642 Performance center enhanced action

ranger1202 · Mar 12, 2017

I was searching for the right gun for my wife to carry in her car (and purse at times) and felt like she needed a j frame. Her father bought her a few small and medium size pistols that she never felt comfortable with. She's small and has dainty hands so I wanted to get something with a slicked up action that was hopefully light enough where she wouldn't pull shots. I really liked the looks of the 642PC EA and thought if she didn't like it i'd be up one real nice pocket gun. Well, she did and she can shoot it lights out (pics attached are her first 5 shots @ 7 yds). This is not the newest model (moon clips and rubber/wood grips) but the one with basketweave grips and the infamous internal lock. I couldn't find a lot of info prior to purchasing it about what exactly has been done to the action and if it was in fact lighter or enhanced. Well, it is and it has. In my opinion the additional $70 is money well spent compared to a normal 642.

armorer951 · Mar 12, 2017

PC changes include a Wolff 8lb mainspring, and a lighter Wolff rebound spring. Total cost $ 7.80

MichiganScott · Mar 12, 2017

FWIW, it's easier to pull shots with a lighter gun than a heavier one. Think about it. You are pulling, say 8lbs., against a 14 oz pistol vs. a 22 oz pistol. The lighter one will offer less resistance.

Looks like your wife found a gun that she simply finds easier to shoot. Congratulations.

ranger1202 · Mar 12, 2017

armorer951 said:
PC changes include a Wolff 8lb mainspring, and a lighter Wolff rebound spring. Total cost $ 7.80

In parts. Add in the labor to have a someone who knows what he's doing install, time in taking it to someone, and the wood grips and it's worth the extra $. To me at least..

ranger1202 · Mar 12, 2017

MichiganScott said:
FWIW, it's easier to pull shots with a lighter gun than a heavier one. Think about it. You are pulling, say 8lbs., against a 14 oz pistol vs. a 22 oz pistol. The lighter one will offer less resistance.

Looks like your wife found a gun that she simply finds easier to shoot. Congratulations.

Agreed. I meant trigger pull weight. Lighter trigger = less likely to jerk and affect accuracy.

revolver686 · Mar 12, 2017

Nice gun. My wife really likes her Performance Center enhanced action 637.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

photoman · Mar 12, 2017

armorer951 said:
PC changes include a Wolff 8lb mainspring, and a lighter Wolff rebound spring. Total cost $ 7.80

If I send my gun in for the enhanced action work, all they do is change the springs?

Bill In Texas · Mar 12, 2017

Congratulations! That's a nice 642!

AZretired · Mar 12, 2017

My 642 has a great action and all I've ever done to it is shoot it (a lot) and clean it.

armorer951 · Mar 12, 2017

I'm not sure what the "enhancement" package includes. The J-frame PC guns I've worked on in the past two or three years have contained a slightly lighter Wolff mainspring and rebound spring. I haven't noted any additional modifications or internal action changes or improvements.

The "Master Revolver Action Package" is $165, and includes the following...... Trigger Stop, Chamfer Charge Holes, Polish Rebound Spring, Hammer Stud and Yoke Barrel Bosses, Detail Lockwork Surfaces, Stone Hammer and Trigger Contact Areas, Test Fire for Function.
I'm not sure if the J-frames are eligible for this particular package though.

jouesdeveau · May 24, 2017

I just bought a PC 642-2 Enhanced Action, and the thing that impressed me most about the trigger pull was that it was absolutely CONSTANT throughout the entire length of trigger travel-- no stacking, "humps", bumps, etc. For me, this affects my ability to maintain a nice steady sight picture than whatever the actual WEIGHT of the pull might be.

gnystrom · May 24, 2017

Nice choice and even better shooting. You you can play around with the action yourself and equal or surpass that of the performance center work but then you have a carry gun that "somebody dinged with" if you ever wind up in (god forbid) court. The $70 upcharge for the grips and action work is cheap insurance and obviously your wife can handle that gun.

The lock is no big deal and moon clips in that gun will insure a positive ejection of the first five rounds fired but will also prevent you from the lost art of topping off a gun with just a couple of rounds fired. Speedloading a thin moonclip full of wobbly 38's in a hurry can be a very dicey proposition.
In my opinion you did good sir.

jouesdeveau · May 24, 2017

BTW-- On quality machining: PC 642-2 Enhanced Action.
The gap between forcing cone and cylinder is 0.003"

kaaskop49 · May 24, 2017

There are a couple of 642PC models out there: I had to buy both (You know me!

). The actions are smoother than the standard models I handle in my LGS, yet still not the equal of my Wyatt 637 PC snubs of a few years back.

If only the PC had done a better job with their 442 Pinto model produced for Chattanooga Shooting Supplies. Not terribly happy with my 2 and one is back at S&W for the 2nd time.

BTW, OP, you have a very nice gun there! Good shooting.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

ABPOS · May 24, 2017

Beautiful snubby. Beautiful shooting. Tell your wife I'm impressed and would like her to get my wife to that level. Or shoot at all for that matter.

I would say the extra money was worth it too. My 442 trigger pull is heavy. I've thought about putting in an APEX kit, but I think I'm going to just keep dry firing it. It has gotten lighter, and smoother. Maybe not a ton lighter. But I can tell some. Hopefully it will go from 13# to 12# eventually.

I agree with the other guy that says the constant pull helps. Despite my trigger being around 13#, I don't shoot it all that bad and I think if it stacked much, my accuracy would suffer.

I did do something about 2 months ago that helped too. I let a few drops of CLP dribble into the insides from the space where the trigger comes out. I really think it helped do some smoothing out.

sdb321 · May 25, 2017

I just got my 640 Pro Series back form the Sand Burr Gun Ranch. To have a revolver "worked over" by a S&W armor is priceless. Denny has been to the S&W school 3 times learning the trade. He is amazing. The revolver feels totally different. What I'm trying to say is that having a "action job" performed is well worth the money!!!!

Eagle1* · May 26, 2017

Nice gun, I am glad you like it. I am thinking of getting one of these to go with my other 2, 642's.... Problem is they are getting harder to find locally for me...

creekman · Sep 27, 2017

S & W tells me that the enhanced 642 reduces trigger pull by 20%....to about 8-9. I have one ordered for concealed carry

jouesdeveau · Sep 27, 2017

Yes: 8~9 lbs is about the trigger pull on my PC 642-2 AND very smooth and consistent throughout the entire length of the pull

creekman · Oct 2, 2017

642 enhance action

got mine 3 days ago...like the trigger pull, but first thing I did after firing it once was put Hogue rubber grips on....much better, feel less recoil and shoot better

642 Performance center enhanced action

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