Hey all;

About to buy a 442 no lock. The pro series is $20 more, not a difference worth worrying about.

The pro series is cut for moon clips; that's not a feature I'd seek out or care about one way or the other.

Is there any other difference between the two? Is the pro series worked on by the performance center prior to shipping? Is the action better? Anything other than the moon clips?

I'll save the $20 if it's just moon clips.

Personally, I would go Pro Series every time and for the $20 difference it is no contest. I have handled a number of snubbies and in most every case the Pro Series seems to be a bit smoother.
The moonclips with a longish 38sp. cartridge will not be a super fast reload but keeping one loaded makes it easy to pop in and remove quickly when loading or unloading the gun. The plus side, you don't have to use them if you choose.

I've got the 442 Pro. I don't detect any difference in the trigger compared to my "regular" 642. I suspect relieving for the moonclip is the primary, if not only, difference. And the "Pro Series" engraving. Plus the absence of the IL.

Moonclips can be a useful feature, but you have to embrace them, so to speak, to get the value. Moonclips are ammo sensitive -- the extractor groove has to be the right dimension for them to work properly (not all cartridges are the same). Some brands/types of ammo work better (or worse) with some types of moonclips. Moonclips do allow a positive extraction of all rounds together (no rounds caught under the star) and the reload can be faster than any speedloader. When inserted, lead bullets have a higher chance of hanging up on the charge holes than jacketed bullets. But if you carry a spare moonclip of ammo, you have to figure out a way to protect them in your pocket (small carriers are available from TK Custom, or you can use a small pill bottle).

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S&W Rover

gnystrom is correct. For $20, it is no contest. Even if you don't use them, you will be glad you have the option of Moon Clips.

I didn’t have any interest in moonclips, but got a deal on a pro. I’m happy with it. I carry with moonclips loaded and speed strip in pocket. Positive extraction. But also doesn’t allow for partial reload. All or none. Trade off. But, when I unload the gun to store or to go to the range to shoot, my carry rounds stay together nicely while they wait to be reloaded.

Plus side, Gold Dot short barrel rounds clip very positively into the moon clips.

$20, go for it.

Just my opinion, but if they're both in a LGS try them out. Get the one in better shape and/or with a better trigger. If they're the same in both regards, than get the one you want.

Personally, I would get the regular 442, unless the Pro had a significantly better trigger pull. For me, the only advantage to moonclips would be positive extraction, but I've yet to have any extraction issues with my regular 642 (I did have an issue with some bad range ammo with split cases that got stuck in the chambers, but that would've affected moonclips, too).

They may give an advantage in reloading at speed, but I prefer the extra surface area of a speedloader for a more secure grip under stress. Plus if a moonclip gets bent you're done, unless you carry a non-moonclip reload. If I did use moonclips, I'd only use them for the in-gun load and use speedloaders or strips for reloads.

The ammo sensitivity previously mentioned is a concern of mine, too.

I don't do partial/tactical reloads with revolvers so that's a non-issue.

If I were ordering one online, I'd be even more likely to get the regular 442-1.

Again, just my opinion, even though I seem to be the only one with that opinion.

Gonna hafta get ContinentalOp a new hammer; he wears them out hitting nails on the head! IMO, the determining factor seems to be trigger pull/action smoothness. Would be nice to say the more expensive gun gets the nod, but it's not necessarily the case. 442 with serial # xxxx2 might have a fine trigger pull while xxxx3 might have a pull requiring super strength. I always vote against extensive mods for carry guns, yet even I had my 'smith change out the springs on one of my 642s as I found it impossible to shoot accurately. Poster Armorer951 reports recent guns lack proper fitting of action parts.

Trigger pulls on recent Pro and PC J-frames are OK, but nowhere near those of the late, unlamented Wyatt Deep Cover 637s of a few years back. The "Chattanooga" 442PCs of 2015 disappointed me: one of mine required 2 service trips. Again, it comes down to the individual gun.

Re moon clips: I left them in the box of one of my 642 PCs. OK for rimless rounds like .45ACP, but a gimmick in .38 IMO. Carry a 2nd gun before using clips. Hope this helps...

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that Smith’s PC and Pro actions are much to write home about nowadays. If you find one that’s good, wonderful. It’s the exception, not the rule.

Moon clips are great: I use them exclusively in my 1917. However, 1917 clips are very inexpensive and widely available, not sensitive to ammo variations and quite easy to load and unload.

Moon clips for other guns and calibers are expensive, less available, ammo sensitive and not as easy to load and unload: often requiring other gizmos. They’re also not as useful.

A moon clip ready j frame isn’t a bad thing, just not something I’d pay extra for.

If you haven’t already bought. Grabagun has them for $339 and S&W has a $50 rebate on Revolvers thru the end of the year.

Smith and Wesson 442 Performance Center Pro Series Matte Black .38SPL 1.875-inch 5Rd

Thanks for the input so far.

Both guns are no-lock models. I'm ordering online (new), so I won't get a chance to dry fire 'em before buying. It's a get-what-ya-get situation.

The moon clips really do nothing for me. I have no other guns that have them. I was just wondering if "pro series" meant anything besides the cylinder being cut for moon clips.

Thanks, that's where I'm buying from. They have the 442 no lock for $319.

Actually, I own both designs...a no-lock and a PRO series sans lock.

I LIKE the Moon clips...it makes loading easy and UNloading just as easy.

The fact is, a 5-shot revolver is going to run out of bullets pretty quick, so why not have the entire cylinder-full drop out "en bloc" as it were!

The Moon clips making loading fast and easy, and makes ejecting the empty "block" of cases just as fast for a quick Moon clip reload.

I’ve had both. I would absolutely recommend the Pro. The action is better as others have said.

I’m happy with my standard 442s. I dry fired them until the action is smooth. I can Reload with Speed Loaders pretty good. I carry Two J-Frames at a time anyway so probably wouldn’t need to Reload. I must admit I never had or shot a Pro.

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Two Handguns every day

Moonclips are often problematic and more trouble than they are worth and best avoided on a self-defense weapon. If you seek out the opinion of the experts on the topic(guys like Michael de Bethencourt, Grant Cunningham and Massad Ayoob etc.), I think you'll find that most if not all of them agree with me.