New Guy with a 042

[phinfan]

Hello everybody, new guy here, been lurking for a while, and trying to learn some things, but this is my first post.

Was in the market for a pocket revolver a few months ago, and knew nothing about a 042, but my local shop had one (still new in the box???) that I wanted to compare to another snubnose.

When I told the guy that was waiting on me I wanted to see the model 42 in the other case, he said I must mean "442", and he would get one out of the back.

Well he brought me out a gun that was more expensive, was not in a polished blue, but a matte finish, and had some kind of a safety on the back strap.

I said, no, I like that other one better, and we went over to get it, and honestly he seemed puzzled as to its correct model number (I was too).

So, I began looking that model number up, and found this forum, and got some info on the gun. After finding out more about it, I was very interested, and put it on layaway, and finally took it home the other day.

So, after that long story, I have a question. Are there many different S&W models that were a hammerless snubnose, that also came in a polished blue, or are they mostly a matte finish?

Thanks guys .

 

[stiab]

You have found a very nice and seldom seen S&W revolver. There have been several threads about them on the forums, so you might locate some of those with a search. All I have seen had the high gloss frames, but I believe some were made in low gloss also. Many have an overstamp in the model area inside the frame, and some also have the serial number on the bottom of the top strap. The one I found a couple years ago had both these features. Congrats on a nice find!

 

[murphydog]

There are many hammerless 2" and 3" barreled blue S & W revolvers. I presume you are referring to relatively modern J frames, which mean the the .38 models 40 (steel frame), 42 (alloy), 342Ti (titanium cylinder), 042 and 442. Earlier model 40s and 42s were polished blue; both are currently produced and matte blue, as is the 442. The 042s I have seen were all polished blue.

 

[phinfan]

Thanks guys, for the record, mine does not have the 6 underneath the 0, just a clear 042, and the serial number under the top strap.

Out of curiosity, do many S&W's have their serial numbers there?

Any other info would be greatly appreciated, used the search function, but everyone seems to have a similar story on them, but with just enough variation as to keep me wondering.

 

[HEADKNOCKER]

I'm surprised DC7 hasn't chimed in with a reply as he has a couple of the 042s..
Here's a thread with a few answers on how many were made & the fact that they have carbon steel barrel & cylinder & a stainless yolk.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...3383-s-w-042-airweight-value-decent-find.html

 

[DC7]

I'm surprised DC7 hasn't chimed in with a reply as he has a couple of the 042s..

Hi Gary! I actually did try to reply in the early morning hours yesterday, but after writing up my response and hitting "Submit Reply", I got a message that the Forum had gone offline, and the post was lost. Oh well....

Phinfan: Welcome to the Forum! The only polished blue hammerless S&W snubs I'm aware of are the steel and Airweight Centennials with grip safeties (named the Models 40 and 42 respectively, once the factory began assigning model numbers), plus the polished version of the 042. Other blue- or black-finish hammerless snubs included the Model 442 and the limited-production Performance Center Model 460 Airweight, but they had matte finishes. Some 042s had a matte finish as well, and some--but not all--had a model number overstamp, indicating that they were built using frames originally intended for the Model 642.

Here are a couple examples of polished blue Centennials--a Model 42 from the early '70s, and an 042 from the early '90s:

The polished 042 pictured above does not have the model number overstamp, but I did find the overstamp on a matte-finish 042 I picked up later:

Here's an interesting article with some additional info on the Model 042:
The Gun Zone -- S&W Model 042

 

[phinfan]

DC7, thanks, and those are some really beautiful guns.

My 042 looks very similiar to yours but it shows a little wear (now that I have seen yours) on that little lug, or bump under the back of the cylinder. Is there anything I can do about it?