Choices, Choices. Which S&W J frame for CCW

[Deek]

I am doing some research for a friend of mine. Her husband will leave for Iraq soon and after listening to me "preach" to her about purchasing a gun for so long, she has agreed. I will take her to the range and let her shoot my 642 (I like the shrouded hammers and she could care less.) I went to the S&W website and saw a 438 Bodyguard, 442, 638 and the 642. Too many choices! They all seem to have similar tech specs, so what is the difference?

Of course, I tried to tell her she needs more than one gun.

 

[Deek]

I am doing some research for a friend of mine. Her husband will leave for Iraq soon and after listening to me "preach" to her about purchasing a gun for so long, she has agreed. I will take her to the range and let her shoot my 642 (I like the shrouded hammers and she could care less.) I went to the S&W website and saw a 438 Bodyguard, 442, 638 and the 642. Too many choices! They all seem to have similar tech specs, so what is the difference?

Of course, I tried to tell her she needs more than one gun.

 

[GatorFarmer]

The 642 features a stainless cylinder and has a nickel finish (somewhat prone to wear) applied over the alloy frame. It is DAO. The 442 is the same gun with a blued cylinder and a dark finish over the alloy frame. Current versions are +P rated. If you browse the Classifieds, several retailers have models w/o the IL in stock.

The 638 has a shroud over the hammer, but it can still be cocked for SA fire. It has a stainless cylinder and alloy frame with nickel plating over it to make it match. A 438 would be the same gun in blue/dark finish.

Either will be light and easy to conceal, but might be a bit snappish and hard to use for a novie handgun buyer.

The sideplate should be removed from time to time and the crud cleaned out of a 638 or similar shrouded hammer gun. Otherwise lint and misc crap tends to accumulate.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Deek,

My suggestion would be to take her to a range with a good selection of rental guns. Then, she'll be able to try before she buys. By the way, my wife was very leery of any of my handguns until I added Lasermax grips to my J frames. This seems to give her a lot more confidence in her abilities.

Best of luck,

Dave

 

[Randyc]

Handguns and the way we carry them are very personal things. I agree with the above post. Take her to the range where she can handle and shoot several different pistols. She will choose the one she's comfortable with. Maybe she will even become a shooter for life.
Best wishes.

 

[elcruisr]

You really want to make sure she's happy with an alloy J Frame before purchasing. Let's face it, their snappy recoil turns some people off. Might want to let her try a Ruger SP101 if they have one to rent. A little less snap, especially with .38's. If it's just a house gun a 4" barrel would be even better. Also a set of after market grips that fit her hand better might also help.

Oh, GatorFarmer, the 638 is not nickel plated. It's a silver anodizing with a clear coat. They don't wear particularly well but that doesn't prevent the gun from going bang! Mine looks like hell from years of carry but I might just have it refinished one of these days...

 

[flop-shank]

Great advice given above.

If she's going to shoot an alloy J frame and isn't experienced, start her out shooting target wadcutters.

 

[BarbC]

Deek, aren't you in Norfolk?

Go down to Bob's and he'll let you shoot anything you want to try.

 

[Lee in Quartzsite]

I would strongly suggest that your friend start off with a .22 and then move up to larger calibers. My wife has shot all kinds of guns, including 1911 .45's, but she hates to shoot my 642 because it hurts her hand more than any other gun. The worst thing for a new shooter is to shoot a gun with a load bang that also causes discomfort. That will lead to flinching and shooting with closed eyes...not a good thing. Just my $0.02......

 

[Captain38]

The sideplate should be removed from time to time and the crud cleaned out of a 638 or similar shrouded hammer gun. Otherwise lint and misc crap tends to accumulate.

I agree with everything else you've said EXCEPT this part!

I've carried MY M38 in a Kramer pocket holster and it's NOT had its sideplate removed since I had Walter Birdsong apply his Black-T finish to mine some ten (10) years ago.

All I do is use some of that canned air you use on computer keyboards, etc., to blow excess lint away from the hammer and extractor star areas.

 

[ACP230]

Will she be carrying concealed, or using it as a house gun?

If it isn't for carrying a three or four-inch K-frame might be better than a snubnose.
I have been shooting and carrying M649s and M38s for years but still find I often shoot a K-frame better.

There are some deals still availabe on police turn-in K-frames.

 

[indiandave]

You didn't say if the gun would be for ccw or home defence. If she really wants a j frame have her look at the model 60. It weighs about a half a pound more than the 642. It would be easier to shoot. For a home defence gun something like a K or L frame would be better. In the end she will be the one shootng the gun. Let her try different guns until she finds the one she is most comfortable with.

 

[Deek]

I can always count on lots of info / opinions from my forum family.
Okay, as the title states, she does want if for carry, but home also. I did explain to her she would be better off with two, one for home and one for carry. She will understand this once she has to remember to always take her gun out of her purse to put in her nightstand. Personally, I have a 642 in my purse (if I carry on my person, I carry my Model 60 IWB), The Judge in the junk drawer in the kitchen, a riot style shotgun in the hallway and a shotgun and .357 in the bedroom. When I sit and watch TV in the living room, my .45 is on the end table next to my iced tea. But, that is just me. My husband is in Afghanistan now, but this is normal procedure when he is here too.
So, until she gets excited about this hobby too, we will just have to start her with a CCW. At dinner last nigh she asked me if I had ever shot someone. I said, heck no, nor do I ever want to; I would never be able to get that experience out of my head. She seems to think, and I am sure this is a common thought for some people, not just women, that if you own a gun, much less a lot of guns, you want to shoot someone. She actually said, “Why are you so blood thirsty?” I never saw combat in the Army (not likely a woman would while I was in) and I, thankfully, have not had to defend myself. For me, that is not what owning a gun and shooting is all about (I don’t have to explain that to you guys.) I hope she will see this when we go to the range. Yes, I will let her shoot various things so she can decide. As far as recoil, IMHO any small gun has not-so-desirable recoil. I don’t “love” to shoot my 642 like I live to shoot my 1911, 28-2 or 25-2 (I know weight is my friend when it comes to recoil.) But, I am not going to carry any of those three around. And the recoil on the 642 is not that bad, and the double action makes me more confident that it will not go off until I pull the trigger.
Barb, I am in southern Alabama right now. We have a couple places that rent guns, but they are mostly Tupperware (that is what Army guys like my husband seem to like and don’t get me started on that.) I will try to push my revolver obsession on to my friend, but she may want a compact semi-auto. My husband has a Taurus Millennium I will let her try. I will start her on my 28-2 to give her an idea of noise / recoil. I think starting with a .22 is not a good idea, because then that is what they want to shoot, not so great for defense.
Again, thanks for the info on the four S&Ws (438 Bodyguard, 442, 638 and the 642) I asked about.

 

[GatorFarmer]

Originally posted by elcruisr:
Oh, GatorFarmer, the 638 is not nickel plated. It's a silver anodizing with a clear coat. They don't wear particularly well but that doesn't prevent the gun from going bang! Mine looks like hell from years of carry but I might just have it refinished one of these days...

Thanks for the correction. I remembered that it was some kind of coating that flaked and wrongly thought it was nickel. The exposed backstrap on my old 337 was worn just about bare after two years of pocket carry. Since it predated the IL, I only lost 25 dollars depreciation when I traded it in though.

 

[GatorFarmer]

Originally posted by Captain38:

The sideplate should be removed from time to time and the crud cleaned out of a 638 or similar shrouded hammer gun. Otherwise lint and misc crap tends to accumulate.

I agree with everything else you've said EXCEPT this part!

I've carried MY M38 in a Kramer pocket holster and it's NOT had its sideplate removed since I had Walter Birdsong apply his Black-T finish to mine some ten (10) years ago.

All I do is use some of that canned air you use on computer keyboards, etc., to blow excess lint away from the hammer and extractor star areas.

I had a 649 briefly, one of the more recent guns (circa 2003 production) that was in .357 mag. Maybe the edges were sharper or maybe I was just unlucky. I got it used, and there was a certain amount of build up present when I removed the side plate and cleaned it the first time - it was the first gun that I'd ever had with the IL, so I also wanted to look at the parts first hand which was why I initially removed the plate. I noticed some lint build up from pocket carry while I had it. Canned air is a good idea, but I ended up not keeping the gun. If I got one again, it's something that I'd watch for.

 

[flop-shank]

Deek, FWIW my wife (4'7" 90 lbs. and only an occasional shooter) can shoot my target wadcutter handloads from my 360 PD. Remington, or perhaps Mastercast wadcutters might be the ticket for your friend. They will be an economical practice and carry ammo and effective as well.

Also, if you don't forsee her needing a lighter gun like an airweight, steering her towards a model 60, as others have said, might be better. Also, if a second gun is a possibility, I would steer her towards a BUG, such as a NAA Black Widow, before a house gun.

Godspeed to your husband, and I feel confident that I can speak for the rest of us on the forum in thanking him for his service.

At the same time I don't want the sacrifice you and the rest of your family are making to go unheralded. Thank you all so much.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I bought my daughter a S&W #331 TI .32 H&R magnum. Light weight, six shots, low recoil, no lock.

 

[Rich S]

NYS court officers had 3" model 60 .38's that did a good job of ccw and were reasonable as duty guns through the eighties. there is a .357mag version out there which with the rubber grips it comes with is quite manageable with .357's she could start out with target wadcutters (which would be a decent ccw choice then move up to the speer 135gr +p golddots when she's ready, then if she never went for magnum power she'd be well served at that. (or at least that is what my plan is for my wife.)i have a M-60-10 that she seems to like O.K. enoughand i know some say she should become proficient with iron sights first but i am buying my wife a crimson trace laser grip to increase her hits and hopefully her enjoyment so she'll shoot more.
Regards,
Rich

 

[glypnir]

I like my 640 because of the weight and the concealed hammer. I find that the short barrel .357 Magnums that I like to fire from it are almost bearable to practice with.

It seems to me that it wouldn't be too heavy for purse carry.

Something to try in case she is recoil averse, but doesn't mind the weight.

And the concealed hammer revolvers have about the simplest manual of arms you can have.

 

[retdep]

I get deployed with a gov't agency at times for several weeks, leaving my wife home alone. We live in a very safe subdivision in the mountains, with great neighbors nearby.

Neverless, my wife has a Glock 36 (.45) in the nightstand and carries a S&W Model 38 (.38 airweight, shrouded hammer) in her purse. She has a CFP and we practice regularly, so she is comfortable with both. She is petite, but can handle both weapons with no problem.