Joined the J-Frame club

[ABPOS]

642 is a great choice OP!!! I bought a 442 from my Mom that my Step Dad had bought and carried a little bit before he passed away. Fortunately it was no lock model.

I have tried to, and have carried other guns, but I keep coming back to the 442 for some reason. I do wish it held more rounds, but I think it has a chance to solve a lot of problems without reloading. And I do carry more rounds on me.

But for you J frame experts, have you guys done anything other than dry firing and shooting to your triggers? Mine is still a bit heavier than I want and I'm debating on an apex kit. It supposedly lightens it up about 3 pounds. Mine is about 13 now. I did drop a little oil (clp) down the trigger to help smooth it out some and it did have that affect. A little bit. But it's still pretty heavy.

I'm also wanting more J frames. I've so wanted a Model 36 for as long as I've been carrying and shooting revolvers. Or some kind of steel framed one. I don't pocket carry. So the heavier frame would help soak up some recoil.

Last couple weeks I went to AIWB and really like it.

I've pretty much settled I'd like to trade my G26 for another J frame.....

 

[haywood]

642 is a great choice OP!!! I bought a 442 from my Mom that my Step Dad had bought and carried a little bit before he passed away. Fortunately it was no lock model.

I have tried to, and have carried other guns, but I keep coming back to the 442 for some reason. I do wish it held more rounds, but I think it has a chance to solve a lot of problems without reloading. And I do carry more rounds on me.

But for you J frame experts, have you guys done anything other than dry firing and shooting to your triggers? Mine is still a bit heavier than I want and I'm debating on an apex kit. It supposedly lightens it up about 3 pounds. Mine is about 13 now. I did drop a little oil (clp) down the trigger to help smooth it out some and it did have that affect. A little bit. But it's still pretty heavy.

I'm also wanting more J frames. I've so wanted a Model 36 for as long as I've been carrying and shooting revolvers. Or some kind of steel framed one. I don't pocket carry. So the heavier frame would help soak up some recoil.

Last couple weeks I went to AIWB and really like it.

I've pretty much settled I'd like to trade my G26 for another J frame.....

Reading this I thought it was something I wrote. The 442 is my favorite pocket gun. I carry a second with the same Hogue Grip as yours AIWB. I also have a 36 that does AIWB carry. I haven't had my Glock 26 out in years. My 37 with bobbed hammer started my J-Frame addiction when I traded my Glock 19 for it.

 

[sdb321]

ABPOS, to reduce the trigger pull I suggest to have a action job done on it. I'm having it done on my 640 Pro Series by Dennis Reichard. He is regarded as one of the best. The price is $120. You can contact him @ Sand Burr Gun Ranch He comes highly recommended.

 

[off road]

My one criticism of the 642/442 is the front sight. It is narrow and impossible to pick up in low light. And, being fixed it is not replaceable. Once I saw that beautiful XS night sight on the M&P340, I had to make the upgrade!

 

[haywood]

I paint my sights to see them better. As for the trigger, I dry fire at least 2000 times with lube. This smooths things up very nicely.

 

[Blue357]

Congrats, I just joined the club as well with a model 36 "Chiefs Special". Best conceal carry option is a J frame IMO.

 

[ABPOS]

I bought a paint pen but I'm kind of undecided. For low light I can see it might help a bit. But I'm not sure there is enough there to even make that much of a difference. In normal light I'd rather have it be black. Seems like if I paint the whole thing white, I might lose it if shooting at white paper..... Probably not, but not sure. Or if I paint it orange, I might lose it if there is orange on the target. A lot of my targets have that. I just like black.

But it does get lost in low light some......

I'm thinking the 340 has the lock, although I guess you could take that out. I see the 640 PRO, or whatever the fancy version is called, has nicer sights. That thing is pretty sweeeeeeet.

 

[gnystrom]

Nice choice doc. Now move the rounds in your speed strip so you have three-space-two. It will allow you to get a finger in that space and you will have better results loading two at a time.

 

[les.b]

I bought a paint pen but I'm kind of undecided. For low light I can see it might help a bit. But I'm not sure there is enough there to even make that much of a difference. In normal light I'd rather have it be black. Seems like if I paint the whole thing white, I might lose it if shooting at white paper..... Probably not, but not sure. Or if I paint it orange, I might lose it if there is orange on the target. A lot of my targets have that. I just like black.

But it does get lost in low light some......

I'm thinking the 340 has the lock, although I guess you could take that out. I see the 640 PRO, or whatever the fancy version is called, has nicer sights. That thing is pretty sweeeeeeet.

The 340 series and the 640 series are all available without the lock. Seems that any of the centennial style guns can be found without the lock. I have the 340 PD, M&P 340, 640-1 Pro Series, and a 640-1.....all without the lock. The M&P 340 has the tritium front sight, and the 640-1 Pro has tritium front AND rear sights.

By the way, I was at the dollar store with my girlfriend the other day, and they had some of the brightest "International Orange" fluorescent looking nail polish I've ever seen on sale for like 50 cents. I can see why it might not sell to well for women to paint their nails with, but I'm going to try some on a front sight. After all, if I don't like it, just takes a little nail polish remover (acetone) and it will come right off. I bought a bottle, and the guy behind me in line was looking at me a little funny, so I told him I was getting it to paint sights with!! His eyes lit up, and he ended up getting a bottle too!!

Anyway, here are my modern Centennials...

Top to bottom: 340 PD, M&P 340, 640-1 Pro Series, 640-1. All are chambered in .357 Magnum. None with locks.



Oh, yeah... Apologies to the OP, that is a great revolver you have there, and I would choose it any day over a .380, even though I have a couple of .380s that I like.

Best Regards, Les

 

[ABPOS]

All of them are really nice. That bottom 640, do they also have a 1 piece barrel like the 442/642?

 

[les.b]

All of them are really nice. That bottom 640, do they also have a 1 piece barrel like the 442/642?

Yes, both of the bottom ones have a one piece barrel, and the top two have the two piece barrel. The bottom one is one of the $325 guns that were being sold by Centerfire Systems that John Rippert started a thread on (Police Trade-in 640s at Centerfire) a while back. It is a wonderful little gun, and while mine has the MIM parts, some of the forum embers (luck of the draw) received the earlier ones with forged internals. The 640-1s also have the older four line address stamp on the frame.

Best Regards, Les

 

[ABPOS]

I saw them for sale on arfcom just yesterday. But he's selling them for 5 bills now..... I'm tempted.

 

[les.b]

Here is a photo of it by itself. I found the brand new, still in the package Eagle rosewood "Secret Service" stocks on eBay for a great price, and have about $400 in the project. Supposedly Michigan Stae Police surplus. Keep your eye on the Centerfire web site, they still have them listed, just "out of stock".



I'm very happy with this little gun. Whe we got them, most of us took them apart and scrubbed out all the old, dried up lube and relubed with modern products, and they are ready for decades of continued service!!

Best Regards, Les

 

[ABPOS]

The 340's are aluminum frames, correct?

 

[ajgunner]

Who can have just one???
One for the car,
one for the truck,
one for the headboard,
one for the desk,
one for the lazy boy,
one for back up,
starting to get the picture.