That amazing little 642

[gunny4053]

They say the best carry gun is the one you actually carry. I love my Glock 26, I shoot it very well, and doubt I'll ever get rid of it. That said, my 642 has been the gun I carry almost exclusively since the day I picked it up. I shot it almost as well as the 26 from the beginning, and after installing a set of Wolff springs, adding a Hogue Bantam grip, and painting the front sight bright orange, I find it needs nothing else. Most of the time it sets in my pocket in a Sticky holster, but on rare occasions it rides in a Blackhawk CQC #06 with a Bianchi speed strip or two in the other pocket. The 642 is probably the best carry decision I've made in some time. The only dilemma I face now is I found a 638. If I pick it up, deciding which gun to carry will be tough.

 

[jc2721]

"Two is one, and one is none." I think it's a good idea to have more than one BUG/EDC available. If one of them breaks or needs maintenance/servicing, then you've got the spare handy. If the 638 is to your liking and it's a good deal, buy it. You can probably use the same holster and definitely the same speed strips and ammo. The only thing better would be a spare 642.

The last alloy framed gun I looked at was a Scandium framed .357. It was a consignment piece but the frame was cracked under the barrel stub. Be sure to look over that 638 carefully.

 

[crazyphil]

I totally agree with you gunny. My little 642-1 has been my most frequent
carry companion for about twenty years. That little black holster is by
Chic Gaylord. The old cheezy Uncle Mike belt is because of the little bitty'
belt loops that Gaylord used back in the 1960s.

 

[Breakaway500]

I pocket carry my 642 and if Im not expecting any trouble on a large scale carry my 43c. The Centennial is, in my opinion, one of the best carry gun designs ever made.

 

[woudstra]

638 definitely. My EDC always.

 

[HorizontalMike]

I used to carry my 642CT everywhere 24/7, but have slowly drifted toward carrying a full size 9mm 2.0 w/17+1mag most of the time. BTW, I really should go ahead and dye my little paddle holster...

 

[dmthomp32]

I saw this post and had to laugh as I had been talking with a friend recently in a very similar way about my 649. No matter how many guns I have bought, carried, etc. The J frame is just always the most comfortable to carry and with this grip and the weight of stainless I can rattle off all five rounds quickly and accurately in double action, even in comparison to some of the smaller mouse guns like the Sig p238. The J frame is just more comfortable and disappears for me. I carry it in the waistband at 3:00 and it just rides high and tight to my body.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[jerry52]

J frame best thing since sliced bread !

 

[mikerjf]

The Airweight J-frames are really a sweet spot for power, weight, and carry-ability. One thing I seldom see mentioned... they have a very low bore axis, relative to most other options. I've always liked that.

 

[haywood]

The sentinel is my favorite J frame. I normally carry Two 442's. But, I do have others that I carry on occasion. This past couple of days it's a Bobbed 37 and a 442. You can't beet the J frame. I don't believe there is wrong J frame. Pick the J's you like, shoot and carry them (the top gun in my picture is not a J-Frame.)

 

[NB4EST]

When I carry a J, it's a 640-4 Pro Series loaded with middle-of-the-road loads in .357 cases. Doesn't have a full length ejector rod but does have its rounds held together by a moon-clip. Practice tells me my clumsy hands are more likely to cleanly dump moon-clipped empties, and the Jet Loader quickly reloads my little J.

 

[ContinentalOp]

J-frames make for great carry guns. My current EDC is a Beretta PX4 Compact 9mm with a 642 BUG, but a solo 642 was my EDC for several years. I will still carry a 642 solo from time to time, or a pair of 642s. I went solo 642 today while running some errands. Easy to carry, and disappears under an untucked shirt when carried IWB. As was previously mentioned, it's a good balance between power, size, and weight.

I think it's a good idea to have a duplicate/back-up of your carry gun, or at least something similar, so I think getting a 638 (presuming it's in good condition at a fair price) would be a nice safety net. A few years ago my 642 broke and I had to wait to get it replaced under warranty. I was without a gun of any kind for a couple of months. Not the end of the world, but it would've been a bit more reassuring if I had a gun during that time.

My grail gun still remains a 640ND, but I'd also love to get a DAO 649.

 

[PALADIN85020]

My two favorites - a 642 with the internal lock removed, and a 442 that never had one! Both are equipped with Barami HipGrips for effortless no-holster pocket carry.

John

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Agree. Mine is out in my SUV right now in a pocket carry holster.

 

[Linejudgemick]

I have a PC 642 Talo, an Elite Survival Systems pocket holster and Bianchi speed strips that occasionally are in my pocket(s). However it's a hard decision between it and my micro 380 to see which gets pocket time. I prefer the revolver, but it's hard to ignore 7+1 vs 5 rounds and 3/4 of an inch thick.

 

[Backlighting]

I won't carry any gun I'm not proficient with. Hence, I got rid of the Smith 638 because I didn't like practicing with it. Couldn't shoot more than a few cylinders at a session...the recoil really aggravated my arthritic wrist.
Yeah it concealed well. That was the only thing I liked about it.
Subsequently a got Ruger Security 9 Compact for carry. I enjoy practicing with it and appreciate the lower cost of the ammo versus the 38 Spl.

 

[gunny4053]

I used to carry my 642CT everywhere 24/7, but have slowly drifted toward carrying a full size 9mm 2.0 w/17+1mag most of the time. BTW, I really should go ahead and dye my little paddle holster...

I've always thought about a paddle holster, but never used one with the J frame. What brand is that one and how does it carry?

 

[rubiranch]

I carried my 640-1 for six years and then my 642-1 for the next six years.

Back in June of this year I purchased a new M&P 45 Shield M2.0 and have been carrying it ever since.

I think the 642-1 is an ideal EDC.

 

[pawncop]

I have posted previously, I carried my 640-1 as a second gun for several years. It was retired, as was I August 2019. It was located in my weak side, front pocket, with two (2) speed loaders in the cargo pocket.

It served me well.

 

[Lostaro]

Carry my 442 every day....shoot it better than most anything else.

Probably because I shoot it MORE than anything else.