lighter, slimmer, plastic 380 that has no grip options at all.

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Dave

I bought a 642 four years ago, fired different rounds through it, and said no more. The only things the 642 has going for it are light weight, and a good price. I had my 30 year old daughter shoot it, she gave it back after 5 rounds. With the aluminum frame you sacrifice lower carry weight for awful felt recoil.

For EDC I moved up to a 640-3, with Fedetral HST 124gr., Speer Gold Dot, or Remington Ultimate Defense Compact handgun rounds. The stainless steel frame soaks up a lot of that felt recoil. There are many options out there and nice small revolvers that are aren't painful to shoot. Good luck in your search.

I don't "like" my 642 either...... I LOVE it.

I have a 640-1, yes it is 20 OZ of SS, that I can shoot 100 rounds of 38 spl with no discomfort. I even have two Rossi clones to the S&W 36 that have wood grips that are no problem shooting 38 spl. I wear this gun in an ankle holster as a back up bug.
My LCR 357 is a handful shooting 357 and while I doubt I would want to shoot 50 of those full house 357 the gun is a pleasure to shoot 38 spl. This gun only weighs 17 oz. empty. I didn't buy the LCR +P version because I felt it was just to light and recoil would be rough.
I had a PF9 and it was no picnic shooting either. That and it totally failed with under 300 rounds through it. Kel-Tec practically replaced everything but the frame itself. I sold it after I got it back. I now have a Ruger LC9S that really is enjoyable to shoot. Nice smooth trigger, handles recoil fairly well and $312 OTD.

I had an SP101 327 mag that I shot 3 times before going into the house and ordering a set of Hogue Tamers for it. I swear that gun with the stock grips liked to pulverized my fingers when shooting 327 mags. The Hogue Tamers made a world of difference in felt recoil.

The feather light guns usually have a monster mash recoil. Put some Hogue tamers or some type of rubber grips on it that aren't to big for concealment. My LCR came stock with Hogue Tamers on it and shooting 357 mags isn't a pleasure but they aren't kicking my finger nails off either. With these grips the LCR 357 still is easily concealed.

I have these on all my carry/shooting J Frames. The absolute best, if not the smallest. Joe

CDNN SPORTS - SW J RD PREMIER COMPACT GRIP W/FINGER GROOVE SILE

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Most small light revolvers, including my 642 are not "fun" to shoot boxes of ammo with. Your hand does sting after 20-25 rounds. That's fine -- fun isn't the point. The point is shooting it just enough to get good (near center of mass of a body-sized target at 5-7 yards). After that, you carry it and once every few trips to the range fire a cylinder full to make sure you can still handle it. As was said above, in a moment where you need it, you won't feel the pain. If you can't tolerate it at all, or can't tolerate shooting it well once in a while, sell it. However, be aware that all the small light semis, even in .380, are not "fun" to shoot a lot with. Buy something you'll carry always and can shoot. Have fun (practice a lot) with heavier pistols to develop your control skills.

Yep, all you guys talk about is those 642 for your pocket. So I also caved in and bought one a couple of months ago. First j frame in 40 years of playing with Revolvers. OP Triggernosis, I truly understand why those guys, H Smith and D Wesson came up with something they called the N frame. After reading this thread and also shooting a couple hundred rounds thru my 642, I am thinking about changing my name on here to "N lover". I have a 19 oz 396 L frame that is a lot easier to shoot and carry than this 642, so guess what is getting carried most of the time. Did I tell you I love N frames. They just sell those J frames so you will buy more N frames.

Well the Tyler grip I ordered a couple months ago showed up today. This is what I had planned on doing, Barami Hip-Grip, Tyler T, and a Hogue Handall Jr. installed upside down. Got the idea off the net somewhere and it seems to fit in my hand real nice, so it's time for a range trip to try it out.

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You might try and all steel 649. I have a no dash and a dash 1. The best carry guns Smith ever made in my opinion.

I can't imagine that those "hip grips" are comfortable to hold or shoot. Seems like a good idea, but not for me. Get some decent grips for thosw 642"s and you'll find they're pretty manageable to shoot. Not for 100-200rounds at a sitting, but that's not what they're designed for. 50rounds of +P is a breeze.

I find that a rubber grips that covers the backstrap is quite comfortable and even my Hogue cocoabolo,checkered grips aren't much worse. I will agree though that full bore .357's in a 15oz. LCR can be painful after a cylinder or two.

I have a set of Compacs on my 337 and, yes, it's a different beast. But I got the 642 as a small pocket or waistband gun. Once I add Compacs to it, it's diminutive size starts going out the window.

With a steel J-frame I've shot 450 rounds in one session, no problem.
With an aluminum J-frame...I'd rather not shoot unless I have to. Seriously.

I too chose Pachmayr Compac grips after trying many others.
They fill the hand, help accuracy, and cushion the recoil.

Instead of that hip grip, maybe try a Blackhawk Inside-the-Pants hoster, size 8.
It clips to my pocket very well. Bonus points for the left-hand version.

My faves: a Model 36 Classic, and a 1955 pre-Model 37 Airweight.

I think you should teach the little beast a lesson and send it to me for proper training! LOL!

That being said, I'm always amazed at who felt recoil bothers and who it doesn't. The last two ladies that went shooting with me wanted to try my 637. I tried to warn them against it, and brought full sized revolvers and semi autos for them to shoot.

They both feel in love with my 637 and wanted one. The recoil didn't bother them at all. I think it had to do with the gun fitting their hand so much better than the FS guns did.

A lot of felt recoil has to do with hand geometry, bone size, padding...

(No, I did not just call you fat, Honey. Honest. I'm just talkin' hand harmonics. And I get stronger vibrations from you than any gun anyway, Baby. You know I do.)

Triggernosis:

Maybe you don't care for them, but I really like the Crimson Trace LG-405 laser grips on my Airweight J-frames like my Model 38-0 or 638-1 (pictured) as well as on my 642-1. This model (LG-405) is a boot cut sized grip, and has an air chamber along the back strap that helps with the pain associated with recoil. I have arthritis in both hands, so my hands always hurt. If it weren't for these grips, I'd probably have to dial down to a really low recoiling round like a .22LR. Also, I have a Model 649-0 (2nd photo, on the bottom) which is an all steel version of the Model 38. The extra weight does help with the recoil, and I use it for lengthy range sessions. Finally, you may have heard of the Delta Ergo grips (also pictured - 1st photo on the right sde). They are unconventional in appearance, and are too bulky for me to use for pocket carry, but some people like them. They're not that expensive (around $20.00/pair), and may be worth a look.

Good luck,

Dave

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Now I have a pink set of boot grips that came on my wife's 642......maybe we can work out a deal....LOL

BWT, Just kidding, no offense intended. I got a kick out of your original post. Mrs. bought hers, fired one cylinder of 38s and said, no thank you.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

My wife has a 642. She feels it a little but she enjoys shooting it a lot more than she did the LCP. Personally I thought it was great. I only quit because we ran out of time. Maybe I am just too dumb to know better.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I can take the 442/642 with standard grips for 50 to 100 rounds. If I want to shoot a lot I have a second 442 with Hogue Tamer Grips. If I want total pleasure I shoot my Model 36 with Pachmyer Compacts. I shoot 125gr and 130gr. Standard 38 for 99% of my practice.

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Two Handguns every day

My 340, and my 640ND, are comfortable enough with the old Uncle Mike's boot grip. I never thought the hip grip type grips looked all that comfortable.

One thing I will never do again is shoot a PF-9. One of the most unpleasant guns I have ever shot. A friend had one, five or six of us shot it and we all hated it. He sold it the next day. I think the grip texture was mostly to blame, but I have no interest in trying another.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

They can be a handful... And you are a guy!

The three reasons I try to convince friends NOT to pick an Airweight snubbie for their "little ladies" are: The punishing recoil; Poor sights with a short sight radius; And the really heavy trigger pull.

For some strange reason some men think their women love these attributes in a handgun!

Edmo

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TRUTH: Don't delete my posts!