Does the 642 still make sense?

Between situational awareness, defensive driving, learning to point shoot, and not walking around where you shouldn't, a 5 shot J frame is likely all that you will ever need. I don't like Airweights so I carry a M649 virtually every day except when I KNOW that I am going to be someplace that could be a target (house of worship leads the list). The I break out a 9mm with more cartridges but I still stick to smaller guns.
 
It's no hype when you can carry 12 rounds in roughly the same size package weighing just a couple of ounces more and a better chance of putting them where you need them. These are exactly the reasons that I semi-retired my J frame and went with my P365.
Rockquarry makes an excellent point about practice, and then makes the argument FOR
something else with his statement that "all the other guns become surprisingly easier to shoot well."

Perhaps I didn't say that well.

I would guess we all shoot more than one gun when we make our frequent trips to the gun range. Just my personal experience, but I've found that regular practice with a J-frame at 25 yards has helped me to shoot better with larger guns.

J-frames are very unforgiving when it comes to grip, firmness of grip, sighting, and adapting and becoming accustomed to a stout trigger pull (or at least it it feels that way) in a small, lighweight revolver. Consistency with all the above factors helps develop a shooter's skill.

When you revert to shooting a larger-framed heavier gun, you carry over the shooting discipline acquired with the more difficult J-frame.

Based on my own results, that's as simple as I can explain it.
 
All I carry anymore is a J Frame, either a 640 OWB or a 642 pocket. I’ve got Glock, Sig, Springfield etc. But a J Frame just fits my lifestyle better. I’ve even tried to like my Kimber K6s. I shoot it well, it’s dependable but I just can’t warm up to it. So I’ve decided if a J Frame and a speed strip can’t get me out of the situation, today just isn’t my day.
 
My Model 38 with a DeSantis Clip Grip is my go to for walking out the door. It's a 1983 classic humpback, and the DA trigger is butter smooth. They built them like that 40 years ago. It nickel, and has almost no turn line. A policeman's ankle backup during it's first life. My practice shooter is a 637, and I've fired and dry-fired it enough that the DA is smooth, but still not up to the old builds. Practicing with it makes the occasional cylinder with the 38 even easier, as it pulls through even smoother.
 
I think there are two separate questions here. Capacity and accuracy.

As to capacity, I don’t think there is much need to worry about having “only” 5 or 6 shots, provided you can shoot well.

But you also seem to be saying you don’t have confidence you can shoot the J frame well. To that question I’d say either practice more with the J frame. Or carry something else you can shoot better—not because it has higher capacity.

Whatever you do, don’t get so tangled up in the details that you stop carrying regularly. Having the gun when you need it is 99% of the solution.
 
I carry a Model 640 sometimes. Light weight in a carry gun isn't important to me, as long as it is lighter than around 30 ounces anyway. Comfort in carrying is most important.

I know the polymer framed autoloaders are popular due to light weight and mag capacity but for a legally armed civilian vs. a law enforcement officer, the probability of needing to fire more than a few shots and needing a reload are slim. The current thinking seems to be if one needs to shoot an attacker, then they need to have a mag dump applied to them. This is why so many police shootings seem to involve having 15 or more shots fired. If you have limited capacity maybe you'll place your shots better.

I find it ludicrous how so many CCW holders feel the need to gear up with a 17 shot Glock plus two spare mags, a Surefire light, a folding knife, a can of pepper spray and a tourniquet or first aid kit all on their belt before leaving the house.
Oh, and that Glock needs to have an RMR and attached weapon light or laser too. People are watching too much TV.
 
I've recently made some concessions for capacity. My edc for years was a 640. We bonded well. I liked the weight of the stainless steel. I mostly carried it in my right front pocket, but also occasionally on my hip.

My backup to the 640 was a 642. Same manual of arms, just a little lighter.

Lately my edc has changed to my 1st generation Shield in .40 s&w. This was my daily prior to acquiring the 640. It has never failed me and my capacity went up from 5 to 7. The 642 remains as my bug.

As a revolver guy I do have some guilt over the change, but with a spare mag in my pocket, I have 2 reloads instead of one, with the extra benefit of a couple more rounds. The weight between the Shield and the 640 is about the same, so I can still carry it in a pocket or on my hip.

Not to lose track of the topic though, the 642 remains my bug through this change. It is so easy to drop in a pocket to go out and gets used for that reason and more.
 
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I sure hope so. Out of town this weekend with a snub model 10 and a 642-1. One speed strip, one J speed loader, two K speed loaders.
 
Most of the time a J-Frame is in my pocket and a 9mm is in my waist. On occasion I will carry just one of them but, usually it’s both of them.
 

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I find it ludicrous how so many CCW holders feel the need to gear up with a 17 shot Glock plus two spare mags, a Surefire light, a folding knife, a can of pepper spray and a tourniquet or first aid kit all on their belt before leaving the house.

Oh, and that Glock needs to have an RMR and attached weapon light or laser too. People are watching too much TV.

I get told, "Better to carry 50 rounds and not need them than to need ammo and not have it." What if you need 51 rounds?

I do carry a folding knife, I've carried once since I was a Cub Scout. I use it almost every day and I'm really surprised that everyone doesn't carry a pocket knife.

I'm diabetic so for nearly forty years I've carried what is a small camera case that hold my meter and insulin pen. I use the excess space in the case to carry Tylenol, a few bandaids , and an small flashlight. I don't have a tourniquet.

Spare ammo? I have a Sherpa who carries 500 rounds for my carry gun plus 50 rounds in all of the common calibers against the event that I need to use a pick-up gun.
 
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I carried a J Frame of some sort since 1980 up until 2019 when I got the opportunity to shoot a friends Sig P365. When Sig ironed out all the issues with the then new gun, I bought one. After a few months of testing, shooting and familiarization with it, it became my EDC / CCW and has been on me daily for almost 5 years now.

I now have over 6,000 rounds through it without a hic-cup and it is with me daily. Not only have I not gone back to my J Frame, I don't think I've shot it since. I believe in constant practice with whatever gun & ammo you carry and I got to the point where I was not enjoying practice sessions with my carry ammo anymore. My carry load for the J's were Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P SWCHP and Speer 135 grain +P GDHP.

Shooting the Sig was so much easier, it is more accurate at any distance, allows for greater round capacity (more than double), has better ballistics, is easier and faster to reload, weighs 5 ounces less than the J's and is smaller, flatter and has way way better sights. To me, my 40 year EDC J Frame has now been retired and unless it is an emergency & I doubt I will ever again carry any revolver. To me they have been obsoleted for EDC.

All that said, one must carry what they shoot best, feel comfortable with and can feel confident with. If a J Frame still fills all those needs for the person carrying it, then I guess it is still viable for that person. All I can suggest is never stop practicing with it, do lots of reloading drills and shoot it well.
 
For many years my 642 in a Desantis pocket holster has been my "go to" gun for concealed carry. I don't carry while in my home, and it was just so easy to grab the 642 and put it into my front right pocket as I was leaving. But lately I find I am having capacity anxiety, thinking that it is foolish to be limited to 5 rounds of 38+, especially if I honest with myself that my accuracy with this short barreled revolver is pretty much limited to bad breath distances from my attacker. Sometimes instead I carry my Glock 26 with its 10+1 capacity in an OWB holster, but it sure is not as concealable and convenient as the trusty 642. Thoughts?

While I don't condone those who choose to carry firearms with higher capacities, but I think it's most important that you have confidence in your ability to use the firearm you choose to carry. As in your situation, you have a 642 which packs a good punch, but you didn't mention if you carry a spare re-load or two with it. If your 642 carries 5 rounds total, and you add two speed strips at 5 shots ea. then you have a total of 15 rounds at your disposal. Ultimately, if you're adamant about the 642 it's probably best to work on and improve your marksmanship skills overall. I am a firm believer that proficient marksmanship should be your goal, and not so much on higher capacity reliance if I read your post correctly.
 
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I carried my 642 in my pocket for several years and i am still comfortable with except i dont like the trigger. Then i finnally took my 637 to the range and found out i like it better.
i sometimes get caught up in capacity thought but i always figure it out if i cant stop the threat with 5 shots then i probably need to un ***-ing the area.
 
I’ve been carrying a light weight J Frame since my 1968 rookie year and was forced into on-duty shootings, reloading in one instance, with an issued thirty-eight so I know it works. My first choice in retirement is a 340PD in a pocket holster w/a speedstrip in an off pocket. If I can’t adequately conceal the J Frame I’ll go with my LCP.
 
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