True confessions. About 3 years ago, in a very weak moment, I bought a S&W Model 642 with the #$@* internal lock. I think the devil made me do it. I hate the very concept of this PC lock, because of the usual reasons - it's ugly, and once in a blue moon, maybe - it malfunctions, disabling the gun.
Well, when I brought it home, I had buyer's remorse. I'm thinking to myself "You just bought a self defense gun that, even if the odds are a million to one, may malfunction in a pucker situation." Why did I do that? Great gun, but the lock is a bad idea and I've always said so. A buddy of mine who was with me had things to say about it. The conversation went something like this:
"You've always said you hate the things." "Yes."
"You've always said that they were ugly." "Yes."
"You've always said they had no place on a self-defense gun." "Yes."
"You've always said they could malfunction at the worst possible moment." "Yes."
"You said you'd never buy one." "Yes."
"And you just now bought one." "Yeah, that about sums it up."
I bought it to be a good self-defense revolver, but I wasn't happy with myself for buying it. Not much later, I bought a great 442 that does NOT have the lock, and it's my prime carry piece now.
BUT - I think the black 442 is great for daylight - an assailant will see it right away and might probably back off - most confrontations end that way.
BUT - At night, it will be hard to see that 442. The silver-colored 642 would be easy to spot if displayed, and it would probably cause the bad guy to back off. I'd rather have a guaranteed trouble-free 642 for night carry.
SO - Do I go and buy a lock-free 642 to assuage my concern over the lock? Or what?
Today I chose what.
After watching a YouTube video on how to do it, I took the step, took the gun apart and removed the "flag" part of the lock. Took it right out. Reassembled the gun. It took about 15 minutes, and it was easy. I didn't have to buy another 642, and now I can carry mine at night with an easy mind.
Here's the video I watched:
YouTube - S&W Internal Lock Removal
By the way, the gun appears loaded as the narrator is re-assembling his 642. I sure as heck hope those were just snap caps, but the point is the video was clear and made the process look simple enough that I went ahead.
I put the removed lock flag and its tiny little torsion spring into a ziplock bag and stuck it in the factory box for the gun in case some future owner wants to reinstall it.
For the life of me, I don't know why anyone would.
At any rate, I'm now a happy camper and at peace with myself over buying an internal-lock gun against my better judgment.
And the gun still looks ugly. I don't mind that so much. But I know it will always go bang when I pull the trigger.
John
Well, when I brought it home, I had buyer's remorse. I'm thinking to myself "You just bought a self defense gun that, even if the odds are a million to one, may malfunction in a pucker situation." Why did I do that? Great gun, but the lock is a bad idea and I've always said so. A buddy of mine who was with me had things to say about it. The conversation went something like this:
"You've always said you hate the things." "Yes."
"You've always said that they were ugly." "Yes."
"You've always said they had no place on a self-defense gun." "Yes."
"You've always said they could malfunction at the worst possible moment." "Yes."
"You said you'd never buy one." "Yes."
"And you just now bought one." "Yeah, that about sums it up."
I bought it to be a good self-defense revolver, but I wasn't happy with myself for buying it. Not much later, I bought a great 442 that does NOT have the lock, and it's my prime carry piece now.
BUT - I think the black 442 is great for daylight - an assailant will see it right away and might probably back off - most confrontations end that way.
BUT - At night, it will be hard to see that 442. The silver-colored 642 would be easy to spot if displayed, and it would probably cause the bad guy to back off. I'd rather have a guaranteed trouble-free 642 for night carry.
SO - Do I go and buy a lock-free 642 to assuage my concern over the lock? Or what?
Today I chose what.
After watching a YouTube video on how to do it, I took the step, took the gun apart and removed the "flag" part of the lock. Took it right out. Reassembled the gun. It took about 15 minutes, and it was easy. I didn't have to buy another 642, and now I can carry mine at night with an easy mind.
Here's the video I watched:
YouTube - S&W Internal Lock Removal
By the way, the gun appears loaded as the narrator is re-assembling his 642. I sure as heck hope those were just snap caps, but the point is the video was clear and made the process look simple enough that I went ahead.
I put the removed lock flag and its tiny little torsion spring into a ziplock bag and stuck it in the factory box for the gun in case some future owner wants to reinstall it.
For the life of me, I don't know why anyone would.
At any rate, I'm now a happy camper and at peace with myself over buying an internal-lock gun against my better judgment.
And the gun still looks ugly. I don't mind that so much. But I know it will always go bang when I pull the trigger.
John
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