442.....how many REALLY get used to the recoil ?

[daddy bear]

My old 42 wears a set of after market S & W banana grips for holster duty, or the original grips for pocket carry. I don't practice a lot with it, just enough to remain confident. I find the 110 grain and even the 95 grain defense loads help with recoil. Wad cutters for pure practice.

My theory on proficiency may run contrary to most. As an example, in the seventies, I was determined to tame the 29. I found a K-22 most helpful, and .44 specials as a gap filler on the way. I used just enough full power loads to retain confidence in my ability to keep the shots in the black at timed fire.

Jack

 

[rwsmith]

That combo isn't a...

That combo doesn't make for fun shooting. Shoot with it just enough to train. In an SD situation most likely only a few shots will be fired and we can 'tough out' the recoil for that. If you want to shoot it and hand load, make something with a little less power full to play with. Or even better, use a gun more suited to the range.

 

[Hapworth]

I've had J-frames -- steel and alloy -- that bugged me in their recoil characteristics, and others that didn't.

Why isn't perfectly clear, but the common denominator with the ones that didn't bug me was they wore factory "fish scale" grips -- slap those on and I have little sense of the recoil "snap" or bite in the web of my hand that I've had with other grips.

I have virtually zero problem with recoil or extended shooting with a 442, and have put most every current, popular defense round through it. I find Gold Dot Short Barrel, Buffalo Bore's standard pressure FBI load and CorBon DPX all fine to shoot, and Hornady's Critical Defense positively pleasant. The only load that I've said no thanks to is Buffalo Bore's +P FBI round; generating low-end .357 numbers, it thumped a bit much.

Everything else, good to go. I love the 442.

 

[OLDSTER]

recoil

I shoot this 642 quite a lot ( 100 rounds a month for an Airweight) with 125 gr. FMJ plinkers, and have fun with it. But I don't enjoy 158 gr. RNL-too much recoil. But I do use the pad of my trigger finger to keep my first knuckle out of the trigger guard or I get rapped pretty hard

 

[shil]

I, too, have a 442-1 but don't shoot it nearly as often as you do yours. Yes, it certainly does begin to sting after a while! Personally, for extended range sessions, I would consider a PAST glove or something similar.

 

[HarrishMasher]

I am sure many have alluded above that the 442 and all other J Frame airweights and airlites are not target pistols. They are really not intended for long range sessions.

I maybe shoot 50 rounds out one of my J frame light weights in a range session. But that does not mean you can't shoot them well. Here is a typical 5 round group at 25 feet out of my M&P340 which only weighs 13.5ozs (1.5ozs lighter than a 442):

 

[M29since14]

Too much in one session, as far as I am concerned. I wouldn't go crazy with this. 50-100 rounds of wadcutters is plenty.

I do like your approach to the stocks issue. A lot of old cops I knew who carried airweights relied on the "rubber-band approach" - not only to aid shooting but also to keep the gun from sliding down their waistband. Not pretty - but it works. My solution was always adding a T-grip to the standard factory stocks - preferably smooth ones (no checkering).

As to the "do you get used to it" - yes, definitely. When I shot my airweights a lot I never thought of recoil. These days, I don't shoot them much and when I pick one up, I do notice it. I blame this on my daughter. I gave her a 442 when she graduated from HS. She complained a lot about recoil, and how much finger strength it took to operate the trigger. I had never thought much about either until she started in.

As Kaaskop49 said, maybe slow down and limit your shooting a bit, concentrating on trying "to learn something from every round fired." That's always a good idea with any type of shooting activity. Inevitably fatigue sets in and the learning/improving process gets derailed.

 

[eb07]

I bought an LCR .357 years ago Much better on recoil with 38+P rounds. Still manageable with 357 rounds.

As for long term durability..... who knows. I do know that I am over 4500 rounds now, it is still going and it is showing some wear now. It is my most carried handgun

 

[ridgewalker]

First congratulations on your determination to get comfortable with your 442.
I agree that lots of practice is the way we get better. I admit I do not know your situation. Perhaps you are in a crime filled area and need to get proficient with your revolver ASAP. But if not, I agree with the advice of many others that you limit the rounds in each session from your 442 to 50 or less. If you want to shoot more that is fine but bring a 22 or other gun that does not transmit the recoil as much to your hand.
My general approach is to shoot lower power ammo for most of my practice and then fire a few higher power rounds just occasionally so I can be familiar with the POI. I try to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible so I can overcome any unconscious tendiencies to flinch.

 

[Mtnfolk325]

Airweights .....

I carried 2" 5 shot revolver as a back-up in Uniform for nearly 20 years, usually shooting 50 rounds through them every quarter. Since I retired in 2001, I have carried a 2" J in my right front pocket in a Mika. Since 2004 that J has been a 83' Production Model 38 No-Dash with the Hogue Boot Grip. I try and shoot 10 rounds of 148 grain WC every range trip. I can shoot it into about an inch at 7 yards in Single Action on a GOOD day .... Most days in Double Action it a fist sized group at 7 yards. BTW, my carry load is a full Wadcutter, currently it is the Buffalo Bore 150 Grain Hard Cast.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I have a Model 642-1 that has a cylinder from a Model 442 that has been modified to accept moon clips. Like Edknn123, I use Crimson Trace LG-405 grips on my Airweight revolvers. However, I DO notice an improvement in recoil absorption using these grips. I use the older, LG-105 grips on my all steel J-frames, as you can see on my Model 60-7. If you look at the photos of my Model 642 and Model 38-0, you can see the extra material along the backstrap of the revolver. This is actually an air pocket or chamber that helps soak up the recoil upon firing. I am also a fan of the laser grips for self defense use.

Regards,

Dave

 

[wrangler5]

+1 for laser grips. I have the LG-405 on a 442, and the longer & fatter LG-305 on a 638. Of the two, I find the 305 to be quite a bit more comfortable to shoot at the range, and it's on the gun I carry the most. I do use a holster, so the extra size isn't a problem. On the rare occasions when I just stick a gun in a pants pocket the smaller, boot grip size 405 does work better.

But as to the original question - the only way I've found the J frames to be REALLY comfortable to shoot a lot is with a Pachmayr Decelerator grip. It's huge, too big to conceal well under all but the largest of my coats. But it's the most cushy grip I've had on any gun. I can shoot a J frame all day with one of those grips, even an airweight.

 

[rwsmith]

That's good shootin'.....

I am sure many have alluded above that the 442 and all other J Frame airweights and airlites are not target pistols. They are really not intended for long range sessions.

I maybe shoot 50 rounds out one of my J frame light weights in a range session. But that does not mean you can't shoot them well. Here is a typical 5 round group at 25 feet out of my M&P340 which only weighs 13.5ozs (1.5ozs lighter than a 442):

No, it doesn't mean they can't shoot. There's a Hickok45 video where he rings a gong at 80 yards several times with a pocket pistol.

 

[Dghost]

The Crimson Trace LG405's definitely made a difference in felt recoil for me. I usually shoot 50 rounds of 130 grain per range session.

 

[Old cop]

I posted yesterday that I ran 100 rounds of 158 grain standard and +P through my 442 and handled the recoil okay, guess I'm used to it (I run this drill regularly). By the time I got home my wrist and hand were sore enough to require some OTC meds, but I'm better today. I run the gun for the first 10 rounds w/standard wood factory grips plus a grip adapter. After that the oversize Pacmayers go on to save my hand. Also, I'm one of those old cops who used a rubber band around the small wood S&W grips, w/a grip adapter, to help keep the gun from slipping down my waistband.

 

[K-framer]

Thanks for all of the responses. It is interesting to note the varying experiences and opinions on things like this.

I have decided that I have probably run the course, for the most part, with initial "training" on my 442. In other words, I don't really see a great need to continue to put lots of rounds through it. I will, however, put SOME rounds through it - each and every time I go to the range. Probably in the neighborhood of 25 rounds or so, each trip. I think that will keep me "current".

 

[Fox4506]

I agree with the other posters that say a lightweight J frame is not a range gun...it wasn't meant to be. They're lightweight for a reason, they're meant to be carried more than they're meant to be shot. And if you do have to shoot someone in a civilian CCW scenario it's probably going to be closer than 7 yards. Most civilian self defense situations are about arms length from what I've ready, and that makes sense to me.

I carry a 642 with Delta grips on it. They are funny looking but they allow me to get all three fingers on the grip which helps with shooting it. I was reluctant to try them at first, but I'm glad I did now. And they're actually thinner than the factory grips which print less in my front pocket, which is how I carry it almost all of the time.

DELTA GRIP? - HANDGUN GRIPS - Products

Fox

 

[texmex]

Borrow a 340 from someone. After you shoot a box of 357s through it, the 442 will feel like an airgun. I have a Heizer Doubletap in 45 acp. Nobody has shot it more than two shoots. It is brutal. After that, my 640 357 mag is like shooting a BB gun.

 

[whitestang]

I have a 442 pro and have no problem with the recoil. It still has the factory grip on it which works well for me. When I shot it I shot 50 to 100 rounds of 130 grain JRN from Winchester. I have shot some +p rounds and they did bark a little.

 

[RABULL]

I own both 442 and 642's...... I hold this handgun a little higher on the backstrap than a normal revolver when shooting it.... These guns are a carry a lot, shoot a little type of revolver. Once you learn how to shoot them you don't forget. I use the Speer 135 +P Short Barreled Gold Dot Load in mine and they work great!!! I use the Uncle Mike Boot Grips on my 442/642's and they work great..............I don't need to shoot 100 rounds at a time to remember how to shoot mine. Just remember what these guns are made for (belly guns) and you will be fine with them.... They are accurate and can be carried just about anywhere...... It would be a sad world without owning a couple of 442's/642's....I won't be giving mine up!!!