myanof
Member
Now that the 442(blue) sells for the same price as the 642(stainless) I am wondering which one most of you prefere. I have heard more negatives about the 642 finish than the 442. Thanks for your input.
642 VS 442
- Thread starter myanof
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
My preference for the 442 is based solely on the fact that I prefer the dark color over the SS 642 and its reflectiveness. I think either would probably be a good choice.
The sights are hard for me to see on the 642. The 442 is better but not perfect. I'm not too crazy about red ramp sights, but if I had a 442 I would probably have one installed.
sipowicz
Member
I would go with the 442....although mine is now chromed due to some pitting on the cylinder...but if I had to do it all over again, I'd forego the red ramp...doesn't really make much of a difference on a belly gun and mine is back in the shop having a new one put in...Never had a problem with a factory Smith ramp but aftermarket ramps seem to pop out quite a bit...
D
Dr. Zero
442. Prefer the dark color, esp. for concealed carry. Less likely to be noticed should your shirt pull up, esp. if you are dressed in dark colors. Having said that I recently bought a 642 because it was $100 less than the 442 on the peg next to it. (Both Brand Spanking New.) Go figure. Used to pay extra for stainless, not any more! I got a new 642 for $330. For my daughter. For myself I'm thinking a Mod. 37 or Mod 36LS. I know the hammerless makes tons of sense but i just like the classic looks. Tough call between the steel and the alloy. I like to shoot my guns and the steel is just way nicer for that, plus bluing and wood grips. But the 15oz weight is just amazing ! Choices, choices.
nitesite
Member
Four times I've been offered an even trade (twice at the range and twice in a gun shop) to swap my no-dash 442 for a 642.
I never considered any of their offers and I'm glad I have kept my 442.
I never considered any of their offers and I'm glad I have kept my 442.
JohnK
US Veteran
I traded my 442 years ago, as I noticed almost immediate wear on the blueing when carried.
Got a 642, and another one for my gal, and have had NO issues, as I read about on wear for the "later" editions of the 642.
Mine are at least 8 yrs old, carried daily, and none of the peeling/wear I read about.
I do have a couple of 617's (.22's) that have the worst/thinnest anodizing I've seen on any aluminum product in my life. I'm down to bare aluminum on many parts of the gun, and even that seems unusally soft.
Shame on S & W.
Got a 642, and another one for my gal, and have had NO issues, as I read about on wear for the "later" editions of the 642.
Mine are at least 8 yrs old, carried daily, and none of the peeling/wear I read about.
I do have a couple of 617's (.22's) that have the worst/thinnest anodizing I've seen on any aluminum product in my life. I'm down to bare aluminum on many parts of the gun, and even that seems unusally soft.
Shame on S & W.
Harry58
Member
What is the difference between the 442 & the 642? On the S&W website the 442 is listed as all alloy, while the 642 is listed as alloy/stainless. Does the 642 have a stainless barrel & cylinder? They are both listed at 15 oz.
HEADKNOCKER
Member
I prefer the 442 to the 642 as well..
I sold my 642 & just aquired a New 442..
I like the stealthy finish over the clear coat on the 642..
Also the Cylinder & barrel are Stainless on the 642 & Carbon Steel on the 442..
I always clean mine up after carry if it get wet from persperation & don't think rust on the cylinder & barrel will ever be a problem..
sipowicz your early/pre lock 442 looks great & you got a hell of a deal on it too!!
What did Horrace Booth @ Ford's charge you to Hard Chrome it? As you know He did Great Work On My HK P7M8..
I have a piece of Flouresent Orange pistripe tape on my front sight blade, It realy helps to pick it up..
I wonder why S&W doesn't have orange sight inserts on the 642/442?
The 442s is in my pocket now
I sold my 642 & just aquired a New 442..
I like the stealthy finish over the clear coat on the 642..
Also the Cylinder & barrel are Stainless on the 642 & Carbon Steel on the 442..
I always clean mine up after carry if it get wet from persperation & don't think rust on the cylinder & barrel will ever be a problem..
sipowicz your early/pre lock 442 looks great & you got a hell of a deal on it too!!
What did Horrace Booth @ Ford's charge you to Hard Chrome it? As you know He did Great Work On My HK P7M8..
I have a piece of Flouresent Orange pistripe tape on my front sight blade, It realy helps to pick it up..
I wonder why S&W doesn't have orange sight inserts on the 642/442?
The 442s is in my pocket now
S/W - Lifer
Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2005
- Messages
- 375
- Reaction score
- 5
I'll vote for the 642. If the 442 has blue steel parts it has the potential to rust and corrode.
For a person that shoots on a range and cleans their gun thereafter, it may not be a problem.
Mine get carried on the job. In the same week my gun (Model 19 2.5 inch) was in the Alaskan arctic and the Bahamas. In one 8 hour shift of sweating in a suit my revolver has rusted to the point of leaving a noteable stain on my white shirt. On another day several of us had to swim 50 yards to shore from a boat, Model 19's held high in the air with one hand, stroking with the other. They ended up with a freshwater rinse and a spray of WD-40.
Stainless & alloy is a handy mix on a working gun.
For a person that shoots on a range and cleans their gun thereafter, it may not be a problem.
Mine get carried on the job. In the same week my gun (Model 19 2.5 inch) was in the Alaskan arctic and the Bahamas. In one 8 hour shift of sweating in a suit my revolver has rusted to the point of leaving a noteable stain on my white shirt. On another day several of us had to swim 50 yards to shore from a boat, Model 19's held high in the air with one hand, stroking with the other. They ended up with a freshwater rinse and a spray of WD-40.
Stainless & alloy is a handy mix on a working gun.
I personally don't like alloy guns (I never have really warmed up to the airweight, airlite, and whispylite revolvers's) I prefer that my guns be made out of steel. Since the handiness of the lightweight J-frame's can't be denied, I do own ONE. Mine is a 642-1, one with .38+P on the barrel, (some of the earlier built dash 1's don't have the +P marking) and I have never (knock on wood) had any finish problems with mine, at least yet
.
It has a stainless cylinder, barrel and yoke. I used some gloss orange model paint and painted the front sight and used matte black in the rear notch, it helped alot, and was considerably less expensive than to try and have a RR sight installed on the thin barrel, and it works for me.
I really do like the dark (kinda stealthy) look of the 442, but have wondered about the ability of the bluing to stay on the aluminum alloy frame, if the revo is carried alot. Smith's bluing isn't what it used to be. Some of the newer ones I have seen look like they were spray painted with some type of black paint.
Troy.
It has a stainless cylinder, barrel and yoke. I used some gloss orange model paint and painted the front sight and used matte black in the rear notch, it helped alot, and was considerably less expensive than to try and have a RR sight installed on the thin barrel, and it works for me.
I really do like the dark (kinda stealthy) look of the 442, but have wondered about the ability of the bluing to stay on the aluminum alloy frame, if the revo is carried alot. Smith's bluing isn't what it used to be. Some of the newer ones I have seen look like they were spray painted with some type of black paint.
Troy.
Harry58
Member
I'm with Wheelgunner on this one. I am not a big fan of alloy guns. However, I am considering one as my 2 inch M60 is a bit heavy for pocket carry.
JT
Member
I've never really considered my 442-1 a blued gun. It has more of a black coating that reminds me of Walter Birdsong's Black-T. I find it to be very durable as my gun looks like new after years of CCW.
sipowicz
Member
I paid 100 bucks to have my 442 hard chromed...that was about 3 years ago...but even back then it was a deal...I guess Larna at Ford's gave me a deal because of all the business I brought them from the P7 forum...not sure what it would run today but they do give a law enforcement dscount...my P7 was only 120 with 3 mags back then....
HEADKNOCKER
Member
I paid a little more, Not much though, & had my SIG P229s Lasermax switch & extra 357 SIG Barrel done as well..
Plus they also installed my New Meprolites, It was a bargain!! Took a while but realy you can't rush em..
That's a sweet lookin revolver DD..
That was off topic but my 442s Finish also resembles the Birdsong T Finish except for the barrel crane & cylinder which are a dark black blueing..
My 442 is my Go Everywere Piece, I might look into a 640 but it wouldn't get carried as much as the Airweight. Besides I have two Ruger SP101s as well..
Headknocker
Plus they also installed my New Meprolites, It was a bargain!! Took a while but realy you can't rush em..
That's a sweet lookin revolver DD..
That was off topic but my 442s Finish also resembles the Birdsong T Finish except for the barrel crane & cylinder which are a dark black blueing..
My 442 is my Go Everywere Piece, I might look into a 640 but it wouldn't get carried as much as the Airweight. Besides I have two Ruger SP101s as well..
Headknocker
Originally posted by sipowicz:
I paid 100 bucks to have my 442 hard chromed...that was about 3 years ago...but even back then it was a deal...I guess Larna at Ford's gave me a deal because of all the business I brought them from the P7 forum...not sure what it would run today but they do give a law enforcement dscount...my P7 was only 120 with 3 mags back then....
Your 442 looks great. Actually that's the way S&W should be selling them, hard chromed and no internal lock. I might buy one if they did that. At worst case, no lock.
I always thought the 442 was stainless with an alloy frame and a black finish. Is it really carbon steel instead of stainless?
