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09-10-2020, 01:18 AM
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That amazing little 642
They say the best carry gun is the one you actually carry. I love my Glock 26, I shoot it very well, and doubt I'll ever get rid of it. That said, my 642 has been the gun I carry almost exclusively since the day I picked it up. I shot it almost as well as the 26 from the beginning, and after installing a set of Wolff springs, adding a Hogue Bantam grip, and painting the front sight bright orange, I find it needs nothing else. Most of the time it sets in my pocket in a Sticky holster, but on rare occasions it rides in a Blackhawk CQC #06 with a Bianchi speed strip or two in the other pocket. The 642 is probably the best carry decision I've made in some time. The only dilemma I face now is I found a 638. If I pick it up, deciding which gun to carry will be tough.
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09-10-2020, 02:31 AM
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"Two is one, and one is none." I think it's a good idea to have more than one BUG/EDC available. If one of them breaks or needs maintenance/servicing, then you've got the spare handy. If the 638 is to your liking and it's a good deal, buy it. You can probably use the same holster and definitely the same speed strips and ammo. The only thing better would be a spare 642.
The last alloy framed gun I looked at was a Scandium framed .357. It was a consignment piece but the frame was cracked under the barrel stub. Be sure to look over that 638 carefully.
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09-10-2020, 03:18 AM
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I totally agree with you gunny. My little 642-1 has been my most frequent
carry companion for about twenty years. That little black holster is by
Chic Gaylord. The old cheezy Uncle Mike belt is because of the little bitty'
belt loops that Gaylord used back in the 1960s.
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09-10-2020, 04:25 AM
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I pocket carry my 642 and if Im not expecting any trouble on a large scale carry my 43c. The Centennial is, in my opinion, one of the best carry gun designs ever made.
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09-10-2020, 06:49 AM
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638 definitely. My EDC always.
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09-10-2020, 06:58 AM
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I used to carry my 642CT everywhere 24/7, but have slowly drifted toward carrying a full size 9mm 2.0 w/17+1mag most of the time. BTW, I really should go ahead and dye my little paddle holster...
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09-10-2020, 08:34 AM
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I saw this post and had to laugh as I had been talking with a friend recently in a very similar way about my 649. No matter how many guns I have bought, carried, etc. The J frame is just always the most comfortable to carry and with this grip and the weight of stainless I can rattle off all five rounds quickly and accurately in double action, even in comparison to some of the smaller mouse guns like the Sig p238. The J frame is just more comfortable and disappears for me. I carry it in the waistband at 3:00 and it just rides high and tight to my body.
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09-10-2020, 08:56 AM
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J frame best thing since sliced bread !
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09-10-2020, 09:24 AM
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The Airweight J-frames are really a sweet spot for power, weight, and carry-ability. One thing I seldom see mentioned... they have a very low bore axis, relative to most other options. I've always liked that.
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09-10-2020, 09:31 AM
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The sentinel is my favorite J frame. I normally carry Two 442’s. But, I do have others that I carry on occasion. This past couple of days it’s a Bobbed 37 and a 442. You can’t beet the J frame. I don’t believe there is wrong J frame. Pick the J’s you like, shoot and carry them (the top gun in my picture is not a J-Frame.)
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Two Handguns every day
Last edited by haywood; 09-10-2020 at 09:33 AM.
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09-10-2020, 09:50 AM
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When I carry a J, it's a 640-4 Pro Series loaded with middle-of-the-road loads in .357 cases. Doesn't have a full length ejector rod but does have its rounds held together by a moon-clip. Practice tells me my clumsy hands are more likely to cleanly dump moon-clipped empties, and the Jet Loader quickly reloads my little J.
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09-10-2020, 12:18 PM
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J-frames make for great carry guns. My current EDC is a Beretta PX4 Compact 9mm with a 642 BUG, but a solo 642 was my EDC for several years. I will still carry a 642 solo from time to time, or a pair of 642s. I went solo 642 today while running some errands. Easy to carry, and disappears under an untucked shirt when carried IWB. As was previously mentioned, it's a good balance between power, size, and weight.
I think it's a good idea to have a duplicate/back-up of your carry gun, or at least something similar, so I think getting a 638 (presuming it's in good condition at a fair price) would be a nice safety net. A few years ago my 642 broke and I had to wait to get it replaced under warranty. I was without a gun of any kind for a couple of months. Not the end of the world, but it would've been a bit more reassuring if I had a gun during that time.
My grail gun still remains a 640ND, but I'd also love to get a DAO 649.
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09-10-2020, 12:32 PM
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My two favorites - a 642 with the internal lock removed, and a 442 that never had one! Both are equipped with Barami HipGrips for effortless no-holster pocket carry.
John
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09-10-2020, 12:35 PM
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Agree. Mine is out in my SUV right now in a pocket carry holster.
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09-10-2020, 12:55 PM
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I have a PC 642 Talo, an Elite Survival Systems pocket holster and Bianchi speed strips that occasionally are in my pocket(s). However it's a hard decision between it and my micro 380 to see which gets pocket time. I prefer the revolver, but it's hard to ignore 7+1 vs 5 rounds and 3/4 of an inch thick.
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09-10-2020, 01:17 PM
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I won't carry any gun I'm not proficient with. Hence, I got rid of the Smith 638 because I didn't like practicing with it. Couldn't shoot more than a few cylinders at a session...the recoil really aggravated my arthritic wrist.
Yeah it concealed well. That was the only thing I liked about it.
Subsequently a got Ruger Security 9 Compact for carry. I enjoy practicing with it and appreciate the lower cost of the ammo versus the 38 Spl.
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09-10-2020, 01:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HorizontalMike
I used to carry my 642CT everywhere 24/7, but have slowly drifted toward carrying a full size 9mm 2.0 w/17+1mag most of the time. BTW, I really should go ahead and dye my little paddle holster...
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I've always thought about a paddle holster, but never used one with the J frame. What brand is that one and how does it carry?
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09-10-2020, 04:33 PM
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I carried my 640-1 for six years and then my 642-1 for the next six years.
Back in June of this year I purchased a new M&P 45 Shield M2.0 and have been carrying it ever since.
I think the 642-1 is an ideal EDC.
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09-10-2020, 07:30 PM
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I have posted previously, I carried my 640-1 as a second gun for several years. It was retired, as was I August 2019. It was located in my weak side, front pocket, with two (2) speed loaders in the cargo pocket.
It served me well.
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09-10-2020, 07:40 PM
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Carry my 442 every day....shoot it better than most anything else.
Probably because I shoot it MORE than anything else.
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09-10-2020, 10:49 PM
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+1 for the form factor, but I like the extra round in my 632, which has been the daily carry for several years now. Most times I forget it's there, in its Lobo Enhanced Pancake holster. (Which also works perfectly for a 442, 638 and 640, and even the old bright blue 49 which I never actually carried, should the need ever arise.)
The Buffalo Bore 100g +P rounds in 32H&R actually have a bit more energy than Remington's 158g +P 38 Specials, so I don't feel like I'm giving up anything with the smaller caliber. Sadly, physics being physics, they kick just as hard as the 38s, but light 32H&R, or even hot 32 Longs, are more tolerable practice rounds (in my old hands) than anything I ever made up in 38 Special.
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09-11-2020, 09:22 AM
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I’ve been carrying/shooting a J Frame since my 1968 rookie year, & my current EDC is a 340PD w/a speed strip in my off pocket.
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09-11-2020, 09:55 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gunny4053
I've always thought about a paddle holster, but never used one with the J frame. What brand is that one and how does it carry?
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Galco... Very light weight and easy to remove/mount. I also have one for my J-Frame equivalent 2in Kimber K6s (six rd). The only issue is to occasionally re-tighten the paddle screws, as they occasionally work loose.
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09-11-2020, 10:01 AM
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I do not have an airweight, but I do have a Model 640-1. I use it when I need deep concealment. These days, I stoke mine with Speer's 135 grain Gold Dot 38 Special +P Short Barrel loads.
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09-11-2020, 05:00 PM
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642
Like putting on a glove......
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09-11-2020, 06:20 PM
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Any J frame S&W make a great carry gun. I have carried a lot of them such Models 32, 36, 042, 638, 640 . I might have missed one or two
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09-11-2020, 10:21 PM
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Well the 638 is gone, but there's another 642-2 in it's place. At $450 they want too much for it in my opinion. The hunt is on, 638, 38, or another 49 will be just fine.
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09-12-2020, 07:10 AM
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I’ve ccw’d Glocks for a long time and still do, but sometimes in the warmer months I go with my 442. While they aren’t as “tactical” as many of the new polymer guns out there, it’s still hard to beat a classic J-frame when it comes to cc.
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09-12-2020, 09:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HorizontalMike
I used to carry my 642CT everywhere 24/7, but have slowly drifted toward carrying a full size 9mm 2.0 w/17+1mag most of the time. BTW, I really should go ahead and dye my little paddle holster...
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I would leave it as is, it shows a lot of character plus you don't need to worry about it getting a scratch.
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09-12-2020, 11:45 AM
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No argument out of me about this. I carried a model 640 as second weapon while still gainfully employed, then the 642 because of the lighter weight. After retirement, the 642 continued to be carried. I have other J-Frames, and an SP101, but consider the 642 to just be about as simple and practical as it gets for small concealed carry revolvers.
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09-14-2020, 06:51 PM
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I've been carrying my 642 for a dozen years. For my purposes, it's just about perfect.
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09-17-2020, 09:59 PM
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02-02-2021, 04:39 PM
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Just picked up my 642 at the LGS today. Fits like a glove. Can't wait to get some range time with it.
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02-02-2021, 05:58 PM
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After owning pretty much every J frame model made up until 1996 my all time fav was my model 60-7. I carried it with either Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P or Speer GDHP 135 grain +P's BUT always liked the option of an aimed single action shot.
Once I shot a friends Sig 9mm P365 - I was sold on it! Went out the next day and bought one - LOVE IT! 10+1 rounds, a lot less recoil than the J Frame, more than double the ammo, lighter, easier to shoot, and now my beloved J Frame became a seldom shot Revolver. In fact I must confess, since I got the Sig 2 years ago I have not shot the J Frame. I intend to hold onto it for several reasons....... If I ever have to send the Sig in for work or the powers that be succeed at taking away all semi autos, the J frame will come out of retirement.
I love all my vintage J Frames and have many of them, (no intentions on parting with them) but they have been superseded as a SD handgun - at least for me.
Last edited by chief38; 02-02-2021 at 06:01 PM.
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02-02-2021, 06:13 PM
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I also am a lover of the 642. Love the original 640 also. Surprised to see pics of so many of the 642’s in here with oversized grips for a deep concealment type gun. I lean to the Spegal or Altamont boot grips myself or the Uncle Mikes rubber boot grips on these myself. But they definitely hit the sweet spot with these 642’s, and especially the ones they put out with no locks.
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02-02-2021, 09:29 PM
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I used to just carry my 642 in the pocket. Then I bought an AIWB holster. I never will carry a striker fired auto in a manner which points it at the family jewels. But the 642 is safe, fast, and comfortable there. It seems to move with my body when bending over or sitting. If I go with an OWB holster the G23/27 gets the nod. Long live the J's.
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02-02-2021, 10:47 PM
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It has some Altamonts on it now so I can get all my fingers on the grip, but with the Side Guard AIWB it is like nothings there on my belt.
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02-03-2021, 12:09 AM
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Gotta admit the 638 has an inexplicably better trigger and carried more.
But the 442 is just plain bad *****
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02-03-2021, 06:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3rdgeargrndrr
Gotta admit the 638 has an inexplicably better trigger and carried more.
But the 442 is just plain bad *****
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Your 638 looks like it has an angle on the hump. My 638 is all rounded on the hump. Did it come that way new or was it modified? Could just be the way the picture was taken too
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02-03-2021, 08:49 AM
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I agree with all the above posts. All the J frames are great guns now if S+W could only figure out how to do a durable finish on them that would be great that why I bought the 442.
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02-03-2021, 03:17 PM
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My 642
and what it can do.
Over the 5 years since these were taken I have been seduced by enhanced concealability (RM380) and capacity (Shield 9mm) but keep returning to what is for me the ideal balance. The Hornady rounds in the picture have been replaced by the Gold Dot 135 gr. Short Barrel load, but otherwise nothing has changed.
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02-03-2021, 08:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rubiranch
I carried my 640-1 for six years and then my 642-1 for the next six years.
Back in June of this year I purchased a new M&P 45 Shield M2.0 and have been carrying it ever since.
I think the 642-1 is an ideal EDC.
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My Shield 45 just like my 640-1 was getting heavy and I only carried it for a short time and now I'm back to carrying my 642-1.
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02-04-2021, 12:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by washerman
Your 638 looks like it has an angle on the hump. My 638 is all rounded on the hump. Did it come that way new or was it modified? Could just be the way the picture was taken too
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Picture was cropped tight and cut out the hump. I didnt copy a K6
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02-04-2021, 09:52 AM
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Everyone should own at least one J...
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