Any issues with an older 442?

[Dieseltech56]

Hey guys I stumbled across an older 442 tonight and picked it up. It's got a forged trigger, extractor star pins and the old non-magnum frame with the pressed in cylinder stop stud. The special order code on the box is 4033 so it was made in early 1994.

I threw on some S&W logo boot grips, the original uncle mikes were in pretty bad shape.

Are their any strength or durability issues with these older airweights? What about +P, I'm assuming off limits? It is a really nice gun there was no way I could pass it up.

 

[cmj8591]

I carried one of that vintage for years. I put a lot of +p through it and even more standard stuff. It never had a hiccup. I got rid of it when I bought a 360. Its a great gun and should be plenty durable if you take care of it.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Get a strong light and a magnifying glass and check the frame under the forcing cone for cracks. That seems to be the weak spot for airweight J-frames. If there aren't any cracks, you should be good to go, but you may want to check it every once in a while.

If you're comfortable with disassembling revolvers, you may want to check the hammer stud. I had a 642-1 that broke it's hammer stud after about 1500 rounds (about 500 were +P...the 642-1 is rated for +P). If not, you can have a reputable gunsmith give it an inspection to make sure.

Sticking with standard pressure loads is the safe way to go. Fortunately, there are some good options there.

This is just my opinion, and I'm not an expert on the matter, but if I insisted on using +P ammo for defensive purposes, I would be ok with shooting a cylinder-full or two every once in a while to test function and maintain familiarity, but use standard pressure ammo the rest of the time. +P ammo will accelerate wear, maybe cause some frame stretching. At worst, you might get a frame crack. Some people have fired hundreds, if not thousands, of +P ammo through such guns without issues, while others have ended up with timing issues from frame stretching or even cracked frames. I'm not saying you should never use +P ammo, but if you do these are some things to consider.

ETA: One more thought...it's a blued gun, so obviously preventative maintenance is recommended to prevent corrosion, but that applies to any blued gun.

 

[-db-]

That's one of the good ones. Nice find.

 

[JayFramer]

Better than the new 442s by FAR.

You've a gem, run some rounds through it to make sure all is well, and carry with confidence. They don't make 'em like they used to!

 

[kthom]

All the usual checks apply, of course. I can tell you that I bought on shortly after they were released for sale and my wife promptly claimed it! It has had probably close to 8000 rounds fired through it, and probably a third of those were +P rounds. We have had zero issues with the revolver. Still looks good and shoots good!

 

[Doug627]

I always wanted an Oldsmobile 442.

 

[woodsltc]

Better than the new 442s by FAR.

^^^^^^^That's my opinion also.

Don

 

[rich5674]

Why?

Better than the new 442s by FAR.

You've a gem, run some rounds through it to make sure all is well, and carry with confidence. They don't make 'em like they used to!

What's better about the old 442s? My late model 442 is +p rated and has a few hundred of those and a few more standard velocity with no sign of use.

 

[Dieseltech56]

I've wanted a 442 for a while now, hard to believe this one is 25 years old. No idea they've been around that long

 

[kthom]

Mine will be 26 YOA in December of this year! It is hard to believe that. Lots of water has passed under the bridge in that period of time, eh?

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I have a BRU prefix 442 like yours. It has been shot a lot and carried a lot. I would not trade it for a brand new one.

 

[wrangler5]

I carried a 442 for several years. I used an IWB holster, and found that unless I opened the cylinder and wiped the inside of the yoke with a silicone cloth every night, I would start to get rust spots on that inside surface within a couple of days. Barrel and cylinder never showed a problem, but when I would swing the cylinder out there would be tiny dots of moisture on the yoke surface that rests against the frame.

Maybe I'm just super sweaty, but I've never had a hint of a similar problem with any of the stainless guns I've been carrying since. And I never wipe them down.

 

[NCBeagle]

I really like the older "no dash" 442 and 642. In fact, I accumulate them. It's sort of like collecting Honda Accords, or the like. They are not flashy. Just reliable, practical, and classic...with no lock, forged internals, old style frame lug / regular J Frame. The matte nickel 442 and clear anodized 642 are quite attractive. The original black / blue 442 appears looks good too. Also, they have the sort of wide, smooth faced triggers that I prefer. Durable finish.

I'll get them together for a group photo this weekend. Great guns.

 

[Dieseltech56]

Here's some pics with the grips that are supposed to be on the gun.