New S&W Owner (would like input)

[Jake Benson]

Greetings everyone! Just made my first handgun purchase today. I bought a S&W .357 model 649. I intitially wanted a Glock 19, but wife has some arithritis in her hands and could not operate the slide. We decided a revolver was the way to go.

It won't arrive until next week but I am excited. My wife and I handled the gunshop's daughter's 649 and it felt great in my hand as well as hers. The gunsmith had done some trigger work on his daughter's gun and the trigger pull was nice and easy. He will do the same job on my gun when it comes in.

The 649 seems to be the best of both worlds, definitely big enough for self defense, yet still small enough for concealed carry.

If anyone out there owns this model, I would greatly like to hear any comments or tips you might have for me.

 

[M29since14]

Don't own that particular model but just be aware that a J-frame firing .357 Magnums is not going to be a lot of fun. Good thing is you can use the lightest 38 Specials you can find, too, so that is no big drawback. Hope you enjoy your new revolver!

 

[Stu1205]

Welcome to the Forum.
I purchased a 649 back in 1988 when it came in .38 special only.
What I liked about it was the shrouded hammer which prevented snags, but still allowed you for fire single action.
I carried it for several years until I switched to my AMT .45 Backup.
I still have the 649, and carry it once in a while.
That is one gun I will never get rid of.

Stu

 

[gr7070]

If you're new to revolvers you'll likely need to put in a decent amount of practice time with your J-frame in order to become a proficient shot. Don't give up. It'll come with practice.

 

[KEN L]

Welcome to the Forum.
I purchased a 649 back in 1988 when it came in .38 special only.
What I liked about it was the shrouded hammer which prevented snags, but still allowed you for fire single action.
I carried it for several years until I switched to my AMT .45 Backup.
I still have the 649, and carry it once in a while.
That is one gun I will never get rid of.

Stu

Isn't the 649 a concealed hammer and the 638 a shrouded hammer??

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Isn't the 649 a concealed hammer and the 638 a shrouded hammer??

No. A 649 is (stainless) steel frame, and a 638 is aluminum frame. The concealed-hammer versions were originally 40 and 42, and are now usually 3-digit numbers ending in 40 and 42.

 

[Horace & Daniel]

Isn't the 649 a concealed hammer and the 638 a shrouded hammer??

Nope. The 649 is "shrouded".

OP, Congrats on the 649, it's a great little gun.

Like previous posters said, I would be very wary of letting your wife shoot full load .357s out of that gun. It's all steel, but the felt recoil could be more than she can handle. Shooting 357s out of any j-frame is pretty unpleasant.

Stick with 38s for practice and 38 +Ps for self-defense/home-defense loads.

 

[scooter123]

Just a bit of a warning, you've selected a much lighter revolver than I would recomend for a first handgun. Plain and simple, the recoil with even a mild 38 spl. will be surprizing.

Good news is that it does have a steel frame and at about 24 ounces it won't be that difficult to master, however you won't want to try ANY 357 Magnums in it until you find the 38 spl. to be a bit "tame". I will also recomend that you use both in the ear plugs and over the ear muffs the first time you try a Magnum, because it's quite likely you'll be shooting the loudest gun at the range. I'll also note that a mild 38 spl. generates 200 ft.lbs. of muzzle energy, the commercial loads of the 357 Magnum start out at about 600 ft.lbs. and go up from there. Quite simply, when you transition from 38 spl. to the Magnums you can expect the recoil to TRIPLE of more.

Personally, I'm a wimp when it comes to recoil and don't feel any shame in admitting that. I won't shoot a 357 Magnum in any revolver that weighs less than 34 ounces. Fact is the I'm old enough that I don't find it the least bit thrilling to beat my hands numb. If you find that you feel the same after trying some 357 Magnums in that 649, I would suggest that you look into purchasing a 4 inch model 686 or 627 for range use with the 357 Magnums, with the correct grip they take the 357 Magnum from punishing to envigorating.

Finally, I don't consider the 357 Magnum in any description as a good choice for Defense. There are 2 notable problems with the Magnums in Defense use. One is that they are LOUD enough to cause permanent hearing damage to an unprotected shooter in an enclosed space and out of the short barrel in that 649 it will be extremely loud. Second issue is that it's a lot more difficult to control a 357 Magnum in rapid fire. Since misses don't count, it's far wiser to choose a less powerful caliber that you can shoot well with. IMO, in that 649 it's a short barrel load of the 38 spl.. As for it's "lack of Power" keep in mind that the "puny" 38 spl. has an 80 year history of effective use in the hands of various Police Departments. Quite simply that "puny" 38 spl. WILL do the job if you shoot it well.

 

[m4bgringo]

If you are both new to handguns, get a few boxes of .38 Special Wad Cutters. They are a very, very mild load and fun to shoot! After you both get used to that round step-up to a "normal" .38 Special.

I bet if you buy a box of 50 .357 Magnum they will last you quite some time using that gun to shoot them! I use a 686 with a 6" barrel for shooting .357 Magnum and that is fun, but it is still a bit much for my wife. She LOVES her Wad Cutters!

 

[Maximumbob54]

The previous posts aren't kidding about recoil with full .357 magnum ammo in your new gun. I bought a 640 years ago which is the enclosed hammer version of your gun. OUCH! I added a Pachmayr Compac rubber stock and that made it much more managable, but it wasn't until I went to .38 Specials that it became enjoyable. Remington golden Saber is one of the .357 magnum "lites" that you could try if you demand magnum. I think the Speer Gold Dot offerings are as well. I think you will love it as long as you know what to expect. Enjoy.

Bob

 

[wrangler5]

I've had a 49 for years (blued, non-+P rated). Wonderful platform, but I can't imagine lighting off a 357 load in it. Your wife's arthritic hands might not recover, and she'd probably lose all interest in shooting it again. And as others have noted, there's no need for that much power - use "regular" 38 Special loads and get good at putting them where you want. They will do the job.

Do look at getting some comfortable grips (more comfortable than stock, that is.) The Pachmayr Compacs that Bob mentioned are recoil absorbing and small enough to be somewhat concealable (although you might find pocket carry a problem, if that's a concern.) But for real shooting comfort look at the Pachmayr Decelerators. They're big, with grooves for all fingers, and very cushy. I can shoot the 49 all day with 'em with no ill effects. Too big for concealment, but for working on sights and trigger control (or when you want to fall back to 25-30 yards and blast away at steel plates, just to see what you can do) they're terrific. And easy to swap off at the end of a long range session.

 

[xk31]

I too have a 49 and a 649 both, and have carried them for years. I find the all steel frame to make for more comfortable shooting. I agree that good well fitting grip stocks are a must. The various rubber ones are comfortable, but I personally find them a bit too grabby for concealed carry. I currently have Eagle Grips, and find they fit my hand well. The important thing is to get a grip that fills your hand and doesn't allow to much twisting or slipping around when you fire the revolver. I also agree that using 38 specials for most of your shooting is a good plan. The 357 option is good to have, but you will probably find yourself shooting the 38 specials most of the time.

Dane

 

[calward]

First, congrats on your new purchase! My wife and I both purchased Smith revolvers as our first handguns a few years ago.
If you ask for low-recoil .38 ammunition at your local gun shop, they can probably accomodate you. If you are new to shooting, just about anything you might want to know can be found on this or other online forums.

 

[peyton]

Plus 1 on the 38 wadcutters. When I was a young husband I found a good supply of 38 wadcutter and bought them all (must of been around a 1,000 rounds) and then gave them to my new father in law. Over the years we would slip off to the back of the farm and blast away. Easy recoil, make nice clean holes and fun!!

 

[H Richard]

Another recommendation for the 38 target wadcutters. When you feel this is a mild load try some light "standard" velocity loads. When those feel mild try some Plus P loads. Give it plenty of time and plenty of range time.

 

[coach22]

If the gun is for in home use ONLY, size isn't an issue.
Try some Pachmayr Compacs. They will absorb recoil.
A comfortable grip like that will encourage her to practice.
Also, buy some snap caps so both of you can dry fire your gun.
You will benefit in 2 ways.
You will smooth up the action of the gun
and make your finger muscles stronger.
If you two ever need to use it for in home defense,
chances are it will be at a distance of 8 feet or closer.
Rapid repeat shots are essential.
A good +P at those ranges and good shot placement
is all you'll ever need.
And before anyone says anything about a home invasion
by multiple armed assailants, if that happens,
it won't matter how powerful or how big your handgun is.
They will have more bullets than you do.
You made an excellent choice given your circumstances.

 

[mg357]

Good luck with your new j-frame revolver and practice with it as much as you can also get yourself a set of snap caps for it dry fire practice is important.

 

[M3Stuart]

Welcome to the forum!

I second the motion; don't even think about buying/shooting any .357 for awhile if this is your first handgun. Your gun will be hard for a newbie to shoot accurately at first because the sight radius is so short. I recommend moving the target up, waaaaay up, until you can hit a pattern. Then move it back little by little.

I would also suggest renting other guns at the range - especially a model 10 or 64 with a 4" barrel to practice with.

Oh, and if you do shoot .357, be SURE to wear both ear plugs AND muffs - you'll need em'.

Safe shooting!

 

[Gunplay]

Greetings everyone! Just made my first handgun purchase today. I bought a S&W .357 model 649. I intitially wanted a Glock 19, but wife has some arithritis in her hands and could not operate the slide. We decided a revolver was the way to go.

It won't arrive until next week but I am excited. My wife and I handled the gunshop's daughter's 649 and it felt great in my hand as well as hers. The gunsmith had done some trigger work on his daughter's gun and the trigger pull was nice and easy. He will do the same job on my gun when it comes in.

The 649 seems to be the best of both worlds, definitely big enough for self defense, yet still small enough for concealed carry.

If anyone out there owns this model, I would greatly like to hear any comments or tips you might have for me.

As this is your first handgun I am going to offer an un-solicited suggestion: Spend a few bucks and get some training with a qualified handgun instructor/coach. Ammo is expensive. Anyone with reasonable ability can learn to shoot a handgun if given enough time and ammo. A couple of hour’s instruction can reduce the time, expense and frustrations of learning on your own. Most areas have a NRA Basic pistol course offered and a reasonable cost. Consider it.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

As this is your first handgun I am going to offer an un-solicited suggestion: Spend a few bucks and get some training with a qualified handgun instructor/coach. Ammo is expensive. Anyone with reasonable ability can learn to shoot a handgun if given enough time and ammo. A couple of hour’s instruction can reduce the time, expense and frustrations of learning on your own. Most areas have a NRA Basic pistol course offered and a reasonable cost. Consider it.

Good advice. I have a 640 and like it with +P .38 ammo. As for your ammo, as stated earlier start with wadcutters, something with an easy recoil, before moving up to something more powerful. As for protection rounds, start with standard hollow points (Hornady and Federal make some good rounds for older .38's non +P rated that you might like) and work up from there to +P. The nice feature of your gun is the versatility. You can load from mild to wild and anything in between. And by the way, don't invest much money on .357 ammo. When you try it, and you will as we all did, you'll understand why. Now my old Model 28, at about twice the weight, can shoot them all day. Good luck.