New pre MIM 442 no dash

I've lurked here for awhile however I have not posted yet. I own a pile of Smith and Wessons all purchased new since about 1980 or so. I've gravitated towards semi autos in recent years but I've "rediscovered" my J frames for carry. I currently own an unfired 1966 production model 37 (my dad's), an unfired 342PD and a recently purchased 642 which I've shot the heck out of the past three months.

I just purchased a pre MIM 442 which I had intended to give to my wife as her carry gun. I believe that this is a 1993 to early 1994 production model SER #BRB69XX. It has the firing pin retainer pin through both sides of the frame, old style cylinder release, pinned in cylinder frame lug and forged hammer and trigger.

It is NIB and absolutely unfired and NO wear marks anywhere; this gun looks more unmolested than the brand new 642 I bought a few months ago! When I say no wear marks...I mean NONE anywhere, including inside the frame-pins, sideplate...everything!

My question is that this is obviously a pre J magnum frame and, as such, is not suitable for +p rounds? Also, does the production year sound correct? Is there anything about this gun which would have me NOT give it to my wife as a carry gun? I can simply purchase a new one if there is something about this particular model which I should keep as new. Also, there is an "XL" overstamped on top of another number on the left side bottom of the grip frame. None of my other revolvers have anything like this all just having the usual assembly reference marks and numbers. Does anyone know what this might be?


Thanks in advance

Gary

Welcome! I think you have the ship date about right.

It is true the early 442s were not +P rated from the factory, but if you use them sparingly for practice and mostly with standard pressure loads otherwise I think it will last a long time.

We like photos, in case you haven't noticed . Enjoy!

Welcome aboard and please post pix of all those j frames.
Sounds like an interesting collection.

Absolute travesty that you posted this without pics.

Garintheair said:

I've lurked here for awhile however I have not posted yet. I own a pile of Smith and Wessons all purchased new since about 1980 or so. I've gravitated towards semi autos in recent years but I've "rediscovered" my J frames for carry. I currently own an unfired 1966 production model 37 (my dad's), an unfired 342PD and a recently purchased 642 which I've shot the heck out of the past three months.

I just purchased a pre MIM 442 which I had intended to give to my wife as her carry gun. I believe that this is a 1993 to early 1994 production model SER #BRB69XX. It has the firing pin retainer pin through both sides of the frame, old style cylinder release, pinned in cylinder frame lug and forged hammer and trigger.

It is NIB and absolutely unfired and NO wear marks anywhere; this gun looks more unmolested than the brand new 642 I bought a few months ago! When I say no wear marks...I mean NONE anywhere, including inside the frame-pins, sideplate...everything!

My question is that this is obviously a pre J magnum frame and, as such, is not suitable for +p rounds? Also, does the production year sound correct? Is there anything about this gun which would have me NOT give it to my wife as a carry gun? I can simply purchase a new one if there is something about this particular model which I should keep as new. Also, there is an "XL" overstamped on top of another number on the left side bottom of the grip frame. None of my other revolvers have anything like this all just having the usual assembly reference marks and numbers. Does anyone know what this might be?


Thanks in advance

Gary

Click to expand...

Use standard 38 ammo for practice, and +P for familiarization and carry, and it will last a couple of lifetimes. +P ammo is just not that hot. If you really want to shoot like an old-timer, get some Buffalo Bore 38 "Outdoorsman." From their web site:

"This load is safe to shoot in all 38SPL and 357 magnum firearms of modern design that are in normal operating condition. In the super lightweight alloy revolvers (around 11-12 oz.) the bullet will not jump crimp under recoil provided you do not subject an unfired round to more than 5 or 6 firings. In all steel guns, even short barreled ones, crimp jump is not an issue as the all steel snub nosed revolvers are much heavier than the alloy versions."

As to the grip frame marking, I have no idea.

The gun won't be all that pleasant to shoot with +P .38 Special ammo--its light weight won't absorb recoil very well. But the idea of shooting standard pressure for practice and carrying +P has a lot to recommend it, and there are some quite good standard-pressure defensive loads. One is the Buffalo Bore standard-pressure 158-grain LSWSCHP which has been chronographed at +P velocity but is safe to use in any Smith revolver. Still not a light-kicking round, but reportedly a very good one.

Thank you for the replies! LOL. I guess I should have known that pictures are obligatory; I'll take some and post tonight or tomorrow.

I'm still not sure if I should give this gun to my wife, though, given that it is like new in every way! I decided not to give her the last four guns I bought for her for various reasons...

I did pick up some Buffalo Bore 158 LSWCHP, too, although I haven't fired any yet. This seems like a good load as I'm from the 'Nyclad era' for snubbies. I'm definitely not recoil sensitive as I've been shooting my 642 with +p exclusively; I cut my teeth on .41 magnum and 10 mm originally.

I guess that I am starting to get a pretty cool 'collection' although I've never thought of it this way as I simply bought what I liked as I went along through the years. I have all of the guns which I bought new over the years having never had a reason to sell or trade any of them. In addition to the J frames I originally listed I have two 4" no dash model 57's, one no dash 6" 657, and one no dash 4" 686 with M mod. Although this is a revolver forum I also have two 1076's, three M&P 40c's and a Bodyguard .380. These are only the S&W I have; there are at least that many more in "off brands..." :O not to mention the variety of rifles and shotguns!

Gary

attn Garintheair

Thanks for posting. Belated welcome aboard the Forum! From the description of your collection, you really know about great guns, don't you!

Good shooting!

Kaaskop49
J-hound extraordinaire

Thank you all for the advice and the welcomes! As "anonymous" as our online presence has become this is one board which stands out above the rest as being welcoming and informative!

I am far from an expert-or a collector for that matter-however I have always gravitated towards guns which are unique for what they are. It took me a long time to even consider a "plastic" gun but I've found my 40c's to be the best compromise, for me, for carry/capacity/conceal ability/reliability.

Hailing from the quickly degrading state of NY we have been a bit hamstrung with magazine capacity; or, more accurately, hamstrung with disconnected moronic narcissistic boisterous flaming liberal drama queen politicians...

...oops...sorry...

My first handgun purchase was actually a model 25-5, which I put on layaway as I couldn't afford to pay the high $200's price tag all at once at the time. The gun shop where I purchased it also had a new model 57 which they couldn't seem to get rid of. When I went in to make my second payment the owner asked if I would be interested in it instead of the 25-5. I remember to this day the $199.95 he would sell it to me for. As it was still a blue 4" N frame, and I didn't know anything at the time, I said yes and put that one on layaway instead. This gun came with the walnut presentation box, tools and I was given the original shipping box, too! I should have bought both of them knowing what I know now....

That was my first carry gun, too, and I shot it so much with full power jacketed loads that I literally shredded the forcing cone! I sent the gun back to S&W for a factory re-barrel and I had them install a smooth target trigger and matched hammer to replace the grooved target trigger which rubbed my finger raw while shooting. I then sought out a second model 57 just in case I ended up wearing the first one out; this second one I have yet to fire. I quickly learned that cast reloads were much more gentle on the barrels.

If you can imagine carrying concealed a 4" N frame in NY you would understand how thrilled I was to get a night sighted 1076 as my daily carry gun! I thought I was in heaven with this gun in an Alessi IWB holster! Disregard the fact that both guns weighed more than my blender and were nearly as bulky, to boot... I bought 15 mags and two different factory grips for the 1076 thinking that this was going to be the end all of carry guns for me. The rest, as they say, is history.

Just like cell phones from that era, my carry guns have been shrinking ever since. As I left the era where I had to put my purchases on layaway I started buying what caught my eye as I went along.

Ok, now that I've highjacked my own thread...back to the 442 which I should be taking a picture of!

Gary

Pre MIM 442 pictures

Pictures failed! I think that the file sizes are too large. I took quite a few last night; should I just post them to Photobucket or something like that?

Gary

Garintheair said:

Pictures failed! I think that the file sizes are too large. I took quite a few last night; should I just post them to Photobucket or something like that?

Gary

Click to expand...

Yes, posting them to Photobucket usually cures the file size issue.

Pre MIM 442 pictures

https://plus.google.com/photos/1026...ms/5921314583851371937?authkey=CLDM6sWv6_mkIA

Finally got pictures working!

The photo link should work now! I don't know why it didn't work before, though.

I took pictures before and after taking this 442 apart for check and lube. The inside of the frame was exactly as you see in the pictures! No gunk and a light coating of an amber colored oil. I was surprised at how smooth the inside of the frame was, especially where the rebound slide rides. This is an area which normally needs to wear in on my other guns but the black coating gave this one an almost porcelain smooth feel. I lightly oiled the inside of the frame and pivot pins and also gave the rebound slide a light coat of white lithium grease. This trigger is exceptional for a J frame.

Still give it to my wife for a purse gun or get her something a little more "pre-marred?"

Gary

Uh oh...

...no replies? Were my posts too long...?

Here's your reply! Give your wife the 442? Does she want it? Can she shoot it effectively? It's your call, the both of you. I attended NASJF (the Noah's Ark School of J-Frames). One is good, two are better, a basketful is best. Get another one. Or two.

I love Js. If S&W made one from milk chocolate, I would have to buy it. But then I would want one made from dark chocolate, one with almonds... Let me stop.

Kaaskop49
J-hound extraordinaire

Use a good quality factory load of a 158 gr SWC standard velocity and you will not go wrong. The short barrel will usually not provide velocity to open up a HP unless you go to a load like Hornady Critical Defense, or Critical Duty, or Buffalo Bore. And as mentioned above you can use the standard loads for training and the +P for packing. I prefer to use the same exact load for both. I can assure you the standard 158 gr SWC will do the job for SD/HD.

Im using the hornady 158 hp in non+P in my 37. I punch the hp out just a tad deeper but this round seems to hit with authority. Got a nice video on this round on You tube and it seems to hit the Gell real hard and cause a lot of damage. Very Deep penetration which I am more comfortable with.

Well, I think this one falls into the "using" (as opposed to collecting) category. See how she gets along with it by live fire and carry; if she decides she doesn't like it you can always put it in the safe.

This is one of the later pre-lock 442s; the earlier ones had a nice polished blue, but you can see they did a nice finishing job on the internals.

Ok, done; I'll give it to my wife. As we've been together now for 27 years...should I give it to her this Christmas...or wait until our 50th anniversary.....? I suppose that I could load it, shrink wrap it, place it in a nylon holster and sew the top shut for her purse carry. If she really needed to use it I guess I would be ok with her tearing open the package and possibly scratching the finish...



She has become an excellent shot with nearly all of my guns tactical long arms included. She should do well with the J frame with enough practice.

I don't feel that this gun has any collector value although it really is perfect in all respects and I have this thing about keeping most of my guns as new as possible. I haven't fired it yet, either, but I might do so this week-in which case it just becomes another non virgin gun. I have four J frames now and my 642 has become my daily carry gun which, by the way, I originally purchased for my wife as I carried an M&P 40C. I haven't told her yet, though....

As an aside none of my S&W revolvers has a lock. I absolutely refuse to even consider one so disfigured! Call me traditional, I guess...

Thanks for the input!

Gary

Ok, I "gave" my wife this 442 for her birthday last week! She can't carry it until she gets it on her permit, however.

But....

...I found a new no lock 442 today....and I know that she won't know the difference...

I might just pick this gun up tomorrow the more that I think about. Latest question; how many J frames are too many...?