model 642 ss

[wesley_b63]

need yalls opinion on a 642 airweight ss as a carry gun, looking at one, it feels real good in my hand, and pretty as a speckeled pup, what do yall think of them??

 

[ken158]

I carry one every day with crimson trace grips. More accurate than carrying a sharp stick!

 

[snubbyfan]

Great little gun for ccw. I carry a 442 with Pachmayr grips and a Laserlyte laser everyday.

 

[Old cop]

My EDC is a satin nickle 442. You cannot beat these J's for daily self defense carry for those who do not normally go in harms way.

 

[coiler666]

Perfection in a jacket pocket! As Stan Lee used ta say...nuff said!Mike

 

[Hapworth]

Excellent concealed carry piece, if that is your intended use. Depending on which grips it comes with, you may want to try a few sets to determine which prove the most comfortable shooting and carrying. (For my money, S&W's current "fish scale" rubber boot grip, though pedestrian looking, is functionally excellent.)

Accuracy (the shooter's, not the gun's) increases noticeably after gently smoothing the internals. If this is a defensive piece, I'd leave the springs stock. If you have to tinker with the springs, keep it to the rebound spring and leave the mainspring alone. If you have to tinker with the main spring, test extensively with your intended defense ammo.

Practice...a lot -- all firearms need it, but snubbies especially.

Consider the 642's brother, the 442 Moon Clip; comparable price and factory cut for moon clips, which are terrific for fast, easy reloads (five shots go fast).

And to answer your inevitable next question:

1) CorBon DPX 110 grain +P
2) Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +P
3) Buffalo Bore 158 grain SWJHC standard pressure

 

[Avery11]

The 642 is a light weight, packable little gun. What you make up in size, you give up in recoil. Not that the recoil is unmanagable, but it's not what I would call comfortable. Luckily, there are grips in EVERY size and shape for this little thing so you can really tailor it to suit your taste.

These little Js do require a bit of range time, so don't just buy it and shove it in your pocket. Most shooters who try mine shoot high because of the low front sight.

Train with it as a close range (10-15 feet) gun and learn your natural point of aim so that if you must deploy it, you reduce the chances of a miss.

I prefer the Winchester PDX1 loads and carry it with a Crimson Trace full size grip. The laser is useless in daylight conditions most of the time.

Regards,

A.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Whats not to like? Been toten one almost daily since 1996.

 

[Pef]

I carry one in an a Galco Royal Guard IWB (inside the waistband) holster, or a Galco concealable belt OWB holster, or in a pocket holster.

It's so light that that when it's in my OWB holster I forget it's there. It really is an unobtrusive little gun when considered the punch it can pack (.38 SD rounds).

MY only advice is if you get one, practice with it regularly. You don't have to be a range ninja, but you do need to be familiar with the shooting dynamics.

 

[JCS&W]

I have a M642. I waited a long time before buying a Smith with the lock. But I have to admit, I really like this piece. Easy to carry, easy to conceal, not easy to shoot accurately without practice. I highly recommend the M642/442 if conceal carry is your objective.

 

[158Grain]

I love mine! the wood grips are much easier to pack than rubbers

 

[photoman]

Centennial every day.

 

[Gamecock]

Eats my thumb. But easily concealed in pocket. Good cartridge for self-defense.

If doing over, I'd pick the Ruger LCR. You say "it feels real good in my hand," so you may not have problems I had.

 

[robert98597]

I have a 638 in 38+p. I love it. the recoil is manageable.

 

[Foxtrot40]

My 642-2 is easy to conceal.
One must practice in order to develop any kind of accuracy. It is not necessarily pleasant to shoot but repeated shooting range time improves accuracy.
Factory grips are ideal size for concealment. Anything larger makes concealment more difficult.