New and now worried 642 guy

[maiden71]

Hi everyone. I am new to the forums here after buying a new 642-2 the other day. After shooting my new gun a few times I came here and joined. Now I'm worried after seeing SO MANY cracked frame post. I checked my gun and it isn't cracked. Boy that aluminum piece under the barrel that people have said cracks sure is thin though. Is my gun destined to crack eventually? Seems like S&W would redesign this thing if it's that inevitable.

 

[allglock]

Welcome to the forum!..Stop worrying. From what I have seen, most of the frame cracks were on earlier guns (1990s). I am sure there have been some recently, but the majority were older guns. S&W will replace your gun if this happens. So enjoy it and dont let internet frenzy, make you worry.
I currently own 14 Airweight or Air Lite J-frames, built fom about 1990 to the present. I am enjoying each and every one of them.

 

[ladder13]

Hi everyone. I am new to the forums here after buying a new 642-2 the other day. After shooting my new gun a few times I came here and joined. Now I'm worried after seeing SO MANY cracked frame post. I checked my gun and it isn't cracked. Boy that aluminum piece under the barrel that people have said cracks sure is thin though. Is my gun destined to crack eventually? Seems like S&W would redesign this thing if it's that inevitable.

They've sold 10's of thousands of these Airweight guns, don't worry, a few are bound to have a problem. I own 6 or 7 of them with no issue, one did have a problem but the gun is being replaced under S&W's lifetime repair policy.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Just echoing the other posters. I've put about 1,200 rounds (including several hundred +P) through my 642 in a little over a year and nothing even resembling a crack has appeared. I do check as part of my routine inspection whenever I clean it, but I'm not too worried.

 

[sophie]

Welcome to the forum. Like the others said, If it cracks they will fix it under warranty. Shoot the heck out of it.


__________
James

 

[otis24]

I'm not an Airweight owner YET. I've always had the same concerns. After handling a few airweights, I will own one. They are some much more utilitarian and easy to carry as opposed to my 640-1 all steel J-frame. Because of the lifetime replacement policy, I'm not concerned about purchasing one. Mine is for concealed carry only. I don't think I will ever fire enough rounds through it to be a concern. Any plinking rounds will be non-plus P. Plus P's will be carried for CCW.

 

[CWH44300]

Or you get two - an air weight for carry and a steel one for the range - that's what I did and I couldn't be happier.

 

[J D Allen]

J frame cracks

The only cracks on J frames I've heard is the 357 scandium frames.

 

[rilkil23]

Bob Marley said it best, "Don't worry.............about a thing...........cause every little thing gonna be alright". Enjoy your new pocket rocket.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

The only cracks on J frames I've heard is the 357 scandium frames.

The only ones I have seen have been on pre-scandium aluminum frames, .38 Spl. It seems to be generally held that cracked frames are from factory overtorquing the barrel in initial installation. I think the cracks generally show up fairly soon.

 

[Dragon88]

Worrying about your frame cracking is like worrying that your transmission might go out 100,000 miles from now. Sure it could happen, everything wears with use, but it's not something you need to be concerned about with a brand new J-frame. Besides, if you ever do have an issue, S&W's lifetime warranty will take care of it. They will probably be producing that model for decades to come, and have new frames and parts on hand. Absolutely nothing you need to worry about.