A relative has asked me the approximate value of her late husband's S&W 642-2 J frame revolver. I have not personally examined the gun. The serial number is DCK79XX. The gun has only been fired a few times and is believed to be 98-99%. It is a .38 special and +P is stamped on the barrel, is brushed stainless with black rubber type gripes She has the original blue plastic box but not the owners manual. I do not know if the gun has the "Hillary Hole" lock. She would like to have some idea of the date of manufacture and an approximate value. She does not plan to sell the gun. Thanks in advance for any information anyone can supply.

Used to be you could call S&W, provide SN and they would tell you mfg date. Don’tknow if they still do that. As to value….you could search “past sales” for that model on Gunbroker. Lock vs no-luck seems to make a difference. I paid somewhere around $400-500 a few years ago for a great condition no-lock variant on this forum. Great guns…for what they are… a lightweight, very reliable, easily concealable, pretty controllable, but limited capacity decent caliber self defense gun.

My 642-2 is s/n CMW8598, manufactured in 2009. It has the Hillary Hole, so I would assume that your relative's, being manufactured around the same period and after 2002, would as well (Internal Key Lock System introduced in 2002 with the 642-2). According to the "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Ed." (Pg. 491), the DCK prefix revolvers were manufactured around 2008. However, the triple-alpha serial number dating is not always accurate. For example, my CMW8598 is listed in the SCSW 4th Ed. as manufactured in 2012, but I have the original case and paperwork that states 2009. I bought it in 2010 so I know that the SCSW is incorrect. You can still buy new 642-2s for under $550. Anyway, I would think that your relative's 2008 642-2 would be valued around $400, and perhaps $450 with original case and in nearly new condition. I don't know your relative's thoughts on CCW, but the 642-2 makes a great little pocket or purse revolver. Mine is one of my every day carry (EDC) handguns. Hope this helps.

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Thank you both very much for the information. I will pass it on.