My first airweight 642-1

[FLJoe]

I have a pair of 642s and love them. I found that with good rubber grips (I have Altamont Falconia on one of them) 158 grain +P isn't uncomfortable. On the other gun I have Altamont wood grips for easier concealability and draw. That one tends to get uncomfortable with the heavy loads, but is fine with 125 grain.

 

[John Patrick]

I've shot the 340PD and it's a handful even for experienced shooters. 38+P is manageable, usually.

I shot one cylinder full of 357 out of a bud's J frame PD. It was enough, and the only time I've been thankful that 38/357 J frames have five round cylinders.

One cylinder, or at most two, of 357 is enough out of my 386PD, which weighs 19oz empty. By the time I've shot 12 rounds I'm wishing it held six rather than 7.

 

[shovelmike]

When I first got my 442, I began looking for some nice stocks to replace the less than adequate originals. I found a set of Compacs in the bargain box at the local surplus store @ $10. They were new in package so I picked them up, put them on and was amazed by how good they felt. They just work for me. Not the look I was going for but they do the job I was looking for so the stay. Mine don't have though.

I have a 442, it takes a while to get used to the recoil of such a light gun. I swapped the rubber stocks for Altamont basket weave,
makes room for the little finger and changes the gun from plain jane to a real looker.

 

[Ranger514]

My 642 PC is a daily companion for pocket carry around our place. I have its big brother, a snubby 66 for hiking and outdoors carry. I own other brand revolvers that I sometimes carry, but my Smiths see more duty than the others.

 

[otis24]

When I first got my 442, I began looking for some nice stocks to replace the less than adequate originals. I found a set of Compacs in the bargain box at the local surplus store @ $10. They were new in package so I picked them up, put them on and was amazed by how good they felt. They just work for me. Not the look I was going for but they do the job I was looking for so the stay. Mine don't have medallions though.

I ignored these grips for years because of how they looked. Once I tried them, functionality won out over aesthetics!

 

[Sgt. Buzzard]

I have a 442 no lock. What's strange is I have arthritis in the wrists and thumbs yet those stock two finger grips work perfectly for me. I had been using a 36 to subdue the recoil. YMMV, funny how that works.

 

[rockquarry]

I've had a variety of alloy- and steel-frame J-frame guns in the last fifty+ years and I shoot them regularly. I've always thought the difference in weight between an alloy-framed gun vs. a steel-framed one is only of real significance when they are unloaded. Loaded, the "felt" difference between the two seems far less. Granted, that's only my subjective opinion.

 

[billj47]

442-1

I have been carrying the 442-1 for a while. I have the Hogue Tamer grip on this one. Three-finger purchase and good padding in the hand web area. Recoil is tolerable for a light gun. If I am shooting .357 I go to my Ruger SP 101. The extra weight is appreciated.

 

[bcj128]

My 642-1 was my brothers BUG.




I find my 640-1 loaded with 125 gr .357 Mag loads fun to shoot.

I have that same combo. I bought my 640 in 1995/6 and it's prior to the internal lock, and added a Truglo front sight. Both are great guns!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JimBianchi]

I forgot to post an update:

Great gun, the 642 shoots like you'd expect, like a dream. Out to 15 yards I could make COM hits on steel with both 125gr HP carry ammo and my old reloads, a 160grn @ 850FPS.(They were clocked out of a 6in Model 14)

My buddies shot it also and no one really liked the carry ammo, lots of BOOM, but for me very usable.

Great carry gun.

 

[Old cop]

I've been carrying a J Frame for over 50 years, present EDC is a no-lock 340PD loaded w/+P. They just don't come any better for a pocketable always-gun.

 

[deadin]

My 642-1 no lock has the honor of being the only "modern" gun I own.
(I define "modern gun" as one other than Antique and/or C&R)

Latest count is ~85 to 1

 

[photoman]

My first Airweight, (I still have it), is a no lock 642. What is distinctive about it is that the serial number is not on the butt, but rather on the side, just above the trigger guard.

Sounds like one of the very last of the pre-lock Airweights. Year 2001. I have a 637 like that.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

And I thought that I had the only one like that!
Hate it when that happens!

 

[raljr1]

My wife bought one of these because she liked the light weight. She shot if a few times and decided it was too much recoil for her...ok by me, I like carrying it...

Robert

 

[haywood]

I had one, sold it and bought another one, then sold that one. No matter how tight I held it, the back of the trigger guard always wrapped my middle finger....

You just needed different grips.

 

[photoman]

You just needed different grips.

...and/or different ammo. An Airweight with 148gr wadcutters is a very soft shooting combination.