J-Frame Mystique - My Experience

[Walter Rego]

The Centennial style J frames are some of the best guns S&W ever made.

 

[tlawler]

There is a little bit of mystique in the old humpbacks.

I have two. Both no-dash versions in 38 Special.

Best pocket guns made, IMHO.

I like the SA option.

A 49ND:

And a 649ND

One of these days I'll find a 38 or early 638 without a lock to add to my inventory.

The little yellow flashlight is also an every day carry item. One Lithium Ion aaa size cell and an LED bulb.

Wasn't it a M49 in that famous photo of the police chief of Saigon summarily executing that VC terrorist right after he was caught killing Vietnamese civilians including women and children?

 

[wrkerr]

My M49 dates from the mid-80's. Carried it many years as a backup and off-duty. Now retired, I still carry it EDC with full confidence. I just cannot warm up to plastic 9mm single stacks, and Heaven knows I've tried!!!

I guess there is some sort of "mystique" ..... I own 5 j-frames!

 

[Johnnu2]

+1 to OP....
J-frame for the pocket and 12 ga. pump for the home. It's a 637 pre-lock, I bobbed the hammer.




J.

 

[transit]

Wasn't it a M49 in that famous photo of the police chief of Saigon summarily executing that VC terrorist right after he was caught killing Vietnamese civilians including women and children?

I've read that it was a Model 38, gifted by the CIA Saigon station chief.

Love to know the truth, and if anyplace might have someone who knows... this could be it.

 

[transit]

I actually posted some pretty cool historical revolver pics on the forum, but didn't get much response.

They both happened to be Charter Arms anyway.

Maybe I'll drop them here too, for the small revolver fans?

 

[KSDrifter]

So glad you found your way to the J-frame revolver.

I'd rather 5 for sure than 10 maybe. The plastic fantastic tupperwares will NEVER equal the reliability and effectiveness of the J-frame.

The .38 snub nose is STILL the finest close range civilian personal defense handgun yet. Nothing else comes close! Oh, and a .38 special is MILES ahead of any .380 my friend, you need to check your facts on that.

No I agree. I thought I said as much. Now. But back maybe 7 to ten years ago, I don't know if that was the case. I recall .380 ammo back then getting a lot of R&D going on for short barreled pistols, where the pickings for good short barreled ammo for a .38 were still pretty slim.

Could be I'm high. I often am, but I could swear that was the case at one time.

 

[transit]

Gave you the like for admitting the possibility of being high.


No, .380 was never superior to .38 Special. Never even equal.

Broadly, a 158 grain piece of lead going near 900 feet per second vs. a 90 grain piece of lead going the same.

And so on.

 

[JH1951]

My 49 and 649 quickly earned my liking and respect.
The 649 goes out on the town with me quite a bit.

 

[Cal44]

I actually posted some pretty cool historical revolver pics on the forum, but didn't get much response.

They both happened to be Charter Arms anyway.

Maybe I'll drop them here too, for the small revolver fans?

Go for it.

 

[transit]

Go for it.

Thinking maybe it'd be better to start a specific historical thread.

Who knows what's out there?

 

[629shooter]

I would have told you that this 640 is my favorite J frame, until I picked up an M&P340.



Now I'm not so sure...

I have the same "problem." But, I don't think we are required to pick a favorite.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[rich5674]

Welcome to the club

J frames have my respect. All pocket guns need to be practiced with to be proficient with. I have a LC9s when I feel the need for more rounds.
No I don't think a 380 eguals a 38+p HP .

 

[lkabug]

J frames have my respect. All pocket guns need to be practiced with to be proficient with. I have a LC9s when I feel the need for more rounds.
No I don't think a 380 eguals a 38+p HP .

All carry guns needs to be practiced with.
The .380 round has made great strides in recent years, however a .38 special it ain't. Long live the J- frame. Try it you might like it. But practice, you'll like it even more.

 

[otis24]

But now days we no longer need belly guns, do we?

Bad guys aren't allowed to come closer than 6 feet away.

Bad guys are allowed to do anything thing they want. Or at least they think so. That's what makes them "bad" guys.

 

[629shooter]

Hey talk to me about that. The M&P 340 was really attractive to me, but I thought the extra weight of the 640 pro would help with the Magnum rounds.



Where is your debate?





Thanks for all the positive responses guys!

Of course you can't cheat physics. So you're going to have more felt recoil with a Magnum load with the lighter M&P340 but, you get the best sight picture of any J-Frame.(in my opinion)The deeper/wider u-notch in the rear with the XS standard dot up front, make for some quick and accurate shooting. The M&P 340 is also less noticeable when pocket carrying.



Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[jcelect]

640

I like to read all the praise of the 640 and all the Centennials! I have shot a 640 for years and call it my favorite, until last year! I bought this gun!

I have a few J frames and don't enjoy shooting 357s from any of them! This gun with the Banana grips make the 357s manageable. I still shoot may 38s for fun!
jcelect

 

[JimCunn]

I've got three identical airweight 9mm 637-2 J-frames. My favorite firearm.
I usually use Ranch moonclips because they are cheap and dependable.
Average time to eject and reload is 1.5 seconds (at my age, I'm no speed demon).

 

[LT7d103]

Thanks for the thread on the S&W 442. I've been debating getting one in .38. I too pocket carry a .380 with Underwood Xtreme Defense. I don't shoot much of it due to cost and I believe the pressure behind it probably beats up the gun too much. It is dead accurate in a Browning 1911/380. I also have a pocket revolver, S&W Airlite in 32H&R Mag. I like the 6 rounds. Just wish Underwood was making ammo for it.

 

[singleshotcajun]

Ergo delta grips may be ugly but they save my phalanges while shooting Speer Gold Dots in my 442. I fought trying these grips for years and finally "gambled" 25.00 on them. We gamble far more on holsters that end up in the boxo holsters. Yes it prints more in a pocket but it does not scream GUN, kind of looks like a wallet. With these grips i have very little muzzle flip with any factory +P 38 spcl ammo. Speer Gold Dots do not bruise bone on the trigger guard.

 

[Richochet]

Sgt. Joe Friday carried a S & W .38 Special Snubby

Sgt. Joe Friday carried a S & W .38 Special Snubby!
That's all I need to know. Old School! Git her done!

 

[les_garten]

What gets carried

I got a 342PD w/Laser grip and Big dot front sight. It weighs 13 oz loaded with +P's.

I got it because it is a not burden to carry. Drop it in my shorts and go to the beach. Reworked the action myself down to about 9#'s. Dry fired couple thousand times. Awesome piece and very accurate in the right hands.

The main thing is, that no matter where I'm going, it's no burden to slip it in my front pocket. So it gets carried everywhere. Doctor's office, hair salon, Home Depot, don't matter. Slip in your pocket in 1.5 seconds and out the door. Less than a pound loaded with real venom in it's Bite. No other gun can do that in my opinion.

Here's the key to why you only need 5 shots:

You must learn to be slow in a hurry -- Wyatt Earp

Otherwise a Lead Garden Hose will not be enough.

 

[TonyR]

Really, that was one of the most painful posts I have ever read.I will bite my tongue. Glad you like your J.

 

[Bumpus13]

Love my all steel J-frames.

Great concealed carry firearms. However, I'm currently down to just one at the house ... my M60 currently resides with my sister.

 

[photoman]

I've read that it was a Model 38, gifted by the CIA Saigon station chief.

Love to know the truth, and if anyplace might have someone who knows... this could be it.

Nguyễn Ngọc Loan - Wikipedia

 

[NavySCPO]

Nothing quite as pretty as an ugly 49 Bodyguard, I have two and love them both, I admit the look is an acquired taste. A big plus, both IMHO are far smoother in DA than my 442, which has just always seemed to have a very heavy trigger pull, maybe it's just mine.

 

[transit]

Nguyễn Ngọc Loan - Wikipedia

The story is familiar. But details about the gun itself, and what became of it, remain elusive.

 

[Loyaljeeper]

I've never had that happen.

The hammer back of the thumb cocking nub is rounded and pretty much seals the shroud.

Anything that could get into the shroud would have to be the thickness of a piece of paper or less.

Now when the hammer is cocked, there would be more ro om for something to fit into the shroud. But no one who values their knee cap would carry a j frame cocked.

Like you, I'm not going to carry anything in the same pocket as my gun in its holster.

I would agree the old dime in the shroud is an urban myth. I don't know that you could stage it to intentionally jam it with a foreign object. However, it is a little funnel for moisture the centennials do not have to worry with. Nothing a little maintenance will not prevent though. However, a bodyguard dropped hard enough on the shroud could prevent the action from cycling.

 

[tlawler]

Nguyễn Ngọc Loan - Wikipedia

Which just identifies it as a .38 Special Bodyguard. So it could either be a M38 or M49. In the video, there doesn't appear to be much of a recoil impulse. If it had been a M38, I think the visible recoil would have been more pronounced. Also Loan is seen reholstering it, which also (IMO) points more toward a heavier steel revolver than the M38, which could be pocket carried more easily.

 

[tlawler]

I got a 342PD w/Laser grip and Big dot front sight. It weighs 13 oz loaded with +P's.

I got it because it is a not burden to carry. Drop it in my shorts and go to the beach. Reworked the action myself down to about 9#'s. Dry fired couple thousand times. Awesome piece and very accurate in the right hands.

The main thing is, that no matter where I'm going, it's no burden to slip it in my front pocket. So it gets carried everywhere. Doctor's office, hair salon, Home Depot, don't matter. Slip in your pocket in 1.5 seconds and out the door. Less than a pound loaded with real venom in it's Bite. No other gun can do that in my opinion.

Here's the key to why you only need 5 shots:

You must learn to be slow in a hurry -- Wyatt Earp

Otherwise a Lead Garden Hose will not be enough.

I agree. I carry my 342 in a Mika in places I couldn't carry anything else. It does a lot of "around the house" duty also because of the weight and comfort.