I just wasn’t sure if I’d like a S&W revolver or not, but I wanted to give it a “shot.” I like small and concealable, so I figured a 442 would be a great place to start.




Turns out I absolutely love the thing! I changed out the springs and though it’ll never be the fighting gun my Glocks are, I can’t stop reaching for the S&W all the same. Which has me thinking, is the 640 Pro that much better that I should get it too?


- Two Years With the Perfect J-Frame | RevolverGuy.com

I love the idea that the extra weight will make it lighter recoiling. The notion that I can shoot light recoiling .357s is a real pro too! According to the story above, it’s the best J-Frame.

What says you? Do you love your 640 Pros? Is it that much better that you’ll give up your other J-Frames?

I have a 640 PRO and it is a very nice J Frame. I used it on a 3 day course at TDI Ohio, that was then known as their Snubby Course but is now geared toward snubbies and small semi-autos.

It held up well through a lot of rounds and performed great.

The sights are a very nice addition and the added weight did lighten the pounding a great deal. We shot around 900 rounds.

However if you are looking for pocket carry the lighter weight of the 442/642 series does make a noticeable difference.

On the ammo topic if you are wanting to try some .357 in it I would take a look at the Speer 135 grain short barrel in .357. Sometimes hard to find but it does shoot pretty nice in there and has a little more zip without much added pounding.

I have both but won't be giving up my 442 either as I love both! The 442 is really light weight for pocket carry but I can pocket carry my Pro too. Both have very nice triggers in my opinion. The sights on the Pro are really a nice feature and makes it a little more fun for me to shoot it. I think if I ever had to use either in a bad situation I would never notice the triggers or the sights on the Pro.

Howdy! Welcome to the campfire.

I think a J-frame is designed to be hidden, easily brought out to fight, and have as little recoil as possible in such a small handgun. That's why I carry a M649, all steel, .38 Special and happily sold off my M642. The weight difference is negligable in my pocket and absolutely nothing if I belt carry it. The 640 Pro weighs the same as a 649 so it's my idea of a great, fighting, concealable revolver. But if I bought a new one I'd still stick to some form of .38 Special.

If you have to fight you want to be able to get more than one shot on target quickly. So, yes, your concept of the 640 Pro as as top notch fighting handgun is correct but IMHO stick to .38 Special. YMMV

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Come and take it!!

Don't have one, but I do think it'd make for a good carry gun. I particularly like the sights. Personally, I think I'd rather get my grail gun, a 640ND, or a DAO 649 if I were going to get a steel J-frame. I think the airweights make more sense from a versatility standpoint, because they can be carried AIWB, IWB, OWB, ankle, pocket, shoulder, etc., more easily than steel guns. The 442/642 guns probably give a better bang-for-the-buck from a cost effectiveness standpoint, IMO. That's one reason why I have a couple of 642s.

But if you like the 640 Pro, then by all means, go for it.

I had one, ended up selling it. Was too heavy for pocket carry and the trigger was heavier than dragging a cinderblock up a sandpaper ramp. Otherwise I thought it was a fine weapon. For hip carry with some trigger work it would be great. All depends on your desired usage. Bought a 360 and I couldn't be happier.

Ive had mine since they were introduced. Sights are great and I put an Apex spring kit in mine and it's as nice as a K frame action.

I shoot the Speer SB Gold Dots and they shoot well. Carry on my hip in a IWB rig and it is faster than trying to drag it out of a pocket. If I were pocket carrying a lightweight Centennial series: 442, 642, 340 would be great. But my standard uniform is Wranglers, not so good for pocket carry.

I’ve had a 442 in my pocket since 2004. While I journeyed through some semi autos for a belt gun, I never found the semi auto that I couldn’t live without so, along with a couple other snubs, a second 442 was also a belt gun. This winter I got a 3” Model 36. I carry it in the waist now but, the 442 will always be in my pocket. I like shooting the lightweight and all I have done is add a comfortable grip, dry fire the action smooth, and put paint on the front sight. I think the 442 will always be my favorite.

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Two Handguns every day

After I received my carry permit I went straight to a gun shop to purchase a revolver. At that time I knew very little about carry pieces and purchased a "ladysmith". I was not pleased with it. It was to light. I went to another shop and the owner was wearing a shoulder rig with a 640 in it. He let me fondle his and I was instantly "in love". Later on I traded for a 640 PRO and have been carrying it ever since. It's the only pistol that I carry IWB.It feels right at home there.I had a action job performed on it and it has a 10 llb. trigger and is smooth as butter. Full house magnums are no problem with it. I also put a set of Pach's on it and can shoot magnums all day long. IMHO it's the perfect carry piece!!!!

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Love mine and after 1000+ rounds the trigger gets much better. The extra weight and sights make it a great shooter!

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Pass it on.
Mark

I pocket carry a 640 pro as well as a 642 depending on the pants I’m wearing. Most of the time, its the 640 pro because of the sights and the weight. I like the heavier gun for shooting. Both are usually loaded with 38+p jhp.

Great guns. I have a 36 , a 36-1 3” barrel, and a 60 as well as an 4” barrel model 63 in .22 I don’t think I’ll be getting rid of the other j frames due to the 640, but I also doubt they’ll end up in the carry rotation.


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Hotshot 357, you're either a better man or a lot younger than me if full house 357 mags in a J frame are no problem!!!! I sure do miss my upper body and grip strength.

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SWCA 3417 HF 642 NRA-TC

It's been cleaned up and now wears a Uncle Mike's boot grip. Popped up in the local armslist and I couldn't say no. I"ve been pocket carrying a 360 lately, but this 640 is a bit to big for that. I've got a IWB holster coming.

Well I'm 69 years old and my hand strength is still pretty good. I really do enjoy shooting the 640. There is some thing about the sound of a "hot 357" LOL

I guess it's time for another 640 Pro talk; we've had many you might like reading after a search.

I have one. I think it's S&W's best concept for a personal defense J-frame. The execution is mixed -- I've followed the threads over the years and some consistencies crop up:

1) Sight regulation often is odd; with hits for a variety of weights low, or to put it nicely, it's a drive-the-dot set-up, and occasionally then some. This would be less an issue if there were literally zero replacement options on the market (short of serious machinery work); the sights are what they are.

2) So-so trigger, even by modern S&W J-frame standards. Some report good out of the box; many don't. I have or have used a lot of Js and the 640 Pro's trigger is just surprisingly mediocre and resistant to the typical improvements (springs, gentle smoothing). It's fine, there's nothing wrong with it, just odd that the premier J would be outshone consistently by ordinary Js.

3) Subject to typical S&W oopsies these days: reports of canted barrels, poorly fit sights, etc. In my case the Pro arrived with a seriously wide B-C gap -- past .0012". S&W fixed it to a perfect .006" on their dime and good for them, but it should never have left the factory that way.

Odds and ends:

- Barrel flutes on a pocket gun are dumb -- I'd rather have a little extra weight at the nose on a small .357.
- I dig moon clips and that you can use them or not, no problem.
- Handles mid-power .357 defense loads well.
- Except for aforementioned issues, everything else on the revolver checked out well from the get-go.
- No lock.

All told, it's a good piece that I think could and should be more out of the box in terms of parts options, care in assembling and a better stock trigger, but I'd luke-warm recommend the purchase for someone interested in a decently appointed fighting J.

For what it's worth, the Kimber K6S is very much a perfected 640 Pro with an extra round and significantly better trigger, if you're seriously in the market for a piece (or if S&W is listening ).

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Pickpocket

Here is a properly dressed 640 Pro! The extra grips will go on a 632 Pro(when I find one)! ? ! ?
jcelect