640 Pro Series

[Edmo]

Elmo,

I have three questions for you. What is the name of the grips you have installed on your 640 Pro Series? I know nothing about moonclips. Do moonclips interfere with the use of a speedloader. And do those grips interfere with a Safariland Speedloader?

Answers...

1) The grips are made by Altmont and you can see a pic of them here. The reference number about halfway down the page is 2399. You may find them cheaper elsewhere, but the linked page has a good pic and description.

2) Moon clips do not interfere with the use of a speed loader, but rather replace the need for a speed loader. My 640 Pro came with the back of the cylinder machined to accept moon clips. It can be loaded in four ways: With single rounds, with standard speed strips, via a standard speed loader, or with five rounds clipped in a moon clip. The rounds stay secured in the moon clip throughout the process of loading/firing/ejecting. In other words, once the rounds are snapped into the moon clip the rounds and moon clip stay as a single unit until you separate the spent brass from it. The one advantage is a faster reload than with singles and less bulk to carry spare ammo than with a standard speed loader.

3) I don't have a Safariland speed loader, so I'll make a guess based on my HKS speed loaders. Yes, these grips may provide some interference with a speed loader. However, it isn't bad. The slimmer moon clips loaded with 357 rounds seem to drop in with a little jiggle and with shorter 38 Special rounds there is no problem.

OBTW, although I'm quite cute and fuzzy, I go by Edmo not Elmo...

Edmo

 

[Jim1392]

Interesting, Jim. I'm sure the all-stainless construction helps a lot with recoil. What are you shooting in yours that makes it comfortable all day?

When I bought the 640 Pro it was never my intention to shoot 357's out of it regularly. What I wanted was a gun with more weight and less recoil then my 642. My thinking was if I have more control in a SD situation I don't have to use 357's. The more times I can hit my aggressor the less chance he has. I practice with what I carry in it. Right now I'm using Hornaday Critical Defense FTX 110 Grain 38's. I have shot a couple of boxes of 158gr Buffalo Bore ammo out of it also. As far as shooting a 357 round it is a little more snappy. But you are right the stainless steel construction and weight of the Pro helps. When I was carrying and shooting my 642 after a box of ammo I was done. Keep in mind though I'm no spring chicken I'm over 60. So maybe a younger guy can handle the 357's and carry them. It's what you feel the most comfortable with. If you can't hit whats in front of you it doesn't matter what you are carrying.

 

[KF-NYC]

Edom,

Thanks for clearing things up for me and thanks also for the lead to the grip photo. Please excuse my typo on your name.

 

[Edmo]

Edom,

Thanks for clearing things up for me and thanks also for the lead to the grip photo. Please excuse my typo on your name.

Glad I could help.

OBTW, it is Edmo.

Edmo

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

KF-NYC, thanks for the comments. I haven't had a chance to check the forums for a couple of weeks so I'm sorry for the late response.
The weight of the 640Pro makes it easy to shoot anything up to 158gr +P loads for me. The magnums are a handful, though 110gr magnums aren't too bad for about 15 shots or so.
As far as the difference between the barrel lengths of the 640Pro and the 60Pro Series, I'm not sure. Velocities will vary with each individual gun, and could be really close or significantly different depending on the specific guns tested. I would expect to lose somewhere between 25-50FPS with the shorter barrel compared to the 3" barrel, but that's just a guesstimate. I did some research on what works in short (1 7/8") barrels and came up with the FBI load (158gr+P LSWCHP) and the Speer Gold Dot short barrel loads (AKA the New York Load I believe, 135gr+P JHP), so those are what I use. The FBI load hits closest to point of aim, so I stick with that as much as possible. I was using Remington but I understand that they watered the load down when they changed packaging and upped the price, so I'm going to Buffalo Bore when my current stock of older Remington runs out.

 

[Outrider]

Got one!!!!!!

I got one -- and had to pass on the second. It's everything I hoped it would be -- and more. I carry it daily -- everywhere...

It cost more than expected -- but it was more than worth it. The second was $200 less -- but I didn't have the funds that time.

 

[jeeps]

While I was looking for a Pro-640 I came across a early 640-1 that has forged inner's and near NIB for 5 bills.A better made SW for sure.

 

[Budnjax]

nice gun....I bought one about a year ago from a dealer

for $525....like new. Even though it's an all steel gun, firing it with full power full power 158 gr JHP 357 rounds is downright brutal. Proper grips are mandatory.

 

[jeeps]

I shoot the WW 110gr.Personnel defence 357mag load and its a mild in recoil and follow-upshots. %90+stopper.

 

[les.b]

Well, my experience with earlier incarnations of the Centennial style Smiths, plus reading this thread resulted in one following me home yesterday. Saw it at a local feed store/gun shop, used, at a very reasonable price, and the clerk knocked off another $110.00 for cash, how could I resist?



No box, no moon clips, no paperwork, but a really good deal. Looks like new. It's around zero Fahrenheit here now, haven't shot it yet, but will let you know how it does. I like the Centennials, have a first year steel, a 42 no dash, a 340 PD, and an M&P 340. This will make a nice addition to its brothers and sisters.

 

[Packard]

I added a nice red laser grip. Feels very good in the hand. I carry 125 gr. Federals in it. And yes it's a handful. But unlike my 340PD I don't get the feeling that I am doing any permanent damage to my hand.

 

[Walton Feep]

My first revolver. Still love it. I too put laser grips on it.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

The 640 Pro is a Great revolver
It has the nicest sights I ever seen on a snubby J frame & the cylinder cut for moon clips + fully shrouded barrel, It would be hard to find a nicer example..
Only the grips could be improved on.. Thanks To Craig Spegel for these..

 

[les.b]

HEADKNOCKER: I had been thinking about grips along those lines. Beautiful. What kind of wood are those, ebony? I like those a lot. May have found the perfect grip for a very nice revolver. I agree with you that the package is just about perfect, and I have dozens of others to choose from.

So many guns, so little time!!!!

 

[nyeti]

I have two. One with gorgeous Spegel checkered Cocobolo boot grips, the other with the Uncle Mikes version. Basically, one to carry and shoot the heck out of, the other is in custom leather and is the executive version. These are great snubs and work well. I found that the work best with 158 grain loads as far as how the sights are regulated.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

HEADKNOCKER: I had been thinking about grips along those lines. Beautiful. What kind of wood are those, ebony? I like those a lot. May have found the perfect grip for a very nice revolver. I agree with you that the package is just about perfect, and I have dozens of others to choose from.

So many guns, so little time!!!!

Those grips are Macassar Ebony & Craig Spegel only charges $90 for them too.
Get on his list & have a set made--->Craig Spegel - Custom Pistol Grips
I wonder why S&W hasn't gotten with Craig to make a run of Limited Edition revolvers with his killer grips with something along these lines..

BTW I sold that revolver to Old Lawman & figured He'd pop in with a reply & a few pics..

 

[les.b]

Thanks... I went to his website and looked at his designs last night. Beautiful stuff. The ones that you show in the above photo are stunning. I really like the combination of color, medallion and unique checkering! Thanks again for the heads up, and apologies to the OP for thread drift.

 

[326MOD10]

Like les.b, I found myself looking at this old thread and thinking how cool the 640 Pro looks.

Let me just say that my bank account does not like the old threads as much as I do!!!

Just found one on line, new in the box, that will set me back around $720.00 with shipping and transfer fees. I hope it is as cool as it appears and based off the comments I have been reading here, and elsewhere, I don't think I will be disappointed.

This dealer still had 2 in stock so if you are interested send me a PM and I will let you know where. Not sure what the rules are here on that and don't want to break any.

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

I'm kind of surprised that this thread keeps coming back to life and I continue to get likes on it, so thank you all for reading and commenting I still have the 640 Pro, still love it, and carried it all winter in my coat pocket.

 

[les.b]

Well, I see several reasons that the 640 Pro is so well liked by anyone who has had the chance to closely examine one, and shoot it. Mine is stamped 640-1 in the crane. It has no lock. It has a solid stainless frame which is stamped, not etched with the older style four line address on the right side, not the modern laser etching. This an d the lack of lock hole and circular scratch n the left side are an appeal to us older folks who have been buying smiths for decades. It has a "real" barrel, not a composite bbl that is actually screwed into the old fashioned frame the old fashioned way. On top of this, it is factory modified for the moon clips, which you can use or not, depending on your mood. The gun is chambered for 357, but will also handle 38 spl, 38 spl +P, or for that matter, 38 Colt, in a pinch. The arm is heavy for its size, which gives more controllability with snappy ammo. On top of all this, it has tritium night sights, and they are so configured, that even in the daylight, they present a very useful sight picture, with their white outlines around the tritium. The only feature that might give pause to the old time purist are the MIM trigger and hammer, but I think that they are the least objectionable of smith's deviations from old technology. I have never heard of anyone having trouble with any of these parts. My example has an excellent, smooth trigger pull.

What is not to like? The weight is a tad heavy, but I, who was previously carrying an 11 1/2 oz 340 PD, have been carrying my 640 in the same Galco horsehide pocket holster since I got it, and do not notice the difference. I will be surprised if this thread doesn't keep up for awhile longer. This is an exceptional firearm.