I had seen the rebate and thought it was a pretty good deal, and I'd also been looking to get a "drop in my pocket for a trip to the gas station" pistol, so I decided to buy this 642. The dealer had them on sale for $399, and that's about as low as I've seen them around here, NIB.

Now I need a pocket holster, speedloaders, and ammo

I just picked up a 442. I bought a Uncle Mikes pocket holster and it's adequate.

I had made up my mind about a month ago that I needed a J-frame, but the rebate prompted me to actually do it last weekend. Mine was a Pro-series 442. Just got back from it's first range trip about a couple hours ago.
Fiocchi 110 grain +P DPX
Remington 158 grain +P lead HP SWC (FBI load)
Double Tap 158 grain +P hard-cast SWC
Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +P short-barrel JHP

I hope you like yours as much as I like mine!

I hope to get one, or maybe two J frames before the end of the year thanks to the rebate. One will HAVE to be a 442/642, but I like the idea of an airweight bodyguard as a second gun. With the Texas weather, It looks like I might be two-fisting it with one in each pocket over a belt-carried weapon.

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I miss my 4546 the most.

Pickin's were a little slim on the heavier (158 gr.) ammo, but I managed to get two 20 round boxes of Speer short barrel 135 gr. +P, a 100 round bulk pack of Remington 125 gr. +P semi-jacketed hollow points, and a 50 round box of Blazer 158 grn LRN (cheap range fodder). I'm going to take it to the range tomorrow.

How'd you like that Double Tap 158 gr. load, Moondancer? I was looking at that one, and the Buffalo Bore version.

Hammerdown, DT 158 grain load was stout but not unmanageable.
Wife and I are headed up to Ely, MN the end of September and will be doing day trips into Boundary Waters. I wanted something smaller than my 1911s to take with me but wanted the most power I could find for the snubby. This was my attempt and with a hard-cast Keith-style SWC it should have penetration going for it. As always, YMMV, but for what I believe to be the remote chance of needing a gun in the wilderness, I'll take this (weighing the need for it out there against being able to carry the same gun with the 135-grain Speer Gold Dots while in town.) I know, it's not a .44 Mag or even a 357, and I know the DT 255-grain +P .45ACP would probably be a better choice, but I don't want to lug either of my .45s out in a canoe.

What a steel...great looking gun!

Great gun.

Order some Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +P short-barrel JHP from Midway today.

Use coupon code 15810 to save $15 on $100 order.

Good luck.

I had a 642 on my list for a while. BP had them on the circular, but a little pricey. Then the rebate was announced and I went and looked anyway. Then to the pawn and gun shop nearby and found a 642-1. I think maybe a little high but still had the same price as on 442 and IL 642. Fired case date was September 2009. Two lock keys in the box, also.
I have been shooting wadcutters and Fiocchi 125 grain XTP in it.

I've got a 638 that just about always goes with me if I leave the house. It's not the most fun thing in the world to shoot (50rds of 158gr .38Spl will have my hand hurting the next day), so it gets shot just enough to keep me in practice with it, but I absolutely love it. One of the best purchases I ever made.

I use the Galco pocket holster that S&W sells on their website. My wife got it for me for Christmas and it has held up great.

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"I'm your huckleberry."

The rebate is also calling to me. I hope I can work a 638 into the budget before the end of the year.

This has to be one of the most painful guns to shoot I own. And I have .44 magnums and .45 Colts running Linebaugh loads. But this little .38, man it hurts.

Started off at 15 yards, 'cause that's where the target was set up previously while I was shooting my 1911s. I started on sandbags, just to see where the POI was related to the sights. I had 8.5x11 printer paper up on a cardboard backer, and a 2 inch square in the middle of the paper. Loaded up the Remington 125 grain +P SJHP, fired 5 rounds, didn't see any holes on the paper. Loaded again, shot, still no holes on the paper. This was embarrassing. Just an hour ago I was shooting 1.5" groups with my .44 and .45 Ruger Blackhawks at 25 yards.

Ok, next time range is clear I move the target in to 10 yards. This is really close for me, don't usually shoot this close. Fired 5 more rounds out of the little beast and got all 5 on the paper. No grouping though, just shotgunned all over the place. Dangit, this thing is hard to shoot.

Tried the 158 grain Blazer (standard pressure) LRN. These grouped the same, and quite honestly, also stung my hand as much as the +P Remingtons.

I swallowed my pride and moved the target in to about 20 feet. Shot another group and this time I could hold it to "minute of chest". About 3"-4". I was past the 50 round point of both standard pressure 158 grain, and +P 125 grain, and the web of my hand between the thumb and forefinger was really screaming at me, on top of a nice blister coming up on the bottom of the first joint of my trigger finger. Decided for my last hurrah I'd try the Speer Gold Dot short barrel 135 gr. +P load. Kept these in a 3 to 4 inch group too, but at this point I'd had enough. The hand was throbbing and I was flinching.

Two observations. These guns, at least for me (and maybe it's because my hands are bigger, or because I'm used to single action revolvers and 1911s), are really hard to shoot. I need a LOT of practice.

Second observation. I need some lighter, wimpy practice ammo. Trying to work on my technique while trying not to wince with each shot is going to be counterproductive.

I like the boot grip for carrying in the pocket, but maybe for extended range sessions I need something that covers the backstrap. Maybe a lighter trigger would help, too. Seems like the gun is moving all over the place while I'm pulling the trigger. My 629-4 .44 mag has a really nice double action pull, and I can easily hit at 25 yards in DA mode with that gun. Of course, it has a bigger grip and longer distance to the trigger than this gun, too.

I don't know what to think, I have mixed emotions. I went from "I'm trading this gun tomorrow" to "I wonder what I can do to improve my shooting with this gun" to "I hope I haven't permanently damaged my hand."

But hey, it was still a day at the range, which is better than most other things

I feel your pain I'd like to find a grip for mine that is the same length as the factory grip but that covers the backstrap. I think that would do wonders for shootability.

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"I'm your huckleberry."

You know, and I know this is sacrilege on the S&W forum, but I keep thinking back to how nice that Ruger LCR was to shoot when they had the demo day at my local shop last year. The LCR uses the the Hogue grip that covers the backstrap though, which is not great for pocket carry (it's pretty bulky), but really soaks up the recoil impulse. Of course, I think the ammo they had at the demo was pretty wimpy :-)

642 vs 1911/3rd gen smith


Light weight, small sights, short sight radius = hard to shoot

Heavy weight, great sights, longer sight radius = easier to shoot

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I miss my 4546 the most.

Didn't even know there was a rebate out. Bought my 642 on the 5th so i'm good to go!

IMHO one of the best (and most cost-effective) practice tools for snubnosed J frames is a set of laser grips. Dry-firing a few hundred times greatly improved my trigger technique. I learned, among other things, that I couldn't keep the gun on-target through the trigger stroke when used the pad of my index finger, which I had been taught was the "right" way; using the first joint of my index finger shrunk my groups considerably (although they're still not nearly small enough for me).

You should be OK as the rebate forms say August 2nd. Here is a link to the rebate form.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/wcsstore...ver_Coupon.pdf

I have had my 642 for a couple of months now and went through a similar process. Modifying the way I grip this little gun sure has helped. A more traditonal revolver grip works much better for me. Don't give up on it just yet. I think it is worth the effort to master.

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Enter through the narrow gate

Hammerdown, I spent about an hour at the range with my new 442 Saturday morning. All told, around 75 rounds went downrange out of it; all of them were +P.
DoubleTap +P 158-grain hard cast SWC\
Remington +P 158-grain HP LSWC (old FBI load)
Speer +P 135-grain Gold Dot JHP
Fiocchi +P 110-grain DPX

I ended up with a blister on the base on my thumb next to the web of my hand from the top of the rubber boot grip on the left side of the frame. I'm looking for service magna grips for it now (is that the right term?) and will be adding a Tyler T-grip to see if that takes care of the friction blister down the road.

I grew up shooting S&W revolvers but switched to 1911s about ten years ago. I had to consciously revert to my old revolver grips and trigger discipline to start hitting consistently. FWIW, I've dry-fired my 442 around 200 or so times and the trigger pull is beginning to smooth out. It's still heavier than I like, but I'm not going to do anything about that for a bit yet. At 10 yards, I'm shooting 5" - 6" groups right now. This is a SD gun, pure-and-simple. I'm not trying to shoot single holes (although that would be nice).

Long story, but I guess what I'm saying is to stick with it for a while yet. Another couple hundred rounds or so and you'll know if you want to keep it or not. The dollar value loss between now and then (if you decide to get rid of it) won't be much if any different, so what do you have to lose except some time?

This is the same technique I figured out too.. I feel like I shouldnt be doing it because thats one of the first things you always read about trigger control NOT to do but it works for me..??

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442 J frame

Thanks Moondancer, I'm gonna stick with it for now. Been doing a lot of dry firing, and the trigger is starting to smooth up a little, but it's still awful heavy. Need to put in a Midway order this week for various things, and I might get the Wolff trigger springs to try out, leaving the mainspring stock.

Talked to a few guys at work and they all said the same thing: These guns are hard to shoot well beyond "up close and personal" distance, at least without lots of practice.

I too am wanting to try some different grips, maybe the skinny wood service grips. I found that the way up high hold that so many advocate on revolvers does not work well for me on this gun, since the space behind the trigger guard is filled with grip, which basically makes me pull the trigger back at a 45 degree angle to it's arc of travel. This reduces the leverage I have on the trigger, making it even heavier. If I move my hand down, or remove the grips so my fingers can slide up behind the trigger guard, I have a more straight back pull on the trigger, and increase in leverage.

I've gotten a blister at the base of my thumb like yours from shooting my 629 with rubber Hogue grips. The rubber grips are nice, but if you are going to shoot a lot in one session, that rubber will literally pull the skin right off. That's where the smooth wood grips are a better option.

Yeah, double action revolvers are different, requiring the use of the first joint (or beyond) instead of the pad. I have to remember to go back to using the pad when I pick up my 1911s and Ruger single actions.

Ya same thing with me when I go to my ruger.. Luckily I have a SIG P220 Carry with a DAK trigger and it is just like a DA revolver trigger so that one stays the same as the 642.

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442 J frame

Use a three finger rubber grip and 110gr standard pressure loads or 148gr wadcutter loads. Work up from there.

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Centennial Every Day

This thread got to me and I just had to do it. I could not find a 642 locally but did find a 442 @ $388 out the door so with the rebate it will be $338 minus a postage stamp. Not quite as good as the OP's deal but still a good deal. My dealer had several and sold to me for what he said was his cost just to generate some cash.

You will get so used to carrying such lightweight that it will become second-nature to just shove it in your pocket when you leave the house. I have carried a J-frame of one flavor or another for well over 30 years. Enjoy!!! Oh, I now stuff mine with Speer GHDP 135-gr for short-barrels in the .38-Special +P load.

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GA Carry member
Vietnam Vet

Well, I've dry fired this thing a LOT since I got it, and the action has smoothed up a bit. Yesterday I received my Wilson Combat spring kit from Midway (they were out of the Wolff, and I didn't want to wait). Took the gun apart and sprayed Gun Scrubber all in the works (it was pretty nasty). Installed the 8 lb. hammer spring and 14 lb. trigger return spring. Coated everything with a light coat of Tetra gun grease and reassembled. The trigger pull is much, MUCH better.

I will reserve final judgement until I can take it to the range again. I'm particularly concerned about light strikes with the lighter hammer spring. If I don't have any problems lighting off various types of ammo, I'll say it's good to go. If I have problems, I'll put the stock hammer spring back in and maybe experiment with the lighter 13 lb. return spring.

Oh yeah, the screws holding down the sideplate were "pre-buggered" from the factory, yet they were only finger tight! Weird.

Try a padded gel glove for practice...it will make shooting much more pleasurable...and you will still be building technique...if you ever need the gun in an emergency, it's only a couple of rounds, and you won't feel a thing anyway.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Rebate check came in the mail today.