Does the 642 still make sense?

[Fastbolt]

So, last night I decided to forgo the 642 I've been carrying, and instead I belted on my G27 and a double magazine carrier. I seldom carry more than a single spare magazine since I retired, but I've been reading this book as a KindleUnlimited member ...


The Attack – January 7, 2024 by Kurt Schlichter (Author)


[ame]https://www.amazon.com/Attack-Kurt-Schlichter/dp/B0CRR7WFZT[/ame]

Sitting in the nice padded cigar club lounge chairs, having a belt gun and double mag carrier, made me feel (meaning belted gear against my hips) like I was working in my plainclothes assignment again.

 

[WR Moore]

Brother Parrish raises some good points above. In same vein...

Under stress your perceptions (and memory) can be affected. The lizard part of your brain wants you to REALLY PAY ATTENTION to the threat that's trying to kill you. Auditory exclusion and tunnel vision are common.
Your focus is most likely to be on the threat.

So, you need to make target focus and raising the gun into your vision and onto the threat a habit. Getting at least a flash sight picture should be part of that. Lousy trigger control will ruin the best sight picture. A controlled press can be fast and doesn't move the round off the threat. But it needs practice to become a habit.

Back in the last century LAPD interviewed their officers who used deadly force. Those who remembered seeing at least their front sight had significantly better shot placement than those that didn't. Doesn't mean those that didn't remember didn't use some sort of sight picture, but those that couldn't recall didn't have as good results overall.

At typical ranges, the lead on moving targets is pretty much zero. But the trigger press shouldn't be a spastic yank. I suspect the thought that one needs to FIRE RIGHT NOW (YANK!) has a lot to do with poor results.

Having said (OK, typed) all that, if your spidey sense is tingling, this is a flipping clue that it's time to exit the stage (Snagglepuss maneuver) before the festivities begin.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

For many years my 642 in a Desantis pocket holster has been my "go to" gun for concealed carry. I don't carry while in my home, and it was just so easy to grab the 642 and put it into my front right pocket as I was leaving. But lately I find I am having capacity anxiety, thinking that it is foolish to be limited to 5 rounds of 38+, especially if I honest with myself that my accuracy with this short barreled revolver is pretty much limited to bad breath distances from my attacker. Sometimes instead I carry my Glock 26 with its 10+1 capacity in an OWB holster, but it sure is not as concealable and convenient as the trusty 642. Thoughts?

Only you can decide............NOT this peanut gallery.

 

[BKLooney]

Come on now, really...how long would the John Wick movie have been had he only carried a 642...be realistic...sheesh...

 

[rockquarry]

Come on now, really...how long would the John Wick movie have been had he only carried a 642...be realistic...sheesh...

I guess that's a joke; I attempted to watch John Wick once, maybe twice - that film's a joke for sure.

 

[Yaworski]

I guess that's a joke; I attempted to watch John Wick once, maybe twice - that film's a joke for sure.

It's a fantasy.

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[Magnum_PI]

J Frames are just as capable as they always were and that's what I daily carry is some kind of J Frame.

Stats show us that most self-defense shootings involve 3 shots or less and in close quarters.

I feel (personally) I want a gun I carry, not the biggest cannon that looks cool or gets you lots of attention but is never carried.

I've carried going on about 15 years or so. Never had a shootout. So, I feel safe. If and when something happens, I'm sure I'd wish I had sniper cover, artillary, and air support. I just hope that never happens. I'm not in LE. I'm not chasing felons. Etc. So, I carry what I'm confident in, and what I WILL CARRY.

My go tos are a 640 Pro, Ruger LCR off and on, and I'm eyeing a 340 next... I am a revolver guy 100% of the time and have since sold off my semi-autos over the years. I'm confident in my abilities and the abilities of my weapons.