What model do I want?

[wrangler5]

I've been happy carrying my 442 except for the fact that the yoke will rust if I don't wipe it down every evening with a silicone cloth. (I carry IWB, and moisture will accumulate between the yoke and frame over the course of the day.) I like its +p capability, no-lock, light weight and dark sights, just not the carbon steel.


I know I could just get a new 642 and paint the sights, but if I'm going to get another gun I would prefer to have a shrouded hammer like the one on my 49 (which is all steel and not +P qualified.)

So - is (or was) there a +P rated lightweight 49-style model with no lock and no carbon steel? Preferably 38, not 357.

 

[getoff]

i had mine ceracoated by a local guy. took care of all the finish issues. he charged me 150 for it. worked for me, you may want to give it a try, its cheaper than a new one!

 

[Ashlander]

Stainless steel gives me the same problem when I carry my Model 60 or 640 in the Summer. Maybe it rusts slower, but if I don't wipe it down after an outing, I am begging for yoke problems (I have to drip oil and lighter fluid into the hinge and work out the rust until it opens smoothly).

 

[Dragon88]

Sounds like you want a 638.

Product: Model 638

 

[snubbiefan]

May I ask what could be presumed to be a dumb question.

Do you guys work on a boat out in the ocean, or in some strong salt-water atmosphere? I live in one of the most humid and damp climates there is and never have any issues like this....as in rusting the yoke shut on a stainless revolver.

 

[wrangler5]

Stainless steel gives me the same problem when I carry my Model 60 or 640 in the Summer. . . .

Now THAT's not what I wanted to hear.

But assuming I decide that stainless will be better than carbon steel, even if not perfect - - Dragon88's suggestion of a 638 sounds like just the ticket. But were they ever made without a lock?

 

[snubbiefan]

The 640 is a nice piece....if you can find one. The 642 is the "stainless" version of the 442.

 

[wrangler5]

May I ask what could be presumed to be a dumb question.

Do you guys work on a boat out in the ocean, or in some strong salt-water atmosphere? I live in one of the most humid and damp climates there is and never have any issues like this....as in rusting the yoke shut on a stainless revolver.

I don't know about others, but I carry in an inside the waistband holster (either an all leather Side Guard Tuck Clip, or a leather/kydex Kholster) with at least a shirt and usually a sweater covering the gun. It rides there all day with no air circulation, and whatever humidity is in the air plus whatever my body puts out. Even now, when general humidity is lower and I'm in heated spaces all day, I find small drops of condensation on the top of the yoke at the end of the day.

When I started carrying the 442 I treated it like the Glock 26 I had carried before - put it on, carry, take it off, repeat next day. I didn't even take it out of the holster for the first week or so. When I did check it, I found rust had already started on the top of the yoke. Now I wipe it down at the end of every day, but I'd rather not have to.

 

[wrangler5]

The 640 is a nice piece....if you can find one. The 642 is the "stainless" version of the 442.

The 640 is indeed an attractive piece, and if I were ever going to shoot a 357 round out of a J frame I would absolutely have to have an all steel model.

But my carbon steel 49 with five 158g rounds weighs as much as my Glock 26 with eleven 124g rounds. I assume the stainless steel 640 would weigh about as much as my 49. If I'm going to carry that much weight I'd go back to the Glock. Hence my inquiry about a lightweight model.

 

[Ashlander]

I was walking 3 miles a day in the Spring a Summer and wearing the gun over my tee shirt but under an outer shirt. Sweat would collect at my waist and find it's way into the hinge of the yoke. I really did not think about it much because it is stainless. There was a period of a few days when I left the gun loaded, holstered and one my belt. Then when I went to unload it -- it was almost frozen. The surface was fine (I suppose I must have wiped that off everyday) but I didn't think about the hinge. Oil and lighter fluid and a lot of working the hinge freed it up nicely.

 

[snubbiefan]

I can completely understand the problem with the moisture when you carry constantly inside the waistband. I prefer to use a belly-band or simply my front pants pocket. I rarely carry my heavies (stainless steel 640) daily and prefer my Model 38 (pre plastic bodyguard). I live in a hot-zone in the summer myself. I suppose it's going to take more maintenance (as in daily) to keep your weapon wiped down and lightly lubed if you continue to carry this way.

A consideration may be to have the gun fitted with a stainless steel yoke and possibly a cylinder as well.....if the 442 has an "attachment" to you. If not....the 642 would be the stainless version.

I am contemplating the fitment of a SS yoke assembly on my Model 38. In my case, it would be a good investment as this gun is no longer produced. In your case....maybe sell the 442 and get a 642 (which is priced very low right now) if you want to keep the Airweight/AirLite as a carry piece. I realize the 22 seems way underpowered for most folks but the ideal walking-around pistol is the 317. NOTHING on it will rust as it's completely aluminum except for the barrel liner. I would not purposely go to a planned gun-fight with it, but at around 10-ounces.....8 shots of hot 22LR beats nothing at all and you never know you are carrying it.

 

[wrangler5]

I'm not wedded to the 442 and could easily swap it for a 642 (on which I would just paint the rear sight black and the front sight red.)

But if I'm going to make a switch, if I could find the light weight, +P capability and no lock on a gun with a shrouded hammer I'd prefer it. Hence the original question.

I unload my 442 every evening and fill it up with snap caps, with which I dispose of all bad guys on TV for a while. Then reload in the morning for the day's adventures. This may be why I've never encountered any stickiness in the yoke. (I did just take the yoke/cylinder off to check it, though - no rust on the hidden bits, thankfully - and applied a light coat of CLP before reassembling.)

 

[Maximumbob54]

May I ask what could be presumed to be a dumb question.

Do you guys work on a boat out in the ocean, or in some strong salt-water atmosphere? I live in one of the most humid and damp climates there is and never have any issues like this....as in rusting the yoke shut on a stainless revolver.

Remember the "Alien" movies? The ones where if you cut or shot the aliens then they would bleed some kind of crazy super acid?

My sweat is about two, maybe three steps from that level on blued steel. No joke. While at the range, the hot humid Florida weather used to require me to put Pachmayrs on my blued steel revolvers just to minimize contact with them and I had to keep an oily rag with me to wipe them down every now and again. If I didn't, by the time I got home I was sure to find a rust print and my head would expload and the walls would bleed from the words coming from my mouth. Yes, my head can expload and words still come from my mouth, just ask my walls.

Enter... EEZOX...

No more bleeding walls or rusty guns.

Eezox® Gun Care - Eezox Premium Synthetic Lubricants

I spray a bit on a rag, wipe the gun making sure to get all the small parts. If I use it on the internals or other hard to reach places then I scrub those areas with a tooth brush to get the Eezox in there, then wipe any excess away. It's another dry film finish. You don't want drying goo, that's too much applied. It does have an odd but not very annoying smell.

 

[snubbiefan]

Then I suppose the model 638 with the shrouded hammer in SS is what you seek. You can buy those real cheaply at the moment. Cheaperthandirt has them for $339 according to a search I just performed. You can always remove/disable the lock.

I wanted the ability to go SA myself and I stumbled across a Model 38 for a good price. These are the older pre-lock Airweights with the shrouded hammer. You can find the older Model 38 no-locks, but you usually pay-the-price.

 

[Fkimble]

How about just sending the yoke off and have it hard chromed or nickeled? Or the whole gun maybe.

 

[snubbiefan]

That's sort of why I was asking if he was "attached" to it. Since the OP does not suggest that he is....I think he can get a SS model cheaper in the long run.

 

[quinn]

I carry my 340PD scandium in a pocket hoster so it doesn't get that much sweat. But, it goes everywhere (car, boat, motorcycle, ZTR) rain or shine without any rust problem after about 5 years. I like the 5 "for sure": 3-38+Ps for control followed by 2-357s for feral hogs that reside in my 'hood. My tri-focals appreciate the fiber optic front sight, too.

 

[snubbiefan]

The only "feral hogs" around my neighborhood are the thieves that drive out to the rural areas to ply their house-burglary trade. I have not had to shoot one yet, but did hold one at bay with my 686 until the LEO's arrived. I should have let him go on and break-down the door, then they could have called the undertaker instead. I don't even go to the mail-box without a gun. Maybe that's why they haven't been back.